DIY biofeedback - Using a watch to fend off nightmares

More of a PSA here if you have trouble sleeping / nightmares.

While on vacation I discovered this setting in my watch and I think it's helping defeat nightmares.

I've set it to the max: anything below 50 bpm or above 100 bpm, it'll start vibrating quite a bit.

I'm not sure which side of that the nightmares occurred on, or if it's just a placebo effect, but it seems to be getting the job done. I'm resting easy and having less catastrophic thinking while awake.

It also is a constant biofeedback (or something) trainer throughout the day. If I'm thinking really hard, or starting to get stressed, it starts vibrating. It seems like it's retraining my thinking a little bit rather than just placing guardrails, like a traditional biofeedback or neurofeedback treatment might.

To activate it on my watch I go into the Garmin Connect app on my phone > Notification & Alerts > System Alerts > Abnormal Heart Rate Alerts. Then sync the app with the watch.

Find your settings here:

• https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=GMKI3wym8p3TlgLhEw5toA

• https://support.garmin.com/en-IE/?faq=va0Z5iDeIdADGfEdHKGYK7

I can't give medical advice, but in case you're looking for questions to ask your doctor.

As an aside, these are the other things helping me:

• sertraline for anxiety / depression / racing thoughts
• gabapentin for anxiety / chronic pain - an old wise psychiatrist said folks with a family history of alcoholism tend to have a gaba deficiency, so he theorized that's why it's effective for us. In any case I can wake up and actually sleep-in now. It's like sleeping on a cloud for a change, instead of needing to get up immediately from pain.
• hydroxide - anxiety. It's a vasodilator and non-drowsy antihistamine. For most people it doesn't do much, but for me it's really great.
• mirtazapine - takes the edge off sleep. Originally to take the edge off trazodone but that was way too intense. Mirtazapine is my go-to for sleep.
• prazosin - an old blood pressure drug now commonly used for nightmares and PTSD type things. Also helps reduce sertraline side-effects (for better and worse).

With their powers combined, and with the watch thing now, I can rest easy.

Beyond that, old fashioned non-drowsy allergy meds, air filters, and a humidifier help.

PS the military should offer more psychiatric doctor and nurse help as a matter of course.

Until next time!??