My sleep patterns are getting worse not better. I'm concerned, because I've read that if one suffers the cyclical effects of insomnia and anxiety (for an extended period), they can become chronic and may lead to depression.
Like most things that I've experienced during this crises, I'm probably not alone. I'd be very interested in hearing from others, who have suffered from these conditions. So far, what I have found are supplements that may help relieve the symptoms, such as: Valerian, Kava, Skullcap and Magnesium.
I suffered from these apart from the lack of sleep - I slept way too much during the crisis. But I found excercise really helped, I took my frustration at the situation out on the swimming pool and also it helps your general mood to excercise. And I also found a meditation/ relaxtion CD that really helped.
I also found distraction good. The one thing that helped me was I joined a choir and for 2 hours each week I didn't think about what was going on in my life at that moment, so something like that is really good.
Argh the edit button doesn't work!! I also read up on anxiety and how it works and I learnt to recognise I was feeling anxious when I was fairly low down on the scale (it is something that builds up in you very quickly). Therefore I was able to take steps earlier in calming myself down before I reached the point where the anxiety took over me.
I am sorry I don't have any advice for you. I have been dealing with the sleep problems too. Ever since STBXH had me served at work and left the house the same day I have not slept through one night of sleep. He left in mid July, and every night I wake up at least 2 or 3 times. I keep hoping this will past soon. Hope someother's can give some great tips.
Me:43 H:43 T:20 YRS M:15 YRS Bomb: 6/9/08 Bomb#2 7/6/10 Served with papers at work 7/13/10 DD:14, DD:11
Good morning Sinclair, I've been suffering from bouts of insomnia for just over a month now and my IC recommended I try melatonin. It worked very well. If you're having trouble falling asleep, just take it a half hour before bed. But if you're waking up in the middle of the night and not able to get back to sleep, wait until then before you take it. It makes a big difference, even if you're finding yourself very anxious at these times.
I'm glad you're taking action to take care of yourself. If you're finding though that when you are waking up that your mind is whirling so much that you can't distract yourself and/or fall asleep even with some melatonin, do tell your doctor or IC about it- they can help.
I cannot complain for not receiving from others, that which I've never asked them for.
I used to have panic attacks and was constantly anxious. I now very rarely have any anxiety at all. These are the things that, collectively, solved my problem:
1. Counseling--My IC gave me great strategies to use when I was anxious such as rescheduling my panic attacks for a later time (strange, but it worked), breathing exercises, and meditation. I also dealt with a bunch of stuff that led to the anxiety being triggered.
2. Temporarily, anti-depressants and Xanax. They put a floor under my feet so I was able to function and do the hard work of therapy. I went in with the intention to do whatever I needed to do to get off of the meds ASAP.
3. Exercise!!! When the anxiety hits, go for a walk, clean your house, go to the gym, etc. Also, having an exercise routine keeps anxiety away much of the time. This was a huge thing for me.
4. Acupuncture. I went in a skeptic long after my sitch was resolved for other health reasons, and along with curing my original complaints, it's also gotten rid of my anxiety. For example, the weekend before school resumed (I am a teacher), my laptop with all of my handouts and lessons for the coming week CRASHED. I had to send it away for two weeks to be repaired. In the past, I would have had a full on panic attack and been unable to function for days. Instead, I didn't even raise my voice, just sort of cursed under my breath and then figured out what I needed to do. Because I stayed calm, the repair center pulled my data for me so I could load it on to my husband's computer.
5. Eliminate caffeine or drink it very rarely. This is hard, but it is essential. Caffeine aggravates anxiety. Even now if I overindulge, I can feel the icky butterflies and tenseness of anxiety. Drink lots of water instead...it flushes out toxins and will make you feel much better.
6. Limit alcohol. It feels good in the moment which is why a lot of people with anxiety self-medicate. However, the flip side of the buzz is anxiety at a higher level than you went into the situation with.
7. Hypnosis. Again, I was a huge skeptic, but I was able to reprogram a lot of thoughts and my mind is pretty quiet these days. My therapist gave me a recording that I listen to every night as I fall asleep. I'm out within a couple of minutes most nights.
It takes work, but if you're willing to put in the work, you can deal with your anxiety without becoming medication dependent for the rest of your life. Prescription drugs are hard on your liver, and there are side effects that aren't so fun with ADs. Understand that once you've had a bout of anxiety, you are more likely to have another, so developing some healthy habits and strategies is essential for your long-term well-being.
Hope that helps! I wouldn't wish anxiety on my worst enemy.
SD
Me: 40 H: 43 H had EA from 2/06-9/06 Bomb 5/06 Piecing since 9/2006 3/2008: Boundary setting 7/2009: Boundary crossing~dropped my own bomb. 8/2010: Marriage finally on track!
For those of you who are already seeking medical help, you should check with your doctor before adding any supplements.
That 's not my sitch; I'm looking for natural alternatives. I don't want to be big pharma's next victim.
That said, last night was the best night's sleep I've had in two months. I woke this morning, after 8.5 hrs of solid sleep, feeling rested and energetic for the first time in two months.
I can't begin to tell you what a difference it has made in my mood. I'll continue to add information to this thread as I make more discoveries in what natural remedies are working for me.
Hopefully others will continue to contribute and learn from this information.
