just cant sleep

[emilyemily]

hey all, i just cant sleep and its 2.30 here in the uk i have to be up by 7.30 for my first day back at uni, the thing is i keep feeling dizzy and faint as i go off to sleep, i tend to think negativly alot and somehow confuse myself and try to make a problem that i dnt have, and wen all these thoughts come at once i guess i just get all dizzy and feel like i cant cope- basically anxiety. ive been strong all holidays and have got alot better and have taught myself to break cycles, i guess it maybe my first night away from my home and boyfriend. and i didnt leave my uni house on a good note- so some bad feelings still attached. does anyone know how i feel or have any techniques to clear and relax and help me sleep! cos otherwise i feel like i cant cope and may not go to uni tomorow and possibly think about giving up!! help me get a grip !!:splat:

[Boricua7]

You are probably just stressed out right now. It's normal, I've had this problem before. What I do is play video games or read. This keeps your mind focused on something other than the things that are stressing you out and you'll find that after being involved in your game or book, you will find it easier to fall asleep.

 

I hope this works out for you!

 

Please don't give up!

[emilyemily]

thats why im on the net... trying to distract my mind for a while! im feeling very stressed yes, maybe stressed because im putting pressure on myself to stop my anxiety now that im back. i nearly drove home earlier, maybe a cowardly way out i know, but i felt desperate..... my bf told me not to in my state. i dunno maybe im trying to hard ???????????????????

[Tigris]

Try putting lavender oil on your pillow. My Fiancee is a Natural Therapist and she's told me to use it.

 

Hope it works.

[Shadows Light]

What you need is a cup of soothing tea... and a long bath. Or try a shower. Get some soothing music playing. As you soak in your bath do deep breathing excersises and visualize peaceful places. The beach. The forest. Wash yourself from head to toe... and visualize taking all the bad ju ju coming out of your pores and your washing it off. When you get out of the tub and let the water go down the drain... all the bad bad negativity goes down the drain with it.

 

Go to bed... lie on your bed... and start deep deep breathing. THINK about the clean air coming into your lungs and how air is transformed into your blood stream and going into ever cell of your body. Feel your heart beat.. Breathe. Then starting with your toes... wiggle them.. flex them... and then tell them to go to sleep.. they are sleeping... visualize it.. feel it... go up your legs.. shake them out.. and do the same.. tell the they are feeling heavy and they are going to sleep. Breathe breathe breathe. Go through all of your limbs and feel them get heavy... and tell them to go to sleep......

 

Usually by the time you get to your head... you are still thinking about that soothing favorite place of yours. I like the beach at night. I can almost hear the surf. Hear the surf..and breathe to the surf.. going in and out ... in and out.... sometimes I picture myself sitting on that beach... and as i am going through the motions of breathing, feeling the air of the beach.. hearing the sounds.. visualizing and actually being in that spot...

 

I then let myself go.. and feel a presense next to me. A familiar presense. I don't need to turn my head. I know who it is. The presense sits next to me.. and I put my head on his shoulder. He puts his arms around me... I'm breathing and watching the surf... and relaxed....and then he tells me to "let go"... and I give him all my problems... everything that is bothering me.. I give to my guardian angel. I can feel everything pour into me.. and he gives me peace in exchange.......

 

And then.. I usually find sleep. Traveling amongst the stars.

 

 

Sometimes... Instead of the beach.. I'll put my body to bed...and visualize myself floating outside of my body...and going up into the stars and finding my favorite places. Maybe I'll go to my mothers house... and see her laying in bed. And just like when I was a kid and scared at night.. I'll lay next to my mom and let her hold me.... and I'll drift off to sleep.

 

Those are some things that work for me. The shower or bath before hand though is imporant... it helps relax you.

 

As for preparing to face the day.....

 

Get up in the morning.. and give yourself 30 minutes just to sit and be still. If you have to write it down then write down a plan on what you HAVE to do that day. What you plan to accomplish. EVEN if its ONE have to thing... visualize yourself accomplishing it. And getting it done. If you get through it... HEY.. the rest is icing on the cake.

 

High Achievers and people who take on too much.. are prone to ANXIETY ATTACKS. I know... I've been there. Try to get enough exercise through out the week. Walk if thats all you have. It helps with serotonin levels...happy hormones. Many women do not get enough protein in their diet.. to get the B-12 vitamins they need. And especially this time of year. SAD.. Seasonal Affective Disorder. Not enough sunlight. So....Pay attention to nutrition. Try a muliti-vitamin or a B-12 supplement. Getting it through nutrition is better if you can stand it... Beef Liver is high in B-12 as well as Spinich. I like them.. but they arn't on everyone's favorites list. So a B-12 suplement may help.

 

You may also want to check out buying a CD to play with soothing sounds... to play in the back ground to help you cocentrate on that visualization.

 

ohhh and a real toughy for me but it does help. If you set your clothes out the night before for what you will wear in the morning... it helps knowing you are prepared.

 

 

Hope some of these ideas have helped.

[Boricua7]

Well, yeah. If you're stressing yourself out you're obviously trying too hard to come to a conclusion about everything. The love of my life always used old spice deodorant and body wash so putting a shirt of his on my pillow used to help me out. I'd always sleep better when I slept with him (not in a sexual way) so it helped me to have even just his scent about me. My friend always sleeps better when she has a lot of pillows on her bed. She has 3 little brothers who liked to sleep with her so it always made her feel more comfortable, I guess. Tigris's advice sounds interesting. You might want to use a scent or have an object by you that you know makes you happy or soothes you. Sometimes playing soft music helps too. It's worth a shot!

[Shadows Light]

Emily... you are trying to hard... relax... breathe. The lavendar also works..although this time of night you probably won't have it. But its something you can pick up for future use.

 

YOU WILL BE OK... you just got back from break. And you said you were in trouble before you left... guess what???

 

Tomorrow you start with a CLEAN SLATE... its all gone. Its done. Its behind you. Its the beginning of a NEW semester.

 

The thing that helped me through college was... at the start of each new semester.. I pictured myself with an A+... yep... it was already in my pocket. And it was my job to KEEP it. Most students look at it the other way around... they picture it as having to grasp it.. work for it to get it. I did the opposite... I already HAD it.. in my pocket.. good to go. MINE. and my job was to protect it, defend it... and run with it. It usually worked... I graduated with a 3.75 average.

[emilyemily]

hey all thanks for your help. i think i need my bfs scent with me too, i instanly relax wen i sleep next to him. i can usually count and drop off but i think that maybe i was so anxious that i woke myself out of it. i do have very high expectations of myself and my life and wen i fear something is wrong or im loosing control then i panic. ive just had a camomile and honey tea to help me. i tried reading but the book was a little to depressing so im going to try and listen to some music and do some breathing and visualisng. ill get back to you either later or tomorow! with how it went. thanks xox im also a vegetarian so maybe iam lacking B12 i didnt know that this maybe something that affects me. ive made a plan too, to go to the gym tomorow and some yoga stretches before bed.

[Shadows Light]

Good for you. Happy thoughts... positive reafirming thoughts.

 

I just noticed you posted an hour ago and u are still on line..

 

GET ON WITH IT... LOL.. and quit reading enots.

[emilyemily]

woke up at 7.30 had 4 hours, thankyou for your tips, but still feel in no state for uni..... feel stupid missin my first lecture. but i dunno wot i want anymore! guess this is why i couldnt sleep.

[Boricua7]

I know exactly what you mean. On friday I skipped my last two lectures because I was just down and didn't feel like going. Don't do that to yourself. I regret not having gone. The thing is, everyone has their days where they aren't sure why in the hell they are doing what they are doing. I have questioned my reasons for going to college almost everyday I've been here. I know that I need to be here though, even though I may not be having the time of my life...yet.

 

What's on your mind exactly? Maybe someone here can help.

[Shadows Light]

Even if you don't feel like it.. you should drag your BUTT to class. All you have to do is listen. 1/2 the students are asleep anyway. I know you don't feel up to it.. but something MAY stick.

 

I can't tell you how many times... I dragged butt to class, and once I got there.. I WOKE UP. Got my second wind. If you stay in... you will feel bad about missing, not going, and worried about what you missed.

 

GO TO CLASSES. Tired or Not. CAFFEINE, I think was created for college students.. and Moms. Get your coffee in the morning and GET GOING!!!!!

[Boricua7]

GO TO CLASSES. Tired or Not. CAFFEINE, I think was created for college students.. and Moms. Get your coffee in the morning and GET GOING!!!!!

 

I concur. I never once drank coffee pre-college and now I'm in love with the stuff...almost addicted to it. I depend on it so much (especially for my early morning classes and during late night studying)!

[emilyemily]

hey all, i know i totally regret not goin now, and worried ive missed loads and evryones got all chummy again. ive had alot of anxiety the few previous months that i was here and alot on my mind. ive just brought some quiet life tablets a tradtional herbal rememdy cos i dnt wanna risk it all again and not get to lectures and feel even more left out. dunno if should take them though... are they addictive, they dnt say they dnt or do. i asked the pharmesist and she recomended it i just dnt wanna rely on them. i havent settled to well at uni, i found it hard being away from the main campus as a fresher and not making many friends.. they seem to come in evvery morning with fun exciting stories. ive been told to make more of an effort but i cant make the effort sometimes wen i dnt feel like i know if i should be there or at home earning. argh!!!