Waking up in the middle of the night
Find a Conversation
Waking up in the middle of the night
| Wed, 11-29-2006 - 1:10pm |
Hi, I have a diagnosis of Major Depression, recurrent and Generalized Anxiety disorder. I always have had problems sleeping. I am on zoloft and I take 25 mg of seroquel to help with sleep. Lately, I have been waking up in the middle of the night feeling extremely anxious and unable to fall back asleep until I take a xanax. (I don't like taking xanax. I am allowed two a day and lately I have taken one ever day.)
Any suggestions, encouragement, sympathy?
Thanks. S.

Hi! WB LTNS;)
I have had spells of awakening with panic & they are dang scary. I can feel for ya): That's got to be difficult to cope with. After getting myself *righted* by developing a bedtime routine & a few nights panic-free, I was able to slowly move forward. It takes awhile to drop the *anticipatory anxiety* that feeds the *what if it happens again*, thoughts. Taking the xanax is a good idea. This is temporary. You haven't failed in any way. You need a little help to get through the situation.
I drink a cup of chamomile tea, meditate, avoid arguments & upsets, avoid intense tv programs, take a warm bath, read until I get sleepy. When I awaken, I use the belly breathing, positive affirmations & relaxation exercises to get through the fear of panic. Sometimes they don't work as well as I'd like, so I call a friend. Once I called the Domestic Abuse hotline by mistake, but they were nice & listened to me.
You know that this spell of anxiety will pass. It always does, but never soon enough. You have alot of coping skills learned to deal with this. Here is a thread that has alot of good information.
Hi there, I actually have the same problem. I wake up so much during the night, it's so terrible. I usually wake up every hour to an hour and 45 minutes. What I find, if I can't sleep, I don't force myself. If I have to get up so be it. I also sleep with the television on, I used to sleep with music. Perhaps reading a book might help, I know that makes me tired.
Do you have a comfortable bed? A good pillow? Maybe try to have a hot bath before bed, and the old warm glass of milk. I usually toss and turn and just lay there and I can't get back to sleep. If I do fall asleep, I'm awake again in 20 minutes. I know how you feel! Then throughout the day, I am exhausted. I try to stay awake all day, and I do not have naps. This way I find I am more tired in the evening.
I hope this helped a little!
Amy.
Hi, S.
Sheri Ann