Is this anxiety/panic attacks?

[longingforsomesleep]

As my name suggests, I have trouble sleeping. Terrible trouble.

I used to get the odd sleepless night when I was younger (now 55) but have been having real problems for the last couple of years.

You know that feeling of anxiety that floods through you if you suddenly think you've lost your purse/forgotten to do something really important etc? Well a few years ago I started getting that feeling just once as I was falling asleep. It would come and go quite quickly. But I now get it for prolonged periods through the night. A bit like my heart is racing and sometimes I feel like I can't lie down.

It really got a grip a couple of years ago when my dad died. DH's snoring started waking me up a lot and for a while I blamed my sleep problems entirely on that. But I can have sleepless nights now if i take myself off to another room. Last night I thought I would sleep on the sofa as I sensed I was in for a bad night (and I didn't want to inflict my restlessness on DH). I was still wide awake at 5.30pm and probably dozed for an hour before having to get up at 7.

I rarely get more than 5 or 6 hours sleep, and quite often it's 3 or 4. I have zopiclone which I take occasionally but find, although I go to sleep relatively easily with them, I still wake up a few hours later. Dr also prescribed amitriptyline which doesn't really help at all. Despite my lack of sleep last night I'm now feeling really wired (relaxing day, no alcohol, zopiclone inside me). Is this some sort of anxiety? Can anyone suggest anything?

it sounds like it to me

are you menopausal? I am and have started feeling like this

gp gave me sertraline I think you should make an appt

Could be hormonal. Google adrenalin rush in menopause.

An adrenalin rush is a good way of describing it, though sometimes it's like the rush stays and doesn't subside.

Must be 5 years or so since my last period, but now I think about it, it's probably that long since I first started with these symptoms. Maybe it's time to go back to the doctor.

Have you tried any complementary therapies? I had reiki for a depression/anxiety disorder and it sorted me out very quickly regarding lack of sleep and anxious feelings. I slept for 8 hours after and felt like I'd been asleep for a year, it was blissful. Reiki helps your body to relax deeply so that you have the energy to tackle stress, depression etc.