I’ve noticed, especially in the last new months, I’ve had a bit of anxiety going to sleep because of either nightmares or not being able to get to sleep because I have things to do the next day… does anyone else have this, if so please give me some tips on how to try and help it! I’ve tired relaxing music, white noise, films (screen covered so can just hear it), kalms, meditation…. Literally everything I can think of. I also can’t picture things in my head so I can’t picture myself in a boat full of cushions on a clam sea or anything like that
I tried it a few years ago but I couldn’t do it because I’d get all worked up, I have bipolar and going over everything that’s happened in the day just triggers me (hopeful I know, right )
Friends have suggested having an interest and doing that when I can’t sleep but I just can’t find anything I’m really interested in
@HayleyIoM Hi Hayley, I’m sorry you’re having this trouble. Have you tried more active ways of intercepting the feelings? Like Tapping (EFT) or EMDR? You can easily learn to do both yourself and there are plenty of good online resources. I was talking in another thread about Tapping and how I was a total sceptic but I tried it and was amazed at the results. I often suggest it to my patients and many have found that it gets behind the anxiety and just switches it off. Like journalling and mindfullness it won’t be for everyone but it might just be worth looking into? There are some good free resources out there - I like the free sessions on tappingsolution.com Hope that helps!
Unfortunately I have no words of wisdom for you but rest assured you arent the only one that feels like this. Some days I absolutely dread going to bed. Hopefully some of these tips will help you to relax.
Even as a writer I have to confess I never really found it useful to journal. I definitely found it easier at the beginning of the day, versus as a “review” at the end, but somehow it always turned into a to-do list and, similar to you, just tended to make me more stressed.
It doesn’t mean I don’t write as a “release,” but I find it more slightly natural to write a poem, or a short story that I get to make up as I go…
Hi Hayley,
I can empathise with you, I’ve tried lots of ways to fall asleep naturally, journaling, sleep hygiene, kalms etc, to no avail, so I’m pretty useless at suggesting a helpful method, it’s so frustrating and exhausting.
Diazepam works-ish for me, if the dose is high enough, it calms the chatter in my mind and quetiapine, also if the dose is pretty high, but I really don’t like taking them, prescribed meds cause extra problems on top of issues you experience with insomnia, I think I’m just programmed not to sleep…
I came off of quetiapine just over a month ago due to massive weight gain. Might be worth a mention as I know weight is an issue for some. But obviously everyone is different.
Quetiapine is notorious for weight gain, it’s a shame because it does work really well for sleep, diazepam is hard to get prescribed on a regular script because of how addictive it is.
I have found that with a lot of medications, every single me medication that has been mentioned on these comments I’ve had and been taken off, I’m currently on mitrazipine, diazepam and zopiclone to try and help my sleep… still don’t get very much though! I’m going to try that EMDR/tapping thing though. I’ve had so many chats with my dr about not wanting to be taking so many drugs to help me sleep so I’m really looking forward to trying a plant based product and I’ve got all my fingers and toes crossed it works so I’m not filling my body with rubbish because it also takes a toll on my mental health as well. Thank you all for you amazing help and comments and if you think of anything else PLEASE let me know.
Do you fancy reading some research our scientists did when we were reviewing all of the ways sleeplessness and anxiety materialise in us and the plants that have worked for some people some of the time? The papers are written more for science literature review, but there may be things in that you may find interesting. These are internal documents to us but I really don’t mind sharing them with you if you fancy it - at worst, if you find them terribly dry to get through it may help with the onset of sleep!! Let me know. KM
Hello, I’ve had insomnia that started when my little boy started reception at school as he has autism and for the best part of 8 months im lucky if i get 4 hours sleep.
I have been prcribed zolpidem, sertraline, zopiclone, phenergan and yes i got a couple of nights sleep but they don’t work long time.
Also i have tried diazapam, nitrazepam, they didn’t do much after a few days.
I was then seen by a different doctor and he has started me on a beater blocker propranolol and i have started a natural night time complex by Hay nutrition and im still not close to getting a goof nights sleep but i do feel the more natural approach is the way forward, lavender is good, this os why im excited for sofi as i think its going to be a game changer.
A few files then for your glancing - these are our summarised notes - let me know if you have any questions about anything you read and I will put it to our scientists! In the meantime wishing you a lovely break and hopefully a little bit of rest as well! xx
sofi scientific summary papers:
Part I - The pharmacological pathways of sleeplessness: DocSend
Part II - The pharmacological pathways of anxiety: DocSend
Part III - Plants for treating sleeplessness: DocSend
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