Can't Sleep

LegacyUser

Going unreg for this….

I’ve been having difficulty sleeping recently and its really becoming a burden as I have been finding it difficult to concentrate as a result. I have gone through similar stages before in my life and always seem to get out of the circle after a while.

It’s a bit awkward to explain. Basically I wake up in the middle of the night and the first thing that enters my head is death and dying and the belief that there is nothing to us after we die. I get completely depressed about this during the night and end up thinking about different religions, spirituality and scientific proof in the existence of an afterlife and in a way the meaning to all this life. Its like as though at 5 o clock in the morning I need proof in some way that there is more to this existence than just flesh and blood and until I convince myself of this I can’t get to sleep. I am in general quite a happy person, earning good money with close family and friends and no major life altering issues right now. I am a lapsed catholic with a very sceptical view on religion and spirituality. Not certain where to post this so I figured here as a starter…
Anyone had any similar experiences?

Beruthiel

SleepySept wrote:

the first thing that enters my head is death and dying and the belief that there is nothing to us after we die.

And this bothers you?
Why not decide that this is heaven that you are living in right now, that each day must be lived to the full and that the life you have been given should be lived the best you can live it. This way, you can look back and be proud and happy with what you have been given.
Worrying about what might happen in the future is not going to get you anywhere.

in a way the meaning to all this life

Why does there have to be a meaning?

I need proof in some way that there is more to this existence than just flesh and blood

Why?
Why do you need proof?
Is it because you are unhappy with your life?

There are different Spirituality Forums under the Soc Menu (top right)
You can talk things through on all of them to your hearts content.

ThrownAway

You say you wake up in the middle of the night, right? So you got to sleep maybe you get nightmares...unless ot happens to you before you go to sleep. I used to have trouble sleeping but I find going for a run a few hours before bed time helps me sleep for the night.

You worry too much Just enjoy life and live for the moment instead of think what if and stuff. It's oviously too much for you. You'll probably never know so there's no point in wasting so much time asking questions that can't be answered.

metrovelvet

Having had the odd metaphysical crisis myself from time to time, I know exactly what you are talking about.

The only solution I can offer you is to distract yourself with inanities, become self centred, and find things to enjoy.

The devil is in the detail. Detail your life with little things which give you meaning and you will find yourself in a whole new place.

I too believe this is it. We have one shot. And while at one point this used to just scare the **** out of me, I now find it liberating. Its not a dress rehearsal, its the real thing, go and live it. Its later than you think. Tick tock.

-And I too am in insomniac. I get 4-5 a night.

Black Swan

There could be other factors contributing to your troubled sleep condition. Diet, physical condition/fitness, how late you eat at night, and so forth, can affect sleep.

accordman

Might sound simple but I went through the same about 4 months ago. Work, family, finance, life, everything was racing through my mind. I would wake from the deepest sleep and the clarity of my thoughts was unreal. Each thought would morph into another different topic and so it went until I fell asleep again or time to go to work. After looking at everything I figured that caffine had something to do with it. I gave up coffee, tea, soft drinks and it stopped within days. Have not had any problems since, but was amazed at how much caffine I was taking in every day.

Ruu_Old

I think your mind is too busy and until you can control that, you won't get a proper nights sleep. Also check under the Rec menu for the Sleeping & Dreaming forum that might have some tips for you regarding other issues affecting your sleeping. Good luck.

Odysseus

Would you consider therapy, in terms that you appear to have questions that are effecting your quality of life, a good therapist would provide a place where you can explore these questions and the effects they are having on your life. Your questions can only be answered by yourself, so why not give yourself the space to answer them.

LegacyUser

this happens to me aswell from time to time and its so frustrating.

Id get off to sleep no problem,but at roughly 2 or 3 in the morning id just wake up and all sorts of things from finances to simple things like getting the car NCTd start making my mind race!!

It s hard to get back to sleep once you wake.....then you spend the whole day drained and tired...then you begin to get anxious about ensuring you get a good nights sleep and so the vicious cirlce starts again!!...very very frustrating.

This seems to happen to me in bouts...it goes away for a couple of weeks only to return again. Havnt a clue how to deal with it.

Strokesfan

Sounds very much anxiety caused or like another poster said, too much caffeine.

Duff_Man

im goin through this right now! i dont get to sleep till bout 2 or 3 and all i can think about is how insignificant life is. its really irratatin me. i see old people in teh street and it depreses me!(iv nuffin against them!). although by morning i seem to be grand its just at night when im the only one awake! the best way to deal with it is to keep occupied...lay off coke,coffee, tea ect.. and get to bed early! it mite help you relax and stop worrying!

Marksie

I took up meditation workshops and the like. Yoga, things to destress, allow you to drop into the "now". and actually be rather than projecting on the future
Also allows you to explore your own thought processes comfortably.
Try the spirituality forum.

Static M.e.

I use to wake up a lot during the night, not thinking about death or anything, just waking up. Im my case I would be wide awake when I woke as if I had got a full nights sleep but I would be on bed for only 3 or 4 hours.

I use to get up and study/read a book till I tired again then I went back to sleep.

Definatly look into your diet are you drinking much coffee / Tea during the day? are you eating late at night? are you getting enough excercise.

I can't remember when i stopped waking in the night it just kinda passed away (I think it was subconcous thing, worried about life choices I had made, second guessing and over analysing things)

Try and tire yourself out before you go to sleep and again dont eat after 8 in the evening. It could also be your bed

metrovelvet

Oh sorry - I forgot to mention I find the best thing for going to sleep is either BBC news or BBC animal kingdom documentaries.

LegacyUser

SleepySept wrote:

Going unreg for this….

I’ve been having difficulty sleeping recently and its really becoming a burden as I have been finding it difficult to concentrate as a result. I have gone through similar stages before in my life and always seem to get out of the circle after a while.

It’s a bit awkward to explain. Basically I wake up in the middle of the night and the first thing that enters my head is death and dying and the belief that there is nothing to us after we die. I get completely depressed about this during the night and end up thinking about different religions, spirituality and scientific proof in the existence of an afterlife and in a way the meaning to all this life. Its like as though at 5 o clock in the morning I need proof in some way that there is more to this existence than just flesh and blood and until I convince myself of this I can’t get to sleep. I am in general quite a happy person, earning good money with close family and friends and no major life altering issues right now. I am a lapsed catholic with a very sceptical view on religion and spirituality. Not certain where to post this so I figured here as a starter…
Anyone had any similar experiences?

Wow, it's incredible that I've experienced exactly the same thing. I lie awake sometimes at night and become physically upset at the thought of death being the end. I want to believe in God but I can't help but wonder what makes my religion right and others such as islam, buddhism wrong. I can't help but think that we are basically just evolved animals lacking any sort of so called 'spirit'. What is worse is I can't bare the thought that people I know who have died are not in a happier place. I try to convince myself of otherwise but it's a struggle and the scientific side of me contradicts everything the spiritual side believes in.

LegacyUser

Thanks for all the replies folks. I will take heed of all the comments on diet and exericise. I am quite an active person sports wise so that is not really an issue, I could do with laying off the coffee a bit while I am in work though. I haven't really posted on the spirituality forum yet but might look into that. The thing I find about posting on a particular forum like that though is that the opinions are most often pigeonholed, i.e if I post in the spirituality forum most people that reply would more than likely be spiritual people...in my expericence of posting elsewhere.

I think the main issue is that when my life is lacking in stimulation from time to time whether it be down to not having another half, bored at work or bored with life in general that my mind tends to stray to more 'worldly' thoughts, some about the existence of god, the meaning of life and as one poster noted, thoughts of a place or lack of where loved ones who have passed on go to.

From childhood, adolesence and now adulthood I have gradually become more analytical and methodical in my perception of life and a bit kinda robotic and cold in my view of people in general. I have slept like a baby the last couple of nights since my original post and in general terms could be described as being 'Fine' again now.......until next time....