# Anxiety and Sleep Disorders (Health & Well Being for Composers)



## Giant_Shadow (Jan 15, 2014)

These issues have become more prominent for me with this horribly cold winter back east and I am wondering if any fellow composers have experience and advice to share in managing them preferably naturally but not alone. Incredibly grateful.


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## gsilbers (Jan 15, 2014)

*Re: Anxiety and Sleep Disorders*

well, what work for me is a steady job for sure :mrgreen: 
hehe

it might help get a steady routing and follow that. 

also no alcohol or weed as that affects sleep. 


i used to take rx pills since my parents had this as well and i kind nurtured it unconsiously.. so giving it up was a bit hard and the compromise i did was to get pills but natural ones. 

so i take melotonin which people say it doesnt work but it does just not that potent, but enough to tell your brain.. ok time to go to bed. 

then i take something called L-theanine which is a gree tea extract that numbs you good. great for anxiety. i used to take valerian and kava kava. 
valerian gave me a wierd vibe when i woke up and colored pee. 
kava kava runs out is outlawed in EU for liver damage. 
so i switched to l-theanine.


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## DocMidi657 (Jan 15, 2014)

*Re: Anxiety and Sleep Disorders*

Hi,

A really good book is the "Anxiety Cure" by Archibald Hart. Also seeing an internist for some physical causes as well as a good counselor will often solve the problem. Lastly a breathing technique from your belly works tremendously. If I can't sleep I do the belly breathing technique covered in the book and I will almost always nod out.

Often times Anxiety can be caused by not filling your tank with things you love to do on a regular enough basis to compensate for the drains on your tank life and people can sometimes cause. Anxiety is actually in a strange way a helpful warning sign to get it taken care of by seeing your doctor and working with a counselor. Left untreated anxiety can turn to depression as the body begins to deal with it so it's really important to get it solved. The good news is the medical community knows a lot about it now and has lots of ways to help.

I wish you the best and am hopeful with a little help from folks trained in this you will be doing great in no time!!

Hang in there!
Dave


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## TMRodrigues (Jan 15, 2014)

*Re: Anxiety and Sleep Disorders*



DocMidi657 @ Wed Jan 15 said:


> Hi,
> 
> Lastly a breathing technique from your belly works tremendously. If I can't sleep I do the belly breathing technique covered in the book and I will almost always nod out. Dave



My girlfriend suffers from Bipolar Disorder and sometimes she has trouble sleeping. After looking around for a bit, i also found some information about this belly breathing technique. With it, she was able to relax a bit but it wasn't 100% sucessful.

That's when i also suggested that she tried to meditate on stuff she likes while doing the breathing exercises. In her case, because she loves ilustration, i recomended she meditated on drawing techniques while doing the belly breathing technique. After that last sugestion she has gradually suffered less and less from sleeping disorders.

Not at all saying it's a definitive solution but by what i've seen, it certainly helps. Perhaps you can give it a try too?

Sincerely hope all works out well for you!  

Take care.


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## TheUnfinished (Jan 15, 2014)

*Re: Anxiety and Sleep Disorders*

Give yourself time to wind down before you even contemplate going to bed. Otherwise your mind is buzzing with stuff, whilst your boy is screaming for rest.


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## mark812 (Jan 15, 2014)

*Re: Anxiety and Sleep Disorders*

Meditate. It changed my life. Read this - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/erica-dia ... 29992.html

Great site and app - http://www.getsomeheadspace.com/


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## AC986 (Jan 15, 2014)

*Re: Anxiety and Sleep Disorders*



Giant_Shadow @ Wed Jan 15 said:


> These issues have become more prominent for me with this horribly cold winter back east and I am wondering if any fellow composers have experience and advice to share in managing them preferably naturally but not alone. Incredibly grateful.



Can you remember the last time you felt relaxed?


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## Giant_Shadow (Jan 15, 2014)

Thanks everyone . Keep them coming. Here is some more info as well of what I have done.

I am straight edge, so no weed (drugs), and alcohol.

I have seen a primary physician and been put through the gamut of tests for EKG, Stress test, blood work, etc, and the ticker checked out strong.

I have had signs of this since loosing a parent 3 years ago. They started stronger in the summer, then came back this winter very strong. Stress is high. I'm trying , but you all know, right ? : )

I started taking 1 Melatonin before bed 3 nights ago, and it seems to help, and at least make it easier to fall back to sleep rather than get up for a hour or suffer a anxiety or panic attack.

Just slowing down a little and managing stress and eating better also seems to have helped a little along with blacking out the bedroom and getting a better bed.

Next up exercise! Looking at elliptical prices this week.

As I said, this is appreciated very much, please keep the experiences coming. I was hoping it would be Ok to ask seeing we are doing similar things musically. Warm regards.


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## Giant_Shadow (Jan 15, 2014)

*Re: Anxiety and Sleep Disorders*



adriancook @ Wed Jan 15 said:


> Giant_Shadow @ Wed Jan 15 said:
> 
> 
> > These issues have become more prominent for me with this horribly cold winter back east and I am wondering if any fellow composers have experience and advice to share in managing them preferably naturally but not alone. Incredibly grateful.
> ...



yes, quite often on a daily basis.


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## dinerdog (Jan 15, 2014)

*Re: Anxiety and Sleep Disorders*

I could totally use a health & mental well being thread. I don't remember the last time I really felt relaxed. Steady job? That was a LONG time ago too.


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## AC986 (Jan 15, 2014)

*Re: Anxiety and Sleep Disorders*



Giant_Shadow @ Wed Jan 15 said:


> adriancook @ Wed Jan 15 said:
> 
> 
> > Giant_Shadow @ Wed Jan 15 said:
> ...



Then you're not suffering from GAD. That's good.


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## BoulderBrow (Jan 15, 2014)

*Re: Anxiety and Sleep Disorders*

I find jogging helps my 'what if' woes - if you've accomplished nothing else that day, at least you've ran a few miles!

There's also a good forum http://www.anxietyzone.com/ which has a nice community - lot's of people from different walks of life, often with heavier troubles (than me at least) that puts things into perspective.


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## Giant_Shadow (Jan 15, 2014)

*Re: Anxiety and Sleep Disorders*

Damn Adrian,
No Valium for me : )



adriancook @ Wed Jan 15 said:


> Giant_Shadow @ Wed Jan 15 said:
> 
> 
> > adriancook @ Wed Jan 15 said:
> ...


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## 1stClass2dRateComposer (Jan 15, 2014)

Sorry for your loss. I have had poor sleep and anxiety in my life. Bad. I have tried a lot of things (watch out for Ambien). A few things consistently help get the boat back on an even keel.
For sleep:
1. Get up earlier for a few days. If you need to nap, do a cat nap in the day versus sleeping in. 
2. Jog/run/walk and do it in daylight. Exercise will do wonders for both the sleep trouble and the anxiety. 
For the anxiety, if you have close friends or family in town, go out to dinner with them. As a musician, I live in my head a lot. Too much. In rough times, it has been good to be able to exorcise the demons by playing piano or blues guitar in the dark, but I still woke up with anxiety. (Could have been that the scotch glass sitting on the upright was partly to blame.) But if I went out and played an open mic with close friends or shared a pint with my brother, I slept that night and the anxiety didn't wake me.


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## Jaap (Jan 15, 2014)

*Re: Anxiety and Sleep Disorders*

I suffer a sleep disorder now already for more then 15 years due to Chronic PTSD. They have gave me every pill possible (except the blue one!), but a few tricks made my nights at least bareable for me;

1: forget the fairy tale about taking a nice hot shower before sleep. It's much better to get cold to bed. Your muscles relax when they get heated up and you feel more cozy and relax after a while

2: make sure you lie down at least 6 hours a day to give the body enough rest. Even if you are not sleeping, your body needs to rest

3: no input from anything moving/audible and actually even reading (I fail at that :D). It keeps the mind awake. Counting sheeps is not as bad as it sounds, but seriously, try to do some mindfullness training if possible. Focus on your breathing, try to get your mind clear as much as possible

4: if you are still awake and restless, go out of bed for a while. Don't make your bed your enemy. Take the negative energy out of your sleeping room and get back when you are more relaxed again

This are just a few things that help me a bit, not all and not always, but it are good things to keep in mind. My problem is that I cannot sleep through a whole night because a recurring nightmare is waking me up after 3 or 4 hours sleep. Even if that is happening, the above can be applied to find rest again and just make sure your body gets enough rest. You cannot catch up sleep by trying to lie down the next night a bit longer. Keep steady and regular hours in giving your body rest. Also make sure you keep some neutral eyedrops ready to keep your eyes enough watered. They dry up pretty quickly and can give a shitload of daily annoyance.


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## AC986 (Jan 15, 2014)

*Re: Anxiety and Sleep Disorders*



Giant_Shadow @ Wed Jan 15 said:


> Damn Adrian,
> No Valium for .



You might try an antihistamine. You don't need to be taking drugs for what is probably quite mild anxiety symptons. 1 in 20 adults get anxiety and what needs to happen is sometimes a bit of detective work to pinpoint the cause. There is always a cause. Worst case scenario is when it's a kind of physical, chemical imbalance. Usually it's psychological and is generally not long lasting. 

I get anxious over money. That is the most common one. Other common ones are worrying about your family, children etc etc.

We all have that moment when the brain races when trying to sleep. It's hard to control and the best way is to just let it run its course. If you're in bed with your wife, or indeed whatever you're in bed with providing its breathing, you can try matching their breathing. That can work.


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## Giant_Shadow (Jan 15, 2014)

1ST Class, thank you.

Adrian, interesting, sometimes I do wake up in the middle of the night with sinus or flem. 

I am running humidifiers to help with dryness.

Anyone taking the Cpap route ? What a PITA that looks.

I have read running a fan can help and hurt. Certainly not a great idea when its cold out : )


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## EastWest Lurker (Jan 15, 2014)

I rarely have this, but when I do, this usually works. I don't know if this will work for you and I feel a little silly writing it.

I lie down and close my eyes. I picture myself lying on a beach. I feel the warm sun with a slight breeze. I hear children playing and a transistor radio playing softly in the back ground.

It takes some practice, but it works for me as I generally fall into a relaxing sleep.


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## Jaap (Jan 15, 2014)

EastWest Lurker @ Wed Jan 15 said:


> I rarely have this, but when I do, this usually works. I don't know if this will work for you and I feel a little silly writing it.
> 
> I lie down and close my eyes. I picture myself lying on a beach. I feel the warm sun with a slight breeze. I hear children playing and a transistor radio playing softly in the back ground.
> 
> It takes some practice, but it works for me as I generally fall into a relaxing sleep.



This is actually a good technique, called guided meditation (not sure if it's the same in in English, but I think everyone understands it). Totally not silly Jay!

There is a small "but" to this technique. If your sleeping problems coming from within a trauma or have their base in a very emotional situation (like you point out that it could be due to losing a parent), this technique can have a countereffect and get you even more restless (or when suffering trauma, trigger flashbacks etc).
It's however a good thing to try and if it works, it's very good. It sounds simple, but it is actually quite difficult.
If you want to try this you can try to record (or have someone record it for you if your own voice gets you nervous) the story of the picture you want to imagine.


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## iaink (Jan 15, 2014)

A couple of people have mentioned exercise. I believe it's essential.

If you can, find a way to make time for it and find something that works. Walking, running, cycling, or an indoor gym.

Humans weren't built to sit at a desk all day.

Sorry for your loss.

Cheers.


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## scarred bunny (Jan 15, 2014)

Giant_Shadow @ Wed Jan 15 said:


> Next up exercise! Looking at elliptical prices this week.



This is a good idea (although people often don't like to hear it). Exercise helps, especially aerobic exercise. Both short and long term - makes the brain more stress-resilient. Although it might take a while before you start noticing the effects. Six-or-so weeks if you're a lab rat  not sure about people, but if at all possible, stick with it for a while and see how it makes you feel. (It has other benefits as well, of course)

Forcing yourself to do something you hate probably isn't great stress-relief though, so try to find something you actually enjoy, or some way of making it more enjoyable/less miserable. I like running and cycling myself. Even indoors on a stationary bike, 'cause I can read or whatever at the same time. It may sound silly but making it a priority to perform some kind of activity every day really helped me pull myself out of some terrible holes in the past, whether it's consisted of jogging or lifting weights or going for a simple stroll around the block. (Even just taking out the trash, or simply getting out of bed, might count as a heroic act of defiance if you're in bad enough shape. But do try to do something.)

Mindfulness training is also good. Trying to center yourself and pay full attention to 'the moment' and whatever it is you're doing at the time (maybe doing nothing). Trying to notice little things, simple things, mundane things. It's still hard for me to do, but I often find even mundane things can become interesting or enjoyable if I pay attention to them as they're happening. In addition to keeping my mind off of dark ruminations. 

If you drink coffee (or anything caffeinated), consider stopping. For some (not all) people, caffeine can really exascerbate anxiety problems and screw with your sleeping patterns, even if you don't drink it near bed-time. 

I'll see if I can write something more useful another day, since now I need to go and cope with my own sleeping problems  right now, I've taken up listening to audio books as I try to sleep. It works pretty well for me because it keeps the mind occupied with something that isn't worrying/ruminating, and because I can do it in total darkness so as to not trick my body into thinking it's daytime. That last point should make a difference over time... in theory at least.

At any rate, you're certainly not alone. Lots of good tips in this thread.


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## JBZeon (Jan 15, 2014)

Giant_Shadow @ Wed Jan 15 said:


> These issues have become more prominent for me with this horribly cold winter back east and I am wondering if any fellow composers have experience and advice to share in managing them preferably naturally but not alone. Incredibly grateful.



Aspalathus linearis, "Rooibos". Helps control anxiety if taken regularly, it's like a tea drink.

Qigong (chi kung). Is a component of martial arts focuses on health, eliminates stress and relaxes the mind, very helpful with anxiety.


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## wesbender (Jan 15, 2014)

It's already been said plenty, but just to add another voice to it - exercise has a greater positive impact on my emotional and psychological well-being than probably anything else. It certainly isn't just for physical improvement.

Proper nutrition goes hand-in-hand, though that probably goes without saying.

Someone else said it, but caffeine can really exacerbate anxiety issues in certain people. Something to keep in mind.

It took me a while to really get the hang of "shutting my mind down" when it's time to sleep. It seems to be a practiced skill that comes naturally to some but to others, requires some persistence.

Another thing that has really helped me is just simple consistency in my sleep schedule. It sounds painfully obvious, but took me years to fully realize (or rather, to accept). Of course, this isn't always possible during projects with crazy deadlines...

But again, above everything else, I just have to re-iterate the immense help that proper (and consistent) exercise can provide for anxiety/sleep problems.

Lots of good advice in here though...




Giant_Shadow @ Wed Jan 15 said:


> I have read running a fan can help and hurt. Certainly not a great idea when its cold out : )



I sleep with a fan (a fairly quiet one, which surprisingly can be rather hard to find these days) year-round. Just keep it pointed away during winter.


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## G.E. (Jan 16, 2014)

I've had countless sleepless nights and I also have some experience with anxiety due to work and other problems.I'm not quite a working musician but it's not like musicians have a different kind of anxiety,right ?

Countless studies have shown that exercise can improve mood so start doing that,preferably weight lifting but if you are very busy and don't have time for a gym you can try something else that you can do at home like a stationary bike or whatever.That also can help with sleep since you will be more tired at the end of the day probably.
I used to think that meditation was a load of crap until I researched it for myself and now I do it every day for 20 minutes.It definitely calms you down among other benefits.
You might also want to try an omega 3 supplement which everyone should be taking anyway for A LOT of health reasons. (this is a natural product by the way.You can just as easy get it from eating fish several times a week.) http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evo ... nd-anxiety

Now here's what I did to improve my sleep.Avoid at any cost looking at bright lights an hour before bed,like computer monitors,TV,phone,etc...And make sure your room is as dark as possible.Electronic lights inhibit melatonin production.
Also make sure the room you sleep in is as cold as possible.That's just how the human body prefers it to be when falling asleep,a cold and dark room.(This is scientifically proven by the way,I'm not talking nonsense) 

Another thing you should try is having a huge meal with lots of carbohydrates right before bed because that spikes your insulin which helps produce more melatonin.Maybe you noticed many times throughout your life that some times you feel really sleepy for 30 minutes/an hour after a large meal even in the middle of the day.

Giving up caffeine helps with anxiety and sleep as well.

this is what really helped me so I hope it is helpful for you as well.


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## jonathanwright (Jan 16, 2014)

Some great advice in this thread.

It's a tough one these days in our global industry.

My biggest problem is when I have clients in a completely different time zone. If I'm expecting an email from them overnight I find it really difficult to get back to sleep if I wake up in the early hours.

I still haven't found a way to get around that.


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## G.E. (Jan 16, 2014)

jonathanwright @ Thu Jan 16 said:


> Some great advice in this thread.
> 
> It's a tough one these days in our global industry.
> 
> ...



Maybe you could try changing your sleep schedule so that you're awake during different time zones.For example going to bed at 5 AM and waking up at 1 PM.


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## Rv5 (Jan 16, 2014)

During the darker days (I get heavily affected by them too), I've found a light box to help, I have this one here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/SAD-Light-Box-Medically-Certified/dp/B000YSDHZ8/ref=sr_1_4?s=drugstore&ie=UTF8&qid=1389874225&sr=1-4&keywords=light+box (http://www.amazon.co.uk/SAD-Light-Box-M ... =light+box)

A little time in the morning (depending on how far away you sit from it which will be in the instructions) and after about a week, symptoms were alleviated. 

It's a part of a whole though of course - some really great advice and techniques above. For me, if I don't exercise, I'm screwed! 

The best thing I did was Kung Fu. I went to China for a month to study up a mountain in Tiger Leaping Gorge. Though my purpose was purely for the Martial Art, it lifted me to an entire new level of being. This is because Kung Fu addresses mind, body and soul. We woke and meditated, breakfast, trained till lunch, ate, trained till dinner, ate, and had the evening to relax, reflect, keep training if we wanted.

In 'normal' life, this was all of course reduced to allow for the day-to-day, but things that were once stressful no longer were. I was able to put things in perspective easily, many a good side-effect. 

Meditation, good eating and exerscise were the basis of that. Exercise is a great remedy. Of course, it's the hardest one to start, cause you probably really won't feel like it!

Like G.E said - avoid bright lights/computers/screens at least an hour before sleep if at all possible.

I found it helps to ask myself not "what have I done today", but "what has my body done today?". When I worked in a studio it was usually sit on a train, sit in a studio at a computer, sit on a train... What's the furthest thing your eyes focus on on average throughout the day, these kinds of simple things. Helped structure things so hope it helps you or someone!


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## jonathanwright (Jan 16, 2014)

It's certainly an idea, but in my household impossible unfortunately!


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## Hawkes (Jan 16, 2014)

Lots of great advice. I'm not saying anything that hasn't already been said, but I'll put it out there anyway... 
It helped me a lot to have a strict rule that my bedroom is not a place to think about things. That, and making a time and place to think about things every day: like a quiet walk (alone).

It's no help to you, but man, having a couple of kids will get rid of insomnia. My little son gets me up between 5 and 6 every morning. Every night when I go to bed I'm exhausted, and I already know that I'm facing another night of too little sleep. I'm always tired... but at least it's not because of insomnia these days.


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## AC986 (Jan 16, 2014)

Sometimes coffee can be a help actually. Generally I would agree that too much caffeine in either tea or coffee is no good late at night. You find yourself taking a leak at 3am in the morning and that's a pain.
But coffee for older citizens such as myself apparently helps to ward off senility and dementia. Is there any truth in that? Who cares if you believe it.

Everyone could be suffering here from a slight case of SAD. 10am this morning here, it was so wet and dark I thought it was time to go back to bed.


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## jonathanwright (Jan 16, 2014)

A sunny holiday in the first week of the year is also a good plan. We go away to the Canaries and just sun ourselves, it's very good at charging the batteries.


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## Giant_Shadow (Jan 16, 2014)

Thank you iaink

Thanks everyone for the great advice. I have more useful info in this thread than any quack could give.

ps Anyone gone to progressive lenses (bifoculs) of late btw ? Do you use the top part of your lenses for your computer screens only ?


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## mark812 (Jan 16, 2014)

One of the best things I've ever installed on my PC: http://justgetflux.com


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## markwind (Jan 16, 2014)

Oh wow! F.lux is amazing! Thanks for sharing, finally I get some sense of day/night rhythm in my closed studio haha.


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## Giant_Shadow (Jan 16, 2014)

Not a coffee drinker thank god, (although everyone in this industry seems to live on coffee and Red Bull) and I cut out all soft drinks years ago after kidney stones. Do miss my cup of Earl Grey : )


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## G.E. (Jan 16, 2014)

Giant_Shadow @ Thu Jan 16 said:


> Not a coffee drinker thank god, (although everyone in this industry seems to live on coffee and Red Bull) and I cut out all soft drinks years ago after kidney stones. Do miss my cup of Earl Grey : )



Coffee is overrated and in my personal experience it can also be addictive.I used to have headaches in the morning if I didn't drink a cup within 10 minutes of waking up. And after you build a tolerance to caffeine it's useless anyway.


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