Trouble Sleeping

jambojambo
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
As some of you know, I've been having real trouble sleeping lately. So, I just wondered if anyone has any experience of this? Tips? I want to try and avoid sleeping pills so that's out.



Thanks in advance to those who reply, burn in hell to those who don't.



J :cool:

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 9
    applenutapplenut Posts: 5,768member
    [quote]Originally posted by Jamie:

    <strong>As some of you know, I've been having real trouble sleeping lately. So, I just wondered if anyone has any experience of this? Tips? I want to try and avoid sleeping pills so that's out.



    Thanks in advance to those who reply, burn in hell to those who don't.



    J :cool: </strong><hr></blockquote>



    I had trouble for a couple months in the fall/winter..



    But now I just fall right to sleep. I guess I just waited it out. Sometimes I would just stay up for like 2 days staright and then go to sleep at a normal hour and get into a pattern.
  • Reply 2 of 9
    mozillamanmozillaman Posts: 76member
    If I exercise much that day, I usually get to sleep very easily.



    Maybe some Ben Stein audiobooks might help you get to sleep?
  • Reply 3 of 9
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    or try reading the Koran...



    mika.
  • Reply 4 of 9
    nostradamusnostradamus Posts: 397member
    Sleep is for the weak of mind.
  • Reply 5 of 9
    graphitemangraphiteman Posts: 428member
    I had some trouble this winter, but I got over it. The key is consistancy: have a consistant (and early!) bedtime; a consistant routine, etc. Also, if you can't fall asleep, saying a prayer can help (assuming you're religious). Other than that, try to doze off and not have any stimuli (radio, TV, computer, etc.) Those will only serve to keep you awake.
  • Reply 6 of 9
    buonrottobuonrotto Posts: 6,368member
    If you discover what the secret is, pass it on...
  • Reply 7 of 9
    brussellbrussell Posts: 9,812member
    These were touched on by others:



    1. No caffeine in the afternoon. And don't drink or smoke.

    2. Exercise. Have sex. Lots of it. Knock yourself out.

    3. Don't sleep in. Wake up at the same time regardless of how much sleep you had the night before. And don't nap.

    4. Most people sleep a lot longer than they think. When they do studies where they bring insomniacs into a sleep lab, they'll say "I only slept 4 hours," but they have them on video and brain scans sleeping 6. Usually people have so much anxiety about not sleeping that it prevents them from sleeping. Knowing that they really are sleeping alleviates some of the anxiety.

    5. Don't lay in bed if you're not tired. Get up and do something, and then go to bed later.
  • Reply 8 of 9
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    For the past 6-8 months, I've had bouts of INCREDIBLE difficulty falling asleep. Most of it due to emotional/psychological nonsense going on in my life. No big, major things of course, but enough to sometimes "keep me up nights, thinking".



    That's my personality anyway: I'm a HUGE "what if..." and "would've/could've/should've" person as it is, so...







    Honestly, this is how I fall asleep (just stumbled upon this recently): I don't drink sodas after 4pm (unless sleeping isn't my main concern) and I set my alarm clock and simply grab my ultra-hard (get your minds out of the gutter...jeez) CROSSWORD BOOK, and turn to a puzzle I haven't started yet and simply start doing it. Something about it, while lying down and tucked in, completely lulls me to sleep, and right before I know I'm past that point of no return, I'll put the cap back on my pen, lay the book and pen on my night stand and, with my last ounce of wakeness, flip off my lamp. I fall asleep immediately.



    Usually 15-30 minutes of this "crossword treatment" is enough.



    On really tough nights (or when I'm not in a crossword mood), I'll take 2 Tylenol PM tablets. Not a true sleeping pill (I only do it about twice a month, maybe three times tops), but within 30-45 minutes of taking them, I get a nice, pleasant drowsy feeling and it helps me stop thinking and worrying and wondering and replaying this conversation and that argument and all the bullcrap I often find myself going over and over.







    I think the key, in short, is to find something flat and neutral to occupy your brain with (so that you're not thinking about work, relationships, bills, errands, etc.). But that distraction has to be something borderline boring enough so as to lull you into Yawn City.



    In other words, no video games, "Die Hard" viewing marathon, etc.



    Cool thing I've been doing lately also is setting the sleep timer on my TV for about 30 minutes, then find a channel with a stand-up comedian or sports highlights. I don't watch them (I turn over, close my eyes and bundle up), but hearing something funny or non-upsetting/non-offensive like a comedian or sports highlights seems to settle me down and I sleep well. And because I've set my timer, my TV will click off in half an hour or so, so I don't have to worry about it staying on all night.
  • Reply 9 of 9
    ruhxruhx Posts: 59member
    I'd have to say focus, not on something stimulating. Just focus on something simple and turn it over in your mind and look at it. Take the emotion away and find the calm that let's your thoughts go unhindered but not rampant. It sounds kind of wierd written out, but it works for me when i am tired. When i'm not it helps me regain perspective so it's a win win.



    Oh the one about sex is a good one too.



    [ 06-17-2002: Message edited by: Ruhx ]</p>
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