I can't sleep if don't have the tv on

[gevita]

hi,
I'm 27, and I'm from chile, so I'm sorry if I don´t write correctly :P
I have always had difficulties to sleep, therefore troubles to wake up. In 2003 I was very depressed, I had "an existencial crisis", I cried every night and couldn't sleep until dawn, this was for several months. A way to help me calm myself and get me to sleep was watching tv shows, movies. etc. But now that long ago i overcame that crisis, i still feel the need to just have the tv on when i go to bed, even though if fall asleep inmediately. I can´t just go to bed and sleep like normal people, even if I'm very tired or I didný sleep the night before. My feeling is that I´m like afraid. I have thought a lot about it and I think I´m afraid of feeling that anguish again.
I also get too anxious when I have to get up early in the morning, and I end up sleeping like an hour or nothing at all, beacuse I'm afraid I´ll oversleep (which has happenned to me many many times).
I never took therapy back in 2003, I overcame it by myself; it was very very hard for me and I know I won´t have the same crisis again (or at least by the same reason).
And above all this, I sleep very uncomfortable the most of the time.

Is there a solution for me?

Thank you!

[MYoungAtHeart]

A lot of people have sleeping problems, and depression adds another layer to the problem....

I used to lie in bed and play my whole day and life over and over, beating myself up for the things I did or didn't do and then vowing that the next day I would get up early and start living the life I really wanted, but usually overslept which led to another night of regrets.....

I think there is fear in the night time also.  People are most vulnerable in their beds fast asleep and the TV makes it feel like you are not so alone, and it also sounds to strangers that maybe you are not alone.  Once the sunrise starts we seem to feel safer and can sleep for a couple of hours
which is usually aligned to oversleeping....

I don't know what to tell you I did to sleep at night, I know it was a series of things that took some time to accomplish....

Good luck and let us know how it is going with you

M

[RainLover71]

Warm glass of milk and a hot bath before bed.

[Bubulous]

Many people watch or just listen to the tv at bedtime.  The only advise I can give is that often we do that to get us out of our heads so we can relax.  If you have a dvd player [ut on a movie that you have seen alot.  If you have books read them instead.  It takes the aspect of instant gratification away.  In this world not many people don't have patience anymore and it's ok it isn't your fault.  You will notice it when you watch tv, stuck in traffic, waiting on your meal from a fast food place, and depression.  Nothing is fixed in a day but it is important to experiment everyday.  Notice the times when you want that instant gratificatication.  Good luck, God bless, and give up control.

Larry

[4Maddie44]

Many of us with depression do not sleep well.  If watching TV helps you, then do not worry about it.  I like to do crosswords and read when I go to bed.  I wake many times in the night and perhaps do another crossword, or read some more.

Other times I sleep quite well,but cannot remember a night when I slept all the way through.

Do you have to go to work early?

[BloodMary]

Maybe psychotherapy could help you? I suffer from depression and I have similar problem - can't fall asleep at night and can't wake up in the morning. I take medicines and psychotherapy. It helps me.