Difficulties at night

[Cub]

Hi everyone

How are we all?

I'm writing in as I'm sleeping rather badly at night and I'm struggling to get off until about 2 in the morning. I have a very busy and stressful week ahead and the lack of sleep is messing with my priorities and sleeping-pattern; I get so tired and the heat doesn't help.

One of my big problems is frequent urination. I get it more when I'm nervous; I went to London with my Dad to see a play on Saturday and I was so anxious that I had to go to the loo about three times, both before the play and during interval. I was scared of letting my OCD ruin it.

But it's worst at night. I usually like to read on my phone at night; this has helped me get to sleep in the past and helps me fend off any bad OCD thoughts so I can settle and snooze and it usually works; put the screen down low on its glow and it's fine.

Now, though, I struggle. I get triggered into needing to go to the loo very easily when I'm trying to relax into sleep and I don't know if it's the reading material that's triggering me, or if it's the worry, or both. I just have to keep going to the loo and it's distressing and distracting.

Any tips?

C x

[lovid]

Hi Cub.The only thing I can think of is to drink less.I know that won't help if your bladder is always nearly empty and you would still need to drink enough to not get dehydrated.I'm sorry if it's not very helpful.The only other thing I can think of is the usual remedy of trying to resist the urge and to reduce the number of times that you have to go to the loo that way

[Guest OCDAY]

Hi Cub,

I find if I dont sleep my OCD is worse.................As you can see I am awake at gone 2am.

Your situation is more difficult as it's a bodily function, I just find my mind races more at night.

Hope you are sleeping better tonight.

[Guest jayjay89]

Do you actually need to pee - or do you think you need to pee and can make yourself pee a wee bit? (sorry if that's a bit graphic lol).

I used to struggle to sleep because OCD would tell me if there was any pee in my bladder at all that I wouldn't be able to sleep - which is untrue, because people almost always have some pee in their bladder!

[Guest newsi]

Hi cub

Try not to drink after 8. Nights are always a tricky time. The mind has nothing to do but think. I listen to audio books because reading is a big ocd problem for me. Rereading wise. I focus on those and it helps sometimes.

Simon