Trouble sleeping? I think I worry too much!

KittenKrazy

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Ok.....so we went to bed at about 7:30....I got up about an hour later....and am still awake! I got to thinking about the fact that although we got my van fixed...not cheaply either, hub's broke down while mine was in the shop, and to top if all off, mom's car that we've borrowed until we can get both of ours back on the road has slung a steel belt on one of the rear wheels......I'm behind on my van payment to boot...and it's a used dealership where if you get too far behind, they just come repo it. I reckon I just got all of this whirling through my mind until I couldn't sleep (for the life of me, I have never understood how anyone cried themselves to sleep...I can't!), so I got up, had a hot bath, read some, went back to bed, stayed and flipped and flopped for about an hour, got up and came here, 'cuz I didn't want to wake Charlie up.

Thank God its Saturday night, at least I can sleep in or maybe at least get in bed early tomorrow night...but will make it tough to stay awake during church in the morning! Anyone else have trouble sleeping....worry related or not? Admittedly, I do sometimes, even when I'm not worried...but it doesn't help when you add the " whirly-brain" of worrying to it! I've tried various sleeping aids......haven't found any yet that work without leaving me groggy or weird the next morning. Usually a hot bath with lavender bath salts helps, along with a cup of tea or hot cocoa, but no dice tonight!
 

ewa

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I have the same kind of thoughts whirling through my head and it is now almost 8am and I still haven't slept! I am gonna be no good for advice though. I have been such an insomniac for so many years now.

I also happen to be pathetic and I act like a five year old! I am in my 20's and my way of taking my mind off stuff so I can sleep is to watch the same 2 movies like four nights a week and giggle myself to sleep. They are my fav movies! They really takes a load off my mind, and are oddly comforting in a weird way. You should try it!

The movies are.......Shrek3 and Monsters Inc!!

I am so not an adult!
 

trillcat

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7:30 is awfully early to go to bed, perhaps your body was just not ready for sleep yet.
It is hard to turn off your brain when trying to sleep, I have that same problem. If it gets really bad I turn on the TV, usually I watch something I have seen before so it diverts my attention from my worries but not enough that I am now awake from following the plot of the story. What also works for me sometimes is counting backwards from 100 in my head, very loudly, with a Mississippi between the numbers. If my worrying though start to come back I "shout" the numbers louder. On a good night I will go through about 3 cycles of this before the brain finally shuts off.
 
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KittenKrazy

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Originally Posted by Trillcat

7:30 is awfully early to go to bed, perhaps your body was just not ready for sleep yet.
.
Not really, is normal weekly bedtime (when you have to be at work most days by 3 am, you tend to go to bed earlier than normal people, lol!

But I do agree, once the worrying cycle starts, its soooo hard to turn off. I think I finally went to sleep @ 2 this morning.....what would be getting up time through the week (mind you, I've been known to pull this same stunt and not get to sleep until @ 1, then get up at two, lol!
 

tierre0

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Sending along some hope you sleep better vibes..

I have found listening to music helps when I have to much going on in my head..Turn it on just loud enough so you can hear it and then focus on the words even the advertisments just try and keep you mind clear, it does help.
 

gailc

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I think sometimes your mind is still fully engaged.
I've read that if one goes to bed with alot on their mind its a good habit to write what is bothering you down. It could be as easy as I have all this stuff to do tomorrow I hope I remember-well if you write it down you will remember.
Other items-well you are worrying about paying for vehicle repairs, the van payments, the downturn in the economy-well they are still bothering you preventing you from sleeping.
Perhaps you can write down an action plan to start on or just you feelings on the matter.Sometimes seeing it in print will make it more real and actionable.

Hope this helps..
 
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KittenKrazy

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Originally Posted by tierre0

Sending along some hope you sleep better vibes..

I have found listening to music helps when I have to much going on in my head..Turn it on just loud enough so you can hear it and then focus on the words even the advertisments just try and keep you mind clear, it does help.
Thanks hon....I've just gotten home from grocery shopping and having a light supper, am hoping to surf for just a few and get a bit more "chilled out" than I am now...if so, I'll be good for tonight.....I think, lol! You're going to laugh at this, but on a whole, music tends to keep me awake, with the exception of one CD that my friends put out, and when I listen to it, my mind tends to go back to a sweeter, happier time and I can sleep, but I've lost my personal CD player and hub will kill me if I play the regular one, lol!

\t \t\t \t\t
Originally Posted by GailC

I think sometimes your mind is still fully engaged.
I've read that if one goes to bed with alot on their mind its a good habit to write what is bothering you down. It could be as easy as I have all this stuff to do tomorrow I hope I remember-well if you write it down you will remember.
Other items-well you are worrying about paying for vehicle repairs, the van payments, the downturn in the economy-well they are still bothering you preventing you from sleeping.
Perhaps you can write down an action plan to start on or just you feelings on the matter.Sometimes seeing it in print will make it more real and actionable.

Hope this helps.. \t
Thanks Gail,
I know a lot of times my mind is still fully engaged, sometimes its worrying, like last night, sometimes its creative stuff and things that I want to do....some of my most creative thoughts come during this time.....and if I want to remember them, I have to write them down or they'll be gone the next morning, lol!

I think I've tried everything on the market to help me sleep.....some don't work at all, some work great but leave me very, very foggy the next day, and as much as I drive, I can't afford that. The very best thing I have found if the hot bath and tea or cocoa don't help is a bit of whiskey or a small margarita....the alcohol tends to shut me down BUT it has a nasty habit of running my blood sugar thru the roof....so I can't win, lol!
 

katiemae1277

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what I do when my mind won't stop thinking is I make up stories in my head, kinda like I was writing a book, they're mostly like romance novels
I never get very far cause I always fall asleep
 

shopcat

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I usually don't have problems getting to sleep but when I do I like to visualize. It could be about anything that would make you feel comfortable & cozy, focus your mind on that instead, build a story around the details of why it feels so good to be in bed. It works for me!
 

calico2222

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DH and I both have that problem sometimes when our minds are going a mile a minute and sleep just doesn't happen (never at the same time though! lol). One thing I learned that helps me is "body relaxation". It sounds like of strange but it works. You lay flat on your back, and start concentration on your body from the feet up, imagining your body becoming "one" with the mattress...basically concentration on relaxing your muscles. Not only does your body relax part by part (feet, lower legs, thighs, etc), but it gives you mind something else to concentrate on. I can't stand sleeping on my back, but it usually relaxes me enough to get in a comfy position and fall asleep.

Also, have you tried melatonin? That helps me too. I usually take 1 (or sometimes 2) about 2 hours before going to bed. It's natural, doesn't make me feel groggy, but it normally takes that long for it to kick in.
 
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