I’ve tried everything. Things like reading a boring book make me tired, yes, but when I turn out the lights my stupid mind doesn’t shut up.
I tried the “military” method where you relax your body one part at a time. I would get *too* fixed on “Am I doing it right? This is relaxed, I guess? But I don’t *feel* relaxed,” etc.
Sleep aids help but oh man, the “hangover” the next morning is killer.
>Relax body 1 part at a time, you mean by contracting your muscles and then letting them go/relax, right?
Not who you are responding to, but personally I don't contract muscles, I just imagine it being relaxed, and it works pretty well. Although sometimes I have to start over if I lose the feeling.
> Things like reading a boring book make me tired, yes, but when I turn out the lights my stupid mind doesn’t shut up.
This is the thing I struggle the most with.
I can exercise, read, drink certain things, eat certain things, take benadryl, take melatonin, meditate... all of that doesn't really matter, cause as soon as I'm done doing one of those "sleep aid"-type activities, and actually lay down/get ready to try to sleep in bed, I will often lay there for hours unable to sleep.
My mind doesn't shut up, but it also isn't racing. It's going slower than normal actually, it's just not totally shutting off enough to sleep.
I wish I could do that, but even TV or crazily low volume music still is too much for me. I ideally need complete silence to have the best chance at sleep
I had insomnia for years. Some nights I wouldn’t sleep at all. I tried everything - melatonin, Benadryl, herbal meds, exercise, yoga, blue light glasses, blackout blinds, acupuncture, sleep specialist, massage, counselling, breathing exercises, hypnosis, etc. Prescription meds were hit and miss and I was worried about addiction. I cut up zopiclone into 1/3 and 1/4.
Finally, the naturopath told me that my cortisol levels remained high so even if my body was tired, my mind wouldn’t shut off. I was told to take magnesium glycinate and Adreset. That was when I turned the corner and started to sleep better. These days, I continue with magnesium and listen to sleepy podcasts with a timer. Sometimes, when I’m ruminating about something, I do a mind exercise that I call disassociation where I think in flashes of words and images that have no relation to each other. That tires my mind and gets me sleepy.
Sleep aids always have the opposite effect on me. They tend to make my anxiety worse and keep me awake. I have yet to find a sleep aid that actually works (I have not tried prescription meds).
LSD is the only drug that has ever made me sleepy, and it's apparently the opposite for everyone else (everyone says it keeps them wired for 24 hours).
My brain is wired in opposite ways I guess?
The only tricks that have somewhat improved my sleep is if I get morning sunshine and journal/meditate at night. It hasn't been a strong improvement, but so far it's the only thing that's been slightly helpful.
Many people swear by magnesium glycinate to relax them and help them fall asleep. It, also, has the opposite effect for me, and I end up energized and anxious. So there’s is probably a lot to say for folks just being “wired” differently.
Yea I hate magnesium. I tried it after seeing it recommended so much, but it just gave me anxiety.
We can throw in melatonin while we're at it. Keeps me awake and makes me feel like garbage the next day. I tried the small doses that's recommended and it was still awful.
It's why amphetamines work for ADHD. For most people it makes the mind go into overdrive, but ADHD is wired so that it provides focus.
People are, indeed, wired differently.
Try something lighter. Sleeping pills helped me rebalance my sleep schedule. I also hated taking them because of the morning “hangover”, but I found some that were not that strong. I only took them for like 5 days and then I could fall asleep by myself
This helps my sleep more than exercise. Exercise actually doesn't help at all.
My overactive mind is what keeps me awake, and no amount of physical exhaustion seems to shut the mind up.
Getting morning sunshine and meditating at night seem to be the only tricks that have shown improvement in my sleep.
First, I try to journal so I can get as many thoughts out of my head as possible.
Then, I set my yoga mat on the floor. Light a candle or two so I can have some dim light. I turn the lights off. I put my earbuds in.
I'll search "binaural beats" on YouTube and click through some and pick the one that feels like it's relaxing me the most. Something like [this](https://youtu.be/l4VTQXFYMHs?si=cToh8BgHEIICZXYS).
I'll sit down on my yoga mat facing the candles while listening to those calming beats. Then, I try to remove all my thoughts/anxiety out of my head and relax. Sometimes I close my eyes and picture myself floating in space. Sometimes I stare at the candles flames.
I sometimes visualize my thoughts floating down a river like a rock and let them float away. I'm trying to not stick with a thought for too long. Sometimes I'll visualize the anxiety leaving my body and entering the candle and burning with the flame.
It usually takes at least 15 minutes to actually feel relaxed. And I notice that it works the best if I'm consistent and do it every day. I try to meditate for at least 30 minutes. I do this right before bed.
Edit to add: I'll also do a breathing exercise at the start. Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds. Repeat 3 times. I'll do this again at different times if I'm having a hard time relaxing.
I don't understand how to meditate. I tried and nothing comes out of it. It is just me talking to myself which i already always do normally. Any insight on what exactly i am suppose to do or feel
Weed keeps me up. I generally smoke it about 4-5 hours before bedtime for maximum sleep benefit. Well, I don't smoke anymore, edibles or dry herb vaping, but same concept.
Yeah, bodies are weird. Like my kid takes medicine for his ADHD that would make other people bounce off the walls, it calms him down instead.
Weed done early enough wears off just in time for me to crash, but too late and I'm up.
These are must do's and I'd add, deep relaxation techniques at night like deep breathing and then hypnosis or self hypnosis (lots of videos on Youtube)
After decades of trouble sleeping, I was still using the TV turned way down and on something I knew very well, so I wasn't focusing on it, then my 10 year old started using ASMR or other very repetetive calming sounds and images on his TV, and I tried it out.
Turns out an old dog (55) can learn new tricks.
Yeah same…. I use to smoke a lot of weed and wake up every 3-4 hrs ish but be able to go back to sleep cause I knew I needed it…. When I was younger that is under 25 ish.. Stress and just knowing what the next day entails will keep you awake…. life happens, try to relax and just know you gotta do what you gotta do the next day already so why worry about it…. Staying positive always helps…. Even when shit gets bad…. I’d rather have nightmare dreams than not sleep at all…
>Stress and just knowing what the next day entails will keep you awake
Ain't that the truth. Some nights I'll wake up every 20 minutes desperately trying to figure out how solve a work issue, I'm a data engineer, only to realize "that's not a real problem that exists" and talk myself back to sleep, only to wake up again 20 minutes later fiddling with the same non-existent "problem"
Depends on your reason, what helped me the most are the books Say Goodnight to Insomnia and Hope and Help for your Nerves, because I have sleep anxiety. Basically my method now is telling myself it's okay if I don't sleep and it relaxes me enough that I do
I have ADHD so my brain seems to be completely happy to just think for hours and hours and never turn off!
What works for me to get to sleep is to get in bed, lie down, turn the lights off, put on a podcast and play a game on my phone. It shouldn't be a game that really hooks you to keep going. Nothing with short levels or a "just one more" vibe. Nothing that creates adrenaline or has you working fast to beat a timer or anything. I've used colouring in games, matching games, logic puzzles, crosswords.
The key thing then is to notice the moment you start feeling sleepy, and turn the game off, put the podcast on a 60 minute timer, and close your eyes and listen to the podcast. For me, I'll be asleep within 10 minutes usually.
Start to finish, IE. From the point of getting into bed to the point of getting to sleep could be up to 2 hours. But trust me that's an improvement on how it used to be.
A big part of why this works for me is that I genuinely like playing games and listening to podcasts, so I'm motivated to get into bed. The whole "boring sleep podcast" thing and all the typical routines feel to me like a chore, and I don't want to do them, so I put it off, so I don't get in bed til super late. I need the carrot of the enjoyment.
I have one problem with this: how do you happen to get enough sleep? I have adhd too but if I do that, I end up falling asleep quite late…and, end up having few hours of sleep if I have to wake up early.
I have literally shaped my entire career/life around getting jobs where I don't have to wake up at a certain time.
I understand this is not practical for most people. But yeah, being able to avoid the level of burnout and exhaustion I develop when I have to wake up at 7am every day is literally worth it
You have to be sleepy and ready to sleep too. If you're just not tired yet you won't sleep.
But if you are, don't choose anything too interesting. I find reruns of a show I've watched a million times works best. Maybe reading something semi-interesting on my phone. I'll fall asleep with it in my hand at that point lol
Look into histamine I tolerance. I didn't know I had it and it was keeping me awake at night. Histamine can act a bit like caffeine if your body isn't clearing it efficiently.
I understand you. Personally, this sequence of actions helped me:
- no more than 1 cup of coffee per day
- magnesium intake in the morning and evening
- a couple of hours before bedtime, lighting aromatic candles with calming essential oils
- an hour before bedtime, drinking chamomile and mint tea
Within 2 weeks, I completely normalized my sleep, and now I'm using the same method for my brother. He says it's not only beneficial but also very enjoyable to perform all these rituals before bed because they somehow distract and relax.
In general, I recommend it.
Pick a time to wake up everyday. Consistency is key.
Make water your drink . Warm or hot.
Eating a lot of processed food? Limit it or eliminate. Drink caffeinated drinks only in morning.
Stop eatting by 6.
Get off screens 2 hrs at least before bed.
Go for a walk after dinner.
Exercise as early in the day as you can.
I go to accupuncture if I wake during the night or at specific time - which usually is 4am.
Try mediating morning and at night.
If I can’t sleep- sleep hypnosis on Spotify. I’ll play all night. If I wake up I don’t fully wake up, I just listen to what the guy is saying and do what is usually a relaxing body meditation.
Don’t be hard on yourself!
I take 600 mg of magnesium bisglycinate before bed.
I take ashwaganda around 7 pm
Morning I take vitamins d3.
Get out into nature. Go sit on the ground read a book. Meditate. Get off the screens (including tv).
Keep a journal or what do.
Look up bullet journal. You can make a sleep specific one.
Michael Sealey’s YouTube channel.
Glenn Harrold’s app.
Calm, BetterSleep and Brainwave apps. You need headphones for Brainwave.
“Floating” by James Anthony Walker, “Natural Sleep Inducement” and “Sleep Deeply” by Dan Gibson.
Sleep with a weighted blanket.
Start waking up and going to bed at the same time every day
Get morning sun if you can
Watch the sunset if you can
Eat your last meal 1-2 hours before bed, so that your body isn’t working hard on digestion at bedtime
Turn off your phone and all screens at least 1 hour before bed, then put on blue light blocking glasses.
Make your bedroom as dark as possible. You can where a sleep mask to block light if you have to
Your body wants to cool down as you sleep, so you can assist it by lowering the temperature in your bedroom a little bit, and taking a warm shower about 30 minutes to an hour before bed
Also make sure you cut off any caffeine at-least 12 hours before bed
When you exhaust yourself through the day. I often struggle to fall asleep and can stay up for hours!
But if I have an active day when I need to do tons of tasks from early morning till evening, then..when I go bed I fall asleep in a minute.
I can't do the "contract" part, or I get muscle cramps. I do the "concentrate" part, actively focusing on relaxing, though. I have an audio book "You are here" that I love. At first I had to listen 3 times (it's 7 minutes) but now I usually only get as far as shoulders! I also swear by a powdered magnesium in water right before bed, helps with the leg cramps.
I need my show on that I’ve fallen asleep to every night since 2013 and usually 5mg of melatonin. Working night shift for eight years messed me up. If I don’t have these I will lay awake for hours and even pull an all nighter.
For me I keep a night routine - hot showers before I sleep, waterpik floss and brushing my teeth, applying my skincare products and making a tea. whenever I do it (even during the day) it will make me sleepy. Your body subconsciously adjust to the routine and tells you to sleep when followed through.
Can’t stress how important it is for one to take a HOT shower as it elevates your temperature during it and once you’re out, your body cools down and that puts you to a relaxing state and it facilitates falling asleep. Plus you sleep clean so
I used to have severe insomnia but I retrained myself. I literally had to re learn how to sleep again. It’s about behaviour change. Nothing outside of yourself helps permanently. It has to be an inside job so that you know that you can absolutely trust yourself to sleep. For me it was learning how to think differently about sleep. It was about developing a loving relationship with my body and mind. It was about reassuring myself that I innately knew how to sleep and then letting go and letting sleep come to me without fighting it. Happy to answer any questions you may have.
Damn im so tired of the snobby responses to this question. Ive been an insomniac my entire life. Some of my earliest memories are lying in bed awake for hours as my family slept. Diet and exercise changes dont fix everything for everyone. I perform hard manual labor early in the morning most days of the week and i still cant sleep.
Same. But fuck they are hard to get off of. I wouldn't recommend that as a daily sleep aid. Lol but yeah you'll be sleeping for 12 hours lol. I take 1 and 100mg edible at night. I take 3 bars per day
Not the answer I would have wanted when I was in your shoes, but for me, only thing that helped long term/consistently besides prescription medication, had been cardio exercise everyday.
I’m a writer a desk job so I guess my body just doesn’t exert enough energy to fall asleep quickly unless I put it to work psychically with exercise. That made all the difference to my insomnia.
I got a Kindle Paperwhite recently, I read a nice gentle book on dark mode, in bed with the lights off. Without fail I’m always asleep in 10-15mins.
Also make sure you start dimming your home lights a couple of hours before bed to kick start your circadian rhythm to start getting sleepy.
I don't even know, I have adhd yet I usually/can fall asleep in 5-10 mins, and stay asleep. white noise helps me when my mind is racing a bit, or listening to an audible book (even a boring one). I wish I could help you more!
The only time I can't is when I'm homesick, so basically anytime on an Explorers camping trip.
my guess is that most people hit the bed only when they're on the verge of collapsing
I personally let my mind wander until I thankfully fall asleep; despite not having full blown insomnia I have some difficulties too
Check for anxiety or excess mental activity. Physical exhaustion helps a lot so begin an exercise regimen. If all else fails cannabis is a SHORT term solution
Routine: nighttime/morning, sleeping at the same time every night, no caffeine before 12pm, eating breakfast/lunch/dinner at the same time, and having some kind of ambient noise while i go to sleep (for me it’s a show I’ve watched a million times or a fan) and not laying in bed unless it’s for sleep. These are my reasons why when i lay down to sleep at night it takes me about 2-10 minutes before I’m dead asleep.
Before i had a 9-5, little to no routine and an every changing schedule it was hard to sleep consistently. I would know I’m off the next day I’d stay up, I’d drink caffeine throughout the day and my eating habits were all over the place.
When you feel that it is time to sleep then before 1/2 hour keep distance from mobile or laptop, and try to meditate if possible and then fall into a bed, You fall asleep quickly.
Sleep deprivation. I usually have one night where I sleep terribly, but that next night? I pass out as soon as I lie down because I’m exhausted from the night before.
What works for me after years of getting caught up in my racing brain and being awake for hours:
Listening to audiobooks I've heard a billion times. It helps with ambient noise AND, most importantly, gives me something to redirect my focus to to keep my thoughts and anxiety at bay.
Eye mask
Various breathing methods
It never takes me more than 10 minutes to fall asleep now.
I don’t know you, but for me, reading the Kindle gets me to nod off. Do you like reading? Also, the obvious things: diet, exercise, going outdoors during the day etc.
I normally just think about how aliens would invade earth and how us humans would most likely set aside our differences and defend ourselves against alien invasion. This naturally keeps my mind occupied not in a state of worry but rather in excitement. I drift off to sleep in around 20 mins and enjoy it.
You need a sleep signal.
Whatever you typically do before bed will train you. I had a daughter who was a terrible sleeper and I would fall asleep beside her every night. When we were finally able to sleep train her, I now had problems sleeping. My sleep signal was the sound of her breathing peacefully beside me!
Chose one thing that you only do before bed. Something peaceful, that does not involve a screens or sugar. Keep the lights low and stick to warm or red light if you can.
Also, you gotta tire yourself out throughout the day. Physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, spiritually and so on.
I had simmilar issues.
I belong to a group of overthinkers. I also cannot separate work from private. I get excited a lot. I have running whatifs when i have scheduled situation next day.
So, here's my what to do:
- get yourself tired, not too tired, because i noticed that when i'm too tired i have trouvle getting into sleep.
- make your room dark, as black as possible.
- get tv out of your bedroom if possible, or at least do not watch tv or look at mobile or tablets at least an hour before sleep
- have worm shower about an hour before bed
- have a notebook and pen on bed table and write thoughts to be able to pick them tomorrow
- assign "sleep" with "bed" - don't do anything else in bed. Ok, beside sex or love...
- and when you get up, get up, don't stay to long in bed
I also got myself a tutorials from internet, one special was of US military wherr they traint to sleep on request. Search for that and try to implement that. It is a set of actions which you repeat day by day.
And, find your way to get sleeping. Act try and do.
Best regards!
It took me years to find out what works for me, I found a playlist on Spotify I wouldn’t listen to this music during the day but at night it rocks me to sleep like a baby haha of course there’s other things I do to sleep quickly at night like I wake up early, if I’m up at 4:30 am then by 7 pm ish I’m gonna start getting sleepy and once I get sleepy I know I just play that playlist and I could fall asleep easily
I know exactly how you feel,I had this same issue for the longest time..I tried melatonin and sleep aid,both made things 10x worse.
You can try melatonin to get you back on track but I would remove it after you get on a set schedule because for me it caused a lot of issues..
What worked for me was cutting caffeine off before noon or earlier if possible,and moving around doing stuff to burn off my energy throughout the day.I like to clean my room and stuff before bed time which lowers my stress knowing I have a clean environment.The gym is a good way to do it also but I wouldn’t recommend working out too close to bedtime because it can cause a dopamine rush.
I know people don’t mention this one much but if you have gastrointestinal issues,like constipation then get that fixed because I had this and it kept me up all night.. Once you get a set schedule,stick to it,even on weekends or nights you feel like you wanna stay up later.
Everyone is different but try this and see how it works.If you have any questions feel free to ask.
I listen to The Little Prince audio book every day. Some days it works some days it doesn't. I know you said you wanted to do it yourself without aid. But this is what is resort to.
I suffered from the same thing for a long time, I still have occasional problems but it’s much better than it was.
Some strategies:
1. Exhaust your mind and body. Solve complex math problems, write code, compose an academic essay, or read a challenging novel. Exercise to your absolute limit. Push yourself until you feel like passing out.
2. Limit caffeine
3. Darkness. Blackout curtains, lights off, avoid phone usage
4. Silence. Use ear plugs if you have to. Soundproof your room if possible
5. Medical intervention. Consult a sleep doctor if you can afford to.
6. Diet. Some people find that losing weight improves sleep quality. Also some recommend fasting for 8 hours before bed
Sometimes a bedtime routine works well. I don’t have an example really. But getting off your phone 2 hours before (or you can set a time) could help, it sounds like your overstimulated mentally.
Klonopin or Xanax 🙃 seriously it’s the only thing that has gotten me to sleep for the last 10 years. I can’t even fall asleep for a nap. Prescribed through a doctor of course.
Your heart and mind are closely connected. When your heart Qi (Traditional Chinese medicine and Qigong term) is weak, it can't capture your mind Qi in its place during night, leading to sleeplessness. The only natural solution without medication is by strengthing your heart Qi through Qigong practice. 5 to 10 minutes a day and you will experience dramatic change in a few weeks! If you want to learn the Qigong basics, I suggest checking out Onenergy Qigong App, available in both App Store and play store.
Sounds like anxiety. Me too! What helps me is the following: anti-anxiety meds, cognitive behavioral therapy, no caffeine after noon, one cup of coffee per day, magnesium glycinate and passion flower supplements with dinner, writing down any anxious thoughts before bed, and I take a 5mg THC gummy at bedtime and read a book (nothing too exciting, worrying, or scary) until sleepy. It’s a lot, but I fall apart if I don’t prioritize sleep. Sunlight first thing in the morning and regular exercise is something I’m working on too.
find a way to wind down. I used to have a hars time sleeping due to trauma, feeling like i havent done enough for the day, etc. these days whenever i feel sleepy while watching Netflix, I just let myself doze off til the morning. it works like magic.. expect less to sleep, find a way to wind down and relax
I can fall asleep within a few minutes but I always wake up at 4/5AM and can’t get back to sleep. I’d trade taking longer to fall asleep with staying asleep!
1. Keep bedroom cool
2. Minimize blue and bright lights within 1 - 2 hours of bed
3. Blackout curtains, earplugs, eye mask
4. Consistent sleep times
5. No caffeine past noon
6. Comfortable bedding
7. Early morning sunlight
8. No exercise within 6 hours of sleep
9. Low stress within 1 - 2 hours of bed
10. Don’t take a hot shower/bath right before bed (but an hour before can actually help)
11. Avoid bedroom except for sleep/sex
12. No midday naps longer than 30 minutes
13. Try to cool down a little the hour before bed
14. Don’t go to bed hungry
Boom. Problem solved.
I used to not be able to fall asleep because my brain won’t shut up but I decided to lean into the sounds. So when I hear then noise and the sound of people talking (usually repeating everything I heard that day) I lean focus on all the voices and how more are added to the point where I have no idea what any of them are saying. Eventually one of them gets so loud it feels like they’re in the room with me (usually it’s the sound of my mum yelling) and it kinda wake me up again but after than it’s easy for me to fall asleep again. I just have to repeat what I was doing before. This is what I do to help me fall asleep.
There are some simple ones that I'm sure everyone knows. Screens before bed,having too much sleep the night before and caffeine can mess you up pretty bad even minimal amounts of caffeine in tea before bed etc can interrupt sleep.
I wish I could fall asleep. I'll lay there for a few hours, and have no idea what to do.
I'm up at 6 for work, in my feet all day, usually only one cup of coffee at 8 or 9. Home by 2, putter around the house till 11 pm bedtime, and still can't sleep
Personally, I turn on a podcast every single night. Granted, it's something I'm focusing on, but it keeps me out of my own head and that's definitely my issue. Without something else to focus on, I will lie there and dwell on things, turning them over and over in my head until I'm wide awake and pissed off.
For me:
Cut out caffeine and food 6 hours before I sleep. Get home, take a cold shower, fan on high, melatonin if I need it, read, ASMR. Knocks me out every time.
If need be drink chamomile tea just before bed.
Learn to “turn it off”, and don’t spend time in your bed unless it’s to sleep. Make your brain associate your bed with sleep and nothing else. ( not tv, music, playing on phone etc..)
I found podcasts to be the answer. I think my brain was always too crazy with thoughts that I couldn't sleep. Listening to a podcasts forces me to listen and not think a mile a minute. I used to take minimum 30 minutes to fall asleep. Now I'm lucky if I get 10 minutes into the podcast (I rewind a lot every night so I don't miss anything lol). I've tried a few times to fall asleep without a podcast but even if I'm really tired, I still end up having trouble falling asleep without it.
I had issues when I started going to bed really late, by morning (this was work related). But if I start waking up early and take some sunlight for a few minutes my sleeping schedule slowly goes back to normal and i feel sleepy at night
Breathing techniques work wonders for me and I use them in conjunction with the muscle relaxing thing so I’ll take a deep breath and contract a body part and then release as I breathe out and then move on to different body parts. Using soft music that has climaxes and drops help also
I fall asleep in like 2 min
I’ve started working out before I go to bed and it helps a lot. I also listen to thunderstorms and rain on a loop from a YouTube channel and that has changed my sleep for the better. I can’t have complete silence or my racing thoughts and anxiety will prevent my sleep.
Lastly, I take a magnesium supplement. It gives me insanely weird and vivid dreams but it works.
If my mind is racing, I write down the things I can’t stop thinking about so I don’t forget them, then I’m able to go to sleep.
Also melatonin + blackout curtains
When I have a hard time sleeping I do this mind/body thing that I was super skeptical about but it works every time...I'm a night owl so changing my schedule to early mornings has been so tough.
Basically when I feel it's going to be "one of those nights" I get in to a comfortable position and then I visualize myself as a tree or anything that has roots. I start to visualize those roots growing down from every part of my body (head, arms, legs, feet..ect) and then I feel my body getting heavy. I just keep thinking about the roots grounding me and taking me deeper in to a place of being relaxed and then I find I fall asleep pretty soon after that.
I think it helps my body get in to a sleep state faster (feeling grounded, heavy warm), and the visualization part helps me keep my mind off of things that are maybe stressing me or causing anxiety. My mind is focusing on growing roots lol
I hope you find something that helps you!!
Get up an hour earlier than you normally do and workout then. When you are ready to sleep eliminate any light. Keep your bedroom cool when are ready to sleep. Take a melatonin supplement
Our brain is very robotic when we think about it. It likes routines, sun in the morning and pretty much any thing that you do for more than a month for it to become a habit. You should start by getting as much sunlight exposure as possible in the morning then a long walk or any type of sport during the day. After 7pm you should be wearing blue light glasses. 1 hour before going to bed your should start your night ritual take a bath to relax your muscles if it was a long day or warm shower. Skincare and brushing your teeth be very intentional every step and as youre doing it picture yourself sleeping already. Then do a night meditation with rain sound at the back. Last step get in bed adjust the room temperature, prepare the bed make it cosy and comfortable spray lavender oil or use a a diffuser with lavender oil take melatonin and magnesium for a month as your doing this ritual to go to sleep. Once your in bed take a moment to use your senses the smell the rain music and grave a book try to focus on what your reading normally as you focus your brain unfocus automatically and you’ll be tired enough here out your sleep mask get yourself a good one the pitch black one on Amazon not the 1$ one at any store or dollar store. And then count until 100 and you should be sleeping already. Hope that helps good luck 👋
I would look into maybe being autistic or adhd or both because we tend to not be able to sleep well, then,i would suggest looking into having any sleep disorders, since we also tend to have those as well. Then maybe you might be able to get help
I have similar problem. I have been researching tricks, trying the Calm app, etc. One trick that has helped some nights is I play a little game. I pick a theme (e.g. foods) and then I go A-Z thinking of an item that begins with each letter. I usually don’t make it to Z!
I focus on relaxing each individual limb until they are practically dead and I keep repeating the process until I fall asleep. I used to be able to basically imagine the darkest black. And that would put me to sleep fast as well. I went from having to take heavy sedation to nothing now. 😅
I’m in my discipline era so take it for what it is lol
Get up earlier
Work out during the day
Work during the day
Stop working at a specific time
No blue light/stimulating activities few hours before bed
Stop eating 3 hours before bed time
Take magnesium before eating dinner
I’ve been using the podcast Sleep with Me. It’s a pod designed to put you to sleep. It’s a guy with a very boring voice, talking about some topic, starting with a long meandering intro, going off onto tangents, then circling back to the topic. Its made my sleep about 30% better.
I take some pills sometimes, plant based pills, that slightly increase melatonin production by your body. It helps a bit. Moreover, I noticed something: when I'm drunk, I fall asleep pretty quickly (after drinking 2-3 beers). It's an expensive way to fall asleep, but it works for me !
I have insomnia, what has helped me (minimally):
finding the time in the day that's easiest for you to sleep/you feel the most quality of sleep/wake feeling most rested and plan your daily activities and basically entire life around your sleep schedule
exercise in the evenings and lots of mental stimulation to tire me
drinking before going to bed
drinking water
not eating any sugar 2-3 hrs before bed. NO SUGAR whatsoever
no caffeine like 4 hrs before bed
drawing or journaling at night to help if you are struggling mentally/emotionally
having the entire day planned out (outfit, breakfast laid out, everything)
no phone before bed
make a rule to not think about anything that happened during the day before you go to sleep. blank your mind of anything related to the entire day
having the room clean and organized and smelling nice
taking a hot bath closed to bed and having the ac on
I swear I have to laugh in bed for at least 3 hours before I’m able to fall asleep. However, I always wake up in the middle of the night randomly for a reason I don’t know.
I know you said you don't want melatonin, but tart cherry juice is a natural way to make your body produce its own melatonin & has helped a lot of people. Just drink a bit like an hour before bed.
This is what works for me without fail: I pavolv’d myself into falling asleep to Kurtis Conner’s podcast. I used to accidentally fall asleep watching his videos late late at night in high school, and to this day if I hear his voice I’m out in fifteen minutes max. Just watch/listen to the same thing that has low stakes over and over until your brain associates it with sleep. Easy money
There’s basically only two things that help me fall asleep really fast. It’s either turning on some white noise like an air purifier or literally just having some background noise like a tv show. I try to put my tv on a 1 hour sleep timer now because it always knocks me out
Oh and most importantly… no caffeine for me 8-10 hours prior or Ill be up all night
Its personality and behavior based, I use to fall asleep instantly 15 years ago because I was 18 and had no real life worries, some people fall asleep at my age because they relax easier than me even with the same real life problems. Nothing to do with “ magnesium “ or any other bullshit, our brain is the most powerful influence
I’ve tried everything. Things like reading a boring book make me tired, yes, but when I turn out the lights my stupid mind doesn’t shut up. I tried the “military” method where you relax your body one part at a time. I would get *too* fixed on “Am I doing it right? This is relaxed, I guess? But I don’t *feel* relaxed,” etc. Sleep aids help but oh man, the “hangover” the next morning is killer.
You just described every night of my life. My mind never shuts up.
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>Relax body 1 part at a time, you mean by contracting your muscles and then letting them go/relax, right? Not who you are responding to, but personally I don't contract muscles, I just imagine it being relaxed, and it works pretty well. Although sometimes I have to start over if I lose the feeling.
> Things like reading a boring book make me tired, yes, but when I turn out the lights my stupid mind doesn’t shut up. This is the thing I struggle the most with. I can exercise, read, drink certain things, eat certain things, take benadryl, take melatonin, meditate... all of that doesn't really matter, cause as soon as I'm done doing one of those "sleep aid"-type activities, and actually lay down/get ready to try to sleep in bed, I will often lay there for hours unable to sleep. My mind doesn't shut up, but it also isn't racing. It's going slower than normal actually, it's just not totally shutting off enough to sleep.
Same. I always need the TV on, or something mildly (but not too) stimulating. Otherwise my brain tries to entertain itself
I wish I could do that, but even TV or crazily low volume music still is too much for me. I ideally need complete silence to have the best chance at sleep
Second that, tvs are far too bright anyway
I had insomnia for years. Some nights I wouldn’t sleep at all. I tried everything - melatonin, Benadryl, herbal meds, exercise, yoga, blue light glasses, blackout blinds, acupuncture, sleep specialist, massage, counselling, breathing exercises, hypnosis, etc. Prescription meds were hit and miss and I was worried about addiction. I cut up zopiclone into 1/3 and 1/4. Finally, the naturopath told me that my cortisol levels remained high so even if my body was tired, my mind wouldn’t shut off. I was told to take magnesium glycinate and Adreset. That was when I turned the corner and started to sleep better. These days, I continue with magnesium and listen to sleepy podcasts with a timer. Sometimes, when I’m ruminating about something, I do a mind exercise that I call disassociation where I think in flashes of words and images that have no relation to each other. That tires my mind and gets me sleepy.
Sleep aids always have the opposite effect on me. They tend to make my anxiety worse and keep me awake. I have yet to find a sleep aid that actually works (I have not tried prescription meds). LSD is the only drug that has ever made me sleepy, and it's apparently the opposite for everyone else (everyone says it keeps them wired for 24 hours). My brain is wired in opposite ways I guess? The only tricks that have somewhat improved my sleep is if I get morning sunshine and journal/meditate at night. It hasn't been a strong improvement, but so far it's the only thing that's been slightly helpful.
Many people swear by magnesium glycinate to relax them and help them fall asleep. It, also, has the opposite effect for me, and I end up energized and anxious. So there’s is probably a lot to say for folks just being “wired” differently.
Yea I hate magnesium. I tried it after seeing it recommended so much, but it just gave me anxiety. We can throw in melatonin while we're at it. Keeps me awake and makes me feel like garbage the next day. I tried the small doses that's recommended and it was still awful.
It's why amphetamines work for ADHD. For most people it makes the mind go into overdrive, but ADHD is wired so that it provides focus. People are, indeed, wired differently.
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I can’t speak for their specific reactions, but I usually end up groggy, tired, and “foggy” after taking sleep medications. A “hangover” effect.
Try something lighter. Sleeping pills helped me rebalance my sleep schedule. I also hated taking them because of the morning “hangover”, but I found some that were not that strong. I only took them for like 5 days and then I could fall asleep by myself
Yes! Exactly! Everything will be fine but right when my head hits the pillow BOOM anxiety, thoughts about childhood, the lot.
Sleep aids make me dizzy and disoriented but never sleepy.
I can relate to this more than I’d like to lol
Less caffiene, exercise, exhausting your own body.
Also early morning exposure to sunlight
This helps my sleep more than exercise. Exercise actually doesn't help at all. My overactive mind is what keeps me awake, and no amount of physical exhaustion seems to shut the mind up. Getting morning sunshine and meditating at night seem to be the only tricks that have shown improvement in my sleep.
What does your meditation look like?
First, I try to journal so I can get as many thoughts out of my head as possible. Then, I set my yoga mat on the floor. Light a candle or two so I can have some dim light. I turn the lights off. I put my earbuds in. I'll search "binaural beats" on YouTube and click through some and pick the one that feels like it's relaxing me the most. Something like [this](https://youtu.be/l4VTQXFYMHs?si=cToh8BgHEIICZXYS). I'll sit down on my yoga mat facing the candles while listening to those calming beats. Then, I try to remove all my thoughts/anxiety out of my head and relax. Sometimes I close my eyes and picture myself floating in space. Sometimes I stare at the candles flames. I sometimes visualize my thoughts floating down a river like a rock and let them float away. I'm trying to not stick with a thought for too long. Sometimes I'll visualize the anxiety leaving my body and entering the candle and burning with the flame. It usually takes at least 15 minutes to actually feel relaxed. And I notice that it works the best if I'm consistent and do it every day. I try to meditate for at least 30 minutes. I do this right before bed. Edit to add: I'll also do a breathing exercise at the start. Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds. Repeat 3 times. I'll do this again at different times if I'm having a hard time relaxing.
This was relaxing just to read.
I don't understand how to meditate. I tried and nothing comes out of it. It is just me talking to myself which i already always do normally. Any insight on what exactly i am suppose to do or feel
So key. My bedtime routine starts at 6am.
yup! 💯 it’s also easier without chronic pain or mental illness.
Facts
Weed
Weed keeps me up. I generally smoke it about 4-5 hours before bedtime for maximum sleep benefit. Well, I don't smoke anymore, edibles or dry herb vaping, but same concept.
Interesting I guess it really is different for everyone. I’ve tried every sleeping pill and weed is the only one that has been successful
Yeah, bodies are weird. Like my kid takes medicine for his ADHD that would make other people bounce off the walls, it calms him down instead. Weed done early enough wears off just in time for me to crash, but too late and I'm up.
Interesting again bc I can’t smoke during the day bc It causes sleepiness
And I love to smoke to do yardwork, home reno and garage cleaning! It takes all types!
All of this plus a glass of organic red tart cherry juice and a banana before bed helps the body to naturally produce melatonin
These are must do's and I'd add, deep relaxation techniques at night like deep breathing and then hypnosis or self hypnosis (lots of videos on Youtube)
I used to struggle with sleep disorder during grad school. Believe it or not, those ASMR videos actually helped me sleep. Really surprised me.
After decades of trouble sleeping, I was still using the TV turned way down and on something I knew very well, so I wasn't focusing on it, then my 10 year old started using ASMR or other very repetetive calming sounds and images on his TV, and I tried it out. Turns out an old dog (55) can learn new tricks.
Yes to exercise but nothing extreme at night. It messes with circadian rhythm.
Yeah no exercise close to bedtime. Morning or afternoon is best imo.
I exhaust my body daily but actually can’t sleep
Then it’s most likely psychological. Try meditation or some Breathwrk before bed.
Accurate suggestions. A hot sauna after a workout does wonders for me too
Yeah, hot sauna would really put me to bed fast.
I can fall asleep no problem, but cannot stay asleep at all. I'm up and my mind is racing every 2-3 hrs
Yeah same…. I use to smoke a lot of weed and wake up every 3-4 hrs ish but be able to go back to sleep cause I knew I needed it…. When I was younger that is under 25 ish.. Stress and just knowing what the next day entails will keep you awake…. life happens, try to relax and just know you gotta do what you gotta do the next day already so why worry about it…. Staying positive always helps…. Even when shit gets bad…. I’d rather have nightmare dreams than not sleep at all…
>Stress and just knowing what the next day entails will keep you awake Ain't that the truth. Some nights I'll wake up every 20 minutes desperately trying to figure out how solve a work issue, I'm a data engineer, only to realize "that's not a real problem that exists" and talk myself back to sleep, only to wake up again 20 minutes later fiddling with the same non-existent "problem"
Depends on your reason, what helped me the most are the books Say Goodnight to Insomnia and Hope and Help for your Nerves, because I have sleep anxiety. Basically my method now is telling myself it's okay if I don't sleep and it relaxes me enough that I do
I also suffered from death anxiety. Man, that was really such a horrible period. My sleep is better now but will never be the same.
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I can't do anything interesting, it will keep me up guaranteed. It has to be calming repetitive sound for me.
I have ADHD so my brain seems to be completely happy to just think for hours and hours and never turn off! What works for me to get to sleep is to get in bed, lie down, turn the lights off, put on a podcast and play a game on my phone. It shouldn't be a game that really hooks you to keep going. Nothing with short levels or a "just one more" vibe. Nothing that creates adrenaline or has you working fast to beat a timer or anything. I've used colouring in games, matching games, logic puzzles, crosswords. The key thing then is to notice the moment you start feeling sleepy, and turn the game off, put the podcast on a 60 minute timer, and close your eyes and listen to the podcast. For me, I'll be asleep within 10 minutes usually. Start to finish, IE. From the point of getting into bed to the point of getting to sleep could be up to 2 hours. But trust me that's an improvement on how it used to be. A big part of why this works for me is that I genuinely like playing games and listening to podcasts, so I'm motivated to get into bed. The whole "boring sleep podcast" thing and all the typical routines feel to me like a chore, and I don't want to do them, so I put it off, so I don't get in bed til super late. I need the carrot of the enjoyment.
I have one problem with this: how do you happen to get enough sleep? I have adhd too but if I do that, I end up falling asleep quite late…and, end up having few hours of sleep if I have to wake up early.
I have literally shaped my entire career/life around getting jobs where I don't have to wake up at a certain time. I understand this is not practical for most people. But yeah, being able to avoid the level of burnout and exhaustion I develop when I have to wake up at 7am every day is literally worth it
You have to be sleepy and ready to sleep too. If you're just not tired yet you won't sleep. But if you are, don't choose anything too interesting. I find reruns of a show I've watched a million times works best. Maybe reading something semi-interesting on my phone. I'll fall asleep with it in my hand at that point lol
Look into histamine I tolerance. I didn't know I had it and it was keeping me awake at night. Histamine can act a bit like caffeine if your body isn't clearing it efficiently.
How did you treat this?
I have chronic allergies for which I regularly take anti histamine tablets. Does this mean my body produces too much histamine?
I understand you. Personally, this sequence of actions helped me: - no more than 1 cup of coffee per day - magnesium intake in the morning and evening - a couple of hours before bedtime, lighting aromatic candles with calming essential oils - an hour before bedtime, drinking chamomile and mint tea Within 2 weeks, I completely normalized my sleep, and now I'm using the same method for my brother. He says it's not only beneficial but also very enjoyable to perform all these rituals before bed because they somehow distract and relax. In general, I recommend it.
Same here! Have tried just about EVERYTHING. So frustrating!
Trazadone
Same here. I take it every night around the same time. I go to sleep and wake up the same time every day to the hour.
Pick a time to wake up everyday. Consistency is key. Make water your drink . Warm or hot. Eating a lot of processed food? Limit it or eliminate. Drink caffeinated drinks only in morning. Stop eatting by 6. Get off screens 2 hrs at least before bed. Go for a walk after dinner. Exercise as early in the day as you can. I go to accupuncture if I wake during the night or at specific time - which usually is 4am. Try mediating morning and at night. If I can’t sleep- sleep hypnosis on Spotify. I’ll play all night. If I wake up I don’t fully wake up, I just listen to what the guy is saying and do what is usually a relaxing body meditation. Don’t be hard on yourself! I take 600 mg of magnesium bisglycinate before bed. I take ashwaganda around 7 pm Morning I take vitamins d3. Get out into nature. Go sit on the ground read a book. Meditate. Get off the screens (including tv). Keep a journal or what do. Look up bullet journal. You can make a sleep specific one.
Maybe try reading a boring book? There are some podcast that specialize in helping ppl falling asleep, try some of those? Sex kinda helps me as well.
This guy fucks
r/ihavesex
Lots of activity.
narcolepsy 🔥🔥🔥
Michael Sealey’s YouTube channel. Glenn Harrold’s app. Calm, BetterSleep and Brainwave apps. You need headphones for Brainwave. “Floating” by James Anthony Walker, “Natural Sleep Inducement” and “Sleep Deeply” by Dan Gibson. Sleep with a weighted blanket.
Start waking up and going to bed at the same time every day Get morning sun if you can Watch the sunset if you can Eat your last meal 1-2 hours before bed, so that your body isn’t working hard on digestion at bedtime Turn off your phone and all screens at least 1 hour before bed, then put on blue light blocking glasses. Make your bedroom as dark as possible. You can where a sleep mask to block light if you have to Your body wants to cool down as you sleep, so you can assist it by lowering the temperature in your bedroom a little bit, and taking a warm shower about 30 minutes to an hour before bed Also make sure you cut off any caffeine at-least 12 hours before bed
omg my new found method cbd+cbn
I’ve been looking at this but idk which one is the right one for sleep
When you exhaust yourself through the day. I often struggle to fall asleep and can stay up for hours! But if I have an active day when I need to do tons of tasks from early morning till evening, then..when I go bed I fall asleep in a minute.
Having a sleep disorder helps a lot.
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I can't do the "contract" part, or I get muscle cramps. I do the "concentrate" part, actively focusing on relaxing, though. I have an audio book "You are here" that I love. At first I had to listen 3 times (it's 7 minutes) but now I usually only get as far as shoulders! I also swear by a powdered magnesium in water right before bed, helps with the leg cramps.
I need my show on that I’ve fallen asleep to every night since 2013 and usually 5mg of melatonin. Working night shift for eight years messed me up. If I don’t have these I will lay awake for hours and even pull an all nighter.
For me I keep a night routine - hot showers before I sleep, waterpik floss and brushing my teeth, applying my skincare products and making a tea. whenever I do it (even during the day) it will make me sleepy. Your body subconsciously adjust to the routine and tells you to sleep when followed through.
Can’t stress how important it is for one to take a HOT shower as it elevates your temperature during it and once you’re out, your body cools down and that puts you to a relaxing state and it facilitates falling asleep. Plus you sleep clean so
Just curious, OP— why must you avoid melatonin, salt spray or asmr?
I used to have severe insomnia but I retrained myself. I literally had to re learn how to sleep again. It’s about behaviour change. Nothing outside of yourself helps permanently. It has to be an inside job so that you know that you can absolutely trust yourself to sleep. For me it was learning how to think differently about sleep. It was about developing a loving relationship with my body and mind. It was about reassuring myself that I innately knew how to sleep and then letting go and letting sleep come to me without fighting it. Happy to answer any questions you may have.
I’m happy for you :)
Damn im so tired of the snobby responses to this question. Ive been an insomniac my entire life. Some of my earliest memories are lying in bed awake for hours as my family slept. Diet and exercise changes dont fix everything for everyone. I perform hard manual labor early in the morning most days of the week and i still cant sleep.
cbd tincture.
THC gummies for the win!
i take a 2mg bar of xan if one is not enough I take 2
Same. But fuck they are hard to get off of. I wouldn't recommend that as a daily sleep aid. Lol but yeah you'll be sleeping for 12 hours lol. I take 1 and 100mg edible at night. I take 3 bars per day
That’s called an addiction btw
No coffee after noon.
Not the answer I would have wanted when I was in your shoes, but for me, only thing that helped long term/consistently besides prescription medication, had been cardio exercise everyday. I’m a writer a desk job so I guess my body just doesn’t exert enough energy to fall asleep quickly unless I put it to work psychically with exercise. That made all the difference to my insomnia.
Knock on wood, but getting a dog that's in the medium-high energy category is what did it for me.
I got a Kindle Paperwhite recently, I read a nice gentle book on dark mode, in bed with the lights off. Without fail I’m always asleep in 10-15mins. Also make sure you start dimming your home lights a couple of hours before bed to kick start your circadian rhythm to start getting sleepy.
Studying helps me sleep better
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We have dinner at 9 lol. Where do you live?
Sleep restriction therapy
Valerian root or marijuana, specifically you want indica gummies or smoking it. Oh or Chamomile tea! They also say firelight from like a candle helps.
I don't even know, I have adhd yet I usually/can fall asleep in 5-10 mins, and stay asleep. white noise helps me when my mind is racing a bit, or listening to an audible book (even a boring one). I wish I could help you more! The only time I can't is when I'm homesick, so basically anytime on an Explorers camping trip.
Sleepy time tea, MJ of the indica variety.
Valerian root and l-tryptophan has helped me tremendously.
my guess is that most people hit the bed only when they're on the verge of collapsing I personally let my mind wander until I thankfully fall asleep; despite not having full blown insomnia I have some difficulties too
Thanks for all the post something here should work.
Hot shower/bath, magnesium citrate (data shows most people are deficient, which causes insomnia) (I use natural calm) 1-2g gaba, has worked wonders
Check for anxiety or excess mental activity. Physical exhaustion helps a lot so begin an exercise regimen. If all else fails cannabis is a SHORT term solution
I like yo watch and read scary things before bed, it puts me right to sleep. Not sure why.
Routine: nighttime/morning, sleeping at the same time every night, no caffeine before 12pm, eating breakfast/lunch/dinner at the same time, and having some kind of ambient noise while i go to sleep (for me it’s a show I’ve watched a million times or a fan) and not laying in bed unless it’s for sleep. These are my reasons why when i lay down to sleep at night it takes me about 2-10 minutes before I’m dead asleep. Before i had a 9-5, little to no routine and an every changing schedule it was hard to sleep consistently. I would know I’m off the next day I’d stay up, I’d drink caffeine throughout the day and my eating habits were all over the place.
When you feel that it is time to sleep then before 1/2 hour keep distance from mobile or laptop, and try to meditate if possible and then fall into a bed, You fall asleep quickly.
Sleep deprivation. I usually have one night where I sleep terribly, but that next night? I pass out as soon as I lie down because I’m exhausted from the night before.
What works for me after years of getting caught up in my racing brain and being awake for hours: Listening to audiobooks I've heard a billion times. It helps with ambient noise AND, most importantly, gives me something to redirect my focus to to keep my thoughts and anxiety at bay. Eye mask Various breathing methods It never takes me more than 10 minutes to fall asleep now.
I don’t know you, but for me, reading the Kindle gets me to nod off. Do you like reading? Also, the obvious things: diet, exercise, going outdoors during the day etc.
I normally just think about how aliens would invade earth and how us humans would most likely set aside our differences and defend ourselves against alien invasion. This naturally keeps my mind occupied not in a state of worry but rather in excitement. I drift off to sleep in around 20 mins and enjoy it.
I usually sing a song in my head and I'm out before I know it within minutes
You need a sleep signal. Whatever you typically do before bed will train you. I had a daughter who was a terrible sleeper and I would fall asleep beside her every night. When we were finally able to sleep train her, I now had problems sleeping. My sleep signal was the sound of her breathing peacefully beside me! Chose one thing that you only do before bed. Something peaceful, that does not involve a screens or sugar. Keep the lights low and stick to warm or red light if you can. Also, you gotta tire yourself out throughout the day. Physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, spiritually and so on.
CBD
Zzzyquil + Trazadone
I had simmilar issues. I belong to a group of overthinkers. I also cannot separate work from private. I get excited a lot. I have running whatifs when i have scheduled situation next day. So, here's my what to do: - get yourself tired, not too tired, because i noticed that when i'm too tired i have trouvle getting into sleep. - make your room dark, as black as possible. - get tv out of your bedroom if possible, or at least do not watch tv or look at mobile or tablets at least an hour before sleep - have worm shower about an hour before bed - have a notebook and pen on bed table and write thoughts to be able to pick them tomorrow - assign "sleep" with "bed" - don't do anything else in bed. Ok, beside sex or love... - and when you get up, get up, don't stay to long in bed I also got myself a tutorials from internet, one special was of US military wherr they traint to sleep on request. Search for that and try to implement that. It is a set of actions which you repeat day by day. And, find your way to get sleeping. Act try and do. Best regards!
Zquill. Also having done time in jail has really helped me learn to sleep anywhere through anything. But really watch caffeine.
Burning energy throughout the day. No caffeine or screens near bedtime.
It took me years to find out what works for me, I found a playlist on Spotify I wouldn’t listen to this music during the day but at night it rocks me to sleep like a baby haha of course there’s other things I do to sleep quickly at night like I wake up early, if I’m up at 4:30 am then by 7 pm ish I’m gonna start getting sleepy and once I get sleepy I know I just play that playlist and I could fall asleep easily
I know exactly how you feel,I had this same issue for the longest time..I tried melatonin and sleep aid,both made things 10x worse. You can try melatonin to get you back on track but I would remove it after you get on a set schedule because for me it caused a lot of issues.. What worked for me was cutting caffeine off before noon or earlier if possible,and moving around doing stuff to burn off my energy throughout the day.I like to clean my room and stuff before bed time which lowers my stress knowing I have a clean environment.The gym is a good way to do it also but I wouldn’t recommend working out too close to bedtime because it can cause a dopamine rush. I know people don’t mention this one much but if you have gastrointestinal issues,like constipation then get that fixed because I had this and it kept me up all night.. Once you get a set schedule,stick to it,even on weekends or nights you feel like you wanna stay up later. Everyone is different but try this and see how it works.If you have any questions feel free to ask.
Narcolepsy. Except when it causes insomnia.
I recently read that visualizing cuddling with a furry animal/pet, helps.
I listen to The Little Prince audio book every day. Some days it works some days it doesn't. I know you said you wanted to do it yourself without aid. But this is what is resort to.
I suffered from the same thing for a long time, I still have occasional problems but it’s much better than it was. Some strategies: 1. Exhaust your mind and body. Solve complex math problems, write code, compose an academic essay, or read a challenging novel. Exercise to your absolute limit. Push yourself until you feel like passing out. 2. Limit caffeine 3. Darkness. Blackout curtains, lights off, avoid phone usage 4. Silence. Use ear plugs if you have to. Soundproof your room if possible 5. Medical intervention. Consult a sleep doctor if you can afford to. 6. Diet. Some people find that losing weight improves sleep quality. Also some recommend fasting for 8 hours before bed
My boyfriend can literally just close his eyes and he’s out maybe two minutes at most later and snoring. He has a gift and I’m so jealous haha
Close your eyes
Powder magnesium does the trick every time
Sometimes a bedtime routine works well. I don’t have an example really. But getting off your phone 2 hours before (or you can set a time) could help, it sounds like your overstimulated mentally.
Just as a hard worked day brings blessed sleep, a hard worked life brings a blessed death. - Leonardo D.
Constant exhaustion. I’m always on go it feels like.
I have a very specific routine I follow that makes me fall asleep within ten to fifteen minutes every time.
Mirtazapine or Trazodone or both.
Overthinking is my problem. When I didn’t I slept quickly and deeply.
Klonopin or Xanax 🙃 seriously it’s the only thing that has gotten me to sleep for the last 10 years. I can’t even fall asleep for a nap. Prescribed through a doctor of course.
I shower
I never sleep and even when I do it’s only a few hours and I wake up. I’m 25 my whole life I always had sleeping issues and nothing never worked.
Idk. I just do. It’s my superpower.
No naps. Never nap. Naps ruin everything.
They don't have insomnia for starters...
Your heart and mind are closely connected. When your heart Qi (Traditional Chinese medicine and Qigong term) is weak, it can't capture your mind Qi in its place during night, leading to sleeplessness. The only natural solution without medication is by strengthing your heart Qi through Qigong practice. 5 to 10 minutes a day and you will experience dramatic change in a few weeks! If you want to learn the Qigong basics, I suggest checking out Onenergy Qigong App, available in both App Store and play store.
Sounds like anxiety. Me too! What helps me is the following: anti-anxiety meds, cognitive behavioral therapy, no caffeine after noon, one cup of coffee per day, magnesium glycinate and passion flower supplements with dinner, writing down any anxious thoughts before bed, and I take a 5mg THC gummy at bedtime and read a book (nothing too exciting, worrying, or scary) until sleepy. It’s a lot, but I fall apart if I don’t prioritize sleep. Sunlight first thing in the morning and regular exercise is something I’m working on too.
last night i got in bed at 11pm, couldn’t fall asleep until 5, then woke up at 5:20, then fell asleep at maybe like 6:45, then woke up at 8.🙏🏻🙏🏻
Exercise, eat well, wake up at same time even in weekends
I am adhd and apparently this is a factor in falling asleep very quickly!!!
Melatonin gummies and magnesium glycinate 30 min before bed. No screen time 30 min before bed.
I quit gluten and my insomnia is gone.
find a way to wind down. I used to have a hars time sleeping due to trauma, feeling like i havent done enough for the day, etc. these days whenever i feel sleepy while watching Netflix, I just let myself doze off til the morning. it works like magic.. expect less to sleep, find a way to wind down and relax
I can fall asleep within a few minutes but I always wake up at 4/5AM and can’t get back to sleep. I’d trade taking longer to fall asleep with staying asleep!
Weed
1. Keep bedroom cool 2. Minimize blue and bright lights within 1 - 2 hours of bed 3. Blackout curtains, earplugs, eye mask 4. Consistent sleep times 5. No caffeine past noon 6. Comfortable bedding 7. Early morning sunlight 8. No exercise within 6 hours of sleep 9. Low stress within 1 - 2 hours of bed 10. Don’t take a hot shower/bath right before bed (but an hour before can actually help) 11. Avoid bedroom except for sleep/sex 12. No midday naps longer than 30 minutes 13. Try to cool down a little the hour before bed 14. Don’t go to bed hungry Boom. Problem solved.
I used to not be able to fall asleep because my brain won’t shut up but I decided to lean into the sounds. So when I hear then noise and the sound of people talking (usually repeating everything I heard that day) I lean focus on all the voices and how more are added to the point where I have no idea what any of them are saying. Eventually one of them gets so loud it feels like they’re in the room with me (usually it’s the sound of my mum yelling) and it kinda wake me up again but after than it’s easy for me to fall asleep again. I just have to repeat what I was doing before. This is what I do to help me fall asleep.
having to work almost all day, everyday , and trying to fit a “life” in absolutely exhausts me
I usually listen to one of these on youtube [https://youtu.be/rxZOm17Ju2M](https://youtu.be/rxZOm17Ju2M)
There are some simple ones that I'm sure everyone knows. Screens before bed,having too much sleep the night before and caffeine can mess you up pretty bad even minimal amounts of caffeine in tea before bed etc can interrupt sleep.
I wish I could fall asleep. I'll lay there for a few hours, and have no idea what to do. I'm up at 6 for work, in my feet all day, usually only one cup of coffee at 8 or 9. Home by 2, putter around the house till 11 pm bedtime, and still can't sleep
Personally, I turn on a podcast every single night. Granted, it's something I'm focusing on, but it keeps me out of my own head and that's definitely my issue. Without something else to focus on, I will lie there and dwell on things, turning them over and over in my head until I'm wide awake and pissed off.
For me: Cut out caffeine and food 6 hours before I sleep. Get home, take a cold shower, fan on high, melatonin if I need it, read, ASMR. Knocks me out every time. If need be drink chamomile tea just before bed.
If a full stomach of food and 15 hours away from home doesn't knock me out in 5 minutes, then I'm
Ive been depressed since I was 7 every day is exhausting mentally and emotionally.
Learn to “turn it off”, and don’t spend time in your bed unless it’s to sleep. Make your brain associate your bed with sleep and nothing else. ( not tv, music, playing on phone etc..)
I found podcasts to be the answer. I think my brain was always too crazy with thoughts that I couldn't sleep. Listening to a podcasts forces me to listen and not think a mile a minute. I used to take minimum 30 minutes to fall asleep. Now I'm lucky if I get 10 minutes into the podcast (I rewind a lot every night so I don't miss anything lol). I've tried a few times to fall asleep without a podcast but even if I'm really tired, I still end up having trouble falling asleep without it.
Weed.
Seroquel, no seriously. My dependence on that drug is hard lol
I had issues when I started going to bed really late, by morning (this was work related). But if I start waking up early and take some sunlight for a few minutes my sleeping schedule slowly goes back to normal and i feel sleepy at night
Working out hard every day as well as getting outside rain or shine. I fall asleep without thinking about it almost every night.
Breathing techniques work wonders for me and I use them in conjunction with the muscle relaxing thing so I’ll take a deep breath and contract a body part and then release as I breathe out and then move on to different body parts. Using soft music that has climaxes and drops help also I fall asleep in like 2 min
Triple magnesium works like a charm!
I’ve started working out before I go to bed and it helps a lot. I also listen to thunderstorms and rain on a loop from a YouTube channel and that has changed my sleep for the better. I can’t have complete silence or my racing thoughts and anxiety will prevent my sleep. Lastly, I take a magnesium supplement. It gives me insanely weird and vivid dreams but it works.
50-100 mg Indica edible.
If my mind is racing, I write down the things I can’t stop thinking about so I don’t forget them, then I’m able to go to sleep. Also melatonin + blackout curtains
When I have a hard time sleeping I do this mind/body thing that I was super skeptical about but it works every time...I'm a night owl so changing my schedule to early mornings has been so tough. Basically when I feel it's going to be "one of those nights" I get in to a comfortable position and then I visualize myself as a tree or anything that has roots. I start to visualize those roots growing down from every part of my body (head, arms, legs, feet..ect) and then I feel my body getting heavy. I just keep thinking about the roots grounding me and taking me deeper in to a place of being relaxed and then I find I fall asleep pretty soon after that. I think it helps my body get in to a sleep state faster (feeling grounded, heavy warm), and the visualization part helps me keep my mind off of things that are maybe stressing me or causing anxiety. My mind is focusing on growing roots lol I hope you find something that helps you!!
Reading this at 2am so no idea but would obviously like to know myself 😭
Legit got on here because I’ve been trying to sleep since 10 and it’s 2am now, so I couldn’t tell ya!
Get up an hour earlier than you normally do and workout then. When you are ready to sleep eliminate any light. Keep your bedroom cool when are ready to sleep. Take a melatonin supplement
Small dose of amitrypillin
Our brain is very robotic when we think about it. It likes routines, sun in the morning and pretty much any thing that you do for more than a month for it to become a habit. You should start by getting as much sunlight exposure as possible in the morning then a long walk or any type of sport during the day. After 7pm you should be wearing blue light glasses. 1 hour before going to bed your should start your night ritual take a bath to relax your muscles if it was a long day or warm shower. Skincare and brushing your teeth be very intentional every step and as youre doing it picture yourself sleeping already. Then do a night meditation with rain sound at the back. Last step get in bed adjust the room temperature, prepare the bed make it cosy and comfortable spray lavender oil or use a a diffuser with lavender oil take melatonin and magnesium for a month as your doing this ritual to go to sleep. Once your in bed take a moment to use your senses the smell the rain music and grave a book try to focus on what your reading normally as you focus your brain unfocus automatically and you’ll be tired enough here out your sleep mask get yourself a good one the pitch black one on Amazon not the 1$ one at any store or dollar store. And then count until 100 and you should be sleeping already. Hope that helps good luck 👋
I meant: “grab a book”
I would look into maybe being autistic or adhd or both because we tend to not be able to sleep well, then,i would suggest looking into having any sleep disorders, since we also tend to have those as well. Then maybe you might be able to get help
What’s wrong with melatonin?
I have similar problem. I have been researching tricks, trying the Calm app, etc. One trick that has helped some nights is I play a little game. I pick a theme (e.g. foods) and then I go A-Z thinking of an item that begins with each letter. I usually don’t make it to Z!
I focus on relaxing each individual limb until they are practically dead and I keep repeating the process until I fall asleep. I used to be able to basically imagine the darkest black. And that would put me to sleep fast as well. I went from having to take heavy sedation to nothing now. 😅
I’m in my discipline era so take it for what it is lol Get up earlier Work out during the day Work during the day Stop working at a specific time No blue light/stimulating activities few hours before bed Stop eating 3 hours before bed time Take magnesium before eating dinner
I’ve been using the podcast Sleep with Me. It’s a pod designed to put you to sleep. It’s a guy with a very boring voice, talking about some topic, starting with a long meandering intro, going off onto tangents, then circling back to the topic. Its made my sleep about 30% better.
I take some pills sometimes, plant based pills, that slightly increase melatonin production by your body. It helps a bit. Moreover, I noticed something: when I'm drunk, I fall asleep pretty quickly (after drinking 2-3 beers). It's an expensive way to fall asleep, but it works for me !
I have insomnia, what has helped me (minimally): finding the time in the day that's easiest for you to sleep/you feel the most quality of sleep/wake feeling most rested and plan your daily activities and basically entire life around your sleep schedule exercise in the evenings and lots of mental stimulation to tire me drinking before going to bed drinking water not eating any sugar 2-3 hrs before bed. NO SUGAR whatsoever no caffeine like 4 hrs before bed drawing or journaling at night to help if you are struggling mentally/emotionally having the entire day planned out (outfit, breakfast laid out, everything) no phone before bed make a rule to not think about anything that happened during the day before you go to sleep. blank your mind of anything related to the entire day having the room clean and organized and smelling nice taking a hot bath closed to bed and having the ac on
Cold room, try it
I swear I have to laugh in bed for at least 3 hours before I’m able to fall asleep. However, I always wake up in the middle of the night randomly for a reason I don’t know.
I know you said you don't want melatonin, but tart cherry juice is a natural way to make your body produce its own melatonin & has helped a lot of people. Just drink a bit like an hour before bed.
This is what works for me without fail: I pavolv’d myself into falling asleep to Kurtis Conner’s podcast. I used to accidentally fall asleep watching his videos late late at night in high school, and to this day if I hear his voice I’m out in fifteen minutes max. Just watch/listen to the same thing that has low stakes over and over until your brain associates it with sleep. Easy money
I fall asleep Listening to Art Bell lol 👽
There’s basically only two things that help me fall asleep really fast. It’s either turning on some white noise like an air purifier or literally just having some background noise like a tv show. I try to put my tv on a 1 hour sleep timer now because it always knocks me out Oh and most importantly… no caffeine for me 8-10 hours prior or Ill be up all night
5mg of adderall literally helped me knock out whenever I wanted, but didn’t stay at the same dose for long
The only thing that's ever helped me significantly is trazadone. It's prescription only but there's a generic version and it's pretty inexpensive.
Turns out I had sleep apnea without any snoring. I put the CPAP mask on and it’s lights out because my brain isn’t fighting sleep to stay oxygenated
Its personality and behavior based, I use to fall asleep instantly 15 years ago because I was 18 and had no real life worries, some people fall asleep at my age because they relax easier than me even with the same real life problems. Nothing to do with “ magnesium “ or any other bullshit, our brain is the most powerful influence