One sleepless night is enough—I don’t want it to be two.

It makes a lot of sense that you are struggling to settle after what happened. Even though you weren’t physically injured, your body and mind have still gone through a real shock. When something sudden and frightening like that occurs, the nervous system gets flooded with adrenaline, and it can take quite some time before it eases back down. That’s why you’ve been pacing, finding it hard to think clearly, and struggling to type — it’s not weakness, it’s simply your body reacting to a frightening and confusing event.

When calming feels impossible, especially with the endless phone calls and frustrations of being on hold or cut off, it sometimes helps to think of it less as “relaxing” and more as gently re-anchoring yourself. Some people find grounding exercises useful, such as looking around and naming what they can see, hear, and feel in the room. Others get more relief from physical tricks, like splashing the face with cold water, tensing and releasing muscles, or even pacing in a steady rhythm rather than in agitation. These small actions give the nervous system something safe and predictable to focus on, which can gradually help settle the sense of alarm.

The situation you’ve described with the insurance and the rental company would test anyone’s patience. Having to repeat the same story over and over, or being cut off just as you finally reach the right person, is draining in itself. One way to make that easier is to write down a very short script of the key things you need to say, along with the claim or reference numbers. That way, if you get through to someone when you’re feeling worn out, you don’t have to find the words fresh each time. Keeping a simple notepad by you can also be useful to jot down names, times, and outcomes of calls, so if you have to chase things later, you’re not starting from scratch.

It’s also natural to worry when the company who owns the lorry has been slow to respond. Keeping a log of what has been done, and when, is something practical you can control in a situation that otherwise feels out of your hands. And now that your insurance has confirmed you won’t be left carrying the cost, you have already cleared one of the most stressful uncertainties.

When night comes, it can be hard to switch off after so much adrenaline. Sometimes it helps to create a small wind-down ritual, such as writing down a short list of things to tackle on Monday and then deliberately closing the notebook, so your mind can let them rest. A warm shower or a calming drink, dim lights, and then lying down with attention on the feeling of the bed supporting your body can help remind your system that it is safe now. If your mind races back to the accident, gently repeating to yourself simple facts — “I was hit, I am safe now, I have witnesses, the police are involved, the car is being repaired” — can sometimes bring the brain back into the present.

For tonight, please allow yourself the kindness of recognising how much you have managed already: you dealt with the shock, you engaged witnesses and police, you pressed forward with your insurer, and you have kept going even while feeling shaken. You are safe, and you have done everything you can for now. The next step is to let your body and mind catch up with that safety so you can rest.

It makes a lot of sense that you are struggling to settle after what happened. Even though you weren’t physically injured, your body and mind have still gone through a real shock. When something sudden and frightening like that occurs, the nervous system gets flooded with adrenaline, and it can take quite some time before it eases back down. That’s why you’ve been pacing, finding it hard to think clearly, and struggling to type — it’s not weakness, it’s simply your body reacting to a frightening and confusing event.

When calming feels impossible, especially with the endless phone calls and frustrations of being on hold or cut off, it sometimes helps to think of it less as “relaxing” and more as gently re-anchoring yourself. Some people find grounding exercises useful, such as looking around and naming what they can see, hear, and feel in the room. Others get more relief from physical tricks, like splashing the face with cold water, tensing and releasing muscles, or even pacing in a steady rhythm rather than in agitation. These small actions give the nervous system something safe and predictable to focus on, which can gradually help settle the sense of alarm.

The situation you’ve described with the insurance and the rental company would test anyone’s patience. Having to repeat the same story over and over, or being cut off just as you finally reach the right person, is draining in itself. One way to make that easier is to write down a very short script of the key things you need to say, along with the claim or reference numbers. That way, if you get through to someone when you’re feeling worn out, you don’t have to find the words fresh each time. Keeping a simple notepad by you can also be useful to jot down names, times, and outcomes of calls, so if you have to chase things later, you’re not starting from scratch.

It’s also natural to worry when the company who owns the lorry has been slow to respond. Keeping a log of what has been done, and when, is something practical you can control in a situation that otherwise feels out of your hands. And now that your insurance has confirmed you won’t be left carrying the cost, you have already cleared one of the most stressful uncertainties.

When night comes, it can be hard to switch off after so much adrenaline. Sometimes it helps to create a small wind-down ritual, such as writing down a short list of things to tackle on Monday and then deliberately closing the notebook, so your mind can let them rest. A warm shower or a calming drink, dim lights, and then lying down with attention on the feeling of the bed supporting your body can help remind your system that it is safe now. If your mind races back to the accident, gently repeating to yourself simple facts — “I was hit, I am safe now, I have witnesses, the police are involved, the car is being repaired” — can sometimes bring the brain back into the present.

For tonight, please allow yourself the kindness of recognising how much you have managed already: you dealt with the shock, you engaged witnesses and police, you pressed forward with your insurer, and you have kept going even while feeling shaken. You are safe, and you have done everything you can for now. The next step is to let your body and mind catch up with that safety so you can rest.

Thank you for your comments and suggestions. I read this last night but couldn’t get myself together to respond. Your understanding of my situation made me feel a bit better.