Stress, Anxiety, and Sleep

[chase_in6]

I really believe that weight, stress, anxiety and sleep are interconnected, and, personally, I have trouble keeping them in balance. For the last forty five days I am having the problem of Stress and Anxiety. First I thought it is something usual when I could not sleep properly. But now it is the stress and anxiety that I can’t sleep properly I want help desperately. I can’t figure out what is wrong. I need mental relaxation. I even tried to do meditation but couldn’t concentrate. What can I do?

[Brian]

I have been having the same problems. I can't sleep at all. Not during the day or night. I am a mess. My body is so tired and needs sleep so bad but I just can't sleep. Any ideas? Any suggestions? FYI Ambien doesn't work. I tried taking that and I only got 2 hours of sleep. But I guess it's better than 0 hours which is what I am getting now.

[FALCON z]

I understand what you say about not being able to concentrate on meditation.  Lucky for me when I get like that it's only for a couple of days and disappear own their own. 

[nelson8z8z]

Balance is very important. It takes a lot of discipline to keep things balanced. Try setting out schedules with a couple of hours a day devoted to family or yourself. I was having the same problem. I was into a job in which I had to work more than 12 hrs. The Bible suggests taking an entire day off from work every week. I think its pretty good advice. You need to take care of your self caz it will affect you biologically. Try using the Theramood product. I tried it and believe me it gave me relaxation. I think they have a site by same name theramood. We people usually think of taking drug during stress and anxiety. May be we get some relaxation for few moments (initially few hours) but what after that. You won’t be able to continue with those things. Soon you will need a high dose and you will be addicted to those things. Try using Theramood you don’t even need the doctor’s subscription but consult your physician if you have been or are currently being treated for any condition.

[ladyK]

I spend most nights tossing and turning.  Trying to get to sleep or trying to stay asleep...I always feel tired.  Who can feel rested after a night of waking up at least 8 to 10 times...arghh!

[apple]

You could go to a health food store and pick up "Melatonin".  It makes your body produce more melatonin which is what your body produces to help you sleep.  I use it, my daughter and my friends.

Make a CD that has really nice soft music you like (I like the Gladiator soundtrack) or a relaxation CD, set it up by your bed and put the headphones on.  Most of the time I can fall asleep this way.

[FALCON z]

I downloaded a relaxation track of a thunderstorm and burned that same track on a cd 6 times so it lasted about an hour.  I haven't used in a while but when I did, I'd be asleep in a matter of minutes.  Always before the track was even over the 1st time.  It consisted of rain and thunder.

[michelle1970]

My main problem with sleep is that at night my anxiety rockets. I hear a slight noise and convince myself that someone is in the house. When there's no noises I lay and worry about anything -usually that i have an undiagnosed incurable disease.

 Night-time frightens me now......

[cheryjeff]

I love nighttime it is the only time my brain gets any rest. Poor thing. An ambien and off to LaLa Land. A little peace and quiet do not have to listen to those voices:_-)

[cognitivejunky]

Talk to a therapist about creating healthy sleeping habits.... like if you can't go to sleep don't stay in bed, only get in bed when you are ready to sleep, this associates your mind with nothing but sleep. The music helps too, or other ambient noice that takes you away from you thoughts. One of the hardest things, at least for me at this point, is actually getting out of bed when I should, and not deciding that avoiding waking up or just starting the day is better. It may provide temporary relief in the short run, those few minutes or hours of "relaxation" but it just tends to create more issues. Though we are riddled with anxiety, and avoiding it seems most affective, it is also the least healthy. My own health has suffered from my own boughts with insomnia. Being a college student made me think it just came with the territory for a long time but I realized it wasn't condusive to my goals and now atleast I can fight it, now it is just a matter of actually trying to literally train the body (whether it likes it or not) to stay on that schedule, however this might be helped by the realizations and new rationales that a therapist can provide on the side so that some of the things that plague your mind are a little more understood and can then hopefully be helped my a combo of meds and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy.

Because when it comes down to it chase, yes all of those a related and they can all affect each other, it is just helpful to talk to a therapist to discern which is causing the others to be out of whack.......