My sleeping pattern so far Monday- 2:00am Tuesday 6:00am Wednesday 3:am Thursday it’s now 4:15am and still awake ? I just want /NEED to sleep ??

I think the best thing to tell yourself is: it doesn’t matter, it’s just a thought. You have control over your life, not OCD. I find that listening to audiobooks, music, podcasts, or meditations realllly helps me fall asleep because it gives my brain something to focus on. Something else that works is counting backwards from 2000 (1999, 1998, 1997...). Another is listing things that you know to be true about yourself and your life (ie. your love for your family, your favourite movie, etc.). Another is going through the senses (5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, 1 thing you can taste). I also find that when I feel physical anxiety, holding my hand over my heart and feeling my heartbeat really helps. These are just some things that have helped me over the years and especially the last few months. I am thinking of you, and I promise that you will get past this.❤️

What seems to be keeping you awake?

Maybe try some melatonin and hemp oil, it helps me sleep. Also having a sleep routine is really important. Perhaps take a bath a hour before bed with some relaxing music and a cup of herbal tea ( peppermint, sage, camomile) is really good also St. John's wort tea is good for sleep and anxiety. You can also take magnesium supplements in the morning to help with your anxiety so you can find it easier to sleep and feel less anxious. These are all things that do not require a doctor referral but they really do help!

Thankyou all for the advice I’ll take it all on board I think what it was is that o knew I was awake with my eyes closed but I was saying random things to just not focus on other things so to me that part wasn’t ocd but then I had intrusions but I panicked when I had them but because I couldn’t remember what I had thought made me think could it of been bad or about a kid and it was just too much

Binaural audio can also be really useful if you need quick anxiety relief. It is inexplicably calming.

Thankyou I’ll try it

Let us know how you go!

Anything that comes to my mind that makes me anxious or at the moment can’t remember what I had thought then had a horrible intrusive thought to follow it but the thing is I can’t remember what I actually thought so im now trying to figure out was it bad what I thought but if it was I would of panicked I’m just so tired

ive been having insomnia for months now, i think a background noise to distract from my brain can help me to relax and fall asleep like a video or audio but not too stimulating i think.

I will