Cannot stay asleep since leaving my job

I am not too stressed about leaving the job but I do feel I shut down somewhat in order to not have to process the full reality of the situation in one go. Since I have left I have changed my routine to sleep on the sofa in the front room staying up late and watching Netflix because sleeping in my bed feels as though I am going back to work, this may sound odd but it makes me uncomfortable. I’ve found myself waking up multiple times in the night for no apparent reason, I’ve even cut down on the caffeine towards the evening so I am not visiting the toilet so often but this isn’t the problem. There’s a deep sense of unease within me that seems to disturb me throughout the night, I have a lot going on outside of the professional world of work including autistic children and the uncertainty of where we are going to live soon due to being evicted. I’m good as suppressing my thoughts and worries as a coping mechanism so perhaps this is why my sleep is so disturbed. I had similar problems with sleep at the start of the year but that was coupled with severe anxiety, I am not sure how to fix my sleep issue, perhaps I shall have to wait it out.

Parents
  • I had some sleep problems when I first retired, I kept waking up and dreaming I had to go to work - it took my brain a while to process the change, so with time yours should too. 

    I agree with Iain that tackling your housing problem should help. Make a list of everything you can do to find somewhere to live, and a to do list (check lettings websites, call or visit the council, use a benefits calculator to see if you can get any financial help, etc)

    Also, talk to someone - preferably in real life, but if you can't do that keep talking to us. Sometimes when you get feedback and support from others, problems don't seem so insurmountable.

    I wish you well

Reply
  • I had some sleep problems when I first retired, I kept waking up and dreaming I had to go to work - it took my brain a while to process the change, so with time yours should too. 

    I agree with Iain that tackling your housing problem should help. Make a list of everything you can do to find somewhere to live, and a to do list (check lettings websites, call or visit the council, use a benefits calculator to see if you can get any financial help, etc)

    Also, talk to someone - preferably in real life, but if you can't do that keep talking to us. Sometimes when you get feedback and support from others, problems don't seem so insurmountable.

    I wish you well

Children
  • Thanks Lotus, feeling like death today, it’s worse first thing in the morning. I easily fall into bad habits so waking up in the night although not what I choose becomes the norm and now I seem to have forgotten how to shut off and let myself relax mentally even in my sleep. I don’t go to bed anxious or worried but when asleep those emotions seem to wake up.