Hi, all.

I'm an overly stressed college student. Not to say that college is really that stressful. It's just that I am the sort who tends to be slightly anxious about ALL things rather than super anxious about ONE thing. What this means is that I end up collecting on lots of little anxieties and then feel nervous and upsetted ALL THE TIME.

I think this stressing out is catching up with me.

I haven't been able to fall asleep properly. I lie in bed for anywhere from one to four hours before achieving sleep. Once I do sleep, I'm usually either out like a light or I wake up every hour or so. Either way, I always wake up feeling like I was just hit with a whistling train that then proceeded to back over me.

Last night I found myself so restless I finally just decided to read a book for a while until I become more relaxed. I finished the book. It was 4:30am when I was done. I fell asleep about 5am and got up today at noon. Thank god it's the weekend, but I feel anxious and exhausted AND I seem to have gained a terrible sore throat and congestion into the deal.

I don't really expect a lot of solutions. Things like "listen to soft music" never really worked for me. I end up hyper-focusing on the music instead of just my thoughts. Either way I do not sleep. My British friend suggested chamomille tea. I didn't have any on hand last night (in fact, I've never had that kind of tea before in my life) but I am seriously considering it.

I'm also wondering if perhaps I need more sleep than is recommended. I've always tried to get 7-8hours on school nights, for example. But I always feel more rested if I can manage 10-11hours (on the weekend.) The problem is that scheduling myself so as to allow THAT many hours for lying around unconscious doesn't seem remotely appealing. I have things to do!

I don't think this is tied into my diet or my exercise. I just know that you ladies are supportive and often have some really helpful experiences or ideas.
Thanks!

- Kat

Sounds like you need a cofidence boost.
Try using Paul McKenna's book which has a CD in it for helping you to relax and make you more confident. It won't matter if you find yourself listening intently to it or whether you drop off to sleep as it will still have a beneficial result.
Other than that, what about getting some counselling, better now while you are still young than allow this to go on and then wind up with high blood pressure annd other complications which is often brought on by anxiety.
All the best.

I'll look into this. Thank you.

I've been awake for 36 hours straight. I could use whatever help I can get.

36 hours??!! oh gosh, you poor thing.

I second the Paul McKenna hypnosis CDs, they always make me fall asleep xD

http://eprints.vu.edu.au/467/

My GP gave me this ebook, and I'm guessing you're a tad older than a teenager, but it probably still mostly applies to you anyway. it sheds light on why we sleep like we do, and gives tips on how to get into a more normal sleeping pattern, and if you're anything like me, it might just make you fall asleep reading it!

My insomnia comes from having a job that gets off at 11 and staying up, watching movies, exercising, reading etc and not going to bed till the sun rises a lot of those nights. When I was getting out of classes or part time jobs in the afternoon in the past, I would have hours before bed so that routine has just stuck hard but at a different time. I've been trying to break it but time flies super fast after work and all of a sudden it'll be 4am.

But my suggestion is to try the tea. I'm new to tea and bought a couple of kinds of tea that are supposed to make you restful and one night even was making me fall asleep earlier than I planned to.