Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep...

...and I lie there for hours, awake, unable to sleep.

This has been my experience for the past few weeks and it is getting very old. At first I was just hoping it was a temporary thing because sleep trouble has always been an issue for me but it seems to come and go. This has lasted for weeks though. I lie there, tired and yawning, but unable to fall asleep. It's usually sometime between 3 and 5 when I finally fall asleep and then I don't wake up til sometime between 12 and 1. This sleeping pattern is screwing up my days and making me feel very emotional and cranky. It's not even restful sleep because I'm still tired and low on energy all day. It's so frustrating because there seems to be no easy solution. Tylenol PM will knock me out but I can't be taking that every night. I've done some research and there doesn't seem to be any safe sleep aid because there are side affects and always the possibility of becoming dependant on pills. Not being able to fall alseep runs in my family among the women. My mom and all my sisters struggle with it as well. I'm not sure what the reason is for each of them but it seems to be our inability to turn our minds off at night. I know that's what it is for me for sure. I have an overactive mind that will NOT stop thinking. Even when I try to focus on just one thought that just leads to other thoughts without me even realizing it at first. It just makes me frustrated, tense, stressed out and upset. It bothers me that I can't just lay down and be asleep within twenty minutes like I'm suppose to. I've looked up different things I can do to help me fall asleep faster and get better sleep but none of them are very convienant. If I've been laying in bed for 15 minutes I'm suppose to get out of bed and do something else without any bright lights or stimulating activity. How is that even possible...especially with other people in the house whom I don't want to wake or bother. I'm not suppose to watch TV before bed but that's the only time Kyle and I have time to watch Lost which is something we're doing together. I'm suppose to go to bed at the same time every night but that restricts my ability to be flexible and spend time with my husband. Plus, I don't like to go to bed without Kyle and he isn't use to going to sleep at 10 or 11 o'clock at night. Last night I got in bed at 9 because I was so frustrated and upset and just wanted/needed a normal night's sleep. Two hours later I was still awake and feeling awful. Kyle came to bed to try to help me and I was able to relax but still could not fall asleep. So Kyle found a recording of a thunderstorm and set it to run for an hour. Interestingly enough that actually helped because it gave my mind something neutral to focus on. Normally my mind will run everywhere and focus only on thoughts and memories that upset me. I guess I don't have very good control of my mind but I don't know what to do about that either. I'll probably keep using the thunderstorm noise to focus on and see if it makes any difference over the next few nights. I also found a Bible verse to memorize and recite to myself over and over. It did help one night. I just can't keep this kind of sleep pattern up and I've become extremely irritated by it. It makes me stressed out, depressed, and completely worn out. Please pray for me.


"I will lie down and sleep peacefully, for you, Lord, make me safe and secure." - Psalm 4:8