Sleep and anxiety help!

I feel like I have absolutely no right to respond to this since I have never had serious problems sleeping. I do have generalized anxiety disorder (have had it my entire life) but I have not experienced the fluttery feeling you describe.

But I'll respond anyway because I feel like you need some ideas on what to do! I apologize in advance if it sounds dumb.

Consider trying to "shut down" at a specific time each evening. I don't know your schedule, but let's say 9 pm...do whatever bedtime preparations you need to do (brush teeth or whatever), then go to your quiet space or even bedroom and turn out most lights and just RELAX. If you have a pet or SO this could be a good time to just snuggle and relax. Do not look at your phone, watch TV, etc. I personally would not even listen to music. I also wouldn't eat or drink anything during that time. Just breathe deeply and maybe do some very light reading. Allow yourself to think, fret even. Allow yourself to be alert and awake but still physically winding down and becoming more calm.

Then after 30 min or an hour, get in your bed and turn out all of the lights and decide it is time to go to sleep. Much easier said than done, I realize, for people who have sleeping difficulties. But for me this works as I don't rush around and then get into bed and feel all worried and like it's a time for thinking and planning and fretting. I hope that makes sense even just a bit. Get up at the same time each morning, too.

When I was unemployed for awhile, I used to allow myself to get off track by staying up until all hours of the night and then sleeping in. While I don't think there is anything wrong with sleeping late, and still do so most Sunday mornings...I think there is a lot of good in having a regular sleep schedule. I wish you luck and sorry about your Nana.

have you had your thyroid checked, when mine acts up I have all the same symptoms, if you haven't had it checked make sure the DR does a full panel not the basic test.

I highly recommend meditation for the sleeping issue. It will also help ease your anxiety. As far as dealing with the loss of your nana, if you can't get past it on your own you could seek the advice of a clinical hypnotherapist. I lost both my parents within the last three years and I just couldn't get over it on my own. I had one session with a clinical hypnotherapist and I have been a new person ever since. Wishing you peace and rest.

I have struggled with anxiety for years and have dealt with the same thing. Regular exercise is very helpful but I personally have found my diet plays a huge role in whether I have anxiety attacks. I have a number of food intolerances so my own personal chemistry is at play here but you may want to consider your diet.

Things that are a definite trigger for me are;
Artificial sweeteners (I can do Stevia or a little Xylitol but that's it)
Too much caffeine is an obvious one
Alcohol
I can't eat nightshades (potatoes, eggplant, tomatoes or peppers)

I am also grain free, not because I'm doing a "diet" of some kind but because through the process of elimination I have discovered that not only can I not do gluten but most grains make my body hurt. Since going grain free I have noticed I feel much more peaceful and my anxiety levels are at an all time low. It was a nice surprise side effect. I don't know if it's because of the way I react to grains of the lower carb content in my diet but I'm happy about it. (As you can imagine, not being able to eat potatoes or grains makes it a struggle to get enough carbs. I don't low carb on purpose. I eat sweet potatoes and drink green smoothies to help in that area.)

I'm not saying you should eat like me and you'll have success, I'm just pointing out that diet is often overlooked when considering anxiety.

One thing I do before bed is have a cup of herbal tea (preferably a calming one like chamomile) with some plain gelatin dissolved in it. I started taking gelatin for other reasons but found if I do it shortly before bed it helps me get into deep sleep better. Before I wouldn't hit that stage until it was almost time to get up.

I have been having problems with sleep and insomnia for months. My family have traveled out of state early last month and the month before and have experienced the death of my nana last month and because I am a worrywart and get anxious fairly easily, it's getting harder and harder for me to get to sleep!

I know neither one of these things are good for my health, but no matter how hard I try, I can't manage my sleep problems and anxiety for long. I exercise more often than I used to, but I still get anxious for no reason or my brain just won't shut off when I need it to. Do you have any helpful advice on how to get my sleep cycle back on track and manage anxiety?

Also, for about two years now, I have been experiencing fluttering in my chest. Most likely it's because of my anxiety, but I still worry that something else is going on and that makes my sleep problems worse. My doctor hasn't found anything wrong with my heart, but I still worry about it. Any ideas on what I can do?

Chamomile Tea, Soothing Music, Turn of Electronics / Ambient Lighting 30 mins before bed, Reading Before Bed (Probably best to stay away from Stephen King for now), Valerian Root, or a couple shots of whisky. I used to be on xanax, that stuff would allow me to fall asleep on a plane....and I HATE planes. It's good to help you ease your mind with anxiety....I just don't recommend taking it on a long term basis because it'll change your personality a little over long periods of time taking it.

I have been having problems with sleep ...

I've never slept well. A good night sleep is 6 hour, but I usually get around 4 or 5 on average. It was much worse when I had a bout with depression and anxiety. Went to the doctor, saw a counselor, started eating right, and exercised my butt off. All that helped.

I am having similar problems, but these arent new to me....I have had generalized anxiety since my teens. However, due to recent stress; work, family, etc...it has flared up and insomnia has kicked in.

I would try the melatonin and definitely read up on relaxation and stress relief. Also, going to see a counselor is a huge help with anxiety issues.

Good Luck!