I am having real trouble sleeping and it's bring me down so much.
No
No
Hello, how are you feeling?
assistant
Question
Tired, very tired!!
user
null
Oh? How come so tired?
assistant
Question
Because I can't sleep... I don't know what's wrong with me I just lay there awake for hours!
user
null
Oh I have had trouble sleeping before! Would you like to know what helped me?
assistant
Self-disclosure
Yes please, I'm desperate, I'll try anything!
user
null
First of all, fixed sleep and wake times. If you toss and turn for hours, still get up at the same time. Eventually your body will tire and sleeping will naturally become easier.
assistant
Providing Suggestions
I have to always get up for work so I am sticking to the same routines, I just lie in bed with so many thoughts racing around my head and I just can't get off to sleep
user
null
Second thing I do is I have a wind down routine. No work past a certain time, no matter what. Only soft music, pleasant movie, some light reading, and dim the lights. It slows your body down before sleep. It will help slow that racing thoughts you are having.
assistant
Providing Suggestions
I did try reading a book last night, but I don't really have lights that I can dim, it's just the one bright light in our room.
user
null
I have had racing thoughts and it used to drive me up the wall! Can you buy a lamp? Even a second hand one if your budget is tight?
assistant
Self-disclosure,Providing Suggestions
Yeah, it's just so annoying and then I'm so tired and irritable the next day, I find myself snapping at everyone.
user
null
The bright light will keep your mind stimulated.
assistant
Information
I could buy a lamp I suppose, to see if it helps? But when I am awake all night it's in the dark so I'm not sure if the light is the problem>
user
null
Aw so you are so exhausted from racing thoughts and not enough sleep the night before that you end up taking it out on others, but not meaning to. Am I understanding correctly? Do you get any exercise? I sleep better on days I go for walks, and my sedentary days I sleep worse, it's quite clear to me.
assistant
Restatement or Paraphrasing,Providing Suggestions
I have been trying to do lots of walks, I need to lose weight as well so they kind of go hand in hand! I do also have back pain so that's another thing that doesn't help!
user
null,null
Good effort, keep it up! Back pain, I know all about that too unfortunately. How is your mattress?
assistant
Affirmation and Reassurance,Others
Yeah it's a pretty good mattress, but it is a few years old now, I'm not sure how often you're supposed to replace them?
user
null
Hmm I can't recall, I can't afford to replace mine regularly enough lol. Maybe google it?
assistant
Self-disclosure
Yeah maybe, at this point it's worth looking into anything that could help!
user
null
Do you have someone to talk to about the thoughts that are racing? If they are worries, maybe a counsellor would help.
assistant
Providing Suggestions,Providing Suggestions
Not really, I don't really have any friends and my boyfriends a bit weird about stuff like this, I can't really talk to him about things like this. Yeah maybe, I have been considering a counsellor myself.
user
null,null
Hmm that's a challenge not having friends. Have been there too!
assistant
Self-disclosure
And I don't know how to go about finding new ones! I don't think I'm someone people like to be friends with, I try to make friends but they always move on.
user
null
I don't want to give you a huge barrage of suggestions but another thing that helps me is a podcast called Tracks to Relax.
assistant
Providing Suggestions
Sounds interesting, I'll have to look it up!
user
null
Well maybe you just haven't met the right people yet. It takes time finding someone we click with
assistant
Affirmation and Reassurance
That's true, maybe they weren't meant to be my friends. Anyway, thank you so much for your help but I have to shoot off.
user
null
It's probably not you! When people drift away from me I always say to myself "Oh well, their loss!" you're welcome bye and i hope things improve soon. You WILL get through this!
assistant
Others,Others
Thank you for your support :-)
user
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