There is nothing like a good night’s sleep. But when you suffer from anxiety a good night’s sleep may be a difficult to achieve. Anxiety is like a constant but unwanted companion who repeatedly pokes you as you try to fall asleep.
Anxiety: “Hey you can’t sleep. There is all this stuff you need to worry about.”
You: “I don’t want to listen to you. I just want to go to sleep!”
Anxiety: “No you need to stay up with me. Let me turn on the worry machine so we can get this party started!”
You: “Leave me alone. I need my sleep!”
Anxiety: “Do I need to go to panic attack mode? This is a warning!”
You: “Okay I am up! You win!”
If you have had such night time battles with your anxiety, you are not alone. People who suffer from anxiety or mood disorders often find that sleep disturbance is one of their major symptoms. You may have trouble falling asleep and even if you do get to sleep you may have trouble staying asleep. It can be a vicious cycle as the more you lack sleep; the less able you will be able to cope with your anxiety. The less able you are able to cope with your anxiety; the less able you will be able to sleep. Where does it end?
I suffer from both anxiety and sleep problems so I know how the combination of these conditions can disrupt your mood, how you function, and generally make life miserable for you. I am going to give you some tips and suggestions for how to remedy the situation so that you are sleeping better through the night. You have to realize though, that any of these suggestions may or may not work for you. Everybody is different and there is no magic solution to sleep problems. You simply have to keep trying different methods until you find the right one for you.
Ways to get that good night’s sleep you have been daydreaming about:
• If you are having sleep problems you do want to discuss these with your general practitioner to rule out any medical issues which may be causing your sleep disturbance. In my case I discovered that I have restless leg syndrome which is a neurologic sensorimotor disorder that is characterized by an overwhelming urge to move the legs when they are at rest. The feelings which accompany this disorder are unpleasant and the not so groovy thing about restless leg syndrome is that it usually starts up right as I am drifting off to sleep.
In discussing this with my doctor I am now taking a medication called Baclofen, which is a muscle relaxant used for my MS spasms as well as decreasing my restless leg syndrome symptoms. As a result, it helps me to get a good night’s sleep. There are other medical causes for sleep problems including things like sleep apnea or narcolepsy. You want to talk to your doctor to make sure you do not have a medical underlying cause for your sleep issues.
