Looking for support and advice: New sleep difficulties

I have already come so far in my TMS recovery. My pain level is at an all time low. I am doing the things I love without the fear of pain. However, as my pain has decreased my sleep quality has gone down and I am now taking medication to help me sleep. My eyes and mouth have gotten much more dry and my anxiety has gotten worse. I know all of the aforementioned things are my TMS attempting to shift and I am working with a TMS therapist to discover the cause. However I was hoping for some advise from someone who has gone through something similar or just support. The next month is the most stressful of my life. I graduate pharmacy school, move twice, buy a house and sell a house, take 2 license exams, and start a new job. Any support right now is appreciated more than you know.

 

You definitely have a lot on your plate that can and does cause TMS pain. Lack of sleep doesn't help,
but keep in mind that you already know your life is at a stressful time and that's what's causing pain
and lack of sleep. Your mind is bound to be very active, going from one concern or worry to another.
This happens to most if not all of us at some times in our lives.

Although we're supposed to live in the present moment, those moments are stressful for you,
so I suggest living more in the future at least for a while. Think ahead to graduating and having
already taken the license exams successfully and starting a new job you will love.

Don't go to bed with an active mind. Slow it down with soft, relaxing music, watch a relaxing movie
(no action or violence), do some meditating. Practice deep breathing (perhaps the best thing for
relaxing anytime, especially while meditating.

Don't think you have to eat all that is on your plate in one day. Take your time about any that you can.

If your eyes and mouth are dry, drink more water. Hillary Clinton, whose plate is always so full,
says she drinks 10 glasses of water a day, two more than we're all supposed to. Keep water handy to
remind yourself to drink a glass every hour or so. I do that and still forget, so this reminds me.

Counting sheep doesn't help many people get to sleep, me included, so I take a psychologist's advice
and count backwards from 100 to 1. It may take two laps sometimes, but before I get halfway
through the third, I'm in slumberland.

Keep positive and as my mother always said, "This, too, shall pass."

 

I will second Walt for sure. When I started having the extinction burst and couldn't sleep I had to realize that all the things I was thinking about at night was keeping me from sleeping. Getting in a mindful relaxed mode before drifting off at night was my only hope. The longer I set their and thought about fear focused thoughts and negative outcomes or anything in general the longer I would stay awake so I studied up on folks that couldn't sleep and the main pattern that kept them all awake was letting their mind wonder at night like trying to read before bedtime and worry, stress thoughts and such. So I had to learn mindful meditation at these times to just lay there and do nothing but breath and focus on my breath. That's it, that's all I do is focus on my breathing and let my mind go blank. If anything pops into my mind I'll just let it float right back out and soon I'd be asleep. It took me about a week to get used to this but it works great.

I'd like to comment on Walts future thoughts. I have never heard it put like that. Think in the future and see all is well, very good my co-author friend. I believe that's the only way I'd think of my future for sure. Facing the reality you have though and accepting that you can make the best out of what you have is a very good way to look at your current stressors. Think "As if".

Act as if the worries are already took care of and over, even in the middle of dealing with your stressors keep in mind that you have already accomplished everything just the way you want it to be and you should have some great success.

Bless you