How do you cope with anxiety and sleep?

This is my worst symptom by far. Horrid anxiety all night, keeping me from sleeping. I got 0 sleep last night. I just shook and panicked all night. How do you deal with nighttime anxiety?

I'm so sorry you're suffering with awful anxiety at night and insomnia.  Here's what helped me.  Basically I made kind of went to war against it by trying to develop practices to help relieve anxiety.  This meant:

moderate exercise to burn off that horrible anxious energy, other healthy habits like a wholesome diet etc.,

daily meditation - this has really helped me develop the ability to detach from negative thoughts and shift to other thoughts - I use Headspace app; at night I love the sleep stories and soothing music on the Headspace as well

4-7-8 breathing where you breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 7 and exhale for 8 counts

a very warm bath with Epsom salts and essential oils for 20 min before bed - this really helped relax my muscles

Chamomile tea - two bags in one cup before bed - there's disagreement on the forum about chamomile - for me it was a big positive and helped me sleep

The adrenaline surges and palpitations/racing heart made me miserable so I took propranolol as needed and it helped a lot but you don't want to get into the habit of taking it regularly because it can become another drug to taper off, but it helped me get through the roughest period

 

Hope you get some relief soon

 

 

I get anxiety at night too. I get it worse during the day.

Been in a major struggle for 1.5 years.

Right now I take a non Benzo med to help

me sleep / seroquel, but I could not

recommend what anyone else should do.

Looking back I got big relationship and

intimacy issues that totally add to anxiety.

I had to call hotlines for help alot, alot.

Melanie .. I might be in a similar situation to you . Benzo free for over three years , but still not ‘right’. My sleep patterns were okish for a while but taken a downward dive now. I’m using an app called insight timer to try and overcome the anxiety an panic attacks in the night ..physically I get up , move around . I also have an appropriate talk/meditation ready to go ...

I don’t think there is any easy answer. It’s about trying to calm yourself enough ... I talk out loud to myself .. in a soothing mother child voice .. there is no absolute answer I’m afraid. It helps to turn a light on too . I know this goes against all the general advice about a light in the bedroom , but I have slept with a lamp on low in my bedroom since beginning withdrawal . Many would say it’s what’s keeping my insomnia going , but the anxiousness waking up to a dark room is worse .. do what works for you . Try a few things out ..

I also get the shaking and the teeth chattering .. sometimes I try to just let it do it’s worst . Once I give way to it and don’t try to stop it , it seems to die out .. offer no resistance ... interesting ..

All the best ..BB xx