I'm putting this in general health as I'm not sure whether it should be in mental health or menopause!
I've never considered myself an especially anxious person, but on the occasions something is playing on my mind, usually work-related, I get that wide awake at 3am, worries churning round my head, that I'm sure is quite common.
Lately though it's happening a lot, and it's worry over stuff that seems perfectly manageable in daylight, yet I just can't seem to get perspective on it at night. The same anxious panicky thoughts go round and round and won't shift. I'm also waking earlier and earlier, and getting physical symptoms (stomach pain, and shivery panic) that I've never had before. I've tried visualising them swept away on a wave, and relaxing each part of my body, but this doesn't work.
I'm mid forties and pretty sure I'm perimenopausal, so it may be related to that, but with the tummy symptoms I also wondered about IBS (I know that's anxiety related, or can be.) However, as I am currently getting as little sleep as I did when my children were small babies I really need practical solutions to help me switch off the brain churn and get some rest! Any takers?