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.
Throughtout my life, I have always had trouble with insomnia, it seems to be getting worse.. I have been reading books on the subject, getting pills to help me,even tried drinking myself to oblivion, seemed to work for my A, lol.All THAT did was give me a miserable headache! Nothing seems to work. When I go to bed, I feel so sleepy and tired, then my mind starts racing, and I lay there for hours.
Last night, I tried an Alanon approach, "let go and let God". I told myself there's no use worrying about things I can't do anything about (thanks again Alanon). I kept thinking to myself, "Let go and let God...let go and let God, then pictured my God box, and saw myself stuffing all this 'stuff' into it, then finally - fell asleep. Maybe tonight, I will get to sleep even sooner?? The principals of Alanon can help us in every aspect of our lives, I am sooo thankful for this board and all the great people here!
That sounds like a wonderful solution! My mind always races at night when I lay down as well. I have a "cut off" point where I think so much that I won't be able to fall asleep If I can get myself to slow down and not have racing thoughts I can usually fall asleep before that point.
Something else that has helped me is repeating "Sleeeeeeeep" "Sleeeeeep" in my head. I know it sounds silly but it works almost every time! I try and relax, block out the other thoughts and repeat it over and over. I say it in a really soft, soothing tone and I am usually lulled to sleep.
Good luck tonight..hopefully you have found something that works for you and hopefully it will continue to improve!
I also have that problem. Every thought of the day just comes rushing by when I lay down. Has ever since I was a kid. What I do.... (please hold your laughter til the end) is don't think of anything and try to look at the back of my eyelids.
Yes... I know it's dark and you won't see anything, but try it in the daylight. It's not black it's red. Your eyes don't stop working because you close your lids.
When I do that, I concentrate on it and stop thinking. It works for me when things are at their worst.
Heck if it doesn't work for you, that's ok. Next time you see someone on the street staring at the back of his eyelids ... you will think it's me! LOL
Take care of you!
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"Good judgement comes from experience... experience comes from bad judgement" - unknown
I had difficulty w/ turning my thoughts off for so long, and on occassion still do. When this happens I try to make light of it by saying I go to bed w/ Ben and Cal.... Benydril & a Calgon bath. This really helps me relax. Then I do my ABC's of gratitude (the first three are easy, A-alanon, B-benydril, C-calgon) Really want to get your mind off of something? start w/ z and move backwards.
Sometimes I move thru the ABC's and think about my kid's responses, once my daughter got to the letter M - and she said "Me". She is grateful for herself, now isn't that healthy?
Spending time looking at what it is that I have to be grateful for can be difficult depending on my attitude, sometimes I can zip thru a list of things, other times (usually those times I can't stop my head from obsessing) it is almost like work but when I'm done I find I'm in a different place -- a better place.
"I told myself there's no use worrying about things I can't do anything about."
You got this just right, dear TLC. These words of yours above are among the truest words that can be spoken. To attempt to do otherwise manages to destroy the soul.
With love and caring, Diva
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"Speak your truth quietly and clearly..." Desiderata
Yeah! ! ! Thank you for reminding me! It works wonderfully. I think it's the faith that your HP will take care of things.....I am glad you have got some sleep. As for me, I get to sleep and then wake up. Maybe next week, when I return to my own bed, I will sleep through the night. Until then I will use the Let Go Let God with an extra little prayer to sleep through the night.
Thank-you everybody for your responces. I am on anti-depressants and trying to go off them, have also tried Gravol and even tranquillizers, but really want to get off of as many pills as I can. I take a handfull in the am, and another handfull at night!
rtexas, I couldn't help it, I had to laugh! Every time I thought about trying it, I would giggle, (couldn't giggle myself to sleep either, it made the bed shake,) LOL! Now I finally know what it meant when my Mom said she had eyes in the back of her head, LOL.
I did manage to get to sleep earlier last night, and awake earlier this am too, which is ok, now I can get more done.
What I tried for years was to count backwards from 100. Imagining one of those lit-up signs like those from customer service at a store. It would work after a long while.
Saying sleeeep has helped at times too.
The "let go and let God" seems to be the best for me. I think that will help my blood pressure too! Another pill to work on..
I also like the gratitude list, I have so much to be grateful for.. Love You All, TLC
If I can get myself to slow down and not have racing thoughts I can usually fall asleep before that point.
This really helps me relax. Then I do my ABC's of gratitude (the first three are easy, A-alanon, B-benydril, C-calgon) Really want to get your mind off of something? start w/ z and move backwards. 
. Love You All, TLC