Insomnia. How the hell do you get to sleep when you're stressed?

[nevergoogle]

So far tonight i've tried going to bed, cuddling, talking about worries, more cuddling, trying to think of a happy place, and just lying in bed waiting to fall asleep.

All to no avail. I realise switching on the computer isn't really a good idea, but telly not working and feeling too tired to concentrate on reading.

Any ideas?

Read a book? Have a cup of cocoa? Or write down what is worrying you. List what you can possibly do about it and then leave it.

Have tried all the counting exercises etc. Trying to make yourself go to sleep is the worst idea. Just doesn't work. I find that if I get up, come downstairs and read, I finally get so tired that I do need to sleep.

Not happening tonight obv, but don't particularly need to sleep.

Insomnia is a nightmare so you have my sympathies.

i feel like i could exercise. wish we had a wii or something.

Stick your ipod on, with earphones, and have a good boogie around the living room.

starting with yuor toes, and working up your body, tense your muscles for the count of 10, then breath out & relax them for the count of 10, then move onto the next section.

it physically makes your body relax & slows down heart rate etc.

good luck.

Paul McKenna has worked wonders for me.

thanks. fell asleep not long after my last post. slept like a log on the sofa til the morning.
will check out paul mckenna.

feel free to join us on the insomnia thread!! As becky says, lots of us have found Paul McKenna's book "I can make you sleep" very helpful.

Doesn't work every night, you have to practise the techniques, but it definitely does help.

anyone give me a link to the insomnia thread.

still feelin crap went to docs today

Ask your GP for some Zopiclone to kick start a sleep pattern.

I use melatonin sometimes and when the panic attacks kick in, get up, make a decaf coffee or cocoa, get my breathing right, jot problems down or read (the People's Friend ) then climb back to bed very tired and repeat the word 'The' until I fall back to sleep.

Paul McKenna is good although I do not have the sleep one (mine is 'You can be confident' but I'm out after the first ten minutes).

im already on nitrazepam and surmontil AD but they are not working