What non benzo thoughts do you have at night?

[[sl...]]

When I go to bed and have my eyes closed, I am usually redecorating my house.  Ive always done this pre-benzo and it helped me to drift off to sleep.  Doesn't Help now though... Damn hypnic jerks ruin everything .  I used to always wake up and rearrange furniture or go shopping for the new throw pillow I dreamed up, lol!

 

If you don't think of anything and get right to sleep, lucky you!!  My husband is that way. 

[[Va...]]

When I go to bed and have my eyes closed, I am usually redecorating my house.  Ive always done this pre-benzo and it helped me to drift off to sleep.  Doesn't Help now though... Damn hypnic jerks ruin everything .  I used to always wake up and rearrange furniture or go shopping for the new throw pillow I dreamed up, lol!

 

If you don't think of anything and get right to sleep, lucky you!!  My husband is that way.

Unfortunately, sleep is a problem for me in that I can sleep all day and night lol.

[[be...]]

My husband can sleep on railroad tracks during rush hour. Me, no way! What I tell myself is Betsy, you won't be able to sleep tonight. That gets me to sleep. Weird, I know.............

[[Ch...]]

When I go to bed and have my eyes closed, I am usually redecorating my house.  Ive always done this pre-benzo and it helped me to drift off to sleep.  Doesn't Help now though... Damn hypnic jerks ruin everything .  I used to always wake up and rearrange furniture or go shopping for the new throw pillow I dreamed up, lol!

 

If you don't think of anything and get right to sleep, lucky you!!  My husband is that way.

 

Some folks count sheep, I count cupcakes.

 

I'm usually working at my imaginary bakery decorating cakes and cupcakes. 

 

Sometimes it works, more often not but it's a pleasant distraction.

 

I hope those hypnic jerks settle down soon so you can go back to your interior decorating.

 

Chinook 

 

 

[[wh...]]

I count like this 1, 100, 2, 99, 3, 98 and so on 

[[be...]]

I count like this 1, 100, 2, 99, 3, 98 and so on 

 

That math is too hard for me!

[[sl...]]

That type of counting is a good idea... When things get too complicated in my brain I tend to doze off

 

I also think about my dream bakery!  I think of all the treats I would sell... And eat

[[wh...]]

I think about feeling my emotions again and about what it will be like when I heal 

[[MT...]]

Sleepless, I usually start off with some meditation and a body scan. Then I go to places in my imagination. If I'm reading a good book that isn't scary (mostly sci-fi and fantasy) I travel to that place. I think about what has happened in the book, imagine I'm there--what I see, hear, smell, taste, feel and think of different things I could do there. Sometimes I'll make up totally new places-like walking through a redwood forrest or to a very safe enchanted forest with fairies or a beach. I like to go to my "happy place" that is up in a redwood tree on an amazing mattress with a force field around it to keep intruders out and prevent me from falling out of the redwood. I'll focus on my breathing while I imagine the wind against my skin as it gently rocks the tree. It's soothing and helps pass the time. Sometimes I make up stories too.

[Guest [jc...]]

Many nights I go to bed hungry (I'm trying to lose weight) and I often put myself to sleep dreaming of sweets and fattening foods, lol.

[[wh...]]

That type of counting is a good idea... When things get too complicated in my brain I tend to doze off

 

I also think about my dream bakery!  I think of all the treats I would sell... And eat

Oh Yum !!  I want a cupcake 

[[po...]]

have you tried listening to audio books?

[[wh...]]

I count like this 1, 100, 2, 99, 3, 98 and so on 

 

That math is too hard for me!

I get to about 90, 10 

[[al...]]

I just try to create a story in my head and let it play out. Sometimes I can't tell if I stayed awake the whole time or if I feel into a short dream doze. I used to just empty my mind and allow myself to feel comfortable, but that never really seemed to help me fall asleep.

[[Ph...]]

I contemplate the wisdom of the Buddha.  The Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path and other teachings.  I think about the sources of suffering such as delusion, greed, aversion and reactivity.  I remind myself of what a wise monk once said:  "Letting go a little brings a little peace.  Letting go a lot brings a lot of peace.  Letting go completely brings complete peace."  And there's another piece of Buddhist wisdom that I remind myself of in the wee hours:  "Just being alive is enough."  I often listen to streaming audio of Buddhist talks.  One of the websites I use for this is www.AudioDharma.org.

[[Ph...]]

Sleepless, I usually start off with some meditation and a body scan. Then I go to places in my imagination. If I'm reading a good book that isn't scary (mostly sci-fi and fantasy) I travel to that place. I think about what has happened in the book, imagine I'm there--what I see, hear, smell, taste, feel and think of different things I could do there. Sometimes I'll make up totally new places-like walking through a redwood forrest or to a very safe enchanted forest with fairies or a beach. I like to go to my "happy place" that is up in a redwood tree on an amazing mattress with a force field around it to keep intruders out and prevent me from falling out of the redwood. I'll focus on my breathing while I imagine the wind against my skin as it gently rocks the tree. It's soothing and helps pass the time. Sometimes I make up stories too.

This is good.

[[Be...]]

I think about plants, flowers, growing vegetables, plant biology. I wish they were in my dreams, but my mind is hijacked by fearful things. I too think about the Buddha, the nature of suffering, and how to just be with all that arises in my body and mind. Laying in the dark, I notice my breath, over and over, and that is when there is no thinking and I find peace.

[[Ph...]]

I think about plants, flowers, growing vegetables, plant biology. I wish they were in my dreams, but my mind is hijacked by fearful things. I too think about the Buddha, the nature of suffering, and how to just be with all that arises in my body and mind. Laying in the dark, I notice my breath, over and over, and that is when there is no thinking and I find peace.

Benniejets, very nice.  Of course all that arises passes and this includes our benzo-related ordeals.