The material presented
here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method
to exchange
information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal
level.
I know a lot of you probably have problems going to sleep at night like I do...you try to sleep, but you just keep thinking about what is going on in your life and it's hard to turn those thoughts off. One thing that I find helps me is doing crossword puzzles and soduko (a number puzzle) when I first get into bed. It keeps my mind busy so I'm not thinking about all the "stuff" that we are dealing with about my brother. I do them until I literally fall asleep. When I do that I usually sleep right through the night. But if I'm thinking about all of the negative things, I dream about them and have a restless sleep or I wake up in the middle of the night thinking about them and can't get back to sleep. Just thought I'd share that with you.
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Just concentrating on getting through one day at a time.
I have also often been in that position of being unable to sleep. I took a suggestion from a program friend a couple of years ago and I have found it works great. The suggestion was to recite in my head a program saying, serenity prayer, slogan, whatever you need to. This way you take your mind off what is bothering you and replacing it w/ a program idea. I have found it works great - and usually now before I finish the second reciting of serenity prayer I am out.
Karen
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Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care. Love you all!
Karen
When I just couldn't let go of my thoughts, I'd to go to bed with Ben and Cal. LOL
A calgon bath and Benadryl.... They put me out when I just needed the rest. Now I still see Cal every now and then, but Ben, well I don't have that much use for him anymore.
Not sure what to do about trouble falling asleep, I am the opposite. I fall into a deep sleep and then find myself WIDE awake somewhere between 4:45 and 5:15 every morning when something is bothering me, even when I don't know it is bothering me yet. The serenity prayer has worked for me to go back to sleep otherwise I use the time to get up and do somethign constructive until whatever is bothering me pops into my head. And the dreams can be bad sometimes.
It is very difficult to fall asleep for me too..and the slightest noise wakes me up. My dr prescribed ambien..which puts me into a coma..my husbands says..lol...or sonata, another med, that doesn't do anything..maybe..a little more relaxing. Tylenol with a sleep aid is good too. But I think not much of anything helps when I'm really stressed...I listen to gentle music, take a bath with lavender soap...that scent seems to be helpful. Reading too, puts me in a quieter place in my head. Last effect, I find my cat, cuddling up with her..puts me out..her purring I guess, is the effect I want. Good luck in finding some zzzzzzzs
It is very difficult to fall asleep for me too..and the slightest noise wakes me up. My dr prescribed ambien..which puts me into a coma..my husbands says..lol...or sonata, another med, that doesn't do anything..maybe..a little more relaxing. Tylenol with a sleep aid is good too. But I think not much of anything helps when I'm really stressed...I listen to gentle music, take a bath with lavender soap...that scent seems to be helpful. Reading too, puts me in a quieter place in my head. Last effect, I find my cat, cuddling up with her..puts me out..her purring I guess, is the effect I want. Good luck in finding some zzzzzzzs