Sleep

[Shinyshoe73]

I’ve got myself into a real state of anxiety over sleep. A few weeks ago I had the thought ‘imagine if you don’t sleep one bit tonight’ and lo and behold I didn’t! I then got myself into such a state of anxiety over sleep that I ended up at the doctors and got pit back on fluoxetine after being off of it for two years. I’m two weeks into taking it and so far I’ve only managed to sleep by taking a sleeping tablet or OTC sleeping pill e.g. Nytol so now I’m convinced that I have destroyed my life as I can only sleep by taking something. The most frustrating this is the only thing stopping me sleeping is my worrying over it and I’m terrified that I’ll be stuck worrying and never sleeping forever!!

Have you tried sleep hypnosis, or breathing techniques?
When I went through a rough time and couldn't sleep I found them really helpful, there's lots on YouTube or download.

I have, thank you though. It’s more that I spend all day ruminating over sleep and I can’t stop!

When I became fixated over sleep and never being able to sleep ever again, this strategy helped me - I went to bed and told myself that it didn’t matter if I couldn’t sleep. I was going to lie down in a comfy bed, rest and relax for 8 hours and that was beneficial in itself, almost as good as sleeping! This took away the worry of never being able to sleep again (I totally understand your anxiety) and gradually i managed to sleep again. I wish you all the best.

If you spend that much time thinking about it, you need to occupy your mind with something else, anything else: Quiz books, sewing project, learn a language - literally anything.
Combine that with exercise, lots: walking, swimming, cycling, etc.
Hopefully by the time you've spent a few days doing that lot, you'll have no option but to sleep!

Try reverse psychology. Challenge yourself to stay awake all night (while lying on your bed in the dark with no screens). Bet you won’t manage it!

Thank you @ontologicallou did you find that eventually your worry passed? So scared I’m going to feel like this forever! Had a few good nights but back to square one last night and had to take a sleeping tablet. Feel like I should just peer through without now and hope one day I eventually sleep despite the anxiety!

yes, you have to stop worrying about not being able to get to sleep in the first place! You have to go to bed and tell yourself that it doesn't matter if you don't get to sleep because 8 hours rest is beneficial in itself. It worked for me, eventually. Good luck

Ok i will give it a shot, out of interest did you think you would never stop worrying? Feel like this is it forever!

@Shinyshoe73 just saw your post and wondered how you were getting on? I have something similar and realise now that worrying about sleep became a major fixation in my life a little while ago. In the end I gave myself a bit of a talking to. I realise that nobody other than me notices when I'm tired. And I have functioned many many days being tired. So if I'm tired again, then fuck it- life still goes on, and the world keeps on turning. I do take a nightol most nights. I wear earplugs. They are my crutch- but no worse then people chugging a bottle of wine to sleep every night. I don't take them at the weekend as there's less pressure to sleep. But my sleep is genuinely better as I also realise that if I have to take a sick day, because I'm exhausted then I can. Insomnia is a form of mental illness. The type that you and I have is almost an obsessive illness. I had cbt for it a while back too... and my counsellor said it is more likely to affect those who are perfectionists.