Fear of Sleep
Hello...I can't sleep. Or rather, I don't want to sleep. It's 5am and I find myself afraid to lay down because I know what will happen. There's something about laying prone in the dark that invites anxiety inducing thoughts. I always experience this in some shape or form, but it's been especially plaguing me for a couple of weeks now... I know that it's not uncommon to remember things right before bed, but I seem to be remembering them to the point that I'm too scared to lay down and relax. I haven't been able to sleep until I'm exhausted. Surely this is bad for my health, right? I hate it. I hate that I'm in the living room instead of in bed with my fiancé because I can't wind down.
I have a lump in my throat and my muscles are tense, toes curled as if I'm bracing for impact. I feel ashamed to be awake and I'm not even sure why.
Any advice?
@YeweLion I'm so sorry you're having anxiety around sleeping. Not being able to sleep is hard, and even more so when you feel ashamed to be awake. How would you feel about keeping a notebook by the bed, so you could write down all the thoughts coming in? That way you could get them all out, and tell yourself you could deal with them after you get a good night's sleep.
An important thought to tell yourself: It's important to take care of yourself, and sleep is a major component of self-care.
A few ideas to help you wind down: Take some steps on your Growth Path. They're each little things, but added up, they make a difference. What about working through one of the Self-Help Guides? There's one for Sleeping Well, and another on Anxiety that could help. You might also find some of the Mindfulness Exercises helpful. Any kind of meditation could help. So could the proverbial cup of chammomile tea or warm milk.
