I'm terrified I'm going to asphyxiate in my sleep

[Spidey66]

This is so unlike me to have health anxiety. I'm normally very prmagic.

So, a week ago I came off my bike and broke my arm. It's the top part of my humerus close to my shoulder.

The hospital have given me a sling. I have a follow up appointment tomorrow to see if this is effective or if I need surgery

All week I've been in pain but not over anxious. But tonight for some reason I'm convinced that if I fall asleep the sling will cause me to asphyxiate and I will die. Completely irrational but it's stopping me sleeping.

I thought if I slept in the armchair I'd be ok as I'd be upright, but I wasn't comfy enough to sleep and I'm struggling to push myself out of it. Im shattered, my body wants mevvto sleep but my brain won't le t more.

The hospital have told me to wear it 24/7, just ta king it off for brief periods to stretch my arm and hand,

For context I'm overweight and possibly have sleep apnea, though this is not diagnosed.

Ps sorry for typos it's to do with broken am

I would bet that your pain, which is exhausting to deal with on it's own, combined with your exhaustion from not sleeping, is causing you anxiety and intrusive thoughts. Your sling is definitely not going to asphyxiate you in your sleep. I'm sorry you're struggling and I hope you can get some sleep.

I'm sure you're right. I've even tried googling it but anything about asphyxiation and slings is to do with babies ie there us nothing out there about people being asphyexiated by a sling. Totally irrational and I know it. Things are bdd always worse at 4am!

Can you try some grounding and breathing techniques,

Or reading to try and distract you from intrusive thoughts and hopefully your brain can switch off?

I think this should be in mental health tbh. It's anxiety. I'm a mental health nurse, i know it's anxiety. I finally fell asleep at 7am but only slept an hour. Last night i couldnt relax at all, trued reading, audible, watching telly. I like adult colouring books, i would have tried that but i cant because of my arm. I ftied deep breathing and muscle relaxation with some effectiveness. I'm going to look up/you tube mindfulness and relaxa0, i know some via work but will try some. I did put a self referral to iapt in case it worsens, ifbitsccs temp think I can cancel it. I still felt restless this am but for the first time since theccaccidrrnt I got up, washed and dressed and me and mu husband took the dog to the park anfvreally helped.

Hopefully it's a short term response to my current circumstances

Apologies for typos due to badcarm