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Sleep troubles due to anxiety

H

heartproblemsanx

Greenlighter
Joined
Aug 28, 2012
Messages
3
Last few months have been a real grind im 16 and have had a test done for sleep apnea and i was checkout good, then still had sleeping problems and i thought my heart were having issues so did ekg holstir bloodsugar bloodpressure tests all checked out good, but im positive the real thing keeping me up everynight is anxiety anyone else?
 
Yeah, if your too anxious your body won't go down to sleeping mode,not until you are really, really tired.

Question is, what do you fear? As I understand your posting, it's not like you were scared of being sick in the first place, but sth. else? Is this right?
What are you thinking about when you lie in bed awake?
 
This is a very common problem among people of all ages. Its a frustrating problem as well. Its very difficult to pinpoint the reason for anxiety. Often times anxiety is quite irrational which makes it difficult to control at times.

There are many things that can help with this.

Exercise is great for realiving stress that may show itself when your closing your eyes at night. Try getting a decent amount of exercise daily and sleep should come easier.

There are also some natural supplements that aid in sleep/Anxiety

Valerian root is very beneficial for helping with anxiety and insomnia. It acts as an alternative to benzosiazapines for releaving stress and tenision. It also has sedative properties. This can be purchased at your local drug store.

Melatonin can help regulate your sleep cycle. Its also been shown to have some stress releaving properties.

Kava kava is another one similar to Valerian in its function. It has a moderate sedative effect as well as relaxation.

Diphenhydramine more commonly known as benadryl is a great Otc sedative with very few side effects. 50mg should really help with sleep.

If the problem persists you should consult with a psychiatrist and get his opinion.
 
Cloroxtastebad said:
This is a very common problem among people of all ages. Its a frustrating problem as well. Its very difficult to pinpoint the reason for anxiety. Often times anxiety is quite irrational which makes it difficult to control at times.

There are many things that can help with this.

Exercise is great for realiving stress that may show itself when your closing your eyes at night. Try getting a decent amount of exercise daily and sleep should come easier.

There are also some natural supplements that aid in sleep/Anxiety

Valerian root is very beneficial for helping with anxiety and insomnia. It acts as an alternative to benzosiazapines for releaving stress and tenision. It also has sedative properties. This can be purchased at your local drug store.

Melatonin can help regulate your sleep cycle. Its also been shown to have some stress releaving properties.

Kava kava is another one similar to Valerian in its function. It has a moderate sedative effect as well as relaxation.

Diphenhydramine more commonly known as benadryl is a great Otc sedative with very few side effects. 50mg should really help with sleep.

If the problem persists you should consult with a psychiatrist and get his opinion.
Click to expand...


These would have been my suggestions as well.

Valerian, as quoted above is often prescribed in Europe for anxiety over a benzo.
It is more widely accepted in EU countries as a legitimate alternative.
I myself have tried it for anxiety and once I found the right brand had fairly good results with it.

When choosing an herbal supplement though it is good to go for organic and a reputable company.
The US has no regulations on herbal supplements so you can sometimes try one brand with no effect and another with much better results.
Yogi Teas is a good try for herbal night time teas. They have a box that is a variety pack specifically for sleep.
I myself found the Kava to work best but each person is different and you may find the others just as beneficial.

The problem I had with benadryl is that once you start taking it to get to bed, you need a sleep aid more and more.
Antihistamines are good sleep aids but trying something more natural, like an herbal supplement may be a better way to start.

I sometimes try doing some deep breathing when I'm having trouble sleeping, which is often :D
I do visualizations as well....imagining myself in peaceful natural settings, imagining my body going to sleep from toes to head etc..

Let us know what you try and what works for you!
 
Wow! you sound like me when I was 16. My suggestion to you is to nip this in the bud. If you leave your anxiety unchecked, it will get worse and you could well develop a panic disorder. Go see a therapist who specializes in anxiety/depression. The teen years are usually when mental health issues emerge. Don't let them fester. A qualified therapist can help you immensely. Furthermore, you could try meditation. I know it might sound a little strange right now, but meditation works wonders for anxiety. Before bed, along with what others have suggested- maybe you could try giving this book a read:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Miracle-Mindfulness-Introduction-Meditation/dp/0807012394


You might not be used to such things- but keep an open mind throughout your life and you will go far.
 
I have exactly the same problems - what I do is I take melatonin, one or two pills on the nights where I'm feeling really really stressed out. Thing is you can't start taking it every night or you won't be able to sleep without it, so I'd recommend you do like me and try to take it only when you're feeling worst, and the other night just try to sleep without it.
 
Yeah had all this, treat the anxiety first. I tired benzos and z drugs, stay away, they get abused, and are fun so you dont sleep. I settled on seroquel due to no abuse potential, powerful histamine based sedation, so natural based sleep and helps with any panic attacks, bad days. Try the natural stuff first, my case is more exteme, need the power stuff.
 
Often times I find that anxiety keeps me up at night. My mind won't stop racing and I keep thinking of the next day, what I should have done on the current day, etc,etc, etc.

Have you tried any natural ways to relieve anxiety before turning to a pill?

Try some light stretching, yoga, or meditation before bed to just clear your mind. I find that if I play a mental "game", that seems to help. I think of a topic, and start at the beginning of the alphabet. For example if the topic is "animals", a for apple, b for banana, c for carrot....etc... may sound silly but it helps me.

The suggestions on here are all great, you just need to find what works for you. If you can, try to stay away from any benzos or z drugs....they can be tremendously habit forming...
 
I was like this in my early 20s. Seeing a therapist helped, as did getting into daily meditation, taking a low dose of zoloft, and I only did this when everything else I had tried failed like doing lots of cardio daily even if it was just walking a few miles, eating fresh fruit and vegetables, and taking vitamins and supplements, and meditation failed.
 
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