Insomnia

[Obesepigeon]

I don't know if this is the right place to put this as I'm new here but I've struggled on and off with insomnia since I developed anxiety and was just wondering if anybody had any tips or things that they do to beat it, would bloody love a cure tbh x

[Hollie]

I struggle with this too, I feel ya I've found it helps me not to have a completely silent room, I have an air purifier that makes a hum that I find soothing, and I'll sometimes have a youtube video playing really quietly so I just hear murmurs (kinda weird but it reminds me of being a kid tucked up in bed and hearing my parents talk downstairs, I guess it makes me feel safe). Wish I could offer more advice, it's a beast.

[Obesepigeon]

I can't remember the last time I went to sleep in a completely silent room, I have the Ricky Gervais show playing, with karl pilkington and Steven merchant and it really comforts me! But what you're saying makes sense, it's comforting for you.

I think I worry about not sleeping and then try too hard to sleep which in a weird way makes me not sleep? I find when I give up trying to sleep I then sleep really well because I'm not thinking about it, the human mind is a complex and quite strange thing haha

Thanks for your message anyway you seem like a very kind person hollie

[Hollie]

^ ahh I love carl pilkington I feel like I'd end up paying too much attention/laughing instead of sleeping.

It's the worst when you're clockwatching 'if I fall asleep now, I've got exactly xyz amount of sleep...', the pressure makes it so much harder.

Aw I wish I could be more help. Do you have any more things you try?

[Obesepigeon]

Yeah it's not great when you're about to nod off and Ricky Gervais laughs hysterically and ridiculously loudly and shocks you back awake

Yeah and then it only gets harder because you're thinking about it so much...

I find exercise can help because it just knackers me out a bit more, also I sleep completely naked as I like to feel the breeze upon my testicles

[Mr. Nobody]

^
Lol,.. what breeze is blowing under the duvet down in your bollocks area?
Let me guess,.. Lidl's finest beans and curry sauce for din-dins?

I'd agree that really vigorous exercise in the evening can help,
Sometimes dancing is good, just dancing like crazy till you feel you've shook yourself around as much as you can and then just comfortably slouching into bed,

It's often a mind-thing, as you say,.
If you start stressing and becoming obsessive about getting a good sleep, then it just becomes another undercurrent of thought that keeps you alert and awake.

The secret does often seem to be just not thinking about it.

[Obesepigeon]

Haha I like to have my bedroom windows open so it's a slightly fresher and more natural smell

I agree it's just strange that something you want to do more than anything requires you to not try to do it and just let it happen which is the opposite of most things in life.

And I know what you mean by the window neverwas, if you miss it it's almost like you go into overdrive and wake back up again and then it's going to be very hard to sleep properly.

I haven't taken sleeping pills actually I think I'm scared I'd overdose or something and never wake up although that's probably an irrational thought, I suppose I don't really like drugs whether they're prescription or not as I don't want to rely on them.

[Mr. Nobody]

Any time I've taken diazepam it always gives you a really nice nights sleep,
But I wouldn't like to rely on it in any way,
I've only ever been given it for back pain,

It does tend to make you a bit lazy and good for nothing for a while afterwards,

But it may somehow help your natural sleep pattern to reset itself?

I've found quite often in Autumn and winter months that no matter how long a sleep I get, I always seem to be generally tired a lot of the time during the day,

Could just be general anxiety not allowing me to fully relax at night?

[Obesepigeon]

Does it stop you from doing what you need to do the next day like work etc? I wouldn't wanna feel so lethargic I couldn't get out of bed or anything.

Why do you think that happens in the winter months? Is it not the same in the summer or spring?

Yeah I think that's my problem, like my mind never stops, and obviously you need to kinda turn it off in order to sleep. recently I've been almost half asleep, it's like I'm thinking and drifting in and out of sleep if that makes sense?