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Posted 4/25/2007 10:09 PM (GMT 0)
I've wondered if you guys have noticed a relationship between the amount of sleep you get and the intensity of your anxiety symptoms. Hypothetically, let's say you ran a sleep deficit for three or four nights in a row. Normally, you're a person who needs seven to eight hours but you've only been getting five. Do you feel progressively worse each day? Is there no perceptible change? Do you paradoxically feel less anxious or have fewer panic attacks?

Just curious.
Posted 4/25/2007 10:29 PM (GMT 0)
I notice even with one night of bad sleep I have higher anxiety. For me anything under 8 hours is not good. If I have bad sleep for more than one night my anxiety gets even higher, and I have really bad mood swings. So for me they are related but not completely. Even with a good nights sleep I can still have a panic attack.
Posted 4/25/2007 10:32 PM (GMT 0)
Hello
When I was working full time and had to be up at 5:30 AM I would panic if I could not sleep, I could still be awake at 1:00 am and in severe panic mode and crying as I knew without sleep I would not be good the next day. For me, yes, not enough sleep made the next day worse.
I was put on the Ativan 1mg without help and ended up at 4mg at bedtime to sleep. Now that I retired I don't worry about how late I stay up, I take Trazadone 50mg - 150 mg at bedtime for sleep and it really works.
It took a few nights before it kicked in as I did not have much faith in it, but now I do. I am weaning off the Ativan and am down to 1.5 mg.
Posted 4/26/2007 12:19 AM (GMT 0)
I am not good with no sleep either am in bed with hot milk in about ahalf hour from now well latest is 9 and then I might be asleep soon after if I take trazadone and I get a good solid sleep of 5 to 6 hrs
I have always been able to go on those hours
Less sleep makes for a more anxious me for sure
Posted 4/26/2007 2:43 AM (GMT 0)
Sound sleep is such a wonderful thing. Just like staying up all night talking with friends or watching TV can cause you to feel sub optimal the next day, so too can smaller interruptions in your sleep patterns.

But I think we all need to remember that our panic is MUCH more about our fear of what will happen if we don't get a full night's sleep - than the actual impact of losing sleep itself. We over react to EVERYTHING causing a chain reaction effect that leads to even deeper levels of panic. "I can't sleep...and if I can't sleep I'll panic tomorrow (panic!) just like I did yesterday (see I was right, more panic!!!). And now I can't sleep because I'm scared to death that I'll wake up panicing about not being able to sleep and what will happen tomorrow (panic!!!!)."

We don't do this to ourselves on purpose - NOBODY wants to feel the terror we do. But we do have to take purposeful steps to break the ridiculous cycle. I laugh sometimes when I think about just how goofy it is. : )
Posted 4/26/2007 3:27 AM (GMT 0)
When I was suffering with panic attacks, I'd get a lot of them at night before bedtime. They'd keep me awake and keyed up for hours. Otherwise, I could usually get to sleep pretty easily.

I used to notice that when I didn't get enough sleep for whatever reason, my anxiety level would be higher the following day and I'd usually get more panic attacks as well. My theory is that not sleeping well really screws around with the chemistry in the brain. I'm not a neurologist or anything, but that's my theory.

I think the psychological element that JD refers to is perfectly valid as well. I experienced that a few times...it's the "anticipatory" anxiety/panic thing.
Posted 4/27/2007 12:27 PM (GMT 0)
There is definitely a connection with the sleep-wake cycle and all psychiatric disorders, including panic/anxiety. This has been shown over and over again in clinical studies.

I try to keep to a set schedule of going to bed at the same time and getting up at the same time. I take 125mg of Trazodone at night with my Zoloft and that works like a dream for me. It also helps to reduce anxiety and obsessive thinking.
Posted 4/28/2007 9:28 PM (GMT 0)
I think there is a close relationship between anxiety and insomnia. Even one night of bad sleep can increase anxiety, increased anxiety in its turn increases chances for the next sleepless night. This cycle can lead to the learned insomnia. I went through the insomnia triggered by anxiety.
Posted 4/28/2007 9:34 PM (GMT 0)
i have known this for a long time, that it definattly makes me worse. i have told my doctor and my mental health councellor this theory of mine. my councellor says she definattly agrees with this. if i dont get enough sleep it makes my anxiety worse, which makes my health phobia worse, and also makes my ocd worse. Francis
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