going to bed gives me anxiety

stevow7

stevow7

Well known member
so lately i’ve been sleeping pretty badly and waking up at night. every time i go to bed or think about it i get anxiety because i have trouble sleeping or maintain sleep for 7-8 hours and if i sleep less i punish myself or feel tired. do you guys had this experience? like i tell myself “what if”
 
I think everyone knows the feeling of anxiety at bedtime. I recently read about a technique to fall asleep quickly, called 4-7-8:
1. Lay as comfortable as possible. Try to distract from everything and not think about anything. Clear your thoughts.
2. Relax and exhale.
3. Take a few quiet breaths through your nose for 4 seconds (2-3 breaths).
4. Hold your breath for 7 seconds.
5. After this exhale as calmly, smoothly and relaxed as possible through the mouth. For 8 seconds, take slow, short breaths with your nose and exhale the same with your mouth.
The main thing - do not let into your head any thoughts at the end of practice 4-7-8.

This technique helps when I feel anxiety and can't fall asleep. Hope, it will help you too. Good luck.
 
I used to have a lot of trouble with this. The anxiety would affect my bowels, but mostly made me have to keep getting up to pee. What really helped:

- Deep breathing (like above).
- Telling myself over and over again that I can still rest and be rested, even if I don't sleep.
- Keeping a pair of socks by the bed (if you don't normally wear them to bed). The anxiety would make me chilled and shaky, so I knew I always had the option to pull up the extra blanket or put on socks.
- Don't look at the time (turn your alarm clock away from you so that you can't see it by accident).
- Don't aim to get a certain amount of hours. Just know that you can still be restful.

Hope this helps -- good luck!
 
stevow,
Ellen's story and her posts about insomnia might be helpful. She is one of our Beloved Grand Eagles and has wonderful advice and guidance.
Lizzy
 
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