Sometimes when I relax, I get a lot of anxiety. It's like you let your guard down fro a minute and the anxiety takes over. i also can't relax very well without getting panicky. My psychologist told me to do this excercise when I go to bed. frist, you tighten all of your facial muscles and everything from the neck up, concentrating on the feeling of each muscle. Then you slowly release, letting all of the tension go. Then you do the same thing from the neck down to your hips. Tighten and release, only focus on the feeling, while you breath normally. Repeat this like three times while not thinking of anything else. it is no miracle cure but it can help sometimes. Hope you can get some sleep!

I can't sleep either and something that I found shockingly useful was trying to think of the lyrics to a song I haven't heard in a while. It makes my mind focus and I drift off and if I wake up in the night I do it again. Take care.

I have a really hard time with sleep too. Unfortunately I seem to need to take Ativan in order to acyually get some sleep. I also listen to meditation CD's which sometimes help.

Ohhhh boy, do I understand! Sleep is a hard one for me, and like you... I lay down and "boom" there comes the racing thoughts... If I only had an "On.. Off.. Switch" lol

Do you take anything, as in medication to help you sleep? This has helped me some. I also put on some backround noise to flush out my own noise in my head.
I usually turn on the T.V. or the radio and set the timer then I doze off a bit better that way. I try to put on something soothing. One of my favorite movies, that I have already seen this way I don't have to actually watch it, but rather just listen to it at a low volume.
Another thing my p-doc says, is if you're not going to sleep and you find that you're tossing and turning. Get up.. go into another room and read a bit or do something else until you start to feel sleepy again. He says if we stay in bed, it can just make it worse. I've tried that before and it works too. Just not as well as what I mentioned before. If you ever need to chat, look me up.

welcome to my world.lol. sleepless nights are the worst.The minute my head hits the pillow it starts. my body is so tired and crying out for sleep but my brain comes alive with all kinda thoughts and fears etc nights is my worst time ive tried it all its just sleeping pills that help me now, they relax me even if it takes awhile to sleep i feel totally relaxed.

ugh. I'm just thinking about going to bed now and my chest is tightening. I think I'm actually scared of not being able to sleep - which is causing me to not sleep!

Hey. Have you tried boring yourself to sleep? Instead of totally relaxing and trying to empty my mind (which makes me panic), I tend to describe something in ridiculous detail - in my head. That's the only way I get to sleep! (plus I have the radio on low for background noise. No music, just speach. Radio 7's comedy hour is great :) )

Good luck.

xxXxx