Emotion: depression
Problem: Sleep Problems
Situation: I am having real trouble sleeping and it's bring me down so much.

assistant: Hello, how are you feeling?

user: Tired, very tired!!

assistant: Oh? How come so tired?

user: Because I can't sleep... I don't know what's wrong with me I just lay there awake for hours!

assistant: Oh I have had trouble sleeping before! Would you like to know what helped me?

user: Yes please, I'm desperate, I'll try anything!

assistant: First of all, fixed sleep and wake times. If you toss and turn for hours, still get up at the same time. Eventually your body will tire and sleeping will naturally become easier.

user: I have to always get up for work so I am sticking to the same routines, I just lie in bed with so many thoughts racing around my head and I just can't get off to sleep

assistant: Second thing I do is I have a wind down routine. No work past a certain time, no matter what. Only soft music, pleasant movie, some light reading, and dim the lights. It slows your body down before sleep. It will help slow that racing thoughts you are having.

user: I did try reading a book last night, but I don't really have lights that I can dim, it's just the one bright light in our room.

assistant: I have had racing thoughts and it used to drive me up the wall! Can you buy a lamp? Even a second hand one if your budget is tight?

user: Yeah, it's just so annoying and then I'm so tired and irritable the next day, I find myself snapping at everyone.

assistant: The bright light will keep your mind stimulated.

user: I could buy a lamp I suppose, to see if it helps? But when I am awake all night it's in the dark so I'm not sure if the light is the problem>

assistant: Aw so you are so exhausted from racing thoughts and not enough sleep the night before that you end up taking it out on others, but not meaning to. Am I understanding correctly? Do you get any exercise? I sleep better on days I go for walks, and my sedentary days I sleep worse, it's quite clear to me.

user: I have been trying to do lots of walks, I need to lose weight as well so they kind of go hand in hand! I do also have back pain so that's another thing that doesn't help!

assistant: Good effort, keep it up! Back pain, I know all about that too unfortunately. How is your mattress?

user: Yeah it's a pretty good mattress, but it is a few years old now, I'm not sure how often you're supposed to replace them?

assistant: Hmm I can't recall, I can't afford to replace mine regularly enough lol. Maybe google it?

user: Yeah maybe, at this point it's worth looking into anything that could help!

assistant: Do you have someone to talk to about the thoughts that are racing? If they are worries, maybe a counsellor would help.

user: Not really, I don't really have any friends and my boyfriends a bit weird about stuff like this, I can't really talk to him about things like this. Yeah maybe, I have been considering a counsellor myself.

assistant: Hmm that's a challenge not having friends. Have been there too!

user: And I don't know how to go about finding new ones! I don't think I'm someone people like to be friends with, I try to make friends but they always move on.

assistant: I don't want to give you a huge barrage of suggestions but another thing that helps me is a podcast called Tracks to Relax.

user: Sounds interesting, I'll have to look it up!

assistant: Well maybe you just haven't met the right people yet. It takes time finding someone we click with

user: That's true, maybe they weren't meant to be my friends. Anyway, thank you so much for your help but I have to shoot off.

assistant: It's probably not you! When people drift away from me I always say to myself "Oh well, their loss!" you're welcome bye and i hope things improve soon. You WILL get through this!

user: Thank you for your support :-)