My friend avoids going to bed because she can't stop thinking about things that worry her when she goes to bed

Question

The problem isn't whether she is drowsy or not. She can be dead tired but her mind constantly races. How can she oversome this problem? She is in therapy, but nothing seems to help. She can't take a sleeping pill like Benadryl because then she will sleep too long.

Answer 1

She needs to face her problems that's the only way.

Answer 2

I know the feeling. I would go round and round the bedroom even at 2 or 3 am. Or, even after I have taken my sleeping pill. I still feel that I want to do things but not something that is left undone. Even there is nothing else to do, I would just feel I need to do something then sometimes I would pick up a novel and read or play some music and then the pill will take effect and I will wake up tomorrow morning to find the lights on. I just blame it on the overactive mind. Its so frustrating because everybody in the house is fast asleep and the whole place is dark and quiet. I am trying a new self therapy and maybe you can tell your friend to do same. Take a Nodazepam 5mg, or Xanax or Lexotan 2 hours before entering the bedroom. This will slowdown our mind a little and once we go itto the bedroom, make sure we go to bed straight away. To ensure that I do that, I took the relaxant after dinner (about 4 hours before bedtime) and when I think its time for bed, I will take my sleeping pill and go to bed immeidately and let my active mind fantasize me into a blissful sleep. It seems very easy but for me it is very very disciplined work. Before the pill takes effect, the urge to get up is very strong, so just lie back until we are floating then we will just doze off. Its my third night doing that. One important factor is to always do this at the same time. I hope it will help after a while, if possible a short while. Not to worry about effects though, I am typing this the moment I got out of bed. My mind is alert and do I seem like I am having a hangover?

Answer 3

try Tylenol simply sleep that's what I do after maybe 3 or 4 days of no sleep. I might have to do this 2 or 3 nights straight before I get back on tract. benadryl is for allergy and even though it says may cause drowsiness it was the one thing I had to take doing the day cause it wouldn't let me sleep. Another thing that stops me from the racing mine at night is I tell myself not to worry about things I can't do nothing about. It will keep you up every time. I do believe you need to come up off the benadryl, and I bet after a few days you will be sleeping like a champ.

Answer 4

I sort of have anxiety problems at times so I know how that feels, it is good that she is going to a therapist, she should ask if there is anything else that the doctor could give her to help her relax, besides sleeping pills. Also she should try to take a relaxing bath with some soft relaxing music she likes and candles and put some rose pedals in the bath and some bubble bath soap too. Have her turn the lights off, light the candles, listen to the music, and relax in the bubble bath. Also it helps to write down in a journal so she can record her thoughts and feelings, if she has some problems that cause her stress have her try to right down solutions for them that way she can get her mind off those problems. Also I have heard a lot about hypnotism, you can get hypnotised for helping you to quit smoking, lose weight, and even reduce stress and anxiety. She should look into that and try to find a local hypnotist, usually they are quite cheap and I have heard about a lot of people who have had success with hypnotherapy like my friend who quit smoking through hypnotism. Good luck, best wishes.

PS It always helps to have a positive state of mind. That will do wonders. So try to help her be as optimistic as possible. I write in a journal all the time and afterwards I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. It is almost like going to a confessional, but you can't tell your journal everything because no-one else will read it.

Answer 5

This sounds like a problem that should be worked out while she's in therapy. To interfere with the therapy would be a very bad idea. I know you want to help your friend, but maybe you could just suggest that she drink some calming tea before she goes to bed or tries a little meditation. When you're in therapy, you're bringing up a lot of things that may interfere with sleep. Hopefully, she has a good therapist and they'll be able to work things out.

Answer 6

Why will she sleep too long? If she takes it at 8 at night then there should be no reason she can't get up at 7 am for work/school! A real prescribed sleeping pill would be better than that. I have a racing mind, too. You just have to train youself to NOT think about things. It'll ALL be there tomorrow, trust me. Nothing you can do at 10 at night anyway. I trained myself to listen to my breathing. A noise machine with white noise or a fan works, too.

Answer 7

I used to go through the same thing. Nothing seems to help ever, until i read in an article that if you write down anything and everything your thinking of right before you go to bed, then it wont be racing through your mind all night. It helps to keep a pad of paer and a pen by your bed just incase you wake up thinking about some more things.

Answer 8

Get that issue OUT!!! Talk about it. Just because someone is in therapy does not mean they are really addressing that one thing that controls their existence.
She must face whatever is causing the roller coaster.

If she takes the sleeping pill early in the evening then she will be able to get up the next morning.

Answer 9

I think she may be experiencing what we refer to in the layman's world as squirrel cage anxiety. I know myself I used to do it and sometimes still do. I had job where things were really at a high scrutiny by all concern because of the nature of the work and the inherrent dangers it presented to a large sector of people. When I was retired and my licensing put on hold for a nerve relatrd disease from exposure to unknown source it started with me. had a mind going 12 different directions but as you get older the consequences of our actions as a society and an individual take whole new level of squirrel cage marathons. Then I lost my son to a random driveby and it was all the what if questions to be pondered endlessly and with all the other ponderings it became a whole relay team of them little nut crushers in constant battle.
I remember someone saying it is the answer at the top of the mountain you seek and I found the great wise one who told me the answer was don't sweat the small crap. after several marathon squirrel relays dondering that answer I returned to the wise one and asked him how does one know the small crap from the large crap in one's life. He looking like he spent last 30 yrs on a bong mission told me It is all small crap.
There is a destination in all our existences and it is what we call destiny. How we deal with our journey is called fate. The only way I got away from the endless pondering of negativity was to find something that totally engrossed my mental thoughts. It then allowed me the escape I needed to get out of the spiralling effect of what I think is a depression or close to it. once you discover we have so little control of what we do and even less of what others do it is a start. You are not responsible for the reactions of others to your actions or vice versa. Find your escape route in your mind and use it .

Answer 10

Your friend doesn't need a therapist so much as a psychiatrist. Racing mind is a symptom of a mental disorder. A psychiatrist can pinpoint the disorder and prescribe a medicine, not for her to sleep, but to calm her racing mind.

TX Mom
not a dr.

Answer 11

I have the same problem.........Seraquel works wonders but at the same time I am able to get outta bed without a problem.

She should really discuss this with her therapist and possibly get a referral to a psychiatrist to get a perscription for this problem............also, if her therapist doesnt seem to help the issue, then maybe she should look for a different therapist.

I "shopped" around for the right therapist until I found the one that I "clicked" with.

Hope this helps.