Stressed? Frustrated or Just Ticked off?

[Quasimodo]

I think GC finally fell asleep!

Sweet dreams.

[Wind In My Hair]

Its 3.30 in the morning and I'm wide awake and my ever loyal and persistent nemesis, insomnia has come calling AGAIN!

My problem is that I have a tendency to take issues/ problems to heart and to bed and there they lurk in my subconscious waiting to take hold of me even in my sleep.

I seem to always have been this way. Anyone else? This place really gets to me sometimes.

sorry to hear about your bad night, GC. hope you're feeling better by the time you read this.

i'm that way too, if it's any consolation. have been on here several times due to insomnia. also find that if i'm bothered by something even if i do fall asleep i tend to wake in the middle of the night, eyes wide open thinking the same thoughts... as though i'd never drifted off. one's final thoughts before sleep are so important aren't they?

[Global Citizen]

sorry to hear about your bad night, GC. hope you're feeling better by the time you read this.

i'm that way too, if it's any consolation. have been on here several times due to insomnia. also find that if i'm bothered by something even if i do fall asleep i tend to wake in the middle of the night, eyes wide open thinking the same thoughts... as though i'd never drifted off. one's final thoughts before sleep are so important aren't they?

Exactly WIMH. It seems that we both need to find a way to put those thoughts away and totally blank out before going to bed. I think it has a lot to do with the way some of us have our personalities shaped.

Good news is I feel muh better today.

Oriental, I looove Marvin Gaye.

Quasi, yes I finally fell asleep at 5.30am and was up again at 8.30 to get dressed and get ready for my day. Was totally grateful for the 3 hours I did get later so I could function as a reasonable human being. Coffee helped too I might add.

[Global Citizen]

What happened to the font size above?

[Mary Hatch Bailey]

GC,

Glad you got a little bit of sleep deposited back in your sleep bank. You probably know, sleep deprivation is a powerful tool used for brain-washing, you haven't seen any Branch Davidians hanging around your place, have you?

So seriously, here are my little bits of wisdom:

**one glass of wine, hours before bed is OK, but not too much and not right before bed, the dehydrating effect will wake you up and interrupt your REM cycle. It's easier to fall asleep after a drink, but harder the stay asleep

**you know cigarettes are stimulants

**when you don't have the luxury of a quiet mind, and are facing a big emotional hurdle, best to do the work for that task well before bed time. For example, if you've had an argment with someone, don't try to make ammends at 9pm, write a 'draft' email to purge the bad blood at 4pm -- then let it go

**If you wake up in the night, plagued by the day's demons -- keep a journal next to your bed with one of those little snap-on reading lights and write down what is troubling you and what you plan to do about it, Writing in itself can be cathartic

**as suggested earlier -- before bed, watch life-affirming, feel good movies of the highest order (Love Actually, An Unfinished Life, Apollo 13, Remember the Titans, The Notebook, etc...) If its sappy, sweet and overly sentimental then its the right movie for you

**of course a tub filed with bubbles and your favorite scent is a great way to end the day

**screen your phone calls after 8pm

**do you know the relaxation techniques associated with yoga. Here's an easy one:

The Corpse Posture (Shava-asana) Instruction:

1 Lie flat on your back with your legs together but not touching, and your arms close to the body with the palms facing up.
2 Keep your eyes gently closed with the facial muscles relaxed and breath deeply and slowly through the nostrils.
3 Starting at the top of the head and working your way down to the feet, bring your attention to each part of your body, consciously relaxing it before proceeding on to the next.
4 Remain in the shava-asana for between 3 and 5 minutes or longer.

**when I'm m stressed and need to clear my mind, I do a little mind exercise. I take myself to a favorite, safe place and try to remember and picture everything associated with it. It's of course personal to each individual, but if your place was a certain beach, you'd picture yourself driving there, the sound of the waves, the sand between your toes, is it cold? The spray hitting your faces after a big wave, etc...


If you wake up in the middle of the night, don't:

check in with the forum
eat
get 'a little work done'

Hope tonight is better for you!

MHB

[Global Citizen]

Mary, thanks for the excellent advice and suggestions.

No I haven't seen any Branch Davidians.....yet!

I know the ciggies are bad news and are stimulants but they've become such a habitual crutch as stress busters for me in my mind that I know I have an uphill task ahead of me in giving up this filthy habit.

[Vaucluse]

Adding the stress of giving up smoking to insomnia = oi wei! One at a time, I'd say.

[icedragon1420]

I think the weekend will be a deserving break for you and all other for that matter.I think easing your mind above all will help you rest and be generally more comfortable my best suggestion is to try to solve those issues that you that are keeping you sure this is were MR GC steps in or good friends ,brother ,sister, mom , dad or any of us if we can help

[one843]

In regards to the suggestion to finding you happy and safe place. What to do if that happy and safe place is in my own mind? At least there they understand me!
Also I read once that when you cannot sleep or wake up in the middle of the night you should not eat or use computer, or play games. It is recomended that you watch TV and drink nothing but water.
Cigerettes being a stimulant is true but the amount that it stimulates your brain and body is miniscule. Something like half a second of boost per drag. Other wise people wouldnt fall asleep smoking and burn there house down.
Why is there never spell checker on message boards?
GC I also wake up in the night aroung 3am raring to go at least once a week. I get up and watch TV for 30 min to an hour and that will most likely do it. On occasion I will be up for the remainder of the night.

[bushbride]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!

OK I'm having a bad day and feeling all of the above.

Letting out or should I say typing out a full pitched blood curdling scream still hasn't released all the pent up negative energy and frustration I'm feeling. I've had a drink and smoked a few ciggies already all to no avail; so the question is what do you do when you're feeling this way to rid yourself of the tension? (and I might add taking a vacation is out of the question at this point in time.)

GC,

The first thing that I do is the light switch trick.

"Switch light on", "Switch light off", "Switch light on", "Switch light off","Switch light on", "Switch light off","Switch light on", "Switch light off","Switch light on", "Switch light off","Switch light on", "Switch light off","Switch light on", "Switch light off","Switch light on", "Switch light off","Switch light on", "Switch light off","Switch light on", "Switch light off","Switch light on", "Switch light off","Switch light on", "Switch light off","Switch light on", "Switch light off","Switch light on", "Switch light off",

BLOW A FUSE - REPLACE FUSE & REPEAT UNTIL CALM

Give it a go, it is surprisingly calming

[Global Citizen]

Hey Icy, One843 and BB, many thanks for your suggestions and input.