How To Sleep [Archive] - Giant in the Playground Forums

MonkeyBusiness

2012-08-07, 04:28 PM

Insomnia is no fun at all. I have coped with it all my life. The best things I have learned in that time is that habit is the key to sleep, and the best sleeping habits I know are:

1. Go to bed at the same time every night.

2. Before you go to bed, do not eat or drink things that will keep you awake (like soda), or do things that will get you wound up (like watching the news or a scary movie).

3. Do something that will relax you. Bedtime at my house is when I cuddle with my pets, read, or chat with a friend. Sometimes I listen to music.

4. When you turn out the light, focus on something that will relax your body and keep your mind away from worries. I like to imagine I am getting a back massage. Other people imagine other things (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TNXX-Jcpec). :smallwink:

5. If your insomnia is stress-related, put aside some time each day to deal with a small aspect of what is worrying you. At night you can tell yourself you have taken steps to confronting your problem. This helps me.

6. I sometimes use a homeopathic remedy for nights when I come back from class to wound up to relax. I find it helps me very much. I'm not going to say what it is, because it might not be useful for your insomnia. Homeopathic remedies are very specific, so it is a good idea to consult with a trained specialist. I'm including this link (http://www.pharmaca.com/Sleep-Support/5601/5004-5601/dept) not because I recommend anything personally here, but to show you that there is a huge variety of stuff that is helpful, and does not involve pills. I do like this store, but please don't just buy something randomly off the internet. I found the pharmacists at the location in Seattle to be very helpful.

Good luck, Dark Elf Bard. I hope you find some relief.

- Monkey

Eldan

2012-08-07, 04:34 PM

No bright lights at least an hour before going to bed is another important one. That includes all manner of screens.

Whiffet

2012-08-07, 04:43 PM

Certain sounds might help. I put on some relaxing music at a very low volume some nights. It helps slow my thoughts down if my mind keeps racing. My mom has a little sound machine that lulls people with stuff like "Stream" or "Ocean Waves."

It also could prove useful to pay attention to your breathing. Focus on each inhale and exhale, and if you're breathing too fast try to slow down.

Basically you want to relax. Try a few different things until you find something that works for you.

Yora

2012-08-07, 04:47 PM

How old are you?

When I was 15, I'd often go to bed at around 9:30 and didn't get to sleep until 2:00. Somehow took me forever to just start going to bed later, wasn't as if I would be losing any sleep anyway.
Sleep cycles are very weird during the teens. When the body does not want to sleep, it won't sleep.

Now in my 20s, I stay up until eleven and as soon as my head hits the pillow I'm gone.

Dark Elf Bard

2012-08-07, 04:48 PM

AAARRGGHH!!!

I can't even take a nap in a perfectly quiet neighborhood with no one in the house!

:furious:

The Succubus

2012-08-07, 04:52 PM

Body temperature plays a big part as well. I generally get to sleep more easily when it's cooler. A friend of mine also recommended warm milk with a drop of honey in it.

sktarq

2012-08-07, 05:07 PM

Couple ideas.

Some people LIKE a certain amount of background noise. Or are just born with a cycle that keeps them up late. Try leaving the TV on for a week (for the novelty to wear off) on a channel you have no interest in. (CSPAN-3 for example).

the big one really is establishing a routine. Same time, same hygenine routine, drink the same something (ex. camomille). Eventually your brain will learn these things are prep to sleep and skip over more and more of the waiting period.....with any luck

factotum

2012-08-07, 05:09 PM

I can't even take a nap in a perfectly quiet neighborhood with no one in the house!

Taking naps is the worst thing you can do if you're having trouble sleeping at night--you should, as already mentioned, go to bed the same time every night and DON'T nap during the day; get your body used to the idea that Sleep Time Is Now.

Toastkart

2012-08-07, 05:47 PM

To add to what others have said, though if it continues to be a significant problem you may want to see a sleep specialist.

Going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, or almost every day is very important. This is especially true when you're trying to set a sleep schedule.

If you have a ceiling fan, use it.

Try some breathing exercises. There are a lot out there, try a few until you find one that you like.

Somewhat related to the above, meditate. There are different techniques out there, but they can be helpful. You can meditate either before you go to bed, or when you realize you're not sleeping.

Speaking of, it takes an average of 20 minutes for the average person to fall asleep. If you keep checking the clock, or getting frustrated that you haven't fallen asleep yet, you're pushing that 20 minutes further and further.

Riverdance

2012-08-07, 06:31 PM

How old are you?

When I was 15, I'd often go to bed at around 9:30 and didn't get to sleep until 2:00. Somehow took me forever to just start going to bed later, wasn't as if I would be losing any sleep anyway.
Sleep cycles are very weird during the teens. When the body does not want to sleep, it won't sleep.

As a teenager I can vouch for the truth of this. I just stay up until 1:30 or 2 in the morning and then pass out until 12. 10:00 PM until 1:30 AM is my favorite time to work out and clean my room.

INoKnowNames

2012-08-07, 09:38 PM

I've had issues with my sleeping for a while... it wasn't until I started being significantly more active in time to set up to go to sleep that I was finally able to start going to sleep when I needed to. And although not everyone has the option to join a gym, hopefully you can do something in your life, be it exercise at home or run in the neighborhood or wherever, to help burn off excess energy to tire you out a bit, if that would help.

And I wanna emphasise the fact that sleeping at any time other than the time you need to sleep is A VERY VERY VERY BAD THING!

Starwulf

2012-08-07, 09:53 PM

As a teenager I can vouch for the truth of this. I just stay up until 1:30 or 2 in the morning and then pass out until 12. 10:00 PM until 1:30 AM is my favorite time to work out and clean my room.

I can also vouch for this, though I was a far more extreme case. There is not a single picture of me from 10th to 12th grade that does not show enormous dark rings around my eyes(even my teachers frequently commented on it). I would often get 1-2 hours of sleep through the weekdays, and 0-2 for the entire weekends. Even now, as a 30 y/o adult, my sleep is hard won, I often get to bed at about 8-9 in the morning and get up around 1:30.(Though, to be fair, my sleep problems now are because of my back and the pain it causes me. I dislike sleeping pills they prescribe me because I end up sleeping for 12 hours or more when I take them, which annoys me to no end).

LibraryOgre

2012-08-07, 10:48 PM

The Mod Wonder: There is no specific problem with the thread at this time, but be aware that you are treading on a careful line with "medical advice"

Balain

2012-08-08, 12:25 AM

In my psyc class we did a whole section on sleep. One thing mentioned was if you really can't sleep get up and do something else for a while then go back to bed.

An interesting side note, it has been found that people that say they toss and turn and only got 2 hours of sleep, they actually get more like 6 hours of sleep. it just seems like a lot less to them at the time.

Cespenar

2012-08-08, 03:05 AM

Similar to how meditation works, if you keep on thinking about sleep in bed ("I need to sleep, damn, why can't I sleep" etc.), you won't be able to sleep.

Don't try not to think about sleep either, as it's more or less the same thing. Instead, pick a calm, casual subject that you're familiar with, and ruminate on that.

Also, if you have serious stuff on your mind that you need to think about, do it while you're awake, and close the subject before you go to bed.

polity4life

2012-08-08, 07:24 AM

A lot of this has already been explicitly stated or alluded to, but google "sleep hygiene". That will give you some pointers but, as with anything pertaining to your health, consult your physician as he/she will be better able to diagnose or treat the issue.

Juggling Goth

2012-08-08, 02:14 PM

I listen to whispering/ASMR videos on YouTube. They're really relaxing, though possibly only for people whose brains are wired up that way.

It sounds daft, but is your room properly dark? I spent ages sleeping badly because my room had a little window that wasn't covered. And where I live now I've got blinds that suck. Blindfolds are wonderful things.

Quirp

2012-08-08, 03:01 PM

Some people count sheep jumping over a fence, but when you reach several hundred you might want to try another method.

Your body needs a reason to sleep. For most people being awake for one day is enough. If you can't sleep, you might want to exhaust your body by doing some exercises or running for a specific time, taking a shower/bath and then going to bed.

Keld Denar

2012-08-08, 08:17 PM

What is your active level like? People who don't get enough exercise during the day often suffer from insomnia. The mind is tired from a long day of doing nothing, but the body isn't ready to go down yet. Leads to zombie-like half-consciousness which is not restful or productive. Try getting out and going for a run at midday or early afternoon. This gives you a chance to burn off some energy, but not leave you with an adrenaline high that might further contribute to sleepiness. If you can, try doing a physical workout that involves stretching, such as yoga. Other than the meditative element of yoga which might help quiet your mind, if that is the concern, stretching exercises give me more of a muted, full body exhaustion rather than the sharper ache of a more concentrated workout like lifting or running.

Just some thoughts. My ex GF had terrible insomnia because she spent 80% of her waking day playing WoW instead of doing stuff. Then she'd go to bed and just lie awake for several hours, get an hour or 3 of sleep, then get up and play some more. Total zombie.

noparlpf

2012-08-09, 06:03 AM

UGH!

I can't get to sleep for hours after I go to bed!

Do forumites have any tips on how do drop off without pills?

I'm not sure if you count over-the-counter things, but I take melatonin. 10mg twenty minutes before bed, and then 2-3mg when I go to bed. Also, keep to a comfortable room temperature if you can. I keep my room about 18 degrees in the summer because my AC doesn't go lower than that. Stay off the computer for half an hour before bed. Lie in bed reading a book in dim light. Keep the room as dark as possible when you go to sleep.

The Succubus

2012-08-09, 06:20 AM

Elemental

2012-08-09, 06:36 AM

Dreams - is there a way to get restful sleep without dreaming? Had a kinda sad dream last night and I don't want a repeat of it again tonight. -.-

I don't think it's possible to sleep without dreaming, at least, not without complete eradicating REM sleep. And that would likely not be restful.

noparlpf

2012-08-09, 07:32 AM

Toastkart

2012-08-09, 08:13 AM

I have a couple of questions:

Does anyone have any experience of meditation as a practice? How does one begin learning the techniques involved?

My experience is pretty limited, but I can tell you a little about the types that I practice.

The first is transcendental meditation, which is a mantra meditation. The mantra in TM is a simple word or sound that is repeated gently over and over.

The second is basically a breathing meditation, and I'm not even sure it has an actual name. I was never told one, anyway. Basically, you find a comfortable place and position to sit. Some people say you have to sit in a particular position on the floor, but for me, comfort trumps form.

Basically what you do is just breath, and attend to your breathing. Allow thoughts to come unbidden to your mind, don't fight them, and let them work through and fade away, just continue to attend to your breathing.

Dreams - is there a way to get restful sleep without dreaming? Had a kinda sad dream last night and I don't want a repeat of it again tonight. -.-

For starters, all individuals are going to vary, but basically no. If you're sleeping without any kind of problems, you're going to enter REM sleep 3-5 times per night. You can dream during any of those times, and you can dream in some of the other stages of sleep as well.

Moff Chumley

2012-08-09, 01:34 PM

When the option's available to me and I really want to get some sleep, I'll make an absurdly over-sized toasted cheese sandwich and overdose on tryptophan. Mozzarella seems to work best. P=

bluewind95

2012-08-09, 05:00 PM

noparlpf

2012-08-09, 05:12 PM

Be VERY careful with melatonin! Not only can it cause depression in succeptible individuals (and a BAD depression, too), it can also mess with the sleep patterns, especially in the doses it's sold as, leaving your body *immune* to melatonin. And that is a bad, bad idea.

Huh. I've never heard any of that. Supposedly if you take it at the same time every day it's supposed to help set your body clock. I've been taking it for ages, in large doses, and haven't had any of the adverse side effects I found on Wikipedia. Weird.

Eldonauran

2012-08-09, 07:09 PM

Does anyone have any experience of meditation as a practice? How does one begin learning the techniques involved?

I used to have some trouble when I was a teen dropping off to sleep but I managed to get around it with meditation (or my own special form of it). It took time but I eventually got to the point to where I can 'flip a switch' inside and my body starts the descent into 'sleep mode'. This may or may not work for you, but like others have said, habit is one of the best things and this is very much a habit of mine, to the point of being ingrained in my pysche. I had heard of meditiation before but had to special 'instruction'. I was entirely self taught.

I tend to (when necessary, see below) use a form of visual meditation. I usually just picture my mind and slowly 'build' shields around it until it is no longer open to outside 'energies or thoughts' and while it is shielded, I smooth out the ripples of thought that keep me awake. It even works for body parts that tend to be restless (like phantom sensations in legs or a too fast heartbeat from some sort of emotional trigger). Its not entirely visual now, more of a feeling at this point since it is almost instinctual, but the methods are the same.

I am an extremely light sleeper, however and wake with the slightest 'unexpected' noise. A crash, a bump or something out of place in my house. I use a white noise generator (or a air conditioner during hot summer months) to drown most of that out.

I do still get a night or two out of the year that my body completely refuses to shut down and go to sleep completely. I do get some 'rest' and the body is very willing to go to sleep the next night. :smallwink:

Dreams - is there a way to get restful sleep without dreaming? Had a kinda sad dream last night and I don't want a repeat of it again tonight. -.-

Well, I have experience with doing something like this. Its not so much as not dreaming but more of either diverting the dream into something else (lucid dreaming) or making the choice to not allow myself to react to the dreams and 'float' in a haze until I wake. I've found that if I do not 'dream', I tend to not get a restfull sleep.

I say 'my body' rather than 'i go to sleep' simply because I am an unusually active lucid dreamer. It plays a part in why I am such a light sleeper. I am always 'concious' of myself when sleep, aware that I am dreaming and can awaken from deep sleep as if I had just closed my eyes briefly.

noparlpf

2012-08-09, 07:12 PM

I recently had my first good night's sleep in absolutely ages. I woke up all on my own, feeling refreshed, rolled out of bed, and did fifty crunches. It was great. Normally I wake up feeling like crap, or I don't manage to sleep through the night.

ForzaFiori

2012-08-09, 08:39 PM

i've found that, no matter how many different ways I try to "reset" my body's clock, I sleep best from ~4 AM-12PM, rather than say, 11AM-7PM, as is somewhat normal. I can almost never fall asleep before 1 AM, unless I have completely exhausted myself, mentally and physically, or take some form of medication. Instead, I've just gotten used to being tired in the morning if I have to wake up, and tried to make it so that most of what I do is in the afternoon. Then again, I've only just left my teens, so my clock my still be out of whack.

Eldariel

2012-08-09, 09:19 PM

For me, emptying my mind before sleep works. Doing something that does not involve intellectual activity. Or just exhausting physical activity; I can say I never had trouble sleeping during my military service simply because I was always exhausted physically after the day so I had an easy time falling asleep. Regular sleeping rhythm works; while I easily fall back to going to sleep between 1 AM and 8 AM when living alone, in the military I had no trouble going to sleep at 10 PM every day. If something enforces this, it quickly becomes natural and it can be maintained (though of course, it takes conscious effort to not stay up over it; doing stuff on the internet broke it for me after my military services).

That or just waiting until I'm really tired and then going to bed immediately when the sleep cycle hits, but this often leads to me living 26 hour days due to the way my sleep cycle falls (it's about 1 hour 30 mins); I often stay up through the first cycle due to some intensive activity (in spite of being very tired) and then require a long time to hit my next tiredness period. This is a bad idea; when the wave hits, ride it to bed. Of course, this assumes you have to already be ready for bed at that point so it does take some preparation but the cycle is predictable and constant (as long as you don't overtly mess up your internal clock) so this shouldn't be a problem.

And seriously, be careful with the internet. It's 5 AM here but I'm on the forums 'cause I'm stupid. I could be sleeping and I should be sleeping but I got stuck with an activity period so I'll have to postpone the sleeping a bit instead to achieve a peace of mind.

Manga Shoggoth

2012-08-10, 04:47 AM

I have a multi-point plan:

During the week, when I need to sleep but have to be up in the mornings for work:

Be in bed before midnight (preferably 11:00)
Do not drink caffinated drinks (Tea, Coke) after getting home

At the weekends, when I can afford to lie in:

Black out the room completely (I use the light in the morning to help me wake up - obviously I don't need this at the weekends
Do NOT sleep during the day. This is really important - if I sleep during the day it throws me out completely at night. I only sleep during the day when I am really worn out.

And finally, if I do find myself awake:

Read for a while
Go and make a drink
Above all, don't fret over it.

Rising Phoenix

2012-08-10, 06:03 AM

I have a couple of questions:

Does anyone have any experience of meditation as a practice? How does one begin learning the techniques involved?

Dreams - is there a way to get restful sleep without dreaming? Had a kinda sad dream last night and I don't want a repeat of it again tonight. -.-

To meditate I usually try this:

-Spend a couple of minutes breathing deeply slowly. Hold your breath a bit longer: the extra carbon dioxide (don't hold your breath till the point you feel uncomfortable! ;)) and slower breathing rate will calm you (also works great to calm yourself before performing public speaking).

-Once I am calm enough to push my thoughts aside, I visualize a black screen. Now very very slowly I start to 'place things on this screen'. As I enjoy being outdoors I start by imagining the feel of wet earth beneath my feet, than it's smell, than the scent of grass, the wind in the trees, the warmth of the sun etc. I than 'open' my eyes and I am some place far away...and by now I have probably started dreaming.

As others have said, unless you have a disorder, you always dream. You may want to try lucid dreaming. These can be a lot fun and I often lucid dream after doing the above.

Slipperychicken

2012-08-13, 10:50 AM

Feytalist

2012-08-14, 01:31 AM

If you have an economics textbook, read it while sitting upright in bed. Force yourself to read every bland word, as though you need to for class, and when there's something else you would rather do. It can put you to sleep in a matter of minutes. Not meaty/interesting stuff like supply-and-demand, but stuff like interaction between monetary and fiscal policy and trade balance. Endless graphs that intersect, overlap, and have pages of explanation behind them.

Every time I tried reading an economics textbook (or listening to my econ professor for that matter) that would put me right to bed.

Well, um. That only works if you find economics boring. For the rest of us that actually think it's interesting, this won't work.

For me, I'm just going to fall back on some herbal tea. Rooibos, specifically. With a bit of honey and fresh lemon. Works like a charm.

I also sleep with music on. Barely on the edge of hearing. Maybe put it on a timer so it stops after an hour or something. But if you're already struggling to sleep, you probably don't want yet another distraction near you.

Corlindale

2012-08-14, 06:20 AM

When I have trouble sleeping, I've found it helpful to take "breaks" from trying to sleep, as otherwise I tend to get all stressed out about it.

Breaks for me usually involve very light reading, familiar and "cozy" literature - it is therefore quite nice that I have my comic book shelf right next to the bed:smallsmile:

As others have said, caffeine and (to a lesser extent) sugar can be very dangerous too. I am hyper-susceptible to caffeine when it comes to sleep, so I usually limit myself to at most two cups of coffee a day, and preferably only before noon.

Eldariel

2012-08-14, 09:58 AM

Well, um. That only works if you find economics boring. For the rest of us that actually think it's interesting, this won't work.

This goes for anything, really. My uncle can't sleep with the help of music since he's a musician by trade and thus if he hears music, he immediately begins analyzing it, which isn't really productive for sleeping. So yeah, whatever you do for a living or find extremely interesting is probably a poor choice as a sleep medicine.

Karoht

2012-08-16, 11:04 PM

I've been a serious insomniac since I was 10. Mostly due to home/life issues.
I usually only get 2-4 hours a night on weekdays, and 6-8 on weekends. But the nights I get 6-8, I feel like garbage waking up. And believe me, this is a massive improvement over what my sleep pattern was like 8 years ago. I used to do 48 and 72 hour stretches because I couldn't shut my brain off.

I also have sleep apnea. It may be related. For that reason alone I would say consult a professional, as I discovered it really affects quite a bit of your life.
I've had doctors try various prescriptions for me. 9 to be precise. Not one worked. But some changes made to deal with my sleep apnea, BAM, that helped rather a lot.

I also found having an activity that I do before bed, even an intensive one that gets me wired up, helps. So long as it is decently regular. Just set really strict time limits on the activity, including rules for the eventuality that you end up 'on a roll' and wanting to go past the time limit.

Ulysses WkAmil

2012-08-17, 01:19 AM

Cheese. Dark room, and cheese. Excercise, dark room, and cheese. I'm not talkin 1 or 2 sticks, I mean a block. That was barley an exageration.

Asta Kask

2012-08-17, 02:00 AM

I find that having a purring cat next to you is very soporific.

Cobalt

2012-08-17, 02:38 AM

Heh. I found this thread while trying to sleep.

Certain songs put me right out; the soothing sound of piano at almost any tempo can do wonders for me. But sometimes that doesn't work, and even when I'm not thinking about anything, I just can't sleep. When that happens, I sigh and get up and do things. Reading, writing, watching movies/shows, etc. When I behave like it isn't nighttime and I'm not exhausted deep down inside, I eventually get exhausted all over outside. Although, sometimes that happens and it's already daylight again. Looking at the clock, tonight might be another one of those nights for me.

Sometimes there's no obvious solution, but that line of thinking seems to be the worst way to approach the problem. I'm just a little miffed that laying down and not moving for a few hours is so difficult to achieve.

factotum

2012-08-17, 05:11 AM

I find that having a purring cat next to you is very soporific.

A fan heater in fan-only mode works for me--it's just a constant droning noise with no informational content that I can concentrate on and doze off. Doesn't work for everyone, though...I know people who can't sleep if there's any sort of continuous noise going on, whatever it is!

Yora

2012-08-17, 09:19 AM

Today I almost fell asleep in the middle of having my wisdom teeth removed. They already had two done and the third one got kind of boring, and I also had enough injections to only feel the push on my jaw muscles, so I took a nap... :smallbiggrin:

However, I noticed that I get very sleepy very quickly when having a bright light on my face and closing my eyes. Made me fall asleep in class once and is a real problem when I'm driving in summer and don't have sunglasses, so I have to squint my eyes. That's enough to trigger it.

So when it's summer and you want to take a nap, go and sit in the sun. Call it the siesta gene. :smallcool:

Shadow of the Sun

2012-08-17, 09:33 AM

UGH!

I can't get to sleep for hours after I go to bed!

Do forumites have any tips on how do drop off without pills?

Do you have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder? Or Purely O Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?

I find I have significant difficulties getting to sleep due to "racing thoughts", which is a reasonably common symptom in mental illness of the anxiety type.

Look up the definitions on the DSM IV, and see if you match them. If so, go see a doctor (preferably a psychologist or psychiatrist).

inexorabletruth

2012-08-17, 09:48 AM

I exercise. In my teens, then later in my late 20s and now in my mid 30s, I've battled insomnia.

One of the things I've done in the past is to wear my body out. So I exercise hard. It vents frustration, tones the body, and frankly... it can't hurt. After that, I usually take a shower and drop like a rock. It's great. I wake up refreshed and ready to pound out another day.

Also, I agree with every one else. Put yourself on a schedule so you're going to bed at the same time every night. But I also put my entire life on a schedule during bouts of heavy stress or insomnia. Slot out every hour of your day, setting aside time for personal endeavors, work/school, exercise and sleep. Drop it into a spreadsheet with 24 rows, so that your day is completely mapped out, one hour at a time. It will do three things for you:

It will put you into a pattern which will help your body get back into a rhythm.
It will clear out all the clutter in your mind so that you can settle down and relax.
It will focus your productive (scheduled awake hours) better so that you don't go to bed frustrated.

At least... that's what works for me.

Slipperychicken

2012-08-17, 10:11 PM

Also, I agree with every one else. Put yourself on a schedule so you're going to bed at the same time every night.

I second having a schedule, for so many different reasons. Just get one of those little calendars you can buy at Staples, and take an hour or so to put every little appointment you have into it.

If it doesn't help you sleep, it's really comforting to know exactly what you will be doing for a few months in advance. Especially if your memory isn't perfect, it's good to know that you can look in a book and know immediately.

lsfreak

2012-08-18, 12:16 AM

Some level of exercise. I generally take a 4-6 mile walk 2-6 times a week, and if I'm listening to music I generally end up listening to fast-pasted or high-energy songs early, and by the time I'm getting done I'm physically worn out enough that I want to switch to more calming songs. By the time I'm home, I'm calmed down and can fall asleep within the hour (I never walk before sundown).

Be careful of what music you listen to, if you listen to it while sleeping. I've found that it requires a song of a particular rhythm. As calming as I find liquid drum-and-bass while awake, that very fast rhythm makes it impossible to fall asleep quickly and stay asleep all night. Also, I believe listening to music has woken me up earlier: in those dream states where you're just awake enough to know you dreaming but asleep enough to just keep at it and fall back asleep, music always seems to wake me up, which can be very early (after only 3 or 4 hours of sleep, sometimes).

Experiment with light conditions. Total darkness, some light. I find some light (courtesy of a streetlight outside my window) helpful at times, because it forces me to close my eyes rather than laying awake with my eyes open. When I'm in a certain type of exhausted, I can even fall asleep better with the light on, though it also tends to wake me up earlier.

Do something you find relatively relaxing before bed. I try and avoid gaming, unless it's a running around/talking session of an RPG, but I also desperately avoid reading because I don't want to stop. Any kind of mental exercise is a no - character building for D&D, for example.

Keep in mind that waking up in the middle of the night isn't necessarily a bad thing, if that's a problem. 4ish hours of deep (stage 4) sleep cycles, an hour of wakefulness, and 4ish hours of dream cycles seems to be historically how people slept. So if you're waking up, don't freak out about insomnia and don't do anything too active, and see if you can fall back asleep in a while. I generally just lay in bed thinking, but I wouldn't think light activity for half an hour would be too bad (iirc this is the time when married couples would generally have their private time, at least in Western history).

Also, personally, I've found that going to bed at a set time doesn't work as well as staying up until I'm tired. Laying in bed awake is too frustrating or anxiety-inducing for me. Instead, I schedule things so that I have to be up at a certain time. After a week or two of this, I'm caught up on sleep and I pretty much naturally get tired 7-9 hours before I have to be up. This requires a very strict, daily time for me though - as much as an hour off between two days messes me up completely.

Finally, I found crushing on someone worked wonders for me. My sleep schedule adjusted to his; we'd finish chatting just before he went to bed and I'd be tired an hour later, which worked out perfectly for 8 hours of sleep before class. I'm not sure how much that applies to other people, though :smalltongue:

Inglenook

2012-08-20, 08:34 PM

Sixthing/seventhing/whatevering exercise. Just make sure you don't work out too soon before trying to sleep, or you'll be all pumped up.

When I'm really having trouble drifting off I do sort of a hokey meditation technique: I concentrate on completely relaxing all my muscles, starting with my feet and working my way up to my face. I imagine each muscle as a knotted, tense ball of energy, and then I imagine it loosening up and "blooming", almost like a flower. By the end of it your body should feel very heavy, almost like you're sinking through your bed. Oftentimes I only get up to my stomach before conking out.