How do any of you sleep???

[TAC]

I've struggled with insomnia for most of my life and was curious if any of you have any tips for getting some shut-eye. I've tried many different methods from sleeping pills to breathing techniques and even just staying awake until I physically can't. My goal is to develop a consistent sleep pattern.
Quick topographic:
-24 y male
-Not overweight
-Consistently active (2-3 days a week rugby/1-2 days general excercise (gym, running, swimming)

 

[Venflon]

What I realised is that when I was younger, I used to imagine more before going to sleep.
When I got older, the imagination turned into thoughts, completely different!

Try not to think, but rather imagine. For example, something you would like to do. Doesn't have to be realistic at all, infact, the more unrealistic, the better. Go into vivid imagination of the whole situation. Better yet, remember what you used to imagine when you were a kid and tap into that.

Worked for me.

In the beginning it won't be easy but just keep trying. The more you do it, the easier it gets.

 

[Happy]

Oooh I have a good piece of advice on this one!

Look up the podcast "Sleep with me". Sounds ridiculous that a podcast will help you sleep, but it's legit amazing. This guy tells stories that are so dull that you can't help but fall asleep. I use it when I can't sleep and it works every single time.

Failing that, I do some guided meditation. Recommended app: Headspace

 

[Creeping Death]

The more productive and busy I was throughout the day, the easier it was for me to sleep when it was time for me to.

I've self medicated to try to get some sleep, alcohol and opiates didn't work well because I'd want to stay up and enjoy the state of being, plus it's hard not forming a habit with either. Weed is overrated. Melatonin never did shit for me. Benzos and seroquel would knock me out for sure though, although I'd feel groggy the next morning. Antihistamines worked when I first started taking, but the effect subsided after a week or so.. Medicating is a short term solution though, you'll have to be able to fall asleep on your own, and the only advice I have for that is a fulfilling day where things get done.

 

[(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)]

Oooh I have a good piece of advice on this one!

Look up the podcast "Sleep with me". Sounds ridiculous that a podcast will help you sleep, but it's legit amazing. This guy tells stories that are so dull that you can't help but fall asleep. I use it when I can't sleep and it works every single time.

Failing that, I do some guided meditation. Recommended app: Headspace

That's hilarious. What a creative idea! Got to check it out.

 

[Yellow]

I have a compound sleep disorder that leaves me acting like I have insomnia. I've been successfully using these strategies every night since I was a child (with a few periods of extreme flare-up, where they were of limited use).

First, don't lie in bed for more than 20-30 minutes. If you're not going to sleep, there's no point in torturing yourself over it.

Find something mindless to do that will tire your eyes. I'll either browse Imgur on my phone in the dark, play Sudoku, or read the same old stack of comic books (actual comics, like Calvin & Hobbes) by nightlight. The most important thing here is that you don't have to get up to turn off a light, or do anything at all except sleep when your eyes can't take it anymore.

If that isn't working, or I'm in a bit of a rush, I'll organize things in my head. When I was a kid, my mother would give me a letter when I went to bed. I'd start at that letter, and put all the countries in the world in alphabetical order, starting with that letter (the new letter, so you don't get too bored with the A, B, & C countries. If you don't know your countries, try rivers, flowers, car models, actors, whatever. I stick with geography most of the time still because it works for me (except now, I tend to pick my own letter!).

If I feel the need to sleep starting into a bit of a panic, I'll put fresh sheets and pillowcases on my bed, take a hot shower (leaving my hair dry), let my mind wander as much as possible, and try again.

 

[TheManBeyond]

lately not so mcuh as i recently broke up with my gf and feel kind of destroyed so like 4 hours per day

but i'll be fine so no worries

 

[Nick85]

Read some calculus textbooks? Usually trying to do complicated math calculations in my head works. Like what's 243^3. Or how many ping pong balls with r = 1.5 cm can I fit into my 2.5x2.2x4.3m bedroom... Or whatever else you can think of attempting.

Usually I don't have to go that far though. If I did enough mentally demanding work (I'm a student, so generally not a problem), I'm pretty tired by the time I go to bed.

 

[TAC]

I do like podcasts. I'll give it a shot along with others.
Thanks for the advice except sudoku, I've tried that multiple times, it ends up with me solving puzzles faster and faster and getting frustrated that there's not a harder one at the time.

 

[bookscoffeepadthai]

I breathe deeply for a few minutes without a goal in mind. Then I tell myself that I have to get up in a few minutes to write a paper on (insert the most boring subject you can think of). My mind in revolted (I barely made it past high school). I go into a state of meloncholy with a sprinkle of existentialism and a few warm fuzzies. Then I let my mind wander. The dilemma passes, and I drift to sleep between 10-45 mins. Exhausted.

 

[Cheeseumpuffs]

I listen to asmr videos on youtube.

Sometimes I add benadryl/nyquil/vicodin to the mix. (not all at once)

edit: also, I find that if I smoke (cigarette, weed, whatever) about 30-45 minutes before I plan on sleeping it will somewhat fool my sinuses into thinking I have a cold to which my body's usual reaction is to sleep

 

[EyeSeeCold]

white noise + cool air + darkness

It used to take me hours to fall asleep and a little peep meant I was going to be up for another few hours.

Complete darkness and silence helps to calm down my thoughts, so I don't watch TV before bed.
I get annoyed by the heat easily so I have a tower fan to keep me cool and snug. The fan has the added benefit of providing white noise to distract my mind, it also helps against random background noises waking me up.

With all these I fall asleep pretty fast, like 10-20 minutes.

I don't think my advice would help in cases of severe insomnia, but it's easy enough to at least try.

 

[Reluctantly]

I go to bed when I'm tired. If it means going to bed later and waking up early and being sleep deprived for a day, so be it. It'll be easier to sleep early when I'm sleep deprived anyway; so I don't put much stock in consistent sleep.

 

[Chad T. Cock]

Obviously, watch for sources of caffeine. Coffee, tea, coke, chocolate...

Light seems to matter. Start turning down the lights a few hours before bed. If you're going to be at the computer, turn the brightness down, and try using flux. Typically, by the final hour of the day, I have the lights off, brightness turned all the way down on my monitor, with the brightness turned even further down with flux (Alt+PageDown). It might be best just to get away from the computer entirely an hour before bed, though.

By the time you get to bed, try your best to stop thinking, entirely. This is important.

And, of course, there's always jerkin' it!

 

[kora]

I sleep very well. I hardly have any insomnia. (Like twice in the past two years and I know the reasons) mum is a doctor specialized in sleep so do this and you will sleep. It's common sense backed up by SCIENCE!!


1)Get up at the same time as much as possible, your body forms habits, and if you are sleep deprived because you couldn't sleep get up anyway. Adult needs beetween 7-9 hours sleep. You can sleep too much, it screws up your circadian rythm/ internal body clock, you will not feel good and you will have trouble sleeping later.

2)Sit in the dark, complete dark, no screens for 1 hour before bed time, the darkness triggers melatonin which signals body to sleep. Blue light from screens is epecially stimulating so at least get a red filter if u are not going to switch it off. Insomnia is very much a modern problem caused by internal body clock being set off track by city lights and screens, cavemen were just in the dark at sundown and up with the light, no choice, U are too stimulated.

3) room temperature should be arounjd 22degrees or sleep quality drops (on the plus side you have loads of fun dreams because you keep waking up because of the heat.)

4)don't eat too heavy or eat two hours before bed.

5) no. Stimulating substances (duh).

6) stress is a stimulant (duh)




1) and 2) are the most useful. Goodnight.

 

[Niclmaki]

I have never had a consistant sleep pattern my entire life. I just sleep when Im tired and get up when Im no longer tired. School was torture for me. The 9-5 job I had was also torture, even though I really liked what my job was.

The "Imagine" trick is also something I practice if it is very important that I sleep. I imagine I am somewhere else and "walk" around, moving slowly and recalling as many details as I can from the last time I was there.

 

[RaBind]

I do my own thing till sleep hit me like a train. Being bored laying in bed trying to sleep is no fun, so when I'm ready to sleep I usually just use my phone in bed till I can fall asleep instantly.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

I go to bed when I'm tired. If it means going to bed later and waking up early and being sleep deprived for a day, so be it. It'll be easier to sleep early when I'm sleep deprived anyway; so I don't put much stock in consistent sleep.

I do my own thing till sleep hit me like a train. Being bored laying in bed trying to sleep is no fun, so when I'm ready to sleep I usually just use my phone in bed till I can fall asleep instantly.

I have never had a consistant sleep pattern my entire life. I just sleep when Im tired and get up when Im no longer tired. School was torture for me. The 9-5 job I had was also torture, even though I really liked what my job was.

The "Imagine" trick is also something I practice if it is very important that I sleep. I imagine I am somewhere else and "walk" around, moving slowly and recalling as many details as I can from the last time I was there.

Yeah it feels good to just plop down in the bed when you're exhausted. Staying up late til I'm naturally ready to sleep seems to help. I think it's possible you can be so tired that it makes you restless though.

@higs, Cock
I've tried flux, and while it's probably healthy for your eyes to use filters, I've never noticed the artificial screen lights resetting my circadian clock or otherwise keeping me awake. I think the human body is just extremely resilient and flexible for it to make a difference.

 

[Nick85]

Dunno about being so tired you're restless. In my experience, that's more about being physically exhausted but not mentally exhausted. Or doing a lot of boring repetitive work that gets "tiresome" without using our Ti-Ne parts of our brains much. Those sorts of circumstances can make me quite restless and slightly crazy...

Otherwise, I generally don't have a hard time falling asleep within 20min although I might wake up a lot throughout the night if I'm stressed out about stuff. But I can fall asleep shortly after looking at a screen all day and pretty much any time regardless of when I usually go to sleep as long as it's dark.

 

[Happy]

Anyone tried the podcast yet?

 

[Lot]

When I'm on my own I just watch something until I'm tired enough to pass out. But I wake up early and my job can be mentally exhausting. I'm usually asleep by midnight at the latest. When I'm with my gf I sleep so easy. She has no tv in her room and I feel so relaxed around her, that I'm out with in seconds.

Breaking the staying up late and sleeping in late habit was one of the best things to stop me from sleepless nights. I used to have such a problem with it. If you would have told me I would be working a job that requires me to be there at 6am, I would have told you that it wasn't going to happen.

Also, forcing myself to lay down, even if I wasn't completely tired, has helped. Around 9-10pm I'll head to my bed room to decompress. I stop doing most of my reading and just find some way to veg. I lay down now, and some times I dont even get through a whole episode of something before I'm completely out.

Back when I smoked pot, I learned that I slept better if I took some time at night away from the computer to decompress. Thats when I started to develop a more early habit. I don't have a lot of worrying concerns anymore, and those that I have aren't worth losing sleep over. Worry would keep me up a lot of nights. Depression and anxiety plagued me, but I fixed most of those issues when I left the source of it, and again when I quit doing drugs.

 

[Ex-User (9086)]

I follow bits and pieces of stuff I read from some internet guides.

Go to sleep the moment you feel sleepy. Sounds basic but if you tarry for more than +/- 20 minutes your brain will force your body to stay awake, so try to be more aware of how you feel and follow the cues immediately.

Try to limit eating and brain stimulation hours in advance. If you plan to go to sleep at 10 pm turn off your pc at 9 or ideally 8 pm. Read a book, study or write instead. Also limiting the light sources and reducing the ambient brightness as you approach the preferred period of sleep may help with adjustments.

These are what works for me most of the time. It comes without saying that consistency is the most relevant factor, whatever you try make sure it's done at constant hours and as regular as possible.

And if you lie in bed annoyed and agitated and having constant thoughts then you're probably better off getting up and doing something productive and less frustrating.
You might choose to experiment with two phases per sleep cycle like 2x4(3.5) hours instead of full 7.5/8.

 

[Pizzabeak]

Melatonin production persists in darkness but ceases in white light, if you constantly have tablets up the extra light you get could prevent sleep. Obviously I would watch for sources of caffeine and additional other sugars late at night. If you're active in sports this could be contributing although you could get tired later on presumably, if not just being alert.

I would recommend taking sleep aid particularly melatonin to induce sleep. You can also try a heavy indica marijuana procedure to see if that makes you tired for a nap. Eating can make you tired too. It helps if you have a schedule thus I don't usually try too hard to fall asleep. You can also try fatty sugars or energy drinks which might make you crash and use sleep. Set an alarm eight hours in advance when you want to wake up so you could know when you need sleep.

You can get cancer and other ailments by actually not sleeping so this is something I would try to fix if I were you.

Trying to watch something seems to work too.

Put a random movie on in darkness or if you watch tv in bed it might help you fall asleep faster. Abstain from the computer, phone, and other media devices while trying to accomplish this.

Check back in after you've tried those and see how they work - I would start with the pot to use as a sleep aid for insomnia, as that has been getting prescribed more recently, along with for other symptoms. If that doesn't work I never really heard of melatonin supplements not working for jet lag. Maybe it would do that, maybe you have a rare sleeping disorder disease but hopefully not.

 

[The Gopher]

I have been converting the PDF's and stuff I'm studying into audio via a text to speech program. Honestly I'm not sure how I could stay awake... it would work better if I had my own place and could use speakers all night but it seems to be good enough for now.

 

[Architect]

Melatonin production persists in darkness but ceases in white light,

The blue end of the spectrum specifically. There are cones in the retina that are for the exclusive use of the circadian system which respond primarily to this wavelength. Having red nightlights, and redish lights in the evening is a good idea, I have WIFI bulbs (Philips HUE) which manage themselves and their color and intensity during the day. In the morning they go strong blue (looks like a winter morning light) to kick the circadian into 'morning cycle', and go ruddy red at night (like firelight). Very effective.

Sleep is a skill you have to practice every night. For people who like to think it's an important skill. Read up on the latest research (a lot has been studied the past decade) for best practices (simply, timing consistency, not eating at least two hours before hand, avoid alcohol/caffeine later, avoid blue light, and keep your mental house in order).

 

[Pizzabeak]

Humans are most sensitive to white/blue light, which is similar and just responsible for the regulation of the sleep cycle. It's interesting because the pattern is normally followed naturally, where people go to sleep at night suggesting some kind of good association between the two. That's why they say it isn't healthy and to get at least enough sleep every night, a few preliminary results said concentration can improve. The distinction between blue light doesn't really do that much since it's all just light to begin with, apparently brighter lights would have more of an effect. The programs that dim your screen just make your eyes hurt a little less.

And besides, the distinction is something seen throughout the animal kingdom to begin with. It's up to man to decide how and when to get rest, if need be. The modern world is rife with twists and turns so you don't how it would be called for if any obstructions come. Most animals share the same part of the brain that does that. So it's more complex than a little connection between melatonin secreting glands and sleep. It just promotes sleep but is an interesting view on mechanisms for what the body does.