Any advice fro this would be much appreciated.
I fall asleep around midnight but am up by 2:00 or 3:00 am. After a few second I started to feel a little anxious and so I flip open my bible and put in a cd from the program. I was doing good for a while and would nip it in the bud and was able to go back to sleep within a half hour to 45 min. Last week I had a growth spurt and had a bad panic attack . I have not had one this bad for about a year. I had some bad ones in between but not like this. This one I had like the first was almost making me want to go to the hospital. Tingley in arms sweaty hands heart beating out of my chest. How do you not be afarid of the symptoms when the chemicals released at the time are telling you to fight or flee. I always wake up at the same time too. Needless to say I have not been sleeping good at all this week. Any advice to deal with night time panic would help me alot. I try to tell my self that it is ok but the bad thoughts seem to take over sometimes. Help

`

Awww, darn! I was just about to ask you for advice
on how to sleep better at night. LOL!


For now, you may wish to DELIBERATELY fall asleep on the
sofa. Believe me, it helps. You'll sleep thru the night,
then when you awaken, go to your bed and sleep until
the kids wake you. LOL!


Also, you may wish to ask your doc for some Ativan pills.
I don't mean take them daily. They are actually meant
as a relaxant/sedative to be taken before a situation which
you feel may induce a panic attack.


Trust me, they work. I have mild to medium agoraphobia, and I was on
those meds on the trip from Rhode Island to Minnesota, with no
anxiety to speak of! Especially considering that I was
unconscious for most of the way.


You should take one around 10 PM if you wish to fall asleep
around 12. They'll help you snooze till around 7 or so. Unless you
set your alarm for earlier.


If you don't like the pills, try praying for a good night's sleep.
That works for me, but I still find myself falling asleep
on the love sofa in my bedroom because I keep waking up with
panic attacks from my regular bed.


Also, try eating a banana or an orange before bed. Like, if you
wish to go to sleep around 12, eat one at 10:30.
A very light snack, and it's got a natural chemical which
assists you in sleeping. Tropicana 100% grapefruit juice
is also great! Sip about a 10-12 oz. glass while reading
with soft light. Not the internet. This light is a killer
on the eyes. And that stimulates your brain, which in itself is
bad for insomniacs like you and me.

I picked these type of cd's here and there. I beleive you can go on amazon.com and check the reviews on them.

My husband and I LOVE them. We listen to different one so it does not get boring. We both were sleeping soundly and much better since listening to them, more calm, relaxed and more vibrant in the morning. I will not make the puppy stop crying , but it gets us back to sleep after Zack wakes us up.

The Gift of Relaxation - Stress Relief * Sleep * Wellness - Barry Pitkoff M.S.

Pillow Music - Natural Deep Sleep - byDavid and Steve Gordon

Health Journeys: A Meditation to Help You with Healthful Sleep (Health Journeys) [AUDIOBOOK] (Audio CD)- by Belleruth Naparstek

These are just a few to get started. You can check your local library, they may have them or others along the same line so you can just borrow them to see if you like them before purchasing. I beleive some on amazon let your listen and preview the cd, not all do though.

Warm wishes, LizB

Tryin,

Well, I know I won't be any help on this one except to say you are not alone.

I have had trouble sleeping off and on all my life, even as a child. I cannot tell you the last time I had a good nights sleep. I usually get to bed between 12:00-1:00 A.M. Sometimes I fall asleep quickly but I wake up all through the night. Other times I just plain can't sleep period. And no matter how much sleep I get I usually wake up between 6:00-7:00 and have to get up because I have too much anxiety to lay in the bed. And forget naps....just can't do it. There are nights when I do get better and more sleep but they are few and far between.

No wonder I feel like I will drop over dead throughout the day and look like this

I wish I had the answer for you, but I really need help in this area, too. Sorry.

Take care,
Tina

I agree with John that mabey you may want to consider a medication to help you sleep . Im not sure about Ativan but I take Clonazepam to help me sleep, but I think they all do the same kind of thing. I was like you before waking up every hour panicky, never getting a good nights sleep, I found that the medication helped me sleep through the night, and I dont know about you, but my anxiety is WAY worse if I havent had enough sleep. If you are concerned about meds then mabey try some of the natural sleep aids. I am in the process of stopping the clonazepam, so dont worry its not something you will have to take forever , just long enough to help you through some tough times and its alot easier when you are rested.

I would talk to your doctor about your options.

Take Care Jackie

`

Well, the reason I suggested Ativan over the natural sleep aids
is because she is also worried about awakening with a panic
attack, and taking an Ativan before bed is like taking
a Zantac antacid tablet before chili con carne. LOL!

Thanks for all your help guys. I have never had a hard time sleeping before only the past year since my anxiety. I thnk the reason is beacause I woke up and had racing thoughts and bingo there it was. Ever since then It is like some one implanted an alarm clock in my brain to wake up at around the same time and start to get paniky.Crazy I know. I know I just have to get my thought under control and that will take care of it. The only thing is that in the program Lucinda says the longer you deal with this the less seritonin your brain makes. There for I think the attacks come more quickly and easier. Does any body know of a natural remedy for raising seritonin in the brain?

I'm not sure how to help you, but I hope that you will get better soon. I am going through the sleep deprivation right now and it sucks. I went to bed feeling really positive, using my positive self talk, feeling like my Zoloft is finally starting to work (just started it Saturday) and now I wake up just 90 minutes later feeling helpless and nauseous from the anxiety. I'm totally paranoid of dependency on drugs, but I've allowed myself to start the Zoloft because I'm supposed to go to Disneyland in a few months and I'm worried I won't handle this on my own before then and will ruin my family's vacation if I'm not better. I took half of an Ativan about 20 minutes ago so I'm sitting here praying it will kick in and I will be able to doze off soon.

I just want to be ME again.

`

Can y'all please click on the web link below??

It'll take you to a short video. And the video
doesn't even
have to load. It's at a reputable site, too.

Here is a SHORT SUMMARY of the video ....

Summary:

Just about everyone has experienced insomnia at some point, but for many people it's a recurring problem. There are many remedies to try: from sleeping pills to warm milk to counting sheep. What really works? Can some techniques do more harm than good? Join our specialists as they examine the best and worst solutions for the sleepless.


PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

I have had the insomia as well The rexaxation CD's that schnausermom recommended do work!. Also I drink a glass of warm milk before bed and I have some sleepy time tea with velarian root. I also watch a funny movie or show a few hours before bed that makes me laugh.Then I will either put in a sleep CD or a movie with a good score like "The prince of Egypt" When I get up in the morning I go outside and sit. It is recommended that you get 15 minutes of sun WITHOUT sunscreen on each morning to reset your clock and to facilitate natural vitamin D n your body. It works. Next week I am going to try to start excercising. I am not where I wanna be and I still have anxiety but I am WAY better then I was. Kast week I went 4 days with NO sleep. This week I have been getting at least 4 hours a night. Last night I got 6 Straight Hours wohoo!