Insomnia after anxiety... is anything going to help? I'm so, so tired

[GameFaceOn]

I found Jan-Mar really, really hard and the anxiety either led or to came with insomnia.

I couldn't get an appointment with a GP, but Kalms helped during the day and exercising again helped too. I feel so, so much better in myself, but I still can't sleep.

I drift off around 1am, and wake up again at 4am. If it's a good day, I can doze until about 6.30.

I'm so so tired :( I just want to sleep. I've tried everything, no screen time after 8.30, bath, nice bedding, sleep spray.

I really empathise. You could try the one a night Nytol Tablets ( the blue box). You have to ask for them as they’re OTC not out on the shelves. I find them really good. All the herbal ones do nothing for me but the blue Nytols do the trick.

no advice I'm afraid, but I was diagnosed with anxiety in 2006 (had counselling which helped) and suffered from being an owl/having insomnia pretty much since I remember.
I also have ADHD and they all go hand in hand. If I'm not tired I'm exhausted, drained, fatigued or finished.

I tried so many things, nothing works.
occasionally excercise helps, but not if I have no energy to excercise which is almost always.
here to hold your hand.
❤
see you at 3am, I'll be watching SWAT!

The Kalms gave me the most weird, vivid nightmares- did you find that with Nytol too?

also the insomnia got worse after each kid (I got used to being sleep deprived🤨) and due to getting older.

It's so crap. I used to struggle to fall asleep but get a good 8 hours once I was sleeping.

Melatonin work for lots of people and can be bought. You have to fiddle with dosages though and it’s not cheap.
I take magnesium supplements and cbg.
My insomnia was a direct result of anxiety. I was given low dose propanalol for that and it helps me a lot.

Magnesium! Tablets, spray, cream. Should really help

I had heard that melatonin gives you the wacky dreams too? What about magnesium?

Only way I sleep well is if I am physically exhausted so a little g walk, a swim or solar during day.

Phenergan and a weighted blanket is currently helping me. I can get a few hours light sleep if I use those.

Second nytol tablets, these really helped me with a similar issue. No vivid dreams.

Exercise definitely helps.

Do you find the weighted blanket hot? I might try Pherergan too, currently taking Benedryl, which worked for about a week or so.

@GameFaceOn I'm not hot at all, I have a 9kg silentnight blanket and it's surprisingly comfy.

Oh I will try one then, thank you.

There is a bedtime tea you can get in Tesco’s - i sweat by it . I think it has camomile and lavender in

GAD & ADHD here, melatonin gives me weird dreams.... I think not napping and trying to keep to a reasonable sleep pattern... Try counting backwards from 100 if you loose count or start thinking begin again!!
I sometimes find listening to sleep stories on Calms app can help....

I struggle with sleeping tablets. I got given some and was like a zombie the next day.

I like the blue Nytol, and a good bit of fresh air through the day.

No I don't have weird/vivid dreams with blue nytol. I rarely recall dreams. I tried melatonin but it made me feel unwell .

I had 8!years of insomnia driven by anxiety. I have tried it all from Over the counter remedies like Nytol/Kalms/Tea etc to prescription meds including Melatonin despite it being on special license for adults on NHS.. nothing worked - doctor was really kind and gave me Zopiclone when I was really on my last legs but it's not something to take long term.

I got a trapped nerve in my back a couple of years ago. I was prescribed amitriptyline.. magic ! Have taken them for 2 years and sleep 7-8 hrs a night. It's a life changer.

After doing some research I managed to persuade my GP to give me Gabapentin. Just one tab per night. I've been taking them for years now. They don't knock me out they just relax me enough to fall (and more importantly STAY) asleep.

I also 'listen' to audiobooks. I've put that in inverted commas because I couldn't really tell you much about the story but concentrating on listening stops the constant mind whirling about consequential or more often inconsequential things.

I take a mixture as I found nothing works consistently. So I use Nytol which is great , Melatonin which now makes sense about vivid dreams , Stilnoct which is prescribed, but only a half as it makes me groggy the next day. It really is difficult as nothing works for everybody . I do sympathise. I still tend to wake at 4am , the witching hour but try to go back to at least doze .

I wake up at 4.30/5 and can't go back to sleep. I am exhausted.

Sometimes its 2am as well. I fall asleep okay but can't stay asleep and I so need sleep.

Could you be in perimenopause? This is associated with insomnia and anxiety.

I second Amitryptiline although I try not to take it every night as I don't want to be reliant on it, and my doctor can be funny about prescribing. My insomnia was triggered by menopause. I sympathise, it's awful.