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Some insight on Anxiety induced insomnia

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mike81648
mike81648

Hello all, I’ve been dealing with health anxiety for around 4 months now, and one thing it’s never really affected is my sleeping. I was always able to get 8 hours. On 6/29, I got into a car accident, they took me to the ER, they told me not to worry and that it didnt look like I had a concussion or any injuries for that matter. That night I fell asleep for 4 hours, when I tried to go back to bed, my anxiety jolted me awake. I mistakenly thought it was sleep paralysis, which it wasn’t cause I could move and everything as soon as I woke up. From Friday through Wednesday I got 11 hours of sleep. Then, Wednesday-Sunday, I was normal, 8 hours as normal. No sleep aids, just natural sleep. Monday night it came back with a vengeance. From Monday-Thursday I got MAYBE 4 hours of sleep. My GP finally prescribed me Xanax yesterday and I slept 11 hours last night. She only gave me a week prescription though. Has anyone else ever dealt with anything like this? Of course the cycle goes: don’t get sleep~> freak out about not getting sleep~> don’t get sleep, etc. I am very scared about this, and obviously the Xanax is a very short term solution. When I try to fall asleep I feel my muscles get tense and sometimes I sweat. Please help. 

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • moon53540
    moon53540 mike81648

    Posted

    I had something similar after a car accident when I was young, as I was going off to sleep I would have this falling feeling which woke me up with a jolt and it was like I was in the accident again. I would get it in the day as well because my sleep was so poor I would sometimes drift off and wake up with a jolt, which was quite embarrassing if I was on a train or something. Have you thought about speaking to a psychologist, if you get a good one they really can help. I had very bad anxiety and could never relax and found sleep impossible for a long time. I went to this psychologist who I spoke through my issues with and he taught me some really helpful relaxation techniques. I have tried so many different anxiety and antidepressant medications and they never helped like the psychologist did. Also if you drink alcohol it makes the anxiety worse and adds to insomnia. Also caffeine and sugar is really bad. In the meantime if you can’t sleep don’t wind yourself up about it, don’t keep checking the time. Also make sure you breathe correctly. If you slow your breathing down and concentrate on that rather than all the other things worrying you it can help. I used to dread going to bed because I would think I am not going to sleep and I am going to feel rubbish the next day, but by thinking that I would make that happen. You have to train your brain to think differently and that is where the psychologist comes in.
    • mike81648
      mike81648 moon53540

      Posted

      I just today went and made an appointment with a therapist. Do you think a psychologist would be better? This is like the same exact thing that happens to me. I feel my muscles tense, I sweat, etc. 
    • moon53540
      moon53540 mike81648

      Posted

      Talking through the things that stress you out and making sense of them always helps me. What type of therapist are you seeing? There is no right or wrong type of person to see, just one that works for you. A psychologist worked for me because I like to know the reason I think in a certain way and I like to ask questions that I feel a counsellor wouldn’t necessarily understand. I also like people to be matter of fact and not full of pity. When I feel over emotional I like the other person to be professional and not like a friend or over patronising because I feel things get worked out quicker. The first person I saw was quite harsh and made me really uncomfortable but the second person I saw had a really calm manner and they really helped me. Anyway I wish you luck and I promise you can get through it, it does take a bit of time and effort though.
    • mike81648
      mike81648 moon53540

      Posted

      I actually do start on Thursday with a psychologist. I thought it was something else. I’m excited to get there because this is truly the darkest place I’ve ever been in my life right now. I now can’t sleep, and all I think about is my anxiety and how I can’t sleep. I cry sometimes cause I don’t know if it will get better.
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