trouble sleeping in bedroom

[mandie]

Hi

For the past 8 months my anxiety has been bad and i have had trouble sleeping.

I am often awake till 3 ish and fall asleep on sofa with tv on.

For the past few days I have tried to go to bed earlier in my bedroom.

I have the radio on, but while im lying there trying to sleep i can feel myself getting really panicky and anxious. Took me ages to fall asleep.

I feel like just going back to the sofa and falling asleep that way, but i no thats no good for u all the time.

Its like im afraid to be in there on my own, i feel safer when i got the tv on and im on sofa.

Does that sound silly

love mandie x

[tanya 1]

hi mandie no it doesnt sound silly i remember when i had trouble getting to sleep because i was so panicky so i used to leave the tv on in my bedroom all night with the volume on low and i started reading books in bed aswell,what about trying a relaxation cd in bed ?
hope this helps
tanya 1 x

[shortstuff]

Not silly at all - I have been sleeping on the sofa since October now. For me its an escape thing - my living room is near the front door, therefore I know I can get out. I have decided not to worry about this until I start getting to the route of my anxiety. If the choice is to sleep on the sofa or drive yourself into panic 'trying' to sleep in your bedroom, be kind to yourself. Keep trying the bedroom, perhaps begin to use it as a place to relax in when its not bedtime (read a book, listen to music, meditate etc), and gradually learn that it is a room of relaxation.

Good luck

Nic
xx

[Nechtan]

I can sympathise Mandie as I am exactly the same. I can actually sleep no problem on the sofa but my problems only start when I go to bed so as a result I stay up far too late too until I am ready to drop into bed. My wife is in there and usually our baby son which actually for me makes thinks easier. When my wife takes the kids away I find sleeping even harder.

Even if I am really tired during the day my wife will say to me to go through for a lie down but I just know I would lie there getting agititated so instead lie out on the sofa and shut my eyes.

All the best

Nechtan

[Dominic1975]

When i had really high anziety about 12months ago.... i slept on the sofa for a few weeks, as I felt really alone in the bedroom and my mind, just worked overtime whilst lying there....
I found I could put the tv down low in the living room, get compfortable and naturally drop off to sleep....
I had to get myself out of doing this, even though I didnt want to go back to the bedroom, I really enjoyed my sofa... lol

[valleybear]

Don't see much wrong in sleeping where you feel safe and comfortable for the time being.. I have had sleep disorder for many years and have tried everything and still have many endlessly awake nights no matter where I sleep, so if you can fall asleep on the sofa that is probably better than stressing...

[mandie]

thanks everyone for your replies.

i think its back to the sofa for me, at least im getting a few hours anxiety free sleep on there

mandie x

[Anxious_gal]

maybe watch tv in your bedroom? if that doesnt work buy a sofa bed if you can afford it.
maybe try going to your bed when your really really tired.

[missacorah]

Theres no problem if you need to sleep on the sofa - whatever works for you hun!I agree that many of my negative thoughts arrive when Im in my bed and I once slept on the sofa for 6 months solid as a result lol. Just do whatever you need to to feel better x

[Onlyme]

The past week or so I have had awful troubles getting to sleep when I go to bed. Before going to bed I'm tired, the second I settle down I start getting feelings in my chest like my heart racing away and also a feeling that I can't breath. If I lie in bed reading a book I'm fine, the second I put the book down and attempt to get to sleep, it starts. Not had a wink of sleep last night due to this. I think tonight I'll just try and sleep downstairs on the sofa with the TV on, I have often, when having trouble sleeping, relaxed and nodded off whilst watching the TV.