| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| phyllis |
Posted - 03/14/2009 : 13:38:33
I have strange sleepiong patterns. I sleep well for say three hours and then wake up. This is often at about 1.30. My mind is really alert, but my body feels tired.
I cna then be awake for al long as two to three hours! My thoughts become irrational and I start to worry about stupid things.
I have never been good at night because as a child I was fostered and locked up at night in my room. I was pretty badly abused too, so night times were horrible and I used to love the daylight so that I could look out of my window.
I think this is all repressed stuff. When I wake up what can I do to drop off again?
Does anyone have any thoughts and help for me? |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| scd1833 |
Posted - 05/07/2009 : 19:49:48
regular exercise is a very good sleep aid, as is the herb Valerian root. ( available wherever supplements are sold)
that said, I agree wholeheartedly with mslorinj that you obviously have a lot of repressed **** associated with bedtime/sleeping that you need to unload. just do it! |
| mizlorinj |
Posted - 05/07/2009 : 11:58:17
I have never been good at night because as a child I was fostered and locked up at night in my room. I was pretty badly abused too, so night times were horrible and I used to love the daylight so that I could look out of my window.
Hi there. You realize the above are repressed emotions--I would be journaling about this topic. Be specific. How did being locked up at night make you FEEL? FEEL the emotions and write about them.
How about affirming that you will have a good night of sleep and believing it. Nighttime does not have to continue to be a rough time for you. I definitely agree with those who suggested journaling or talking out what's bothering you when you awaken. Chances are it is indeed an emotional, not physical, issue. Our bodies are made to sleep at night, and we sleep well if our emotions are balanced.
Set yourself up for a good night of sleep too, no tv or newspaper (anything negative) before bed because those thoughts stay in your mind.
When I wake up during the night (which is rare), I can usually pinpoint something bugging me and I talk it out--sometimes in my head, sometimes out loud.
I definitely go to bed expecting a good night of sleep. And that is usually what I get!
Best wishes to you,
Lori |
| Wavy Soul |
Posted - 05/06/2009 : 04:03:03
Yes, Wavy, I'll chat with you...
Wow - just read that article linked above about preindustrial sleep patterns! That's a mind-blower. There's nothing wrong after all..
except that I have that back pain thing keeping me awake that brought me to this website in the first place.
That back pain that... what was it?... is really just my subconscious emotional self's attempt to distract me from knowing how pissed it is.
Damn! I'm pissed!
Jiggling eyes and subvocalizing again as I talk to myself on the computer like a maniacal giraffe (see article!)
;-)
Love is the answer, whatever the question
Love is the answer, whatever the question |
| Wavy Soul |
Posted - 05/06/2009 : 03:46:07
I am awake right now at 2:41 am and if anyone were here they would be rollingonthefloorlaughing as I am jiggling my eyes back and forth and screaming in a whisper while sitting at the computer talking to strangers and trying to do the writing it out thing and eating a sugary snack at the same time...
oops (falls off chair) zzzzzz
oh no, here I still am
anyone else up and wanting to discuss insomnia?
Love is the answer, whatever the question |
| jude |
Posted - 03/18/2009 : 10:03:09
One word: exercise!
I have noticed that if I walk a couple miles, I have no problem sleeping that night. If 2 or 3 days go by and I don't exercise, I can be pretty sure my sleep will be disrupted. |
| Elorac |
Posted - 03/18/2009 : 06:26:15
Hi Phyllis, I have recently read "What to say when you talk to yourself" by Shad Helmstetter and this has really helped me to overcome negative thinking and worry. Reading this has made me realise how much negative thinking I was doing, how stupid it is, and how easy it is to get on a downward spiral of worry, but also that the pattern can quickly be broken.
Also, something that I started doing years ago whenever I had trouble sleeping, was to think of bed and bedtime as my sanctuary.
If I had something on my mind that I was worrying about, I would tell myself that obviously there is nothing I can do about it right now, try to rest, even if I couldn't sleep, and just tell myself that if I needed to I would "worry" about it in the morning. Things can seem worse at night when you can't sleep, and as you say, in the light of day you realise that it is irrational thinking.
I've spent hours and hours lying awake at night worrying about something that never happened, or wasn't as I was perceiving it to be in my irrational state of worry. If I start to worry now, I remind myself of that, and remember what I've learned from the book I mentioned.
A milky drink and a freshly made bed always help as well.
Wishing you lots of goodnights.
Carole.
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| scottjmurray |
Posted - 03/16/2009 : 20:29:58
Scream but don't initiate your vocal chords above a whisper.
~*~
author of tms-recovery . com |
| HilaryN |
Posted - 03/16/2009 : 16:01:50
What is subvocalising exactly? Do you mean opening your mouth and breathing out, pretending to scream?
(I'd prefer the noise, but I have neighbours!)
Sorry to divert from your thread, Phyllis.
Hilary N |
| scottjmurray |
Posted - 03/16/2009 : 15:54:01
quote:
I'm not sure how quiet the "sub vocalizing"
It's like, whisper quiet. All the benefits of screaming at the top of your lungs without the noise. It's one of my faves. That, and jiggling my eyes back and forth (when I'm in public and wearing sunglasses). :)
~*~
author of tms-recovery . com |
| phyllis |
Posted - 03/16/2009 : 07:35:53
Thanks each and all for tips. I did get up last night and sit in the kitchen for a while and got cold! When I got back into bed and warmed up, I dropped off again!
I am also going to get check for sugar levels as suggested by someone!
Phyllis |
| DrGUID |
Posted - 03/16/2009 : 07:04:05
Hi phyllis,
I had problems with insomnia for a few years, but I found an easy cure!
The problem of waking up in the night can be simply due to low blood sugar levels - if you wake up in the night try eating a small sugary snack or having a night cap. This seems to solve 90% of my insomnia incidents.
In the longer term, it would be worth getting checked to see you're not diabetic, and also avoiding eating a lot before bedtime seems to help as well. Also getting a regular bedtime helps.
Hope this helps - let me know if it works as I'm sure a lot of people would like a simple insomnia cure! |
| Peg |
Posted - 03/15/2009 : 05:09:59
I agree with the other suggestions posted.
get up and do something else.
anger release (may not be easy with family members sleeping in the house). I'm not sure how quiet the "sub vocalizing" is, but it sounds like Scott has had great success from emotional release.
writing. I have tried this at night on occasion, when unable to sleep and have found that once I "put the poison on paper", I was able to return to sleep.
Take care,
Peg
In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual. Galileo Galilei |
| pandamonium |
Posted - 03/14/2009 : 14:57:49
Hi phyllis,
I'd journal if I were you, I do have spells like this and I find the only way to get this rubbish out of my head it to commit it all to paper. I make a cup of camomile tea, get a pad and pen and let rip until I'm done, then I go to bed and fall to sleep immediately.
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| scottjmurray |
Posted - 03/14/2009 : 14:24:23
I advocate learning emotional release techniques. If I ever have trouble sleeping it's usually because I'm holding in a lot of anger, rage, pain, or grief that I need to release in order to be able to relax.
I believe the reason you suffer and have these irrational thoughts is because you are confusing who you really are with the random, hurtful nonsense that your mind is producing. The mind is an entity separate from ourselves that we develop as children as a response to trauma. It's kind of like the sum of all the hurtful things that other people did to us. The only good way that I've found to relieve these distressing, incessant thought patterns is to release the emotional energy backing them.
It usually starts with anger. You can try subvocalizing, which is screaming without actually making any noise. It helps just as much as the real thing I've found. Continue to release any pain or grief that comes up. Don't try to force anything out of yourself, because you will only be expressing the pain coming from the pressure that you're applying. Let out what's there and move toward relaxation.
I've got more information on this stuff on my website, the address is below. E-mail me if you want to talk.
~*~
author of tms-recovery . com |
| marsha |
Posted - 03/14/2009 : 14:09:06
I use meditation techniques. Deep breathing. .focus just on your breathing.
Kind of like counting sheep .
If that doesn’t work don’t stay in bed. Get up and do something. Read a book or clean your oven (that should put you right back to sleep). Fighting to sleep makes it impossible for me to fall asleep.
Marsha
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