TMS in the Morning...Anyone Else?

[lexylucy]

When I was having severe back pain it would be the worst in the morning. Sarno sights this as a typical pattern where you wake up in a blissful state and then BANG the pain is the first thing to hit. I used to keep a heating pad under my bed and then go straight into a hot shower - have something to eat to be able to stomach a pill, put on a bunch of herbal or icy hot patches and some lavender and arnica oil and off to work I go.

That was about five years ago. I can't believe how much better I have gotten!!!! It's amazing

I no longer wake up with that some pain in the morning and have given up almost all of my routines. However, as I am beginning to work the SEP and do the journaling, in combination with life stressors happening, I have been waking up with some strange symptoms.

Sometimes I will have an absolute kink in my neck and my brain will tell me ---"I slept wrong" or "what if I'm sick" - have caught a cold...like a panic. I am realizing some of this is a TMS reaction. But more than anything is an overwhelming feeling of anxiety. It is actually very similar to being in a blissful or a hypnotic dream state or fantasy and then BANG the alarm goes off and I'm taken out of there or I suddenly realize -oh no! Another day of my life? I can't POSSIBLY handle it...And I remember my problems, all at once in an immediate fashion.

As soon as I sit up and meditate and do my daily exercises I am not worried as much. Things seem lighter and possible.

I know the right thing to do is to get out of bed immediately as soon as I am up but often I end up curled up in a ball and a panic for an hour or more. And then I kick myself later... like what was I doing? I've lost precious valuable time I could have been enjoying myself and being here.

Anyone else feel like this?

Thanks,
LexyLucy

 

[Magicbird]

Hi Lexi Lucy,

I have back pain in the morning, a very stiff achy feeling, but I just go ahead and get up and ignore it for the most part. I haven't been able to fully free myself from back (and shoulder) pain but what matters most to me is that I now know I don't have to worry about it. Ie., I don't have to fear a future injury will permanently debilitate me. I've started doing Pilates, which I've found to be a nice general strengthening form of exercise. When it comes to anxiety, which for me has been a lifelong habit as much as anything else (along with feeling depressed and worrying needlessly) I just remind myself that that's just TMS at work and tell myself to "stop it!"

 

[Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)]

LexyLucy, I do what Magicbird does... When I wake up and the clock says it's time to get up, I get up, but not immediately. I spend about 2 or 3 minutes deep breathing, then tell myself I am going to have a great day, and then get up and start my day. If I laid in bed for awhile, certainly for an hour, I'd be so depressed I'd never get up.

 

[mdh157]

I had a calf cramp last night, as usual much of my worst pain comes @ night and wakes me up. Calf feels fine during the day but a bit tight, is like that a few days then goes away, then comes back, etc.

 

[lexylucy]

Hi thanks so much you guys! I have been doing much better in the morning. I seem to be able to rise and start my day. I am noticing that feelings come up ---mostly because I am having an easier time getting ready ... my mornings are more peaceful--as I have more time to get ready. But that space and time allows for feelings to come up. Concerns about the day, and processing dreams...

Sometimes it is painful emotionally but I do not feel as anxious in the morning as I was

 

[Magicbird]

LexyLucy,

This is a little out of keeping with Sarno's philosophy but still, it really helps me: a physical therapist recommended that I take a dishtowel and roll it up lengthwise (so that the roll is long and thin rather than short and fat) and put it under my waist at night. I'll be darned if that rolled-up dish towel doesn't make a huge difference in how my back feels when I first wake up in the morning, even though when I first wake up in the morning it hasn't had time to register in my brain yet that I put the towel under my waist the night before in the first place. And it has to be a dishtowel, and it has to be rolled up lengthwise rather than short-wise. Whatever 'The Roll' is, it has to be less than 1/2" bulk under your waist--a rolled-up guest towel is too fat. I personally think the rolled-up dish towel helps take the stretch off the tender points on the spine at the waist, but never mind what I think. Just know that it seems to help me for whatever reasons.

 

[lexylucy]

Thanks Magicbird.

I was just thinking I am struggling in the morning again. For me I struggle with feeling overwhelmed and like I have to have all the answers to questions in life. It is hard to force myself to get up and sit up straight. With my head towards the sky. I feel very pressured because my work is running out and I'm not sure what I am going to do next. It's kind of exciting too. But I can feel very lost in personal relationships sometimes. And when I wake up I can worry about what to say to whom about whatever. Thanks for checking in

ps. Have you ever tried Qi Gong?

Lexy

 

[Magicbird]

Lexi,

I believe I did try qi gong once, at least a self-help version of it. I tried a lot of the healing energy methods but they took considerable mental energy for me and none of them 'got' me where I wanted to go. TMS has done more for me than anything. But that little dish towel really does help my back when I sleep. I have no idea why.

 

[doggydave]

Hi all.

I wake up during the night with all my back muscles seized up and in pain. It stretches around to my stomach and chest too. However, I am starting to become more aware of it. I went to bed last night after listening to a TMS video, and I was really relaxed. I laid in bed quite comfortable, however when I started to drift off - the moment a dream state hit me - my whole torso suddenly cramped up in pain, and woke me up. Every time i started to fade to sleep, the same thing happened. It really felt like my unconscious mind was taking over the moment I went to sleep. Each time the muscles became tighter and tighter. Two hours later I could lay in bed no longer. I was up with a hot water bottle. (The cold nights aren't helping)

I had a ten minute nap this afternoon due to my lack of sleep last night, and found all my muscles had started to tighten up.

I have to relearn my sleeping habits.

 

[Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)]

We can have a bad night's sleep and hen the next night much better.
Try not to stress over it. If my mind is hyperactive for any reason, I can't fall asleep or wake up later.
My favorite sleep aids are hot milk, deep breathing, and telling myself I will sleep now and get back to my problems tomorrow.

 

[lexylucy]

Hi Dave.

Sorry to hear it. So fascinating though. It feels like once you are at the door to your subconscious something stops you from going in. Interesting, no? In the past, have you been a very rich dreamer?

 

[doggydave]

Hi lexylucy,

yes, I used to be a very rich dreamer. But that was years ago. I have noticed for years now that I don't recall hardly any dreams, and have really missed them. The good news is that is the last two days, I've had heaps. There was one particularly strong one that seemed like a real message from the unconscious. Perhaps I am getting somewhere slowly. Thanks.

 

[Boston Redsox]

LexyLucy, I do what Magicbird does... When I wake up and the clock says it's time to get up, I get up, but not immediately. I spend about 2 or 3 minutes deep breathing, then tell myself I am going to have a great day, and then get up and start my day. If I laid in bed for awhile, certainly for an hour, I'd be so depressed I'd never get up.

I feel the same way walt if I hang in bed I am done and it s funny how tms takes advantage when I lie there thinking.

 

[Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)]

Hi, Marco.
I often wake up an hour early. I do some deep breathing, tell myself I will think about any stress or anxiety when I get up.
Then I usually get back to sleep. If not, I get up and start my day an hour earlier. No problem.

 

[Boston Redsox]

Hi, Marco.
I often wake up an hour early. I do some deep breathing, tell myself I will think about any stress or anxiety when I get up.
Then I usually get back to sleep. If not, I get up and start my day an hour earlier. No problem.

I do the same know get up positive I tell myself it's going to be a great day have a cup of coffee hug my dog then mediate. My added pressures from my upcoming divorce as increased which increases all my other issues got some good advice from Steve O which helps me move on. I think I am going to restart the sep.