Night time anxiety

SugarCoated

I spoke to someone from insight health care today for my assessment. Whilst talking to her I mentioned waking up with anxiety. Found out its called nocturnal anxiety. Had no idea there was a name for it. Does anyone else suffer from this?

debbiedo49

I had something like that due to ptsd and anxiety

AlexandriaUK

I think that anxiety is something that seems worse at night because we can feel alone as well and the majority of people be it someone we live with or parents/children are all asleep, then the mind can  go into overdrive and fear creates fear, being able to reassure our bodies that it's ok and your safe is half the battle.
Don't lay brooding on it, find something to do, even if it's a mind enabling thing like laying on a beech in the sun or telling yourself a story, designing your bedroom decor, remember anxiety is a state of mind and its not too difficult for you to change it for the better.

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Waylay

I get that

SugarCoated

Its a scary feeling waking up like that. its bad enough having panic/anxiety attacks when one is awake. I've tried everything to get a decent nights sleep even taking my painkillers later so i can get some relief and fall asleep. not going to sleep until 5am-6am sometimes when anxiety is high wont fall asleep until like 9am. just so tired all the time. 

ChrisW

I suffer with that, didn't know it had a name though.
Have you tried listening to soft music, as I call it, very quiet, peaceful instrumental music works for me and I have a small salt lamp with a soft glow.
Didn't know a thing about salt lamps until another sufferer mentioned them at a therapy class, so I got a small t candle type to try and couldn't believe the difference in the atmosphere in the bedroom after a couple of nights, I know hav a large one in my lounge, never imaged there difference, even if I forget to switch it on for one night.
Might be worth a look at

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SugarCoated

i really struggle with going out all due to my HS (Hidradenitis suppurativa), its just to much being around people. i went to the job centre yesterday my husband dropped me off and then came to pick me up after id finished. 

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susan48

Victoriad said:

You don’t have to be around people to enjoy the peace of your own garden ( if you have one) or walk in woodland or parkland.

All corners of parks and various outdoor spaces have little parts of them that are people free so please try and get our into the fresh air to help reduce your anxiety and improve your mental wellbeing rather than be closeted away which does not help in the long run.

At the end of the day it’s up to each one of us,to try and help ourselves so that we each reap the benefits of a restful nights sleep.

Please consider it as there are always solutions to be found to benefit our own health.

It definitely helps as I wasn’t going out and staying in bed all the time the got a dog, I have to go out for walks.
i don’t talk to may people, there are time I can go for a hours walk and see or talk to nobody.

the sunshine definitely helps too 

CockneyRebel

ChrisW said:

I suffer with that, didn't know it had a name though.
Have you tried listening to soft music, as I call it, very quiet, peaceful instrumental music works for me and I have a small salt lamp with a soft glow.
Didn't know a thing about salt lamps until another sufferer mentioned them at a therapy class, so I got a small t candle type to try and couldn't believe the difference in the atmosphere in the bedroom after a couple of nights, I know hav a large one in my lounge, never imaged there difference, even if I forget to switch it on for one night.
Might be worth a look at

Never heard of salt lamps looks interesting

I used to get night time panic attacks, woke up and cannot breathe, cannot even move to reach oxygen so even more panic. Hospital put me on .5mg Lorazepam every night and that seems to have stopped it happening

CR

thespiceman

Hello @SugarCoated Sorry to hear about you issues with night time anxiety.

As a night time anxiety sufferer.  I had to sort a routine for my self.

I do understand the issues.  Had anxiety fears and terrors constantly still do.  If I am stressed.  Also one time became a terrible time to go to sleep.

Have sleep walking and woken up .  With anxiety.  Fears can be stress related.  I had numbartal lifestyle.

My nights were days.  My days my nights.

So body need to adjust.

Plan a schedule for sleep.  Consider a lot of the excellent advice given to you.

Look at also night time routines.  Understand drinking caffeine, coco, tea or coffee can make you stay awake avoid all those.  Before bedtime never good idea.

Or alcohol.  I learnt that one.  Having an addiction.

Eat sensible.  Have a meal before bedtime good three hour plus before you sleep.

Make a food diary what effects your sleep.  Certain foods can help.  Some can hinder.

Certain foods have an enzyme called tryptophan.  These include Pasta, Beans ,Pulses, Lentils.

Understand the whole grain varieties of Pasta work best.

Have you ever had a Pasta for lunch feel tired afterwards it is the tryptophan in the Pasta. 

Others are Chicken and Poultry, Turkey.  Whole meal bread.  Diary produce Milk if warm with Honey stirred into it.  Yoghurt after a meal with fruit and Cinnamon  Whole meal Bread with Honey.

Always have a routine.  Understand been doing this a long time.  All electrics computer off hour plus before bedtime.

If you turn off TV go to bed will not sleep.  Have to wind down slowly.  I start from around nine.

Relaxing music and just wind down.

I sit silence in the front room and just know going to sleep.

Scared of one time.

Of course doing something positive to help stress.  House work, Gardening moderate exercise.  Not before bedtime though.

Having worries about lifestyle, being in debt, money worries also other issues can effect sleep.  Try to make a diary of these and try to do something about it.

When I was getting reassessed.  Benefits terrible sleeping. So with my support worker.  Made a list of worries.  Writing it down and leaving it .

Put in to a folder then it is gone out of my head.  Do this now, either on paper.  Or talking to people who know me.  On this forum helps actually.

Information and have simple ways to help.

If suffering also bear in mind certain medications can effect sleep.  Yet doing simple things can alleviate the anxiety.

Give your self some time to adjust.

I hope you can take care

Always in prayers and thoughts

The one and only Spiceman

SugarCoated

Thank you everyone there is a lot of valuable information and tips in the posts just glad i joined. i need to make most of the good weather take each day 1 at a time and overcome my fears. my husband is always asking me to join him on walks maybe its about time i did.  
writing things down is a good way to start and its what im going to try. hope everyone is having a lovely evening 

debbiedo49

I started writing down my experiences when I was awake at night and this really helped me to get the thoughts out of my mind into paper which then helped me feel ok I’m in control. I can read that tomorrow . I would go and have a bath or read or listen to relaxing music to distract myself and it gradually got better. When I’m in pain or anxious it comes back but nowhere near as bad. I looked at salt lamps too but couldn’t afford it. Good luck