Question
Hello,
Im a 18 year old guy who's having problems with falling asleep. It's becasue I am afraid of falling asleep, because when I'm asleep I cannot control my mind and might have a nightmare. So basically, I'm afraid of having a nightmare, therefore I worry very much about falling asleep.
I know it might sound kinda far fetched that I'm afraid of the possibility of being scared, but it is very troublesome for me because I often miss out on good games or movies just because I know that if I watch (or play) them I will most probably end up being nervous, or afraid, of falling asleep. Something this can be connected with is that I somehow feel different about sleeping depending on if it's day or night. If it's daytime when I try to fall asleep, this problem does rarely occur; but if it's during night time, it almost always occur.
Can you please advice me on how to deal with this problem and maybe even how I can cure it?
Can you also tell me what kind of phobia (if it is one) this is?
I would be most thankful for your answer!
David
Answer
I dont know what kind of phobia it is, but you should seek some kind of help, however you can try to stay away from tea coffee caffeine,alcohol, caramel colored soda like coke,pepsi, and exercise, chocolate for 3 hours before your bedtime as this makes for restless sleep. 30 minutes before bedtime try a hot bath , l5 minutes drink a glass of warmmilk. Milk when heated contains tryptophan a natural sleep inducer. Try sleeping with calming music and relax. If these tips dont work, you might consider seeing a therapist. But if you simply relax you will fall asleep, and try to think of something totally different other than a nightmare, think about how relaxed you will feel in the morning from gettting a good nights sleep. feel free to email again karel ALSO GO TO SLEEPNET.COM CLICK ON SLEEP FORUMS AND SEARCH FEAR OF SLEEPING
