Rather embarrassing ... I am in my early 60s and still afraid of sleeping in the house by myself... How do I overcome this?

[loveyouradvice]

Yes... literally that... and I hesitated before typing it.

Its totally illogical but when Im in the house with the dog and DH or DC, I'm relaxed and as happy as anything after dark, just pottering around before bed and going peacefully to sleep.

When alone (and without dog, as at the moment), I hear rustling and creaking floorboards and my imagination is full of strange men in the dark with knives or a desire to hurt me hovering at the edge of my consciousness.... I feel tense and nervous, and have to shut all the doors and leave all the lights on outside the bedroom, and take ages to get to sleep

So ... what would you do? I've 3 nights alone now and I WANT TO CONQUER THIS.

I am LONGING to go to bed as blasély and easily as I do when there are others around... Same house, same me... Hmmm

You are not alone, I was the same and only realised a few weeks ago that I had managed two nights without being anxious.
I still automatically do the things others have suggested, so check round and lock up before dark. Shut doors of rooms I won’t be going into. Leave some lights on. Stay up a bit later than usual, read until really tired and tell myself it doesn’t matter if I don’t sleep. Then inevitably I do get to sleep and wake up late and need to rush!

I was like this and figured out my fear was not being alone but more fear of the dark. I was fearful even when dh was there now I leave a dim light on the fear has vanished

When I was little and my dad was working away my mum used to keep a hammer under the spare pillow.....

I was like this following the death of DH. For weeks I was terrified of sleeping in the house alone.

My solution was to call a locksmith and have a lock fitted to the bedroom door. I convinced myself that by doing so I would at least know if there was someone in the house and trying to get into my room and would have time to ring 999

I am sure there were lots of flaws in my theory but it worked for me.

Old thread, I know, but it did make me smile.

My house is 28 years old. Estate. But honestly, the souls of the dead perform a polka across the floor of our bedroom directly above the sitting room on a nightly basis, rhythmically creaking as they go, while we watch telly.

I'm rarely home alone, day or night, but I must admit, given how 'suggestible' I am, I was worried about everyone else going away for a week and leaving me alone with the cat 😳 But, interestingly, not at all bothered. Yes, upstairs creaked as it always does; the strange, muffled 'whomp' from no determinate area happened around 9pm, as always; but I didn't lie awake in fear as I thought I would.

Get cctv / alarm then you might feel safer therefore sleep better

I sleep with the light on, why does the dog leave too ? X

I would also get a ring doorbell and I motion activated light at the front door and back door and just turn them on of a night time. X

Do you have a security system? Burglar alarm? Cameras? I have doorbell cameras and alarms on all of the doors, alarms on all of the windows, cameras spaced around the perimeter of the house and several motion detectors inside. That makes all the difference for me. If any "monsters" try to get in, I'll receive a dozen different notifications.