# Anxiety and Fatigue?



## shyra22f (May 9, 2000)

Is there a link between the two? What about restless sleeps? Lately I have a very hard time falling asleep, let alone staying asleep. I've always been this way but recently it's been a lot worse and I wonder if it's because I'm in the process of doing daily exposure to my phobic situations that has me feeling this way. Really, with the amount of fatigue I feel in a day, I think I should be able to fall asleep quickly, not toss and turn all night.If anyone has any thoughts or input on this it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you







------------------"I'm not a failure if I don't make it - I'm a success because I tried"-unknown


----------



## cookies4marilyn (Jun 30, 2000)

Hi Shyra...Yes, there certainly can be a link between anxiety and fatigue...being anxious zaps a lot of your energy. It is different from physical exhaustion or exercise, because it is actually a form of "mental" exhaustion. And it isn't alleviated by sleep like physical exhaustion is. At least that is my humble take on it. So at least that makes sense, that even working on your phobias as you are, is probably draining and causing your fatigue.Hopefully, someone here can help you better than I can, but in the meantime, try to see why these phobias are zapping your energy. Sometimes, even if you are in a place in your life where you can't totally address it yet, at least the knowledge of where it is coming from, can help. Anxiety and the cause of your phobias are hard to fully identify. Once the source of the anxiety is identified, you will hopefully be better able to deal with lightening it..I wish I could be more helpful, but just know that I hope you are better very soon...Take care, and good thoughts are being sent your way...







------------------Marilyn[This message has been edited by cookies4marilyn (edited 04-25-2001).]


----------



## AZmom1 (Dec 6, 1999)

Hi Shyra,There is definitely a connection. I can remember laying in bed, and feeling as if I could FEEL the blood racing thru my body.Putting yourself through anxiety producing situations may cause this. Perhaps the chemicals of stress have built up in your body due to these situations. I think part of the problem is that we go, go, go all day, then climb into bed, and wonder why we can't sleep. You probably need to do some relaxation before going to bed. Perhaps a warm bath will help "soak" away the excess stress. Maybe some aromatherapy as well. Relaxing music, whatever works for you. Do something relaxing, but not tv, that is too stimulating. Keep up the good work!AZ


----------



## shyra22f (May 9, 2000)

Thanks Marilyn and AZ- that makes sense now. I never thought of it as being 'mental' fatigue, but I'm sure that's what it is. And AZ, I have a small TV right beside my bed that I flip on every night before I go to sleep. It's turned into more of a habit, I'm a night owl so there's not even anything good on when I'm ready for bed!Yesterday I went more places on my own in a day than I have in about 6 months, so that would probably explain why I was so exhausted. No panic attacks, but I had my fair share of anxiety through out the day. I really like the bath idea. Also, do you think reading a book before bed would be better than TV or am I better off doing nothing at all?For some reason since we got Internet Explorer I'm unable to see the replies to any posts when I do a reply myself, so sorry if I leave anything out. Your help is much appreciated!







------------------"I'm not a failure if I don't make it - I'm a success because I tried"-unknown


----------



## AZmom1 (Dec 6, 1999)

Shyra,Do whatever works for you to relax. I love to read, but the problem is once I start, I don't want to put the book down. I end up staying up too late, which kinda defeats the purpose.Do you exercise? This could help too, but don't do it at night, it can be too stimulating.AZ


----------



## BBolen Ph.D (Nov 9, 2000)

Relaxation exercises before bed are a great idea, a relaxed body will sleep much better than a tense one. Also, keep in mind that sleep studies show that people get more sleep than they think. So, focus on resting your body and don't worry so much about how much actual sleep you are getting. Here are some basic insomnia fighting techniques: Turn the clock away so you are not checking it, which is only going to wake you up. If your IBS can handle it, milk before bed is good because it contains chemicals that enhance sleep. Don't read or watch TV in bed, so that your body associates bed with sleeping. If you are truly wide awake, get out of bed, do something relaxing like reading a magazine, wait until you feel sleepy and then try again. Lastly, if you have a really busy brain, give it something restful to do, like visualizing a walk along the beach or the old standby, counting sheep!------------------This input is provided solely for educational purposes and is not to be seen as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult a qualified professional about your personal medical needs and any questions you may have regarding this information.


----------



## Guest (Apr 27, 2001)

Shyra,I read my book EVERY night before I fall asleep. I've always had trouble falling asleep at night because I just think, think, think! Sometimes, all I have to read is one page and it's enough to get my mind off of my "real life" The best books for me are the silly detective and spy books because they are so far off from my life!Although reading does not work for everybody, I know many for whom it does. I hope you can find something!!!Kristi


----------



## shyra22f (May 9, 2000)

To everyone that replied, thanks for your ideas. I think I do too much in my room actually. I watch TV, I read, I talk on the phone, I eat, the list goes on. I guess it's time to quit doing that as I had no idea it would disrupt or affect the quality of sleep. The clock idea is a good one, I always find myself checking to see what time it is as I'm falling asleep, waking up in the middle of the night and checking the clock.Anyways, tonight I'm going to an awards banquet with my boyfriend. I'm feeling QUITE anxious about this one. I'm trying to do the self talk but there's going to be people there I haven't seen for a long time, not to mention the fact that it's a banquet which means a sit down meal and unfortunately it's not a buffet







Just needing somewhere to vent my feelings. Usually when I'm feeling this nervous I tell my boyfriend and just hearing the words, "There's nothing to be nervous about" come from him usually helps to calm me down. Also, talking about it here helps too.So wish me luck!! I'm sure that once I get there I'll start having fun and forget about my nerves. It's this anticipation that's the hard part. Time to put my skills to the test...------------------"I'm not a failure if I don't make it - I'm a success because I tried"-unknown


----------

