It's a strange feeling to describe, but when I've had two or three good days, sometimes before falling asleep, I have this strange feeling that feeling great can't last. Sometimes I'll lay awake at night holding on to the sense of not being achy, uncomfortable and depressed, somehow knowing that an NE would hit me that night.
It's gotten me thinking, maybe my NE's are a symptom of my anxiety. I tend to get them before important orchestra rehearsals or concerts and when I'm feeling the most stressed or anxious.
Anybody else experience something like this?
Definitly so. When you go to bed with anxiety or stress (and also with POIS) your dreams are also more wild an dictated. They are steering you in a direction you dont want. I'm battling the same problem but I have a tip that has seemed to have worked since last NE. Three hours before you go to bed, take a 20-min hot bath with 2-5 dl
epsom salt (magnesium sulfate). If you dont have that you can use himalaya salt or sea salt (or even better, mix them together then you will benefit from trace minerals), put some calming oil in the bath (lavendel). Try to do some massage on your neck muscles during the bath. Just eat easy-to-digest protein like eggs, whey or avocado those hours, nothing high in carbohydrates/sugar.
After the bath drink some calming tea (Chamomile) and
dont use your computer or smartphone (after all what is worst, to have NE or to see the reaction of your last FB post?). You could watch TV but nothing excitable like debates, action, thriller or horror.
The best thing is to watch a
nature documentary (plan for one already earlyer the same day). That will fill your mind and dreams with calming nature sceenes. The things we do the hours before we go to bed tends to pop up in the dreams. If you wake up early in the morning and feels like its ok to go up,
dont try to fall a sleep again!. It will just put you in a light pro-dream sleep. Also stay away from
every sexual stimuli you possible can during the whole day and replace it with other completely diffrent things like nature, sports, hobbies etc. The technic to ween off such thoughts is probably the most single important factor for NE.
Actually it will also help if you plan for everything else in your nightly routine long before you go to bed (make you bed, decide what to read etc) so going to bed is not associated with any practical matters.
Also take some magnesium/calcium supplement just before going to bed. I also sleep well with a 500 mg Vitamin C. It feels like the body needs that during the healing process.
If you have problems to fall a sleep.
Get a lot of sun in the day and have a walk in the nature . Read something when you go to bed, but
nothing complicated. Keep cool and 100% dark in the bedroom. Place a thermometer at your nightstand and notice in what temperature you sleep best and dream less. For me its important that the temperature is never over 22 degrees celcius. Dont use synthetic bed clothes, use only cotton blankets that you can add or remove as your body temeperature changes.
If this would not work there is a technic called TFT or EFT (or even hypnhosis though I havn't tryed that yet) that you can use to avoid uncontrolled thoughts. They could be learned at home or better, visit a therapist to get a hang of it.
Last tip. During the day, eat a vegetable gratin with red beets and other root crops. It will raise our saliva/urine pH even during the night and that has a very soothing effect. Red beets are also very good for the liver and blood vessels.
Give me feedback if you tryed any of this!