can't sleep

[darkgift]

I used to be able to go to sleep around 11, but usually 12. It wouldn't take me very long to fall asleep, usually a half an hour. Now I take about 1-3 hours to fall asleep. I feel really tired around 11 pm but when I lay down my heart starts to race. Usually I can't fall asleep until around 2 but sometimes I can't sleep until 5 am. I get severe anxiety at bed time, I start to think I will never get to sleep. When I am about to fall asleep I feel like I am falling through the bed and spinning and my body then jerks, which startles me and makes my heart start racing. Sometimes I feel a burning sensation over my skin and tightness in my chest with a rapid breathing rate. When I do get to sleep I wake up in a cold sweat at around eight am. I sleep anywhere from 4-6 hours and then I feel really tired and find it easy to go back to sleep until 12 pm. I want to know some way to rid myself of this bed time anxiety or at least to make myself so tired I can't think. During the day I feel anxious on occasion with wierd vision changes and dizziness. the thoughts associated with this anxiety are about what it means to exist, but other then that I don't feel much tiredness.

[jet]

I wondered if you have tried seratonin.
It is a health remedy which is an all natural sleep aid.
I know what you are going through.
I'd been unable to sleep and had the racing heart sensation and anxiety feeling when I first began with the illness I have. There were many other symptoms that occured then as well. The burning sensation is sooo similar to what I had and now slightly have. The jerking sensation is exact as what I had too upon falling asleep. I had some serious equallibrium problems too w/ balance and dizzy feeling.
It is a lot better, now.
I finally got over the sleep issues after a few weeks.
Now dealing w/ other things.
Still baffeled as to the type of origin of this illness. I do think it is viral as no CBCs or other bacterial tests have yeilded any abnormalities!
I hope you find some ease and get some rest.
It is so odd how many others are dealing with the same symptoms.
There must be some type of new or little known/ understood virus.
I was wondering your location in proximity to me.... I am in Kentucky.
Just trying to see where those with these ailments are residing.
Good luck. I hope you can rest. Just try and remember it is only temporary.
You will be ok. Breath deep and slowly. Stress does seem to feed this fear of the unknown. Try not to get anxious, as hard as it is to do. I understand .
Hope things get better soon!

[samssf]

When you say you "used to" be able to go to sleep fairly quickly, when was this? Have your daily thought patterns changed much since then? Is there anything else you can think of that may be associated with your change in sleep patterns?

I can't be sure, but it seems like your problem really isn't not being able to go to sleep, but the high level of anxiety you are experiencing. Are there ANY nights when you go to sleep quickly? Is there something you can think of that you can associate feeling good and being able to go to sleep quickly?

I don't know anything about your diet, etc... but remember that foods and drinks that contain caffine act as a stimulant and will make it diffilcult to sleep. So coffee and soft drinks will affect you negatively and should be avoided.

How old are you? How much do you weigh? The more information you provide the easier it will be to give you advice.

[Cala1234]

Darkgift

I am sorry your not sleeping well, I now that in itself can cause stress. Have you been to see a DR about this? Are you stress about something else?

Some things that may help you fall asleep:

No caffeine
Sleepytime tea
Lavender
Relaxation techniques

Cala

[Curly Stooge]

If you want, see posts 323 and 326 at http://forums.wrongdiagnosis.com/sho...t=9052&page=33

I think I know that anxiety, feels like one is personally responsible for this whole universe. If you have a good hi-fi (only then) try to get this CD: Erato Emeraude WE807ZS / 2292-45339-2. It contains music by Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643-1704) made for Louis the 14th, for the funeral of his wife, Queen Marie-Therese. Conductor is Louis Devos. Pay attention until you've almost memorised it. Then perform parts of it in your mind, through the day.

[acuann]

You are showing signs of a Heart/Liver inbalance, according to Chinese medicine. Do you have dream disturbed sleep or nightmares? Are you currently taking any medications?
DOM

[darkgift]

Well usually I have dreams wear I have to fight things like aliens and demons and dreams where I am about to die, but these dreams don't scare me because I know I am dreaming and I can control them for the most part so they are more of an adventure. My dreams vary alot between voilent exciting dreams and wierd fantasy dreams in which ordinary things turn into cool flying machines.. My dreams are very vivid and I remember having four or five seperate dreams a night. It has been like this since I was a child. I have had a few times wear I woke up and I couldn't move though... This was terrifying, I thought at the time I was dead. I felt like I was suffocating. But this has happened to me only 4 times. I have had alot of stress recently, but I don't think there is really any connection. I wish I knew what my problem is. I used to have problems sleeping when I was a child as well. I was afraid that when I went to bed the Devil would get me. There was a short period of time from the age of 13-15 that I would sleep normal (from 8 pm - 5 am). But now I am afraid when I go to sleep mostly that I won't get to sleep at all and I want something that will knock me out at night without any side effects. I hope someone has some technique that can calm me and put me at ease.. And I have spoken to the doctor but she just said there wasn't anything physically wrong with me.. I dunno but everynight I have terrifying experience and I just want to sleep a normal 7-8 hours.

[darkgift]

When you say you "used to" be able to go to sleep fairly quickly, when was this? Have your daily thought patterns changed much since then? Is there anything else you can think of that may be associated with your change in sleep patterns?

I can't be sure, but it seems like your problem really isn't not being able to go to sleep, but the high level of anxiety you are experiencing. Are there ANY nights when you go to sleep quickly? Is there something you can think of that you can associate feeling good and being able to go to sleep quickly?

I don't know anything about your diet, etc... but remember that foods and drinks that contain caffine act as a stimulant and will make it diffilcult to sleep. So coffee and soft drinks will affect you negatively and should be avoided.

How old are you? How much do you weigh? The more information you provide the easier it will be to give you advice.

Since I have been having the problems I have only been eating one to two meals a day. I am 21 and 5'8". I have dropped from 140 pounds 8% bodyfat to 134 pounds 6% bodyfat. I fell asleep fairly quickly only about 3 months ago. My daily thought patterns have changed, I have begun to worry about everything and I experienced feelings of not being in reality. I do not drink caffine as I do not believe in putting chemicals into my body, including asprin even. There are some good thoughts that help me to nearly fall asleep like the ocean but then my body will twitch and I will wake up again. I then begin to worry about getting to sleep and my heart will start to pound. Eventually after a long time I will fall asleep using imagery but I for some reason keep twitching right before I fall asleep.

[sweetstrawberry]

I used to be able to go to sleep around 11, but usually 12. It wouldn't take me very long to fall asleep, usually a half an hour. Now I take about 1-3 hours to fall asleep. I feel really tired around 11 pm but when I lay down my heart starts to race. Usually I can't fall asleep until around 2 but sometimes I can't sleep until 5 am. I get severe anxiety at bed time, I start to think I will never get to sleep. When I am about to fall asleep I feel like I am falling through the bed and spinning and my body then jerks, which startles me and makes my heart start racing. Sometimes I feel a burning sensation over my skin and tightness in my chest with a rapid breathing rate. When I do get to sleep I wake up in a cold sweat at around eight am. I sleep anywhere from 4-6 hours and then I feel really tired and find it easy to go back to sleep until 12 pm. I want to know some way to rid myself of this bed time anxiety or at least to make myself so tired I can't think. During the day I feel anxious on occasion with wierd vision changes and dizziness. the thoughts associated with this anxiety are about what it means to exist, but other then that I don't feel much tiredness.

the single twitching that you refer to before you fall asleep is a natural body response- there's nothing wrong with it. when you become overconcerned about sleeping, it tends to be harder to fall asleep, close your eyes and envision something, tell yourself a story in your head, and if you continue to go back to negative thoughts, read a short story then close your eyes and envision it and expand on it. i've had problems with insomnia for over 6 years. one big thing that changed my sleeping habits was eating a small a small snack before i went to bed because some people can't sleep when they're hungry. another one is setting up a 'ritual' to get your body ready for bed, it never worked for me, but my friend swears by it. she always takes a bath before bed and brushes her teeth, whatever whatever, in the same order, to keep sort of a regime up so your body can wind down and say 'ok its time for bed'. another problem could be that you're not wearing yourself out enough during the day. maybe add 15 minutes of exersize to your day? i hope this helps.

[Curly Stooge]

Unable to move, yes that too happens - it might even feel as if some entity is pressing you down on the bed. I don't have perfect links, but try http://www.astralvoyage.com/projection/Catatonic.html and http://www.astralvoyage.com/projecti...rotection.html .. Remember not to strive or push for that, as it is already going too fast. Rather keep back and strive for balance, tolerance and love, which will make it less traumatic.