Miss spelled word. I thought I typed I would like anyone's input.

I think that'a more of a psychological thing. During the day you have distractions. In bed, there are none so it's kind of easy to start focusing on your breathing and get a little anxious about it.

It sounds pretty normal to me. I have tons of sleep issues and the fact that you're still getting 8+ hours is a great thing, even if it takes you a while to go to sleep in the first place.

For months after my PEs, I had a hard time falling asleep (scared I wouldn't wake up) and I wrestled with some pretty severe exhaustion as a result. It can be hard to turn your brain "off" when you're worrying about things, thinking about how your body feels, reliving the day in the hospital, etc.

For me, I've had really good luck with meditation (there are some CDs that I use called the Love Tapes ... terrible name, but the guided meditation is great) and with just distracting myself. Recently, I've been reciting poetry or song lyrics to myself just to get my brain out of its rut. The Star-Spangled Banner is a good one, since I have to focus on saying the words to myself without also singing. The point is to get your brain away from stressful topics and toward more relaxing ideas.

Thank you for your replies. This site is great. It helps to keep you from stressing by knowing all of this stuff is normal. Thank you all.

Ok, this is weird but I just started reciting things to myself too, because I've been a little stressed lately and overwhelmed myself these days, and doing that really seems to calm me down and help me focus. I've been memorizing the speech in the movie Friday Night Lights that Coach Gains gives at half time.

So I like that idea of reciting poetry or essays or song lyrics. It's like saying prayers in a way, very meditative and soothing.

I gotta post her the speech from Friday Night Lights. It's the most beautiful speech in any sports movie, bar none (I'm a movie nut). It's right up there with Shakespeare's St Crispin's Day speech in Henry V (and yes, I am a nerd):

Its real simple. You got two more quarters, and thats it. Now, most of you have been playing this game for ten years, and youve got two more quarters. And, after that, most of you will never play this game again for as long as you live. And yall have known me for a while, and for a long time now youve been hearing me talk about being perfect.

Well, I want you to understand something. To me, being perfect is not about that scoreboard out there. Its not about winning. Its about you, and your relationship to yourself, and your family, and your friends.

Being perfect is about being able to look your friends in the eye, and know that you didnt let them down, because you told them the truth. And that truth is that you did everything that you could - there wasnt one more thing that you could have done.

Can you live in that moment, as best you can, with clear eyes and love in your heart? With joy in your heart. If you can do that, gentlemen, then youre perfect.

I want you to take a moment, and I want you to look each other in the eyes. I want you to put each other in your hearts forever, because forever is about to happen here - in just a few minutes.

I want you to close your eyes and I want you to think about Boobie Miles, who is your brother. And he would die to be out there on that field with you tonight, and I want you to put that in your hearts.

Boys, my heart is full. My hearts full. Ivory? (Ivory leads them in reciting the Lords Prayer)

@rmb ... That's a great speech! Kind of like Desiderata in some ways.

My other go-to is Frost's "The Road Not Taken," which I've had memorized since high school. Maybe I should try Shakespeare!

Way to go, nerd sister!

Very nice. During the early days after pe I would go over song lyrics in my head. Very cool. Thank you all again.

I listened to.a LOT of music after my PE and really focused on lyrics. Found it so helpful.

Try Shakespeare! I still recite some stuff in my head that I remembered from high school and college, which was a really... long ... time ... ago.

Search for a clip of that Coach Gains speech from Friday Night Lights on youtube. It's just a beautiful little moment on film.

I am 9 months post "event" and still have sleep issues. I never had any problems before but ever since maybe 6 hours of very broken sleep. I haven't really made too much of an issue with my doctors because I just don't want to take any more meds which is what they so easily prescribe for me. SO, although I wish you had much better sleep, I do not think its uncommon - at least not for me.