Help falling and staying asleep...

[mj0722]

I tend to really freak out when I am on the verge of falling asleep. I am fearful of the day ahead, getting sick in the night, etc. I was recently prescribed xanax and now ativan to try, and both knock me out (i'm taking half doses and still am out cold, but I am pretty small). Does anyone have any techniques or SAFER ways to fall asleep and stay asleep at night?

[Fizzysid]

I get the exact same thing, and I wish I had your answer.

I find a few things helpful though:
. Watch a movie when you start getting tired. This way, you get gripped, and by the time the movie's over you're thinking of nothing BUT sleeping.
. Open a window. Air improves sleep in general, but a cool breeze is relaxing. It also helps that stuffy, "stuck" feeling.
. Put your pillows in a sitting-up position. This helps, as it fools your mind into thinking "I'm not going to sleep" until you're so tired you just sink into them and crash.
. Camomile tea. Easy on the tummy and so, so relaxing. Just makes you feel calm and dozy.

Sorry I'm not much help, but I hope you sleep well tonight!

[paulinek]

if my emets playing up and i'm going through a bad patch with it i find i have trouble getting to sleep for similar reasons i.e worry about waking up ill in the night, and i second what fizzysid says about relaxing before bed , wamr baths and herbal teas etc but i also like to be prepared and so i have stuff by the bed so that if i do wake up in the night i can try and calm myself down without actually getting out of bed - so for me, that is a pack of smints (tiny little peppermint sweets) anti-nausea wristbands, peppermint oil to sniff, a drink, a little light and a book/magazine oh and my anti-emetics - i never take them in the night as i wouldn't wake up in the morning but knowing they are there is enough.

Also if you like peppermint tea then you can always take some to bed because it's actually quite nice cold as well so you can sip on that too if you wake up during the night.

[Melrose]

I feel the same way too! I am always nervous to go to bed b/c I am afraid that I may wake up in the middle of the night ill, its drives me crazy. I usually go online, listen to music, read a magazine/book that way it takes my mind off this crazy fear.