Struggling with Sleep Anxiety

I also fixate on being late to work to the point I can't sleep at all and I end up being late

I do this too because I dread/am anxious about everything I have to do the next day. I've tried crossing things off a list but don't find it helpful because I know there's just going to be more the next day.

I write a to do list for my day the night before so that I know when I check off the list I wrote the night before that I did everything I needed to do today and writing tomorrows list I know I won’t forget anything tomorrow. Then I put on a guided sleep meditation because having something to focus on keeps my brain occupied and my inner monologue quiet so I can fall asleep. I also find journaling about my day and getting out any feelings that may cause weird dreams or unpleasant thoughts as I fall asleep are out of my brain and closed away in my journal. I have been also talking to someone very near and dear to my heart right before bed. It’s tough with our schedules not lining up so well, but it is helping both of us. Hearing his voice no matter what we are talking about grounds me and my anxiety evaporates long enough to get a good nights sleep. Sleep hygiene is also super helpful. Don’t do anything in your bed except for s*x and sleep. Make sure it’s dark and cool. You want to be able to be a comfortable temperature under your sheets and blankets. Make sure you have a good mattress or get a comfy mattress topper and invest in a good pillow. Go to bed and wake up at the same time everyday even weekends. If you wake up early lay in bed and meditate trying to calm your anxiety enough to fall back asleep until it’s time to wake up. I enjoy the scent of a lavender sleep spray I got online that I spray on my blankets as well. Do your best to not use screens or at least wear blue light glasses for 30-60 minutes before bed. I also like to stretch and have a mug of decaf tea before bed. there are some that are just calming like chamomile, but others are meant to help you fall asleep. If you’re not comfortable with prescriptions melatonin can help especially if it has other calming/anti-stress herbs or supplements in it as well.

Been dealing with the same thing, its rough honestly. I second the comment about reading a book! I also do deep breathing

I also struggled with that, and still do sometimes. My solution was to take trazodone. It really helped me get to sleep and stay asleep, and when you find the right dosage for you, you’ll feel so well rested. However, if you don’t want a medicinal solution, guided sleep meditations are my lifeline, specifically, the Hogwarts ones. Aside from that, I’d also record your thoughts when you wake up so you can look back on what exactly brought the sudden alertness on. It could be something you could address when you are fully awake, aware, and connected with reality. Maybe this was helpful for you, too! I’ve actually tried all of these methods and found them helpful!

I struggle with this a lot too. I used to have it really bad where I would wake up super early and just… basically feel paralyzed where I couldn’t sleep but I also couldn’t get out of bed to do anything and it sucked. Do you journal at all? Something that helped me (over time, of course) was writing down what was specifically bothering me. Just quickly note the general idea to get it out of your head. A big part of why you’re ruminating is because your brain doesn’t want to forget what you’re thinking about - so writing it down ensures you will still have it when you wake up. But if that doesn’t work there are many methods you could try! Reading something, watching something you enjoy, guided meditation, yoga even? Try exploring some different ideas and just see what works for you :) good luck!

I do that to sometimes. I find that reading a book sometimes calms me down.