Too Much Thinking and Not Enough Sleeping

In the past 3 months, I have had a lot of unexpected issues arise. Some of the issues were big and some were minor, but all issues had the same effect: They kept me up at night. Stress affects my sleep schedule.

How does stress affect my sleep schedule?

Worrying causes my worst bouts of insomnia. Fear makes me spend hour after hour staring at the ceiling rather than sleeping. When fear becomes reality, I end up losing enough sleep, making it very difficult to get through the day.

Lying awake longing for sleep

I have spent far too much time staring at the ceiling lately, and it is really taking its toll on me. It is hard to concentrate most days. My body aches and longs for sleep. Still, I lie awake at night and wish for sleep to come.

I have never understood why the human body does not react to extended bouts of insomnia by finally spending at least a full 8 hours sleeping, but this does not happen. We do not reach a point where we are so tired that we collapse into a restful slumber. Our body keeps going even when it cannot properly function.

Worries, stress and sleeplessness

Worries led to overthinking. Overthinking led to sleepless nights. Sleepless nights led to stressful days, and it all led to even more stress. The compounded stress kept me awake. It is a vicious cycle, and I have no idea how to stop it.

The more I worry over everything, the less I sleep. The less I sleep, the more I worry. And the more time I am awake, the more time I have to worry. Where does it end?

Dealing with extended sleeplessness

My mental health affects my sleep, and sleep affects my mental health. An extended bout of surviving on very little sleep causes a great deal of anxiety. I get jumpy and a bit paranoid. I become easily agitated. This makes the situation worse.

I have had people suggest that I use sleep aids to remedy the situation, but this does not help me. Either I do not stay asleep or I feel groggy all day. I have tried multiple types of sleep aids and had the same results with all of them. I refuse to try more. It is too frustrating.

Trying to muddle through the day without getting enough sleep

The past few weeks have been spent tossing and turning. I find myself struggling to be productive during the day. My body is so tired that it balks at normal activities. While this would be a problem for anyone, it further complicates my daily routine.

I have an undiagnosed medical condition that causes mobility issues, and this level of fatigue greatly hampers my ability to complete necessary tasks. It takes a lot of energy for me to get through my day. Having less energy due to an extended bout of sleeplessness makes it very difficult for me. It robs me of more independence.

Worrying about having another restless night

As I sit here and worry about worrying so much I know that tonight will be yet another night of tossing and turning. Tonight will be 1 more night of failing to get enough sleep to function well. Tomorrow will be another day in a series of days of struggling, mentally and physically. I need to stop thinking and start sleeping.

How has stress affected your sleep schedule? How do you manage stress? I would love to hear about your experience.