Hi DC
The way I deal with this is to think of the universe as always being there in some shape or form.
I know we humans have a tendency to think that there needs to be a beginning to everything, but I tend to think maybe our limited knowledge imposes this thought onto reality. Maybe everything does'nt need ot have a beginning, the theists don't seem to have a problem applying this to God so why can it not apply to other things?
But as you say, it can make your head spin, I think it was Bertrand Russell who says that the universe is a 'brute fact', I think, for the moment, that I will go with that.
Best Wishes
Brian