Tossing and Turning: I Cannot Get Comfortable

I am exhausted. I feel like I have not slept in days. This is not true, of course. It only feels like I have not slept in days. The truth is that I have had less uninterrupted sleep. This makes me feel more tired than usual, and it makes me grouchy.

It seems that whenever I adjust to a certain amount of sleep or waking a certain amount of times, it changes. It would be nice to stick to 1 schedule, but that is not going to happen for me. The most recent issue keeping me up at night is being uncomfortable.

Unable to settle down and get comfortable

I usually do not toss and turn. Even though I am not able to sleep, I am able to get comfortable. I might stay in 1 position in bed for a few hours while awake because I am indeed quite comfortable. This has not been the case for several weeks now.

No matter how I position myself or how many pillows I use or do not use, I cannot get comfortable. I turn from 1 side to the other and adjust and readjust pillows and blankets over and over throughout the night. None of it makes a difference.

Stress and anxiety equal tossing and turning

Perhaps stress and anxiety are to blame. I have felt a good bit more stressed recently. Unfortunately, I have not been able to reduce my stress levels so this is unlikely to change for a while. Does this mean I will be stuck tossing and turning for weeks to come? I hope not.

My body adjusts to a certain amount of sleep after a while. If I can only sleep for 4 or 5 hours a night, my body will adjust and learn to function fairly well on that amount of sleep. A changing schedule means I do not function well. My body needs time to adjust, and this new issue with tossing and turning is messing up my schedule.

Waking more than usual

I wake up far more frequently right now. Even if I manage to get comfortable, I will not stay comfortable for long. Then I must start the process all over again. While I lie awake, I worry about what I might be worried about that is causing me to be so stressed. Of course, this only leads to more stress.

I have tried all sorts of suggested stress-relieving activities and exercises. None of it seems to help. My stress level has apparently surpassed the level where meditation and the like will alleviate it. It seems I will be stuck dealing with it for a while.

Sleeplessness leading to exhaustion

As I try my best to muddle through each day with insomnia, I become even more stressed. I am so exhausted most days that I struggle to do the things I need to do. This is upsetting because I have way too much to do and getting behind means I must work extra hard to meet my deadlines. This whole business of tossing and turning has gone on long enough to cause major problems.

Perhaps you have struggled with anxiety that keeps you tossing and turning all night. How did you handle these episodes? I would love to hear your tips and tricks for dealing with anxiety that keeps you awake.