Anxiety welling up late at night

[RealHumanBean]

Hello!

As the evening wanes and night approaches I find my anxiety level skyrocketing. Panic, despair, loneliness. I do fine during the day; i just chug right along and get shit done the best I can (while dealing with major depression), but hoooly shit is nighttime a different ballgame. Does anyone else experience this? The absolute dread that sets in when you know that no one is awake/around? I see it coming and try to go to bed at a reasonable hour (often with the help of a sleep aid e.g. ambien..), but it gets so intense before that it's usually too late and i'm already freaking the fuck out when it's time to go to sleep. My panic attacks have resurfaced lately and i'm just grasping at straws to find some sort of remedy. Help!

 

[alexit]

Yes, I lose sleep many nights because of this. My theory is that we stay awake when we feel discomfort (panic) and sleep when we feel comfort. So I focus on generating comfort particularly through familiar things. A movie I've seen so many times I can close my eyes and remember the scenes as I hear the dialogue. A sleeping position that feels like it hits all the right spots. Familiarity engenders calm. Calm is crucial for being able to sleep well.

 

[timf]

Some recommend exercise before bed. Others find that it just keeps them up later. You may have to experiment with things you can control in your environment. Supplements like GABA or Tryptophan may help, but you should be cautious as prolonged use may cause problems. Also there was a case of contaminated Tryptophan several years ago.

You might want to buy a textbook on accounting. It it doesn't put you to sleep, you might get another career option.

 

[mr.smileysad]

Hello!

As the evening wanes and night approaches I find my anxiety level skyrocketing. Panic, despair, loneliness. I do fine during the day; i just chug right along and get shit done the best I can (while dealing with major depression), but hoooly shit is nighttime a different ballgame. Does anyone else experience this? The absolute dread that sets in when you know that no one is awake/around? I see it coming and try to go to bed at a reasonable hour (often with the help of a sleep aid e.g. ambien..), but it gets so intense before that it's usually too late and i'm already freaking the fuck out when it's time to go to sleep. My panic attacks have resurfaced lately and i'm just grasping at straws to find some sort of remedy. Help!

try booze or something like that

 

[Myforevercharlie]

Same here. I haven't slept normal for almost 10 years now. The nights scare the fuck out of me

 

[mr.smileysad]

Same here. I haven't slept normal for almost 10 years now. The nights scare the fuck out of me

the reason I hate night is when existentialism and suicidal thoughts come creeping around