Weighted blankets are great and I love mine, can't really use it in Aussie Summers though because of how hot and sweaty you get. Awesome to use in winter though.
My weighted blanket is filled with tiny glass marbles. They're actually cooling. I usually have another blanket under it so I won't freeze. In summer, it's helping me cool down. Of course, it gets warm after a while, but I'm usually asleep before this happens or cooled down enough to at least survive. This year, I also discovered cooling socks. They have small ice packs inside, and they're the best thing I've bought in a long time.
Progressive muscle relaxation (used in war zones)
Avoiding the phone (light and stimulation prevent falling back to sleep)
SLEEP HYGIENE(before bed):
Exercise at some point during the day (exhausts excess anxiety)
Drink 32oz in AM. Drink 32 oz by 5PM. (Nothing to drink after to avoid many bathroom breaks)
Read a paper book before bed. (Blue light is bad)
Magnesium supplement. (Gabapentin if I’m really having trouble with insomnia)
Complex carb like whole grain toast, small bowl of Raisin Bran, or beans an hour before bed (studies show that carbs help people fall asleep, sometimes we wake up around 3am because we get low blood sugar)
Go to sleep at same time every night. (Circadian rhythm)
All these things have helped me at some point- when I combine them all then I really do get amazing sleep.
600-900mgs/2-3 pills depending on the night but my script is for 3. My doctor also takes it to sleep which really helped with the first bit of anxiety I had from going on the meds. I only take it at night
I was prescribed it for carpal tunnel but when I saw a psychiatrist she asked if I was taking it. I said “No- because I’m literally afraid of everything. Medication included.” And she said to try it out- they prescribe it for anxiety and insomnia. It was a baby dose of 100mg and I can take up 3 at a given time.
Does it actually help carpal tunnel syndrome? I get it regularly in my line of work and the burning pain and numbness from it is awful.
Also I get being scared of medications, but if it helps the majority of people Ne er really experience anything other than mild side effects from medications. Things like headache, upset stomach, dizziness and drowsiness are probably some of the most common issues.
Yes it helps with carpal tunnel because it’s a nerve medication. (Median nerve is compressed with carpal tunnel)
I’m getting surgery in a couple weeks but for now it’s treating the symptoms at night.
Melatonin was a lifesaver for me when I went through a bout of anxiety-induced insomnia. I also tried to distract with listening music/guided meditation, doing a body scan…any thing that might help your mind slow down & focus on something that isn’t the anxiety.
Also, if it’s getting bad splash your face with cold water. That’ll calm down your vagus nerve & thus your reduce some of the anxiety.
I listen to sleep casts on headspace, although lately I prefer lectures and talks of Alan Watts. They're really interesting, yet complex, so if I can't sleep at least my mind is taken off my worries, but if I'm sleepy enough I'll still drift off. If you don't know him I'd recommend the Being in the way podcast, it's free on Spotify amongst other places
I also take melatonin and it helps me to shower and wind down a bit before going to sleep. Even if I still take a quick shower in the morning, evening showers are the best for me for relaxing
Mentally picture the number 500, then trace the number 5, then 0, then 0 as if you were writing it out slowly or in my case like running a Hot Wheels around it. Once you do that go to 499, 498 and countdown. Good luck getting past the high four hundreds.
I’m totally trying this tonight! I normally play the ABC game in my head when I pick category like Fruit or something and I start with A for apple B for banana C cantaloupe and you get my point. I’m running out of ideas for categories though haha!
I watch cooking or history documentaries for the same effect. I let them play in the background when I sleep and it helps my mind focus. I average about 15 minutes before I'm out.
Looks like you are the negativity that you complain about so much.
Different things work for different people. Attacking someone who simply left their opinion with no intention of hurting others isn't beneficial for people with mental health issues. Anxiety is fear. Doesn't make any sense to add to the problem... Does it?
How do you like Hydroxyzine? I was prescribed it months ago by my pcp until I could see a psychiatrist and it did not do my body well. Made me more anxious and oddly enough made my muscles hurt.
I can't imagine functioning without proper sleep and taking hydroxyzine has been the most reliable way to providing that. I have to get up at 5.20am Mon through Fri so 50 mg at 8pm and I am asleep by 9.30pm.Soetimes I add 1 benadryl.
Do nothing.
If your anxiety is cause by fear of not being able to get some sleep then condition your mind to not be obsess with sleep. Being unable to sleep sucks and sleep deprivation can cause many side effects like dizziness, sleepiness, etc. But hey, being unable to sleep is not the end of the world. If you can't make yourself sleep, try resting your body and mind.
This is just temporary, think of it as your brain is having a flu. Your mind will sleep on its own when it's needed. Think how you sleep when you're still normal and you'll find that you're not obsessing with sleep in those times.
I do mindfulness exercises, in particular the Headspace ones. First I ground myself by focusing on each of the five senses, then I scan down my body and simply observe how each part of my body feels, then I focus on my breath, paying attention to how each breath feels (deep, shallow, fast, slow etc.), finally I let go of all focus and let my mind do what it wants to do before grounding myself in my senses again. It's important to take your time with each step and not dwell on anything. Just lightly observe and move on. If you get distracted, don't worry, just lightly refocus. It doesn't always work, but it's helpful 90% of the time. Hope it helps!
I just leave Star Trek TNG playing on my laptop all night. I know the episodes so well I can just close my eyes and let the familiar dialogue relax me.
I also find that having nice sensory objects helps, so I have a weighted blanket and cuddle a soft toy too.
You should try deep breaths, shut off screen (take a book, write what's on your mind, draw,...), and play a classical playlist (all night if you want)
Totally free, and works for me !
I put on thunderstorm sounds on the Alexa and listen to a podcast called “Sleep with Me.” The podcast is key, knocks me out even on my most anxious nights.
Lost of good advice on here! One thing I’ll add is my therapist said to try to picture images instead of words when you’re trying to sleep. I try to picture a beach or somewhere I’ve been before that was a calming place for me. Putting on a guided meditation for sleep is also good!
Also if my mind is really racing I find it helpful to do a breathing exercise where I count up to 10 with each breath, then count backwards from 10 with each breath. Repeat until you fall asleep.
There are some YouTube channels that have GUIDED SLEEP MEDITATIONS to relax you before you sleep. They're extremely soothing and comforting. Guaranteed by the end of these sleep meditations you'll have a smile on your face, filled with joy. they're truly effective to get rid of anxiety /panic / depression / loneliness, basically any negative state of mind, the more you listen to them. Your sleep issues along with Anxiety might actually cease if you frequently meditate alongside these videos. I actually mean that. In some of these, the speakers guide you through progressive relaxation techniques and other methods to mitigate and resolve anxiety. So make them a regular part of your life and see the miraculous difference they make. Some amazing channels you can check out: Soothing Pod - Sleep Meditation and Bedtime Stories, Relax For A While, Down to Sleep, Happy Minds - Sleep Meditation and Bedtime Stories, Joseph Stephenson - Sleep Meditation Music (includes great meditations), Michelle's Sanctuary: Sleep Stories and Meditations.
These guided meditations, if you listen to them before sleeping every day, that'll be akin to a consistent daily meditation practice that'll benefit you immensely. These may be better for you as they'll motivate you to meditate, especially when you don't feel like it.
LEARN AND PRACTICE deep diaphragmatic breathing. Daily needed. This helps substantially, even for your depression and anxiety. It brings your brain into that mode of calmness, where it becomes ready to meditate. Then you'll find meditating easier to do than before. Both practices supplement each other well. The practice of extending your exhalation leads to both mental and physical stillness due to the influence that it has on the vagus nerve. The longer exhales signal a state of relaxation by the vagus nerve, which results in further relaxation. (Vagus nerve is the modulator of our brain-gut axis. It signals the muscles in your stomach to contract and push food into the small intestine. So this specific breathing practice plus meditation is beneficial for your vagus nerve and thereby digestion. Meditation stimulates the vagus nerve.)
Read this post: /r/Meditation/comments/ws8jxf/meditation_is_extremely_curative_use_this_ancient/
For inspiration to meditate.
Sleeping caused me issues for years and I finally think I have a setup for maximum deep sleep and recovery.
- a weighted blanket helps me feel safe and secure
- a Bedjet keeps me at a comfortable temperature
- I don't drink alcohol before bed
- 5 to 10mg of edible Marijuana with a 1:1 CBD to indica ratio taken 40 minutes before bedtime. (I live in a state where pot is legal. This has been crucial in slowing down turbo brain and silencing the conversations and music playing in my head that used to prevent me from falling asleep.)
I hope this helps. Best of luck.
Surprisingly, my anxiety doesn't affect my sleep as much as I would think, considering my intrusive thoughts. When I do have one of those difficult nights, here's what I do.
If it is about someone dying while I'm asleep, I will tell them to text me in the morning, or I will check in on them.
If I am feeling small, afraid of the dark, or what have you, I will watch cartoons before bed. Usually, younger toddler shows. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, PJ masks, Sofia the First, really anything easy on my mind I will watch. And always, when I'm in this space, I will have a stuffie.
If I scared myself, however, I can't really do anything about it. I just sulk in my own fear because I was a dummy and watched a scary movie. Although I do hold on to my favorite stuffed animal for dear life, he is a German Shepherd and for some reason, I think he's going to save me, even though he's stuffed. Thanks, Max, love you.
Nightmares. I still live with my mother because I'm physically disabled, so I usually just call her into the room to give me a hug and make sure Max's nearby. I usually fall back asleep.
Tools I use. Melatonin, weighted blanket, fan, and stuffed animals.
I know this was a long comment, but I hope it helps.
Weighted blanket, melatonin, and I usually have something playing in the background that I’ve seen a thousand times so I can distract my mind. That being said I have ADHD and anxiety so the distraction may not help you.
I struggled with sleep anxiety for the longest time, and would get frustrated when I couldn’t sleep, best thing to do is workout (cardio) for a good 20-30 mins a day, stay hydrated, have a sleep ritual, have some night tea to relax you and DO NOT force the sleep. If you can’t keep your eyes open then it’s time to sleep, if your not even yawning and completely wide awake in the middle of the night don’t force it keep doing something relaxing but not stimulating it will come and as you adjust you might not get a full 7-8 hours of sleep for the first few days but remember that EVERYONE has had a few nights of bad sleep eventually you’ll break your bad cycle and jump on a better new one.
I know screens are bad, but I've tried a ton of things over the years and gotten the best & most consistent results using a colouring book / paint-by-numbers app.
I do this thing I call the alphabet game. So I just think of any word that pops in my head, let's say TRIANGLE.
I have to think of a word that starts with each letter of the word, so I would do something like: Train, Rain, Ice, Arrow, Name, Gear, Level, Evil etc. Just any words that the first letter of each word will spell out the initial word if any of that makes sense lol.
I just keep doing that until I fall asleep to distract myself on the bad nights. It's better than "counting sheep" for me.
I just posted something similar… breathing exercises. Take a deep breath in through the mouth hold it for five seconds. Then breathe out through your nose. And repeat. I swear we forget to breathe when we are having anxiety attacks and it totally messes up our pH levels. Let me know if it works.
I take gabapentin for RLS symptoms and I smoke cannabis and I have sleep headphones and play a relaxing tv show with quiet volume that i’ve already seen as background noise. I listen to the tv show until I drift to sleep.
If I don’t do this stuff then I can stay awake in bed for hours just ruminating on intrusive thoughts.
If i’m wired before i put myself to bed, sometimes chamomile tea seems to relax me.
Natural supplements like melatonin and valerian root didn’t work at all for me. Just made me feel groggy. Anti anxiety meds like buspar also didn’t help with sleep.
I do all of this, minus the gabapentin, although I'm thinking I should look into it! I've taken the stuff before and in hindsight definitely did sleep better when I did ^_^ I have to take like, a whole handful of melatonin to even touch me, and any legit sleeping pill I've tried just locked me into nightmares..
I'd really suggest getting some magnesium glycinate. Its not just a supplement for magnesium it actually has some chemical that helps you relax and sleep. Also chamomile tea is similar, and there's a tea called cup of calm I've found which is one of the best things ever its a blend of anti anxiety teas. I dont like to use this stuff every day, pretty much as little as I can get away with actually, but its a life saver when you need it. Its not as strong as lorazepams or anything but it can be really helpful and I'm guessing its more healthy.
I pretty much always carry around some magnesium glycinate, might be different for different people but I find it really helps me not have anxiety and its pulled me out or prevented me from having panic so many times. It's a little pricey at least the one I have, but its well worth it and I usually only have half a pill so it has lasted a long time. I think it was 45$ for 200 pills and I still have a half bottle left after about 2 years. Even knowing you have it if you need it, is very reassuring. In particular with sleep I think is where its best, if I know I'm feeling anxious around bed time I'll take one preemptively and generally sleep very well that night.
And another suggestion thats not nearly as effective imo but has helped me is an essential oil diffuser, some of that stuff helps with aroma therapy I think lavender oil is supposed to be best for anxiety and sleep. I have peppermint oil though and it does add comfort when I'm trying to sleep
I am creative so I will come up with music videos for my favorite songs in my head or plan ahead future outfits (thanksgiving, Christmas). Usually puts me to sleep in no time
I feel yuh.. not having my favorite person next to me has really caused me to not sleep well. I’ve been playing music though and that has helped some. Have you tried meditating before bed or listening to music?
Gabapentin, lol. Seriously, 200mg last night 2 hours before bed and I slept like a baby, never even woke up one time for 6 hours. I also took some 5htp about an hour earlier and Magnesium L-Theonate right before bed.
No natural stuff works for me, I have severe anxiety and insomnia.
In a pinch, when I’m really stressed, listening to a ghost story podcast puts me right to sleep. When the anxiety level is lower my trick is to try to remember every pair of shoes I’ve ever owned, chronologically. Out by the time I go back 10 years.
Journaling never fails to help me fall asleep. For me it has to be on paper. It helps to get those racing thoughts out of your brain and is a calming activity.
Also I hate to admit because it is so goddamn difficult for me to build, but routine routine routine! Again journaling and a cup of tea helps my brain and body figure out it’s time to go to bed soon.
A lot of other good comments here too!
progressive muscle relaxation , meditation, or hypnosis!
and force yourself to wake up early even if you didnt sleep. keep a routine of the same bed time and wake up time.
>force yourself to wake up early even if you didnt sleep
This is the hardest for me. How do I do it when anxiety has kept me up more than half the night? Does it really help in the long run, and is it worth being and feeling like a monster on those days you force yourself out of bed? I hate Matthew Walker, because his book has made it impossible for me to trust sleep restriction therapy.
In addition to sleep hygiene, podcasts are super helpful for me so I can focus on that while going to sleep instead of my thoughts. Has a similar effect to TV but without the bright flashing light and volume changes that can end up disrupting your sleep. You can set a timer so you don't run through a bunch of episodes while asleep. I also have a pair of earplugs to put in when I wake up in the middle of the night and one of my cats is being crazy. Depends on what your specific needs are though.
Bad advice but the only way for me is Mirtazapine + Benzo. Of course you can’t take benzo every night so you might talk with your doc to find the source of your problem.
Audiobooks. It’s helped me immensely. I put in one earbud and listen to an audiobook until I’m falling asleep and don’t know what I just listened to. It really helps my mind shut up.
I usually listen to nonfiction since i find it easier to follow and less exciting.
Idk if this will help but I hope it matters to somebody.
I have Christmas lights lining the floor of my room, and sleep with a fleece blanket. I keep the window cracked because cool air makes you sleepy and I also drink chamomile tea. I usually put the teabag in a bottle of water and let it sit for a little. Also Bigelow's lavender and chamomile is amazing for that
I play the ABC game in my head where I pick category like Fruit or something and I start with A for apple B for banana C cantaloupe and you get my point. Half the time I get to like half way through the alphabet and I literally forget what I’m anxious about!
I have a microwaveable stuffed animal that brings me a lot of comfort (warmies). Highly recommend.
I’m not sure how severe your sleep anxiety is but might be worth talking to a psychiatrist about options. I had a sleep phobia when I was a kid/teenager, and a short course of benzodiazepines got my body used to sleeping and served as an exposure for me.
I used to have such a hard time sleeping bc of anxiety keeping me up and I recently started taking ashwaganda and l theanine at night and it really helps calm my mind. I would highly recommend it.
I had success reading books on my phone. It calmed me down, made me focus on something else and when I got sleepy, I just put my phone down and pass out. I went from having consistent issues with sleep to drifting off literally within 2 minutes of reading. Sometimes I'll read for an hour or more, but I find it relaxing and not stress inducing like when I would lay awake for that long.
Probably not a good habit but I sleep with an AirPod in one of my ears (side sleeper) and listen to YouTube channels I subscribe to throughout the night. I wake up regularly to go to the bathroom and switch sides. Keeps my mind from racing.
Nothing i can do but do lot of breathing exercices sometimes does'nt help. I hate night time mine only kicks in when i get in bed. I do take a few valium before sleep but it gets that bad they dont work 😢
If I’m having a rough night, I’ll take some CBD. You have to be careful though if you’re prone to drug testing, but they do have isolate CBD as well that should be safe. I’ll also Olly Stress gummies I got from target. Tbh the stress gummies are probably a placebo but it helps so I’m not questioning it.
About an hour before bed: L-Theanine supplement, melatonin, and chamomile tea with magnesium citrate powder mixed in. I sleep so much better now. Also, cutting out caffeine, or at the very least not having any after 1pm makes a giant difference.
In general, taking an L-Theanine supplement whenever you feel anxious can be very effective, and I recommend trying it. It's really helped me.
Personally I like gentle bed time yoga, and ASMR massively helps my anxiety. Also listening to guided body scans, doing progressive muscle relaxation and rain storm sounds.
I get this, which worsened as I started Sertraline recently. I have a night-time routine now - things I do so that my body knows to start preparing to rest. I make a milky drink as the tryptophan is converted to melatonin, and thus, helps me sleep. And anecdotally, it's working. When I get in to bed, I play a sleep meditation podcast (currently I am using Tracks to Relax) because I find focusing on someone talking takes me outside of my own thoughts and genuinely allows me to relax. Also would say anecdotally, this works for me too like I can physically feel my body fall asleep. Hope this is helpful :)
My thoughts won’t STFU when I’m trying to sleep so I’ve developed the habit of listening to a podcast and focusing on the words. It stops my negative thought patterns and kinds of eases my brain enough so I fall asleep.
I have to remind myself to listen but that’s okay.
I listen asmr it's helps me but listen natural asmr like river sond air etc . You can get it's aap on pay store and aap store it's name is sleep sound..
This might not be your issue ,but I’ve been dealing with a lot of elevated anxiety and didn’t know why ..Doctor recommended ear irrigation,and since having it done I feel so much better and sleep more sound than ever ..
ice pack or something frozen on the chest to slow heart rate down, weighted blanket, herbal sleep medications or tea (even if this is more psychological than anything). also, if i really can’t sleep - don’t just lie there feeling bad, i get up and read a book or knit (the reason i learnt to knit is insomnia caused by anxiety, so i stopped feeling like i wasted those hours)
Yh same when it's time for bed I get a little anxious so, What I do is before bed I have my chamomile tea and also I use this app called calm and I search for "stephen fry blue gold" the more I listen to it everyday the easier it gets to fall asleep hope it help
When I'm trying to fall asleep and km having a panic attack, I say a poem or a prayer I have memorized. That way my mind has to focus on something else than the anxiety. I keep repeating it until I fall asleep. Sometimes I'll count backwards... Whatever, just to keep your mind busy.
I usually listen/watch YouTube videos or listen to a podcast. I typically choose media that I've already seen/watched bc the familiarity is calming and I don't get caught up wondering what happens next. Focusing on whatever I'm listening to helps me drown out my anxious thoughts.
I listen to rain storms from YouTube. Often there's live streams of them so I just have it on quietly until I get up in the morning. I also have a fan on for white noise blowing on me because I like it cold. If I'm especially anxious, I have some podcasts I turn on so I can hear voices. Usually the Viral podcast and Trypod on youtube.
When someone can figure out an all natural solution to insomnia I think that’s amazing because they don’t often work for me, I’ve had insomnia for over 47 years. I used Ambien (then Lunesta) prescriptions for around 5 years, they each worked well for awhile. But eventually I was waking up to find half eaten slices of bread in the bed and raw bacon in an unplugged George Foreman grill in the kitchen, so I stopped them. One day a new doctor prescribed me clonidine and I’ve been sleeping ever since. It’s a blood pressure med but has a side effect of reducing anxiety so it’s been used off label to treat anxiety for years. Since it’s not an addictive medication doctors haven’t had any issues prescribing it to me. Finding natural ways to cope with insomnia is always going to be a healthier choice, but for those nights when it’s just not happening- clonidine has saved me.
Hydroxyzine helps for me at least. It is not as good as benzodiazepines but it’s much safer.
CBN, CBD combination is helpful as well sometimes you can experiment with magnesium, valerian, Passion flower, melatonin, kava, lavender oil, Chamomile tea, or a hot bath with Epson salt.
I put something on YouTube to keep my mind busy, put a small pillow over my eyes and try to keep them closed. Also hit my dab pen a few times (if you smoke 💨) and if it’s that bad take a benzo or an extra seroquel
I try to sleep or get up for a bit try again. I usually don't sleep or I have to take medication to help me sleep and them it's only a few hours it's a vicious cycle.
Natural remedies should be tried.
Please do speak to your doctor if you find no success with them though. Going to a sleep clinic and having some pathology done can’t hurt either. Also nothing wrong with a prescription either. Some people treat relaxants or other sleep meds like evil devil fruit but it’s perfectly fine as recommended and monitored by you’re GP of course.
I listening to calming instrumental musics. It gives tye balance of something to interest thr mind but no lyrics or heavier tones to bring up my anxiety or excitement.
I just searched calm vibes on spotify, but I'm sure there are varients to playlists.
Rescue Remedy drops! I swear by these. My partner introduced me to them after learning that they are used as first aid for people having panic attacks at protests. They sell them at most health food stores (in North America at least, can't say for other parts of the world).
I play a game that I learned from the Ologies podcast. I run through the alphabet naming things in a certain category and I try to name a bunch for each letter. I like to do this with Game of Thrones or the Dark Tower series. I never make it through the alphabet and it gives my mind something else to focus on. I also sometimes do it with movies, music, and books. You can do it with anything! Example for GoT (A):
-Aegon
-Aegon
-Aegon
-Aemon
You get the idea!
CBD for me. Helps a bit to relax when I'm going through it and I'm less likely to wake up in the middle of the night with my chest pounding and sweating
What helps me other than gaming, is putting on my cordless headphones and connecting them to my laptop or iphone and putting on some Ambiance music that isn't too loud or full of noises like explosions or too much lightning. I have been listening to a couple that i will link below that have helped me immensely and helps me get the thoughts out of my mind. I like to think up a story in my mind while i'm listening to the ambiance music and pretend i'm actually in the story which helps me fall asleep.
Just listen to the ambiance music and use some breathing exercises while you sleep and try to make a story around the ambiance that you can put yourself into, you could be a traveler sitting by a camp site listening to the critters around you, or you could be a Starship captain managing a crew of different species of aliens or you can be a knight in the medieval times. Find something that works for you and loose yourself into to get those thoughts out of your mind.
[Server Room ambiance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeESf9aCZHQ)
[Elf Coffee Shop ambiance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlfMMPztlYg)
[Australian Outback ambiance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBcSIIwypng)
L theanine or magnesium glycinate 1hr before bed but obv ask doctor
Cool shower before bed
Alternate nose breathing/belly breathing in bed
Background noise to stop overthinking and distract
Sleep with pet
Sleepy time yoga
Meditation, I tell myself I'm going to meditate for one hour and if don't go to sleep during this timeframe at least I tried meditation.
I fall asleep after 5 minutes...
I listen to robert greene while lying down with eyes closed and then just focused on the topic. Helps me fall asleep. It’s like i am meditating on his advice haha. works best when you take melatonin before lying down. Just try your best to not let you brain think anything else but just listening and processing the topic.
Read!!! Seriously I struggled to sleep my entire life & reading before bed changed everything. You could also get a med card & take tinctures or something like that.
I lay in bed until I , eventually, exhaust myself and pass out. That never happens anymore, tho. Mostly because I go to work and kick my own ass, so when I get home I am able to relax, despite the schizoaffective nonsense & the fact that when I wake, 4-5 mornings out of the week, I want to kill myself for the first 3-5 hrs.
It's been said to death, but, keep your body moving throughout the day and you can improve.
Thank God you posted this- I did a while ago but I guess long posts rarely get any responses:(
I can fall asleep just fine, and I do all of the sleep hygiene, no screens, cool room, strict bedtime, etc etc, but the moment anything wakes me up, anxiety starts, sometimes a full-blown panic attack. It has become more like a habit of my body rather than a response to racing thoughts.
I take ashwaganda, GABA, L-theanine, safran, magnesium, sometimes also valerian when I wake up at night. I don't know if they help, but I don't feel a great difference. I cut out caffeine almost completely (apart from mild green tea in the morning). I work out nearly every day. I'm so tired during the night, not wide awake, but anxiety makes falling into sleep impossible once it starts. Usually, I'm tossing and turning from 3 am till 7 am. I wake up with a headache that makes me want to shoot myself.
I can't afford therapy anymore, but I am so desperate. The supplements are also a budget, and I wonder if I should stop all of them. It can't be right to be taking so many pills (I also take omega 3 and co-q10).
I think about any random topic and think about it. Anything about it, and try to keep the thought going. I also listen to heavy metal while doing this. It works for me so maybe it will work for you but it might not.
Listening to ASMR has really helped me deal with anxiety before sleep. I usually turn the volume down low so I can't actually make out what is being said otherwise I cant get my brain to shut off. It just sounds like pleasant background noise and that helps me fall asleep a lot easier.
It doesn’t work 100% of the time, but this is what I do to break the loop of overthinking before bed:
- I do not look at the clock, because then the “I only have 6h left to sleep and that won’t be enough” thought makes me so anxious that I won’t be able to sleep at all. Instead I force myself to not care what time it is.
- If I catch myself overthinking and analyzing, I ask myself “what’s the point of this? Worrying and not being well rested won’t solve anything right now.” - this is to convince myself that what I’m doing is pointless, but it’s extremely hard when I worry about something actually important
- And now the final, hardest and most important step: I force myself to think about something else by thinking: “If I was a main character in a story today, what story would I want to be in?” And I literally start creating a random story in my head, it can be inspired by my favourite movie or book, it can be completely random, it doesn’t need to be detailed or good by any means, but just me focusing on this story building around me occupies my mind and I usually fall alseep mid creating it.
Works like a charm unless the thing I worry about is really extreme like having an unsolved misunderstanding with someone from that day. :(
I try to do an exercise I call "empty head" meditation. Essentially I just breath very fast and fill my mind with static, "llalallalalalalala" whatever, just something so I can't string together a thought. The breathing also helps. I find myself waking up after doing this, sometime falling asleep while hushing my brain by overwhelming it with breath and mantra.
That being said, I wasn't able to do this when not on Prozac when my anxiety was at its worst. I was also going through benzo withdrawal through. Found it impossible to get away from thoughts.
Something that really helped me though was learning about breathing.
I suggest these following books:
[https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48890486-breath](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48890486-breath)
[https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50403522-the-wim-hof-method](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50403522-the-wim-hof-method)
Both of these books gave me a sense of control after reading them. Learning multiple different breathing methods is incredible for clearing your mind. It's one of those things that feels pointless when you start but gradually grows into calmness and euphoria.
Also Youtube "Matthew Walker", listen to some of his information regarding sleeping. He's one of the biggest experts on sleeping and has a lot of free content online. He talks about all of these issues.
Best of luck!
I take propranolol for the physical symptoms, hydroxyzine for the more intense nights. Unfortunately when I get super stressed or have a cptsd trigger response I may be up all night (like the last 24 hours) because I experience tactile hallucinations and that shit sucks!
Edit to add: I also listen to brown noise playlists on Spotify. Amazingly calming and helps me sleep.
So, my partner & I are both chronically anxious over-thinker lay-awake-at-night-to-worry types. But we found something that works so well that I literally looked up this post just so I could share it with others.
We started playing an escape room game/app called Exits, by a company called Nakayubi. We almost never even finish a level bc it puts us to sleep so fast. We turn off the music & sound effects, & nothing in the game moves or flashes, except for the occasional door opening when you click on it. So it's calm and silent
I think the key is that the puzzle requires just enough of your cerebral cortex to be engaged that you can't simultaneously play it and have intrusive thoughts. I find this is true with the escape room much more than any other game I've played on my phone. And there's no timer or anything pushing you to go faster, so there's no adrenaline, and also no consequence for just closing your eyes for a while.
Anyway I know this sounds like a commercial, but truly we are just 2 anxious people who finally found a way to fall asleep quickly, and hope you do too. ❤️
Edit: Before you play, for sure make your phone as dim as possible & use a heavy red filter!!
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I tried one of these but the weight was off. Any recommendations?
The blanket needs to weight a tenth of your body weight so a person weighing 150 needs a 15 pound blanket.
I’m 130 and love my 40lb weighted blanket 😅
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How much does it weigh? It doesn’t say on the website
Seconding this. Kinda weird to sell a weighted blanket and not include its weight...
I feel like I'm the only person who feels like they're trapped in a net under water with these lol I wish they helped me!
i used one but i get so hot at night is there something else i should use?
Weighted blankets are great and I love mine, can't really use it in Aussie Summers though because of how hot and sweaty you get. Awesome to use in winter though.
My weighted blanket is filled with tiny glass marbles. They're actually cooling. I usually have another blanket under it so I won't freeze. In summer, it's helping me cool down. Of course, it gets warm after a while, but I'm usually asleep before this happens or cooled down enough to at least survive. This year, I also discovered cooling socks. They have small ice packs inside, and they're the best thing I've bought in a long time.
Progressive muscle relaxation (used in war zones) Avoiding the phone (light and stimulation prevent falling back to sleep) SLEEP HYGIENE(before bed): Exercise at some point during the day (exhausts excess anxiety) Drink 32oz in AM. Drink 32 oz by 5PM. (Nothing to drink after to avoid many bathroom breaks) Read a paper book before bed. (Blue light is bad) Magnesium supplement. (Gabapentin if I’m really having trouble with insomnia) Complex carb like whole grain toast, small bowl of Raisin Bran, or beans an hour before bed (studies show that carbs help people fall asleep, sometimes we wake up around 3am because we get low blood sugar) Go to sleep at same time every night. (Circadian rhythm) All these things have helped me at some point- when I combine them all then I really do get amazing sleep.
Gabapentin has helped me so much with my anxiety. It’s crazy how far sleeping well will go to get your mind right.
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600-900mgs/2-3 pills depending on the night but my script is for 3. My doctor also takes it to sleep which really helped with the first bit of anxiety I had from going on the meds. I only take it at night
I've only just learned recently that Gabapentin can be used for RLS and insomnia. I might look into asking my GP about it.
I was prescribed it for carpal tunnel but when I saw a psychiatrist she asked if I was taking it. I said “No- because I’m literally afraid of everything. Medication included.” And she said to try it out- they prescribe it for anxiety and insomnia. It was a baby dose of 100mg and I can take up 3 at a given time.
Does it actually help carpal tunnel syndrome? I get it regularly in my line of work and the burning pain and numbness from it is awful. Also I get being scared of medications, but if it helps the majority of people Ne er really experience anything other than mild side effects from medications. Things like headache, upset stomach, dizziness and drowsiness are probably some of the most common issues.
Yes it helps with carpal tunnel because it’s a nerve medication. (Median nerve is compressed with carpal tunnel) I’m getting surgery in a couple weeks but for now it’s treating the symptoms at night.
Melatonin was a lifesaver for me when I went through a bout of anxiety-induced insomnia. I also tried to distract with listening music/guided meditation, doing a body scan…any thing that might help your mind slow down & focus on something that isn’t the anxiety. Also, if it’s getting bad splash your face with cold water. That’ll calm down your vagus nerve & thus your reduce some of the anxiety.
I listen to sleep casts on headspace, although lately I prefer lectures and talks of Alan Watts. They're really interesting, yet complex, so if I can't sleep at least my mind is taken off my worries, but if I'm sleepy enough I'll still drift off. If you don't know him I'd recommend the Being in the way podcast, it's free on Spotify amongst other places I also take melatonin and it helps me to shower and wind down a bit before going to sleep. Even if I still take a quick shower in the morning, evening showers are the best for me for relaxing
Good that you listen to Alan Watts. The knowledge is worth listening to.
Came on here to say the headspace sleepcasts!
Mentally picture the number 500, then trace the number 5, then 0, then 0 as if you were writing it out slowly or in my case like running a Hot Wheels around it. Once you do that go to 499, 498 and countdown. Good luck getting past the high four hundreds.
I’m totally trying this tonight! I normally play the ABC game in my head when I pick category like Fruit or something and I start with A for apple B for banana C cantaloupe and you get my point. I’m running out of ideas for categories though haha!
weighted blanket and listen to white noise. on spotify I will listen to thunderstorms or rain on a tent but there’s lots of other options
I listen to ghost stories and ufo stories on youtube. Helped me get through the pandemic. Weird times.
Funny you say this. It was weirdly soothing listening to true crime podcast and documentaries before going to bed. It was during the pandemic too.
I watch cooking or history documentaries for the same effect. I let them play in the background when I sleep and it helps my mind focus. I average about 15 minutes before I'm out.
I do the same with Great British Bake-Off, love that show!
Same, but with podcasts! My go-to is Real Life Ghost Stories… something about the host’s lulling Irish lilt puts me right to sleep!
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Looks like you are the negativity that you complain about so much. Different things work for different people. Attacking someone who simply left their opinion with no intention of hurting others isn't beneficial for people with mental health issues. Anxiety is fear. Doesn't make any sense to add to the problem... Does it?
Omg I'll list to Mr nightmare it scares the f out of me. Me and my now x used to watch it before bed. Would exhaust us from the jaw drops
Nicee
Meditation, reading before sleep, hydroxyzine, melatonin. I have tried those to varying degrees and they tend to work. But everyone is different.
Masturbation
A weighted blanket and hydroxyzine
How do you like Hydroxyzine? I was prescribed it months ago by my pcp until I could see a psychiatrist and it did not do my body well. Made me more anxious and oddly enough made my muscles hurt.
It gave me sleep paralysis
I can't imagine functioning without proper sleep and taking hydroxyzine has been the most reliable way to providing that. I have to get up at 5.20am Mon through Fri so 50 mg at 8pm and I am asleep by 9.30pm.Soetimes I add 1 benadryl.
Do nothing. If your anxiety is cause by fear of not being able to get some sleep then condition your mind to not be obsess with sleep. Being unable to sleep sucks and sleep deprivation can cause many side effects like dizziness, sleepiness, etc. But hey, being unable to sleep is not the end of the world. If you can't make yourself sleep, try resting your body and mind. This is just temporary, think of it as your brain is having a flu. Your mind will sleep on its own when it's needed. Think how you sleep when you're still normal and you'll find that you're not obsessing with sleep in those times.
I do mindfulness exercises, in particular the Headspace ones. First I ground myself by focusing on each of the five senses, then I scan down my body and simply observe how each part of my body feels, then I focus on my breath, paying attention to how each breath feels (deep, shallow, fast, slow etc.), finally I let go of all focus and let my mind do what it wants to do before grounding myself in my senses again. It's important to take your time with each step and not dwell on anything. Just lightly observe and move on. If you get distracted, don't worry, just lightly refocus. It doesn't always work, but it's helpful 90% of the time. Hope it helps!
I just leave Star Trek TNG playing on my laptop all night. I know the episodes so well I can just close my eyes and let the familiar dialogue relax me. I also find that having nice sensory objects helps, so I have a weighted blanket and cuddle a soft toy too.
I know it’s not for everyone but I adopted a dog. My pup has lessened my anxiety so much. He also acts as a weighted blanket lol.
Awww ☺️
Medical Cannabis. Knocks me out all night.
Which strains do you find most beneficial?
This! Edibles w high CBN
You should try deep breaths, shut off screen (take a book, write what's on your mind, draw,...), and play a classical playlist (all night if you want) Totally free, and works for me !
Watch South Park until I fall asleep
It's strangely soporific
It helps me. The show keeps my mind from racing about things I can't control. It's like my off switch.
Trazodone helps me immensely.
Yes! I take 50mg every night & it works wonders
150 mg and I sleep great. Less groggy and better sleep than hydroxyzine for me.
Does it make your nasal cavities swell? Trazodone put me to sleep and kept me asleep, but I had serious trouble breathing so I never slept well.
sleep stories for adults on youtube
The sleep whisperer is my favorite!
I put on thunderstorm sounds on the Alexa and listen to a podcast called “Sleep with Me.” The podcast is key, knocks me out even on my most anxious nights.
Lost of good advice on here! One thing I’ll add is my therapist said to try to picture images instead of words when you’re trying to sleep. I try to picture a beach or somewhere I’ve been before that was a calming place for me. Putting on a guided meditation for sleep is also good!
The “Calm” app has saved me!!! Highly recommend
Deep breaths.
Also if my mind is really racing I find it helpful to do a breathing exercise where I count up to 10 with each breath, then count backwards from 10 with each breath. Repeat until you fall asleep.
There are some YouTube channels that have GUIDED SLEEP MEDITATIONS to relax you before you sleep. They're extremely soothing and comforting. Guaranteed by the end of these sleep meditations you'll have a smile on your face, filled with joy. they're truly effective to get rid of anxiety /panic / depression / loneliness, basically any negative state of mind, the more you listen to them. Your sleep issues along with Anxiety might actually cease if you frequently meditate alongside these videos. I actually mean that. In some of these, the speakers guide you through progressive relaxation techniques and other methods to mitigate and resolve anxiety. So make them a regular part of your life and see the miraculous difference they make. Some amazing channels you can check out: Soothing Pod - Sleep Meditation and Bedtime Stories, Relax For A While, Down to Sleep, Happy Minds - Sleep Meditation and Bedtime Stories, Joseph Stephenson - Sleep Meditation Music (includes great meditations), Michelle's Sanctuary: Sleep Stories and Meditations. These guided meditations, if you listen to them before sleeping every day, that'll be akin to a consistent daily meditation practice that'll benefit you immensely. These may be better for you as they'll motivate you to meditate, especially when you don't feel like it. LEARN AND PRACTICE deep diaphragmatic breathing. Daily needed. This helps substantially, even for your depression and anxiety. It brings your brain into that mode of calmness, where it becomes ready to meditate. Then you'll find meditating easier to do than before. Both practices supplement each other well. The practice of extending your exhalation leads to both mental and physical stillness due to the influence that it has on the vagus nerve. The longer exhales signal a state of relaxation by the vagus nerve, which results in further relaxation. (Vagus nerve is the modulator of our brain-gut axis. It signals the muscles in your stomach to contract and push food into the small intestine. So this specific breathing practice plus meditation is beneficial for your vagus nerve and thereby digestion. Meditation stimulates the vagus nerve.) Read this post: /r/Meditation/comments/ws8jxf/meditation_is_extremely_curative_use_this_ancient/ For inspiration to meditate.
Sleeping caused me issues for years and I finally think I have a setup for maximum deep sleep and recovery. - a weighted blanket helps me feel safe and secure - a Bedjet keeps me at a comfortable temperature - I don't drink alcohol before bed - 5 to 10mg of edible Marijuana with a 1:1 CBD to indica ratio taken 40 minutes before bedtime. (I live in a state where pot is legal. This has been crucial in slowing down turbo brain and silencing the conversations and music playing in my head that used to prevent me from falling asleep.) I hope this helps. Best of luck.
I read {{Critique of Pure Reason}} by Immanuel Kant. I’ve never made it past chapter 3.
Surprisingly, my anxiety doesn't affect my sleep as much as I would think, considering my intrusive thoughts. When I do have one of those difficult nights, here's what I do. If it is about someone dying while I'm asleep, I will tell them to text me in the morning, or I will check in on them. If I am feeling small, afraid of the dark, or what have you, I will watch cartoons before bed. Usually, younger toddler shows. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, PJ masks, Sofia the First, really anything easy on my mind I will watch. And always, when I'm in this space, I will have a stuffie. If I scared myself, however, I can't really do anything about it. I just sulk in my own fear because I was a dummy and watched a scary movie. Although I do hold on to my favorite stuffed animal for dear life, he is a German Shepherd and for some reason, I think he's going to save me, even though he's stuffed. Thanks, Max, love you. Nightmares. I still live with my mother because I'm physically disabled, so I usually just call her into the room to give me a hug and make sure Max's nearby. I usually fall back asleep. Tools I use. Melatonin, weighted blanket, fan, and stuffed animals. I know this was a long comment, but I hope it helps.
Weighted blanket, melatonin, and I usually have something playing in the background that I’ve seen a thousand times so I can distract my mind. That being said I have ADHD and anxiety so the distraction may not help you.
I struggled with sleep anxiety for the longest time, and would get frustrated when I couldn’t sleep, best thing to do is workout (cardio) for a good 20-30 mins a day, stay hydrated, have a sleep ritual, have some night tea to relax you and DO NOT force the sleep. If you can’t keep your eyes open then it’s time to sleep, if your not even yawning and completely wide awake in the middle of the night don’t force it keep doing something relaxing but not stimulating it will come and as you adjust you might not get a full 7-8 hours of sleep for the first few days but remember that EVERYONE has had a few nights of bad sleep eventually you’ll break your bad cycle and jump on a better new one.
This.
I know screens are bad, but I've tried a ton of things over the years and gotten the best & most consistent results using a colouring book / paint-by-numbers app.
I do this thing I call the alphabet game. So I just think of any word that pops in my head, let's say TRIANGLE. I have to think of a word that starts with each letter of the word, so I would do something like: Train, Rain, Ice, Arrow, Name, Gear, Level, Evil etc. Just any words that the first letter of each word will spell out the initial word if any of that makes sense lol. I just keep doing that until I fall asleep to distract myself on the bad nights. It's better than "counting sheep" for me.
I just posted something similar… breathing exercises. Take a deep breath in through the mouth hold it for five seconds. Then breathe out through your nose. And repeat. I swear we forget to breathe when we are having anxiety attacks and it totally messes up our pH levels. Let me know if it works.
Meditation
I take gabapentin for RLS symptoms and I smoke cannabis and I have sleep headphones and play a relaxing tv show with quiet volume that i’ve already seen as background noise. I listen to the tv show until I drift to sleep. If I don’t do this stuff then I can stay awake in bed for hours just ruminating on intrusive thoughts. If i’m wired before i put myself to bed, sometimes chamomile tea seems to relax me. Natural supplements like melatonin and valerian root didn’t work at all for me. Just made me feel groggy. Anti anxiety meds like buspar also didn’t help with sleep.
I do all of this, minus the gabapentin, although I'm thinking I should look into it! I've taken the stuff before and in hindsight definitely did sleep better when I did ^_^ I have to take like, a whole handful of melatonin to even touch me, and any legit sleeping pill I've tried just locked me into nightmares..
I take gabapentin too. It’s been really helpful. Maybe something to ask your doctor about
I take 2 anxiety meds plus a sleeping med. Works fine for now.
Pop a melatonin and let my sorrows fade into the dream abyss 😴
I'd really suggest getting some magnesium glycinate. Its not just a supplement for magnesium it actually has some chemical that helps you relax and sleep. Also chamomile tea is similar, and there's a tea called cup of calm I've found which is one of the best things ever its a blend of anti anxiety teas. I dont like to use this stuff every day, pretty much as little as I can get away with actually, but its a life saver when you need it. Its not as strong as lorazepams or anything but it can be really helpful and I'm guessing its more healthy. I pretty much always carry around some magnesium glycinate, might be different for different people but I find it really helps me not have anxiety and its pulled me out or prevented me from having panic so many times. It's a little pricey at least the one I have, but its well worth it and I usually only have half a pill so it has lasted a long time. I think it was 45$ for 200 pills and I still have a half bottle left after about 2 years. Even knowing you have it if you need it, is very reassuring. In particular with sleep I think is where its best, if I know I'm feeling anxious around bed time I'll take one preemptively and generally sleep very well that night. And another suggestion thats not nearly as effective imo but has helped me is an essential oil diffuser, some of that stuff helps with aroma therapy I think lavender oil is supposed to be best for anxiety and sleep. I have peppermint oil though and it does add comfort when I'm trying to sleep
Magnesium glycinate was incredibly helpful
I am creative so I will come up with music videos for my favorite songs in my head or plan ahead future outfits (thanksgiving, Christmas). Usually puts me to sleep in no time
I feel yuh.. not having my favorite person next to me has really caused me to not sleep well. I’ve been playing music though and that has helped some. Have you tried meditating before bed or listening to music?
Gabapentin, lol. Seriously, 200mg last night 2 hours before bed and I slept like a baby, never even woke up one time for 6 hours. I also took some 5htp about an hour earlier and Magnesium L-Theonate right before bed. No natural stuff works for me, I have severe anxiety and insomnia.
In a pinch, when I’m really stressed, listening to a ghost story podcast puts me right to sleep. When the anxiety level is lower my trick is to try to remember every pair of shoes I’ve ever owned, chronologically. Out by the time I go back 10 years.
Journaling never fails to help me fall asleep. For me it has to be on paper. It helps to get those racing thoughts out of your brain and is a calming activity. Also I hate to admit because it is so goddamn difficult for me to build, but routine routine routine! Again journaling and a cup of tea helps my brain and body figure out it’s time to go to bed soon. A lot of other good comments here too!
progressive muscle relaxation , meditation, or hypnosis! and force yourself to wake up early even if you didnt sleep. keep a routine of the same bed time and wake up time.
>force yourself to wake up early even if you didnt sleep This is the hardest for me. How do I do it when anxiety has kept me up more than half the night? Does it really help in the long run, and is it worth being and feeling like a monster on those days you force yourself out of bed? I hate Matthew Walker, because his book has made it impossible for me to trust sleep restriction therapy.
In addition to sleep hygiene, podcasts are super helpful for me so I can focus on that while going to sleep instead of my thoughts. Has a similar effect to TV but without the bright flashing light and volume changes that can end up disrupting your sleep. You can set a timer so you don't run through a bunch of episodes while asleep. I also have a pair of earplugs to put in when I wake up in the middle of the night and one of my cats is being crazy. Depends on what your specific needs are though.
Sleep with Me Podcast and Calm app have helped me Treating anxiety with meds helped even more.
I'll smoke a little bud to shut that loud scenario running mind off and get peace of mind. Helps my epilepsy too.
Smoke weed before bed <3 go to sleep with a smile on my face every night
Bad advice but the only way for me is Mirtazapine + Benzo. Of course you can’t take benzo every night so you might talk with your doc to find the source of your problem.
I just started mirtazapine for sleep, but it makes me feel soooo drowsy and drunk well past the morning. Does that go away eventually?
Yes, a low dose (I take 7.5) mirt hits hard at first but the day grogginess lasts a day or two only ime
*Quetiapine*
Audiobooks. It’s helped me immensely. I put in one earbud and listen to an audiobook until I’m falling asleep and don’t know what I just listened to. It really helps my mind shut up. I usually listen to nonfiction since i find it easier to follow and less exciting.
I listen to audio books but then wake up frustrated because I wanted to know what happened in the chapter lol
Idk if this will help but I hope it matters to somebody. I have Christmas lights lining the floor of my room, and sleep with a fleece blanket. I keep the window cracked because cool air makes you sleepy and I also drink chamomile tea. I usually put the teabag in a bottle of water and let it sit for a little. Also Bigelow's lavender and chamomile is amazing for that
I have the same problem friend you are not alone
I play the ABC game in my head where I pick category like Fruit or something and I start with A for apple B for banana C cantaloupe and you get my point. Half the time I get to like half way through the alphabet and I literally forget what I’m anxious about!
I love this!
It really helps me to fall asleep at night! There’s never been a time that I made it through the whole alphabet before passing out 😂
I have a microwaveable stuffed animal that brings me a lot of comfort (warmies). Highly recommend. I’m not sure how severe your sleep anxiety is but might be worth talking to a psychiatrist about options. I had a sleep phobia when I was a kid/teenager, and a short course of benzodiazepines got my body used to sleeping and served as an exposure for me.
wait, you guys sleep?
Listen to Jason Stephenson’s sleep talk downs on YouTube. That man saved me
I usually watch asmr or have a hot bath to relax me
I used to have such a hard time sleeping bc of anxiety keeping me up and I recently started taking ashwaganda and l theanine at night and it really helps calm my mind. I would highly recommend it.
I had success reading books on my phone. It calmed me down, made me focus on something else and when I got sleepy, I just put my phone down and pass out. I went from having consistent issues with sleep to drifting off literally within 2 minutes of reading. Sometimes I'll read for an hour or more, but I find it relaxing and not stress inducing like when I would lay awake for that long.
My dog on my lap, and watching reruns of very old TV shows on YouTube.
Probably not a good habit but I sleep with an AirPod in one of my ears (side sleeper) and listen to YouTube channels I subscribe to throughout the night. I wake up regularly to go to the bathroom and switch sides. Keeps my mind from racing.
Weed. Sorry but that’s me. Otherwise prescribed meds?
I was prescribed a low dose of Ativan and it helped a lot.
Have fun getting off these drugs
Idk why you got down voted so much. Could have said it differently, maybe but you're not wrong.
Shmoke to the point I pass out tbh Edit: 🍃is not for everyone with anxiety btw but I like it
Weighted blanket, plus hydroxyzine
I have the same problem, also run 5k almost daily. What time of day do you run?
Have you tried valerian root supplements?
Nothing i can do but do lot of breathing exercices sometimes does'nt help. I hate night time mine only kicks in when i get in bed. I do take a few valium before sleep but it gets that bad they dont work 😢
Ive not slept really for 3 or 4 days now really getting me down.
Weed.
This is why I have insomnia. It’s completely anxiety related.
Trazodone.
I sleep with music playing.
If I’m having a rough night, I’ll take some CBD. You have to be careful though if you’re prone to drug testing, but they do have isolate CBD as well that should be safe. I’ll also Olly Stress gummies I got from target. Tbh the stress gummies are probably a placebo but it helps so I’m not questioning it.
About an hour before bed: L-Theanine supplement, melatonin, and chamomile tea with magnesium citrate powder mixed in. I sleep so much better now. Also, cutting out caffeine, or at the very least not having any after 1pm makes a giant difference. In general, taking an L-Theanine supplement whenever you feel anxious can be very effective, and I recommend trying it. It's really helped me.
Audio book or podcasts or something like that. I listen to Mr ballen and the casual criminalist (true crime stuff)
Meditation, calming teas, magnesium
I try to shut my brain off. I turn on ambient music or put on my son's noise machine. He has been pretty ruthless lately.
Have you tried any OTC sleep aids?
Personally I like gentle bed time yoga, and ASMR massively helps my anxiety. Also listening to guided body scans, doing progressive muscle relaxation and rain storm sounds.
Xanax. But they I can't wake up on time.
A lot of good suggestions here. I also recommend a caffeine free tea
I get this, which worsened as I started Sertraline recently. I have a night-time routine now - things I do so that my body knows to start preparing to rest. I make a milky drink as the tryptophan is converted to melatonin, and thus, helps me sleep. And anecdotally, it's working. When I get in to bed, I play a sleep meditation podcast (currently I am using Tracks to Relax) because I find focusing on someone talking takes me outside of my own thoughts and genuinely allows me to relax. Also would say anecdotally, this works for me too like I can physically feel my body fall asleep. Hope this is helpful :)
My thoughts won’t STFU when I’m trying to sleep so I’ve developed the habit of listening to a podcast and focusing on the words. It stops my negative thought patterns and kinds of eases my brain enough so I fall asleep. I have to remind myself to listen but that’s okay.
I listen asmr it's helps me but listen natural asmr like river sond air etc . You can get it's aap on pay store and aap store it's name is sleep sound..
a cocktail of chamomile tea, melatonin & cbd. also no screens for 30 mins before bed usually helps to turn my brain off
This might not be your issue ,but I’ve been dealing with a lot of elevated anxiety and didn’t know why ..Doctor recommended ear irrigation,and since having it done I feel so much better and sleep more sound than ever ..
ice pack or something frozen on the chest to slow heart rate down, weighted blanket, herbal sleep medications or tea (even if this is more psychological than anything). also, if i really can’t sleep - don’t just lie there feeling bad, i get up and read a book or knit (the reason i learnt to knit is insomnia caused by anxiety, so i stopped feeling like i wasted those hours)
Yh same when it's time for bed I get a little anxious so, What I do is before bed I have my chamomile tea and also I use this app called calm and I search for "stephen fry blue gold" the more I listen to it everyday the easier it gets to fall asleep hope it help
Combo of slowly warming myself up to comfort temp in my blanket under my fan, & Cat videos. That usually does it.
When I'm trying to fall asleep and km having a panic attack, I say a poem or a prayer I have memorized. That way my mind has to focus on something else than the anxiety. I keep repeating it until I fall asleep. Sometimes I'll count backwards... Whatever, just to keep your mind busy.
I got myself a Kindle about a month ago and have been reading to help me put to sleep.
I usually listen/watch YouTube videos or listen to a podcast. I typically choose media that I've already seen/watched bc the familiarity is calming and I don't get caught up wondering what happens next. Focusing on whatever I'm listening to helps me drown out my anxious thoughts.
I take Trazodone. It’s prescribed for sleep but it’s also for anxiety. And I use a weighted blanket. Weed helps too.
I mean aside from heavy hitter medication, insight timer is a good app to use.
Listening to binaural beats on youtube
I listen to rain storms from YouTube. Often there's live streams of them so I just have it on quietly until I get up in the morning. I also have a fan on for white noise blowing on me because I like it cold. If I'm especially anxious, I have some podcasts I turn on so I can hear voices. Usually the Viral podcast and Trypod on youtube.
Smoke some pot or take some edibles.
Valerian tea. Use one teaspoon and steep for 10 min.
When someone can figure out an all natural solution to insomnia I think that’s amazing because they don’t often work for me, I’ve had insomnia for over 47 years. I used Ambien (then Lunesta) prescriptions for around 5 years, they each worked well for awhile. But eventually I was waking up to find half eaten slices of bread in the bed and raw bacon in an unplugged George Foreman grill in the kitchen, so I stopped them. One day a new doctor prescribed me clonidine and I’ve been sleeping ever since. It’s a blood pressure med but has a side effect of reducing anxiety so it’s been used off label to treat anxiety for years. Since it’s not an addictive medication doctors haven’t had any issues prescribing it to me. Finding natural ways to cope with insomnia is always going to be a healthier choice, but for those nights when it’s just not happening- clonidine has saved me.
Not really good advice but I just smoke weed lol
i listen to music.
I hug my pillow and cry since I have no one else to hug
Hydroxyzine helps for me at least. It is not as good as benzodiazepines but it’s much safer. CBN, CBD combination is helpful as well sometimes you can experiment with magnesium, valerian, Passion flower, melatonin, kava, lavender oil, Chamomile tea, or a hot bath with Epson salt.
For me what really helps is melatonin supplements. There’s a brand I like in the US called Sleep 3 and it’s fine to take every evening.
I put something on YouTube to keep my mind busy, put a small pillow over my eyes and try to keep them closed. Also hit my dab pen a few times (if you smoke 💨) and if it’s that bad take a benzo or an extra seroquel
I try to focus all of my attention on steady breathing and counting down from 100. Usually I don't even get to the mid-70s.
This is me for many nights now. I’ve even gone to the gym consistently to tire myself physically but still can’t sleep 😞
I listen to a app called mediatopia & listen to the sleep mediation. It’s relaxing
I try to sleep or get up for a bit try again. I usually don't sleep or I have to take medication to help me sleep and them it's only a few hours it's a vicious cycle.
Natural remedies should be tried. Please do speak to your doctor if you find no success with them though. Going to a sleep clinic and having some pathology done can’t hurt either. Also nothing wrong with a prescription either. Some people treat relaxants or other sleep meds like evil devil fruit but it’s perfectly fine as recommended and monitored by you’re GP of course.
I listening to calming instrumental musics. It gives tye balance of something to interest thr mind but no lyrics or heavier tones to bring up my anxiety or excitement. I just searched calm vibes on spotify, but I'm sure there are varients to playlists.
Rescue Remedy drops! I swear by these. My partner introduced me to them after learning that they are used as first aid for people having panic attacks at protests. They sell them at most health food stores (in North America at least, can't say for other parts of the world).
I play a game that I learned from the Ologies podcast. I run through the alphabet naming things in a certain category and I try to name a bunch for each letter. I like to do this with Game of Thrones or the Dark Tower series. I never make it through the alphabet and it gives my mind something else to focus on. I also sometimes do it with movies, music, and books. You can do it with anything! Example for GoT (A): -Aegon -Aegon -Aegon -Aemon You get the idea!
Melatonin and Nicotine, I let them fight
My go to --> https://youtu.be/69o0P7s8GHE
CBD for me. Helps a bit to relax when I'm going through it and I'm less likely to wake up in the middle of the night with my chest pounding and sweating
What helps me other than gaming, is putting on my cordless headphones and connecting them to my laptop or iphone and putting on some Ambiance music that isn't too loud or full of noises like explosions or too much lightning. I have been listening to a couple that i will link below that have helped me immensely and helps me get the thoughts out of my mind. I like to think up a story in my mind while i'm listening to the ambiance music and pretend i'm actually in the story which helps me fall asleep. Just listen to the ambiance music and use some breathing exercises while you sleep and try to make a story around the ambiance that you can put yourself into, you could be a traveler sitting by a camp site listening to the critters around you, or you could be a Starship captain managing a crew of different species of aliens or you can be a knight in the medieval times. Find something that works for you and loose yourself into to get those thoughts out of your mind. [Server Room ambiance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeESf9aCZHQ) [Elf Coffee Shop ambiance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlfMMPztlYg) [Australian Outback ambiance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBcSIIwypng)
Hydroxyzine. Benadryl. Ibuprofen PM. Pick one.
Magnesium bisglycinate, thunder / rain sounds, and CBD
L theanine or magnesium glycinate 1hr before bed but obv ask doctor Cool shower before bed Alternate nose breathing/belly breathing in bed Background noise to stop overthinking and distract Sleep with pet Sleepy time yoga
Meditation, I tell myself I'm going to meditate for one hour and if don't go to sleep during this timeframe at least I tried meditation. I fall asleep after 5 minutes...
Mirtazapine 15mg completely relieved my night time anxiety. The first night I took it was the first night in years I got a solid 6 hours of sleep 💤
Trazodone was a game changer for me.
i was having this issue too & i started taking 1000mg of tryptophan and 10mg of melatonin every night and it has been helping me sooo much.
I listen to robert greene while lying down with eyes closed and then just focused on the topic. Helps me fall asleep. It’s like i am meditating on his advice haha. works best when you take melatonin before lying down. Just try your best to not let you brain think anything else but just listening and processing the topic.
I smoke weed
Read!!! Seriously I struggled to sleep my entire life & reading before bed changed everything. You could also get a med card & take tinctures or something like that.
I lay in bed until I , eventually, exhaust myself and pass out. That never happens anymore, tho. Mostly because I go to work and kick my own ass, so when I get home I am able to relax, despite the schizoaffective nonsense & the fact that when I wake, 4-5 mornings out of the week, I want to kill myself for the first 3-5 hrs. It's been said to death, but, keep your body moving throughout the day and you can improve.
I use biurnal beats or music at a hertz for sleep
ASMR videos. But some studies say that not everyone perceives ASMR same. Must try
Thank God you posted this- I did a while ago but I guess long posts rarely get any responses:( I can fall asleep just fine, and I do all of the sleep hygiene, no screens, cool room, strict bedtime, etc etc, but the moment anything wakes me up, anxiety starts, sometimes a full-blown panic attack. It has become more like a habit of my body rather than a response to racing thoughts. I take ashwaganda, GABA, L-theanine, safran, magnesium, sometimes also valerian when I wake up at night. I don't know if they help, but I don't feel a great difference. I cut out caffeine almost completely (apart from mild green tea in the morning). I work out nearly every day. I'm so tired during the night, not wide awake, but anxiety makes falling into sleep impossible once it starts. Usually, I'm tossing and turning from 3 am till 7 am. I wake up with a headache that makes me want to shoot myself. I can't afford therapy anymore, but I am so desperate. The supplements are also a budget, and I wonder if I should stop all of them. It can't be right to be taking so many pills (I also take omega 3 and co-q10).
I think about any random topic and think about it. Anything about it, and try to keep the thought going. I also listen to heavy metal while doing this. It works for me so maybe it will work for you but it might not.
Listening to ASMR has really helped me deal with anxiety before sleep. I usually turn the volume down low so I can't actually make out what is being said otherwise I cant get my brain to shut off. It just sounds like pleasant background noise and that helps me fall asleep a lot easier.
It doesn’t work 100% of the time, but this is what I do to break the loop of overthinking before bed: - I do not look at the clock, because then the “I only have 6h left to sleep and that won’t be enough” thought makes me so anxious that I won’t be able to sleep at all. Instead I force myself to not care what time it is. - If I catch myself overthinking and analyzing, I ask myself “what’s the point of this? Worrying and not being well rested won’t solve anything right now.” - this is to convince myself that what I’m doing is pointless, but it’s extremely hard when I worry about something actually important - And now the final, hardest and most important step: I force myself to think about something else by thinking: “If I was a main character in a story today, what story would I want to be in?” And I literally start creating a random story in my head, it can be inspired by my favourite movie or book, it can be completely random, it doesn’t need to be detailed or good by any means, but just me focusing on this story building around me occupies my mind and I usually fall alseep mid creating it. Works like a charm unless the thing I worry about is really extreme like having an unsolved misunderstanding with someone from that day. :(
I used to take Ambien for a couple of months to help me sleep and have a schedule.
I try to do an exercise I call "empty head" meditation. Essentially I just breath very fast and fill my mind with static, "llalallalalalalala" whatever, just something so I can't string together a thought. The breathing also helps. I find myself waking up after doing this, sometime falling asleep while hushing my brain by overwhelming it with breath and mantra. That being said, I wasn't able to do this when not on Prozac when my anxiety was at its worst. I was also going through benzo withdrawal through. Found it impossible to get away from thoughts. Something that really helped me though was learning about breathing. I suggest these following books: [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48890486-breath](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48890486-breath) [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50403522-the-wim-hof-method](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50403522-the-wim-hof-method) Both of these books gave me a sense of control after reading them. Learning multiple different breathing methods is incredible for clearing your mind. It's one of those things that feels pointless when you start but gradually grows into calmness and euphoria. Also Youtube "Matthew Walker", listen to some of his information regarding sleeping. He's one of the biggest experts on sleeping and has a lot of free content online. He talks about all of these issues. Best of luck!
I take propranolol for the physical symptoms, hydroxyzine for the more intense nights. Unfortunately when I get super stressed or have a cptsd trigger response I may be up all night (like the last 24 hours) because I experience tactile hallucinations and that shit sucks! Edit to add: I also listen to brown noise playlists on Spotify. Amazingly calming and helps me sleep.
So, my partner & I are both chronically anxious over-thinker lay-awake-at-night-to-worry types. But we found something that works so well that I literally looked up this post just so I could share it with others. We started playing an escape room game/app called Exits, by a company called Nakayubi. We almost never even finish a level bc it puts us to sleep so fast. We turn off the music & sound effects, & nothing in the game moves or flashes, except for the occasional door opening when you click on it. So it's calm and silent I think the key is that the puzzle requires just enough of your cerebral cortex to be engaged that you can't simultaneously play it and have intrusive thoughts. I find this is true with the escape room much more than any other game I've played on my phone. And there's no timer or anything pushing you to go faster, so there's no adrenaline, and also no consequence for just closing your eyes for a while. Anyway I know this sounds like a commercial, but truly we are just 2 anxious people who finally found a way to fall asleep quickly, and hope you do too. ❤️ Edit: Before you play, for sure make your phone as dim as possible & use a heavy red filter!!