Aisha
Legacy Name: Aisha

I know what you mean. Sometimes, all you do is toss and turn and think about the things you will be too tired to do tomorrow. This is not a fun way to be, but there are things you can do to help.

This is a simple technique that helps me when I toss and turn. Try getting out of bed for a little while. Do you like to journal? Or color? Is there something that calms you down like crocheting or writing?

Take a few minutes to crawl out of bed and do something that soothes you, but please try to stay away from cellphones, computers, and tablets. Sometimes, blue light can keep you awake even longer. Find out what you can do to relax a little bit, and try to sleep again once you think you are ready to give it another shot.

Oh, I see. That is a reason I lie awake at night too most of the time.

I know that it is very easy to be worried and scared about the day ahead of you. You can run away so quickly with your thoughts that end up spiraling into worse case scenarios.

But that's thing thing.

There is no way you can know what tomorrow has in store for you. It could turn out pretty good, in fact. Something bad might happen, but you have to believe in yourself and know that no matter what happens, you have the tools in your belt that are necessary to problem solve.

Instead of lying awake imagining the worst outcomes of tomorrow, try to relax your mind instead. Think about things that soothe you. Try mindfulness exercises, and focus on your breathing.

Remember, tonight is for sleeping. You can worry about tomorrow when it happens.

I'm very sorry to hear that. Nightmares for me are usually triggered by stressful situations, or bad feelings I have that I am not working through when I'm awake.

When you wake up from a nightmare, it is best to try to calm yourself down in whatever way works for you, whether that be with a hot cup of tea, or some peaceful music.

When you are ready to talk about it, talking through the nightmare and reassuring yourself that it was not real can help.

Keep a dream journal by your bedside so you can write down the dreams you have, and perhaps, you can rewrite the ending into something happier or more peaceful.

During the day, try to put your anxiety in its place. It could help to talk to a friend, or a professional, about your bad dreams. Practice de-stressing techniques in your waking hours.

Maybe you could also get a nightlight. Those help me. They bring me comfort. A nightlight, a stuffed animal, or a soft blanket. Have comfort measures in place so you can sleep more soundly.