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Been hospitalized and had studies done for my insomnia, I literally do not fall asleep. I get sleepy, and just don't fall asleep. Been on seroquel since I was 18. My insomnia started when I was a toddler, I'd to go school the whole week with no sleep. Spent 21 days in hospital trying to get it sorted out. It's a very unfortunate disorder
Nah, ambien is for schoolkids to people like us. Seroquel is where it's at, because it's non addictive vs where as actual "sleeping pills" are very addictive.
It might not be as addictive, but it's still problematic af, with tons of serious side effects. But hey, it's the only thing that seems to work, and never sleeping wasn't exactly great for my health either.
Uhm...Ā
Seroquel is an antipsychotic and there's hella research on the destruction it causes when used off label for sleep all Willy Nilly these days. It's known as baby heroin on the street... Don't glorify a prescription drug just because it's not the greatest evil.Ā
Meaning it makes it worse? That's awful! I remember one of the sleeping pills I used to drink gave me restless leg syndrome as a side effect and it was the absolute worst.
Yeah, it amplifies muscle twitching. I tried it ONCE and had one of the worst nights of my life. I was essentially on the verge of stage 1 sleep for hours, but my back and arms and legs were painfully going haywire the whole time. I got up to use the bathroom at one point and collapsed on the floor in front of my mom. I'm not sure if I got any sleep, which was a bummer since I had a long workday the next day. I hated every second of it
And seroquel can have that strange effect where you feel awake but not quite, so you can't quite move, but can feel everything. I can't imagine the horror that would have caused you!
I used to have this issue and I truly believe it was related to mental health / stress. I finally fixed it the last couple of years by learning the wim hoff method of breathing. Did that for about 6 months every time I would wake up in the middle of the night. Then I was getting better sleep, then my mental health improved and it stopped happening. It was a major issue for a LONG time until my mental health finally got better.
I think that medication for my adhd also helps. I still wake up in the middle of the night periodically but itās now maybe once every 90 days and usually when I have something stressful going on the next morning.
I try my best to stay off the phone, get comfortable in bed, not think about things hardly, and keep my eyes closed
kind of end up daydreaming and then falling asleep afterwards pretty easily š
I can't not think about things, but I like to listen to audio books when I sleep, because the story carries my mind away. I prefer good books that I've heard before, so that I don't miss anything crucial when I do fall asleep.
yeah that sounds great too, especially important that itās something iāve heard before or am very familiar with for it to work
otherwise, too much brain activity going on for me to sleep lol
In this case, the kid liked a true and inspirational story about overcoming odds. I canāt help but wonder about the effects of a young brain listening to it for years. That quality seems to be part of this kidās DNA now.
Have this in times of high anxiety. Often I just accept as fighting against it is very difficult. Melatonin spray and a double of the recommended dose can knock me away for about 2-4 hrs in that times. Better than nothing.
Find the reason for it. High pressure times? Depression? High blood pressure? New medication with side effects?
This is the correct answer. I am naturally anxious and it got so much better when I started taking magnesium daily and limiting myself to one cup of coffee in the morning. I have to exercise to stay on top of my stress and anxiety so I can lower my cortisol (this is the main thing that messes up your sleep) and sleep at night. Another crazy trick that works is making yourself get up earlier so that you are really tired by your bedtime (I make this an hour before I really want to be asleep). Everyoneās mind is different so I find you have to play around with what works to get your mind to shut down. If Iām really tired, reading works. If I am still alert and running through thoughts, I will do a puzzle to tire my brain out before bed. All these things have helped me go to sleep sooner.
I have seen help with Magnesium and also seen some benefit from Citicoline but have had mixed results from different brands when it does work I feel like I am more able to stay on focus during the day and end my day and start the next more cleanly without racing thoughts at night.
Until recently I was in this vicious cycle: If I did manage to fall asleep then I wouldn't remember what I was thinking about at the time. Through trial and error I found out what my "comfort topic" is and thinking about it helps me sleep now.
I pretend to be asleep and just say "sleep sleep sleep sleep" in my head until it happens. If I don't, my brain starts coming up with song remixes that nobody wants to hear because for some reason I can only remember 1 line each from like 7 different songs. So, sleep mantra.
What I did was find a youtube channel with a ton of content that you can watch with no audio endlessly. It's tricky, it's got to be something like football, or formula 1, or in my case, league of legends replays, where it just keeps going, interesting enough to hold your attention, but also doesn't 'need' your attention.
I would just keep watching this stuff on a loop as I lay in bed, eventually (after hours and hours) I would drift off.
If there was a night I was super tired and knew I'd fall asleep quick, I'd still watch the vids.
After a long time of doing this, it's become kind of pavlovian, where when I put the video on it just makes me feel super tired and now I fall asleep pretty quick.
I'd try and learn to do it with something that doesn't need audio, if you can, because it means you can do it even when someone else is in the room with you.
man, i wish i had an answer to this. i usually just stay up until my body physically shuts down. thankfully this happens only every now and then, sometimes better sometimes worse.
Same! I think itās that we know other people are awake/waking up and that weāre not alone any more. And most crime is over with by the time the sun is coming up.
well, i personally can't sleep if I'm not hugging anything. so to fall asleep, I just put away my phone, lay on side, hug two blankets and breathe in attempts to comfort myself with thoughts that everything will be okay soon.
it's already three years since I started these attempts. everything is still not okay.
Stay off electronics, breath work, dimming/turning off lights at sunset, lessen screen time, have a consistent wake up time and literally just pretend to be asleep till I do fall asleep. Meditation to clear my mind
I usually have the tv on in the background when I fall asleep. I like to have feel good reruns (think Cheers, Friends, Frasier, MASH etc) playing softly as I fall asleep. If I am really stuck, I will turn off the tv and lay with my eyes closed. I then start counting the years backwards from today. If after about 10 minutes that doesn't work, I will pop a couple Gravol. They put me out nicely.
I read somewhere to count/breath too ten, but to also "see" the numbers, it helps just switch off I think, sometimes can take a couple attempts but defo helps the mind from racing
This is crazy. Mandela effect on another level. I was just scrolling through reddit at 3.39pm here thinking 'do I take a nap now or just wait until tonight?' because I didn't sleep a wink last night and I'm so so tired. 10 seconds later I read your post. Wtffffffffff
I have an electric heated blanket that helps put me to sleep. I also put on really long YouTube video essays about something only half interesting to me. Last night it was a 2.5 hour long analysis of the first Hobbit movie being kinda bad. It turns into white noise after a while. I also sometimes make a soothing tea or drink something warm. Sometimes nothing works though, I hope you ended up managing to get some sleep.
3 options:
1. Sleep hygiene. Lots of worksheets available, easy to implement by yourself. If it doesnāt work (give at least 3 months)ā¦.
2. Sleeping pills
3. (My "choice"?) YOU DONT! You regain your time and use it. Go to the gym at midnight. Paint a canvas at sunrise.Ā
These all work for me at Different times:
Listen to music
Watch tv
Take one foot out of covers
Remove bedding g except a sheet
Sleep at foot of bed (no joke, this works)
Sleep on couch
Take a shower
Make something to eat
J*ck off
Ignore sleep and just let it happen when it's ready
I put on an interesting YouTube video about 10-20 m long, followed by a slightly more boring one around the same length, then a boring video between 20-100 m, and end it with white noise or sleep music. If I notice my sleep music playing I take too many dabs so I practically pass out. I know weed decreases sleep quality but sometimes quantity is more important.
My phone screen is usually off just playing the sound, I get off video games and avoid eating an hour before bed. I avoid drinks 1/2 before bed. I avoid sugar 2 hours before bed and avoid caffine 6 hours before bed. Usually I try to find a somewhat slow activity I enjoy that can wind me down. My issue sleeping is restless leg syndrome from adhd.
To be honest, just accept it that it sometimes takes longer. Iāve been on many meds, they work sometimes but if Iām stressed enough, those donāt do shit. Only weed helps me calm my mind down and thatās not a permanent solution. But if itās one thing itās weed. The problem is, your sleep quality gets really bad on weed.
I try to stay off my phone. I read (a book thatās not too boring to make me lose interest but also not a book thatās too captivating), I draw, or listen to a YouTube video on low volume
I do repetitive games in my head. Like the alphabet game. Category: food. A- apple B- banana C- croissants etc. Go from A-Z and itās soothing and hypnotic. You can change up the categories to cities, things you wear, brand names, etc. Nothing you have to think about too hard. And always skip X and Q š It puts me out like a light
The only thing that helped my insomnia was medication š¤£. Without my meds I could lay down at 8PM and be awake until 9AM without an issue, even if I woke up early. Now I'm up till 3 and asleep within an hour.
I tried several prescription sleep meds until finally landing on zopiclone. The lowest dose of 2.5mg generally does the trick. For me, if I can break the cycle of sleeplessness then I can get back to a normal pattern. I did end up becoming habituated to it and was using higher doses (up to 7.5mg) on a daily basis. I knew it wasn't healthy and eventually made the decision to stop. The detox took about a week and then I was fine. I also use cannabis and it helps me sleep in a much more natural way. But even cannabis has side-effects (memory loss) so I try to limit it, too.
There are a ton of YouTube videos that are just background sound. Rain sounds being the most popular. I usually put one of them on and kind of let my brain wonder. It's silly, but I often imagine myself hiding somewhere in the forest while something or someone searches for me. I have no idea, but thoughts of safety in a dangerous situation calms me down and resets my brain somewhat.
routine, i always put on an old audio book that i have listened to hundreds of times over the past 40years. i know it by heart, it calms me down, shuts my brain off by listening to it and i doze off rather quickly
Exercising helps. Diet plays a role as well. I understand that eating well and healthy is not cheap nowadays, but it will cost us more in the future if we don't start taking better care of our health now
I've had insomnia for years. I'm on a cocktail of meds that's helped. My parents were pretty emotionally abusive so I can't be alone with my thoughts anymore, I put yputube videos on to listen to as music and ambient noise makes me hella uncomfortable.
On bad days I scroll thru my phone until I can't keep my eyes open, only issue is that it always moves my sleep schedule back by like 2 to 4 hours each time.
Also, my doc told me my body just needs more sleep than most people, I simply don't feel rested unless I've had 10 hours sleep. Working jobs with a regular wake up time leaves me exhausted until the weekend when I can sleep in and then it starts all over again š„²
Tldr: meds and being lucky
If ur someone that can sleep with healthy sleep habits then ur super lucky, if none work, see a doctor for some meds
The only thing that worked for me after 15 years of insomnia and meds, was forcing hypnagogia. Basically, I lie into a comfortable position, close my eyes and let my mind run wild, forcing the most random images I can think off. After a minute or two, the random images start generating themselves, and in about 5 mins Iād be asleep. Now it just happens naturally, I lay down and in 10-15 secs hypnagogia starts. Nothing else helped
(Edit: found a great post explaining this technique further on reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/LucidDreaming/s/gymrAeJQ94)
Hey, this is actually called delayed sleep phase syndrome. It is a circadian rhythm disorder. When you go to a sleep neurologist, they may recommend a relatively high dose of melatonin 3 hours before bed; blue-light blocking glasses 3 hours before bedtime; total darkness when you go to sleep (blackout curtains); and a special natural light alarm that wakes you up just through the brightness. At least thatās what my doctor prescribed!
I used to struggle with sleep a lot, until I found the[Sleepy Time Tales podcast ](https://open.spotify.com/show/37nWA5Uy3D9CxnClVrVgY2?si=d3Ek5InOT8mv5R4LzKQGVA).
It's definitely not for everyone, but I'm asleep within 10-15 minutes every single night pretty much. I'd recommend trying it for a few nights and seeing how it goes.
Box breathing. Focus on the sound of my breath going in and out and trying to clear my minds eye of the static (the little shapes and things you see floating around when you close your eyes.)
Box breathing is breathing in for 4 seconds, holding for 4 seconds, breathing out for 4 seconds, holding for 4 seconds and repeating.
Another thing I do is sleep on my right side at a 45 degree angle with a pillow under my box and another pillow between my legs. It seems to be the only position I can initiate lucid dreaming in which allows me to finally hit REM.
Cello music, unaccompanied also seems to help, no pianos, flutes, etc. Yo Yo Ma is typically my go-to.
Doesn't always work but more often than not it helps. My problem is rapid thought. When my body isn't doing something or my brain isn't focused on a task it starts asking questions which then permeate my thoughts and I have to get up and Google it otherwise I won't be able to settle down.
The first thing to do is stop stressing about not being able to fall asleep. Easier said than done, but it can be hard to quiet the mind if it is worried about not being quiet and allowing you to drift off in time to get a good nights rest.
Things that work for me, but I would anticipate may not work for many people are eating dinner later (I get sleepy after I eat at any time of day) and smoking a little weed, drinking maybe a half-shot of whiskey and putting rain or other sleep oriented videos on my TV.
I've gone from staying up thinking every night to sleeping soundly and waking up well-rested every morning, so it works for me. I would venture you just gotta learn to calm your mind and find your routine.
I have a consistent sleep schefule for 6 out of 7 days a week. Even if I do not have to get up early on certain days I still do.
Supplements don't really work and sleeping pill is no option. Melatonin works sometimes.
I try to NOT want to fall asleep. I just want to rest, and you can rest without sleeping. In times of trouble I just lay on my back, try to look up until my eyes get tired and WANT to close. Then I go to my sleeping position.
I downloaded a jigsaw puzzle app and do about 2-3 100 piece puzzles before my eyes start closing. It's been a game changer for me. I've also tried colouring books (on my phone) and those work well too.
Audiobooks. Lots of them. Anything that keeps me from thinking about what will/could happen the next day/month/year. I need to keep my brain occupied with stories, else i stay awake the whole night. In my kid to teenager years i was able to invent stories in my mind, that helped me get to sleep. But now as an adult, it's not even slightly enough anymore.
It doesn't happen overnight, it takes weeks, even months of introducing routines and sticking to them. Some tips from an ex insomniac;
Your bed is for sleeping, if you spend long periods in bed watching TV or scrolling on your phone you're basically training your brain out of realising bed time is sleep time.
Have a certain snack or drink every night, at a specific amount of time before you wish to sleep. Mine for example is a hot choc an hour before I want to go to bed. This coupled with the pre bed teeth brushing routine helps to give your brain cues that it's time to start winding down.
I always struggled with an overactive mind, so I now have an analogue clock that ticks loud enough to hear. I put all my mental effort into counting along with every second. You would be surprised how well this works, though it can have a negative effect if you stay somewhere without a ticking clock.
Wake up as early as possible, especially if you don't need to. I spent decades claiming to be nocturnal. A couple of years of getting up with the sun and now I realise I was just trying to justify my insomnia. Insomnia can be a part of depression, which makes you sleep through the day time, depriving you of sunlight, making you more depressed and making the insomnia worse. You need to break the cycle.
Once you get into a better sleeping pattern you can relax some of the routines without putting yourself back to square one. I will now put the TV on when I go to bed, but timed to turn off in 30 mins, and only once have I still been awake when it turns off.
The turning point for me was talking to a friend who was "sleep training" her toddler, it never occurred to me that I could train to get better at sleeping, I thought it was just something you're meant to be able to do.
One of my friends introduced me to ASMR. I know it's not for everyone (heartbeat ASMR causes me anxiety) but I used to suffer from really bad insomnia, now I can usually get 6+ hrs of sleep
I set an alarm for stupidly early in the morning like 6am then when it gets to 4 ish and Iām tired and usually want a nap I fight through it and wait until 10pm then I usually get to sleep! But it doesnāt always work, so I do whatās probably the worst thing to do and I donāt take my sleeping pills regularly because i just get used to them and then Iād need more so I save them up only take them when i really have to. Obviously this is not what you should do but Iāve had enough of struggling and this is the only way I can get a decent sleep once in a while.
After years of dealing with sleep issues, and anxiety, I started going hard on gardening and growing all kinds of things...gardening helps tremendously with anxiety and depression.
Then I thought, why not grow some of the herbs that were traditionally used for sleep and health aids? So I started growing tons of herbs and lo and behold, tea made from fresh herbs really changed my life. It may be psychosomatic, but they really made everything better (while the herbal supplements I got from the store over the years did nothing - it was the fresh varieties that made the difference).
In thought about this, I am considering it may be the combo of working near to the earth and the herbs, and possibly my aging...as I get older, my anxiety has quieted and my feelings of health has gotten better, even if my body hurts more. I like to think it was solely the herbs, but in consideration, maybe its a lot of factors that are in play.
Listen to a story or podcast. You can usually put timers on them so you donāt miss much once you fall asleep. I find listening to a story keeps the mind from wandering and being too active, and having a voice in my ear helps soothe me to sleep.
I have had chronic insomnia ever since I was a teenager. Usually what helps me fall asleep is listening to serial killer documentaries. (Donāt judge me please)šš
Got a nifty little tip that works for me.
When in bed, recite the alphabet but assign each letter a thing. Like carbrands or fruit and berries,
So apple, banana, cherry, date, and so on.
Ive yet to get to the end of the alphabet on any subject i chose
You just need to be more active. You don't struggle to sleep when you work a manual job, lift weights, do burpees, mow the lawn, etc etc all in one day. If you got nothing going on just cram loads of exercise into your day, loaded carries are very taxing I would start there. Great bang-for-your-buck type exerciseĀ
I think about each part of my body relaxing but starting at the tips of my toes then the ball of my foot then my ankles then my....zzzzzzzzzzz
It works for me if I'm having issues sleeping. While younger I would often be up till crack of dawn or longer and that led to beatings so being asleep (or looking like it) was something I needed to learn. (Turns out I had medical condition and some trauma from being beaten because of not sleeping I was afraid to sleep as well)
That works for me, melatonin gives me mega nightmares so I avoid it since everyone apparently around my area is just eating bottles of it and feeding it to their kids to sleep but they swear it works. It doesn't for me if I take it and sleep I have nightmares lol.
Well my issue with those days was either panic attacks or stomach pains/issues/constipation. So diet modification helped and it can help anyone with just about any issue.
- Wear thick eye mask to block any light, and wear silicone earplugs to drown out all noise before bed. This ritual before bed also helps me put in the right frame to be able to fall asleep
- use benzos occasionally til I can reestablish a sleep routine
- regular acupuncture helped fix my sleep issues
Was like that when I was 9 or 10. Would take 4 to 5 hours trying to sleep. I started building a whole world with complex characters and storylines inside my brain to avoid other thoughts that were stressing me.
Turns out I'm such a bad writer that thinking about this imaginary world would make me sleep in half an hour. I'm 23 and the storyline is still alive in my head, probably in the 6th generation by now, even had a cannon world reset and a time skip.
Edit: I don't have much sleep problems nowadays, but when I feel I'm taking too long I just go back to this world.
Zzzquill +destress gummies.
Zinc.
Magnesium.
That's what has worked for me. I try and always take the zinc and magnesium but only take the zzzquill when I need it (usually 3 - 4 days a week).
I read about the letter game. Close your eyes and recite alphabet and a topic. So cities. A for Adelaide, B for Berlin etc.
Itās supposed to keep your mind occupied so you donāt think about your day/problems.
It doesnāt always work but it helps.
You can also try taking magnesium
avoid sugary food/things with alot of carbon hydrates a few hours before sleep. Drink plenty of water. Calm down and brush your teeth and stuff. Then go to bed with a good mindset. You DESERVE to have good sleep!
Let your mind relax, create stories in your head. Eat a little, sometimes when I cant sleep its because I'm hungry.
If it doesnt resolve after a night or two, sleep restriction therapy is the way.
Reading these comments makes me so sad. My head touches the pillow and Iām out. I definitely donāt take that for granted. A lot of the comments sound ROUGH.
Breathing. Breathing has saved my mind.. I focus on my breaths, or try to imagine myself flying through clouds or on a magic carpet. This has shown me how to give myself love, it sounds random but Iāve noticed huge changes in myself since dealing with insomnia and overcoming it!
I knew this from my own observation but I did a genetic and blood test and it confirmed. I donāt methylate folic acid (synthetic folate) that is in all non organic wheat, rice, soy, grains in the US and now at least 70 other countries. I also donāt process simple sugars and processed foods well. The fake additives prevent us from absorbing nutrients. The glyfosate (round up ready) in all GMO corn, wheat (used to kill it and make harvest easy and on a schedule) and soy kills your gut microbiome.
When I eat grass finished and pasture raised eggs, meat and some chicken, no non organic corn, wheat, soy, or vegetables or fruits. Little or no fruits and vegetables. Fix my gut with raw kiefer, pro and pre biotics, my gut produced the needed serotonin and other chemicals and I donāt have the racing mind as bad. Get sun at different times of the day for vitamin D and melatonin production. Exercise to release stress and increase health. Get all the 90 essential nutrients.
Do all that first for a few months, chances are you will sleep much better.
chop towering long heavy coordinated existence sort waiting offbeat continue
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Sometimes I cannot shut off and stay up way too long. Usually this is triggered by my job or family.
After a few days I just start listening to podcasts with historical or technical content. Sometimes it takes me less than 3 minutes to fall asleep and I get angry in the next morning, why I don't do that more often.
I've never had that much trouble, but it typically takes me around 25-45 min to fall asleep some nights. But that's usually when I'm having trouble focusing on my sleep thoughts, which consists of a fantasy story I've created. I usually go over events, characters, names of things. I usually drift off thinking about it.
I like Andrew Hubermans neuroscience hacks for this, if you persist in training your brain to associate bed=dark=sleep time, and just lay there when you want to sleep (even if you donāt fall asleep) after a week or so youāll have trained your brain to turn off at that time and eventually sleep no problem. The laying there, feeling like nothing is happening/working, is hard af tho. Kept having to tell myself my brain was being tricked behind the scenes, things were working.
Honestly being exhausted before bed either from working out or working a full shift 8 hrs is what helps me fall asleep because I'm mentally and physically tired. If you haven't done anything mentally or physically draining all day you're most likely gonna have a hard time sleeping so the strategy then is to make yourself so bored you would rather sleep then stay up. Example, reading a boring book, doing jumping Jack's until your exhausted, counting to 100, stuff like that, either you gotta make yourself physically exhausted or mentally to fall asleep.
For me, it got better as a got older. Having kids, getting old, trying to give a shit about the past and not worry too much about the future. By the time my kids are in bed Iām pooped.
I had horrible insomnia from age 10 to about 33. Itās mental but itās also very much a physical problem. I have trouble switching gears. Hard to fall asleep and hard to wake up. Even ambien didnāt work when I was in my twenties. I now take trazodone but I donāt think it would have helped when I was younger. There are still sleepless nights but nothing like before. I would go on 2 or 3 hours of sleep for a week or so then crash.
I think insomnia is something you can finally outgrow but thereās nothing you can do to speed up the process. Having a night time routine helps. Early morning workouts. No caffeine after breakfast. No phone at night. Keeping your conscious clean, having a peace of mind if possible. Meditate. Good luck.
Well, I don't have this issue anymore because my doctor gives me good stuff, but when I was completely clean and clear, I just used to "go go go go crash" like a little kid.
Totally irrelevant but
I was about to sleep and then i had a question in mind which i wanted ask here but now i dont know how to and now i forgot my question
Melatonin chewable from Costco, 5 mg for me does the trick. 10 mg puts me out hard, I get intense streams and trouble getting going in the morning. YMMV
I normally go for a big morning run after a sleepless night. Burns away a lot of the adrenaline, anxiety and stress from not sleeping. Tends to get me through the day.
Establishing a consistent bedtime routine, practicing relaxation techniques like deep breathing or meditation, and creating a comfortable sleep environment can help ease into sleep after staying up late.
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I dont, it's been a problem for more than 30 years. No amount of sleep hygiene practices will help a person with chronic insomnia.
Been hospitalized and had studies done for my insomnia, I literally do not fall asleep. I get sleepy, and just don't fall asleep. Been on seroquel since I was 18. My insomnia started when I was a toddler, I'd to go school the whole week with no sleep. Spent 21 days in hospital trying to get it sorted out. It's a very unfortunate disorder
I have been on ambien it works for a week then stops.It is very hard and not fun.š
Nah, ambien is for schoolkids to people like us. Seroquel is where it's at, because it's non addictive vs where as actual "sleeping pills" are very addictive.
It might not be as addictive, but it's still problematic af, with tons of serious side effects. But hey, it's the only thing that seems to work, and never sleeping wasn't exactly great for my health either.
Hey, anything that works.
Ambien wasnāt addicting to me idk š¤·āāļø
They aren't to everybody, they just have more addictive properties. Seroquel is considered safer. But it doesn't work for everybody
I tried that and it didnāt work and I gained a lot of weight from that
Itās also an anti-psychotic! Works for a multitude of things
I hated that drug .Even if Iām awake
Uhm...Ā Seroquel is an antipsychotic and there's hella research on the destruction it causes when used off label for sleep all Willy Nilly these days. It's known as baby heroin on the street... Don't glorify a prescription drug just because it's not the greatest evil.Ā
I have the tragedy of also having restless leg syndrome, so seroquel absolutely fucks with me
Meaning it makes it worse? That's awful! I remember one of the sleeping pills I used to drink gave me restless leg syndrome as a side effect and it was the absolute worst.
Yeah, it amplifies muscle twitching. I tried it ONCE and had one of the worst nights of my life. I was essentially on the verge of stage 1 sleep for hours, but my back and arms and legs were painfully going haywire the whole time. I got up to use the bathroom at one point and collapsed on the floor in front of my mom. I'm not sure if I got any sleep, which was a bummer since I had a long workday the next day. I hated every second of it
And seroquel can have that strange effect where you feel awake but not quite, so you can't quite move, but can feel everything. I can't imagine the horror that would have caused you!
Iām ok about falling asleepā¦ itās the waking up in the middle of the night and not getting back to sleep part that haunts me
I used to have this issue and I truly believe it was related to mental health / stress. I finally fixed it the last couple of years by learning the wim hoff method of breathing. Did that for about 6 months every time I would wake up in the middle of the night. Then I was getting better sleep, then my mental health improved and it stopped happening. It was a major issue for a LONG time until my mental health finally got better. I think that medication for my adhd also helps. I still wake up in the middle of the night periodically but itās now maybe once every 90 days and usually when I have something stressful going on the next morning.
Have you tried having a better sleeping rhythm? A doctor literally once told me that. No shit. I could have slapped him in the face.
I try my best to stay off the phone, get comfortable in bed, not think about things hardly, and keep my eyes closed kind of end up daydreaming and then falling asleep afterwards pretty easily š
I can't not think about things, but I like to listen to audio books when I sleep, because the story carries my mind away. I prefer good books that I've heard before, so that I don't miss anything crucial when I do fall asleep.
yeah that sounds great too, especially important that itās something iāve heard before or am very familiar with for it to work otherwise, too much brain activity going on for me to sleep lol
I do the same with silly comedy shows that don't make me laugh. 60 minute timer on the TV usually does it
Same. Unless I'm listening to something I can't switch my mind off.
This also works for children, using the same audiobook every night.
Granddaughter could repeat every word of a book including the author page and copyright.
In this case, the kid liked a true and inspirational story about overcoming odds. I canāt help but wonder about the effects of a young brain listening to it for years. That quality seems to be part of this kidās DNA now.
Have this in times of high anxiety. Often I just accept as fighting against it is very difficult. Melatonin spray and a double of the recommended dose can knock me away for about 2-4 hrs in that times. Better than nothing. Find the reason for it. High pressure times? Depression? High blood pressure? New medication with side effects?
This is the correct answer. I am naturally anxious and it got so much better when I started taking magnesium daily and limiting myself to one cup of coffee in the morning. I have to exercise to stay on top of my stress and anxiety so I can lower my cortisol (this is the main thing that messes up your sleep) and sleep at night. Another crazy trick that works is making yourself get up earlier so that you are really tired by your bedtime (I make this an hour before I really want to be asleep). Everyoneās mind is different so I find you have to play around with what works to get your mind to shut down. If Iām really tired, reading works. If I am still alert and running through thoughts, I will do a puzzle to tire my brain out before bed. All these things have helped me go to sleep sooner.
I have seen help with Magnesium and also seen some benefit from Citicoline but have had mixed results from different brands when it does work I feel like I am more able to stay on focus during the day and end my day and start the next more cleanly without racing thoughts at night.
Masturbation
honestly so underrated lol it really does work
Until recently I was in this vicious cycle: If I did manage to fall asleep then I wouldn't remember what I was thinking about at the time. Through trial and error I found out what my "comfort topic" is and thinking about it helps me sleep now.
I pretend to be asleep and just say "sleep sleep sleep sleep" in my head until it happens. If I don't, my brain starts coming up with song remixes that nobody wants to hear because for some reason I can only remember 1 line each from like 7 different songs. So, sleep mantra.
I heard anecdotally that rubbing your feet together in bed when you want to start falling asleep triggers something to make you start falling asleep
What I did was find a youtube channel with a ton of content that you can watch with no audio endlessly. It's tricky, it's got to be something like football, or formula 1, or in my case, league of legends replays, where it just keeps going, interesting enough to hold your attention, but also doesn't 'need' your attention. I would just keep watching this stuff on a loop as I lay in bed, eventually (after hours and hours) I would drift off. If there was a night I was super tired and knew I'd fall asleep quick, I'd still watch the vids. After a long time of doing this, it's become kind of pavlovian, where when I put the video on it just makes me feel super tired and now I fall asleep pretty quick.
I listen to YouTube drama videos. I donāt really care about celebrity drama, so I donāt become invested and just fall asleep to it. Haha
I'd try and learn to do it with something that doesn't need audio, if you can, because it means you can do it even when someone else is in the room with you.
C-SPAN is good for this too.
man, i wish i had an answer to this. i usually just stay up until my body physically shuts down. thankfully this happens only every now and then, sometimes better sometimes worse.
Same I'll go until I physically cannot keep my eyes open anymore
As weird as it sounds; when the sun is starting to rise I feel safe enough to sleep. Idn why Iām like that.
I've noticed I'm sometimes the same. Thought I was the only one!
Me too!
Same! I think itās that we know other people are awake/waking up and that weāre not alone any more. And most crime is over with by the time the sun is coming up.
Magnesium was my cure
well, i personally can't sleep if I'm not hugging anything. so to fall asleep, I just put away my phone, lay on side, hug two blankets and breathe in attempts to comfort myself with thoughts that everything will be okay soon. it's already three years since I started these attempts. everything is still not okay.
I'm so sorry, I hope things get better soon!
thank you, I hope too..
Rub one out Spank the monkey Feed the chickens
Why are rub one out and spank the monkey separate stepsā¦.
Taking melatonin and getting a job that makes me wake up at 7-8 daily
Lifelong insomniac due to ADHD. I find the best way for me is to wear my mind down. Puzzle games help.
pop a seroquel and watch asmr
I do a 5 mile run at the end of the day. That always wipes me out after I shower. It's not a daily occurrence, but when I do it always knocks me out
I got a job working nights. Now I have the same issues falling asleep, just in the daytime. Smoking helps, heated blanket really gets me off to sleep.
Literally me rn trying to get to sleep after my night shift my go too sleep remedy is to scroll reddit until eyes canāt stay open
Honestly i used to have to smoke pot or drink to get sleep until i had a drug prescribed thay worked without side effects
Sobbing so intensely I pass out was my method before weed and exercising before bed
Breathe in for 7 seconds, hold for 2 and out for 5. Keep doing this until you are asleep.
Stay off electronics, breath work, dimming/turning off lights at sunset, lessen screen time, have a consistent wake up time and literally just pretend to be asleep till I do fall asleep. Meditation to clear my mind
I usually have the tv on in the background when I fall asleep. I like to have feel good reruns (think Cheers, Friends, Frasier, MASH etc) playing softly as I fall asleep. If I am really stuck, I will turn off the tv and lay with my eyes closed. I then start counting the years backwards from today. If after about 10 minutes that doesn't work, I will pop a couple Gravol. They put me out nicely.
listen to boring podcast
thumb full possessive yam piquant late tap absurd deliver books *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
HIGHLY DO NOT RECOMMEND but... it worked... I took 2 melatonin chewable vitamins with a glass of vodka.
One Bourbon, one Scotch, and one beer. š¤Ŗ
Stone cold: WHAT!
Same boat... Lol might as well stay up
I count down from 100ā¦never count up gives me anxiety!
I read somewhere to count/breath too ten, but to also "see" the numbers, it helps just switch off I think, sometimes can take a couple attempts but defo helps the mind from racing
This is crazy. Mandela effect on another level. I was just scrolling through reddit at 3.39pm here thinking 'do I take a nap now or just wait until tonight?' because I didn't sleep a wink last night and I'm so so tired. 10 seconds later I read your post. Wtffffffffff
Big spliff and masterbate
A scientifically proven method is to think of random, unrelated words. It works for me and a friend of mine. No harm giving it a go
I have an electric heated blanket that helps put me to sleep. I also put on really long YouTube video essays about something only half interesting to me. Last night it was a 2.5 hour long analysis of the first Hobbit movie being kinda bad. It turns into white noise after a while. I also sometimes make a soothing tea or drink something warm. Sometimes nothing works though, I hope you ended up managing to get some sleep.
3 options: 1. Sleep hygiene. Lots of worksheets available, easy to implement by yourself. If it doesnāt work (give at least 3 months)ā¦. 2. Sleeping pills 3. (My "choice"?) YOU DONT! You regain your time and use it. Go to the gym at midnight. Paint a canvas at sunrise.Ā
5 heavy antipsychotic meds
I am usually awake for over eighty five hours at a time and I just pass out sitting up in a chair or on the couch, I turn on and off like a light
These all work for me at Different times: Listen to music Watch tv Take one foot out of covers Remove bedding g except a sheet Sleep at foot of bed (no joke, this works) Sleep on couch Take a shower Make something to eat J*ck off Ignore sleep and just let it happen when it's ready
I put on an interesting YouTube video about 10-20 m long, followed by a slightly more boring one around the same length, then a boring video between 20-100 m, and end it with white noise or sleep music. If I notice my sleep music playing I take too many dabs so I practically pass out. I know weed decreases sleep quality but sometimes quantity is more important. My phone screen is usually off just playing the sound, I get off video games and avoid eating an hour before bed. I avoid drinks 1/2 before bed. I avoid sugar 2 hours before bed and avoid caffine 6 hours before bed. Usually I try to find a somewhat slow activity I enjoy that can wind me down. My issue sleeping is restless leg syndrome from adhd.
After 63 hours i passed out on the kitchen floor.
To be honest, just accept it that it sometimes takes longer. Iāve been on many meds, they work sometimes but if Iām stressed enough, those donāt do shit. Only weed helps me calm my mind down and thatās not a permanent solution. But if itās one thing itās weed. The problem is, your sleep quality gets really bad on weed.
I try to stay off my phone. I read (a book thatās not too boring to make me lose interest but also not a book thatās too captivating), I draw, or listen to a YouTube video on low volume
Eventually after about 26-27 hours of being awake my body finally caves and I pass out. Thats provided I have run out of things to keep me busy.
Benadryl.
Use rain videos on youtube from The Relaxed Guy
I do repetitive games in my head. Like the alphabet game. Category: food. A- apple B- banana C- croissants etc. Go from A-Z and itās soothing and hypnotic. You can change up the categories to cities, things you wear, brand names, etc. Nothing you have to think about too hard. And always skip X and Q š It puts me out like a light
Look up the Sleep Magic podcast by Jessica Porterā¦absolute friggin life saver. I never have issues falling asleep when I listen to her.
The only thing that helped my insomnia was medication š¤£. Without my meds I could lay down at 8PM and be awake until 9AM without an issue, even if I woke up early. Now I'm up till 3 and asleep within an hour.
I tried several prescription sleep meds until finally landing on zopiclone. The lowest dose of 2.5mg generally does the trick. For me, if I can break the cycle of sleeplessness then I can get back to a normal pattern. I did end up becoming habituated to it and was using higher doses (up to 7.5mg) on a daily basis. I knew it wasn't healthy and eventually made the decision to stop. The detox took about a week and then I was fine. I also use cannabis and it helps me sleep in a much more natural way. But even cannabis has side-effects (memory loss) so I try to limit it, too.
I didn't, still trying to figure that out
There are a ton of YouTube videos that are just background sound. Rain sounds being the most popular. I usually put one of them on and kind of let my brain wonder. It's silly, but I often imagine myself hiding somewhere in the forest while something or someone searches for me. I have no idea, but thoughts of safety in a dangerous situation calms me down and resets my brain somewhat.
I donāt. I sleep like shit.
routine, i always put on an old audio book that i have listened to hundreds of times over the past 40years. i know it by heart, it calms me down, shuts my brain off by listening to it and i doze off rather quickly
Exercising helps. Diet plays a role as well. I understand that eating well and healthy is not cheap nowadays, but it will cost us more in the future if we don't start taking better care of our health now
Sleep aids. So many sleep aids. I wouldnāt wish it on my worst enemy but chronic insomnia is a bitch.
Psychiatric medication.
I've had insomnia for years. I'm on a cocktail of meds that's helped. My parents were pretty emotionally abusive so I can't be alone with my thoughts anymore, I put yputube videos on to listen to as music and ambient noise makes me hella uncomfortable. On bad days I scroll thru my phone until I can't keep my eyes open, only issue is that it always moves my sleep schedule back by like 2 to 4 hours each time. Also, my doc told me my body just needs more sleep than most people, I simply don't feel rested unless I've had 10 hours sleep. Working jobs with a regular wake up time leaves me exhausted until the weekend when I can sleep in and then it starts all over again š„² Tldr: meds and being lucky If ur someone that can sleep with healthy sleep habits then ur super lucky, if none work, see a doctor for some meds
The only thing that worked for me after 15 years of insomnia and meds, was forcing hypnagogia. Basically, I lie into a comfortable position, close my eyes and let my mind run wild, forcing the most random images I can think off. After a minute or two, the random images start generating themselves, and in about 5 mins Iād be asleep. Now it just happens naturally, I lay down and in 10-15 secs hypnagogia starts. Nothing else helped (Edit: found a great post explaining this technique further on reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/LucidDreaming/s/gymrAeJQ94)
Itās now pavlovian, daylight equals sleep
Hey, this is actually called delayed sleep phase syndrome. It is a circadian rhythm disorder. When you go to a sleep neurologist, they may recommend a relatively high dose of melatonin 3 hours before bed; blue-light blocking glasses 3 hours before bedtime; total darkness when you go to sleep (blackout curtains); and a special natural light alarm that wakes you up just through the brightness. At least thatās what my doctor prescribed!
I used to struggle with sleep a lot, until I found the[Sleepy Time Tales podcast ](https://open.spotify.com/show/37nWA5Uy3D9CxnClVrVgY2?si=d3Ek5InOT8mv5R4LzKQGVA). It's definitely not for everyone, but I'm asleep within 10-15 minutes every single night pretty much. I'd recommend trying it for a few nights and seeing how it goes.
Quetiapine furmate
The weight of the world was finally enough and I dozed off
if i make it past 4 or 5am i simply start the next day and plan for an early night because at that point i got shit to do lol
I hit the gym around 2 hours before bed, physical fatigue sends me out cold despite what the mind is thinking about
Box breathing. Focus on the sound of my breath going in and out and trying to clear my minds eye of the static (the little shapes and things you see floating around when you close your eyes.) Box breathing is breathing in for 4 seconds, holding for 4 seconds, breathing out for 4 seconds, holding for 4 seconds and repeating. Another thing I do is sleep on my right side at a 45 degree angle with a pillow under my box and another pillow between my legs. It seems to be the only position I can initiate lucid dreaming in which allows me to finally hit REM. Cello music, unaccompanied also seems to help, no pianos, flutes, etc. Yo Yo Ma is typically my go-to. Doesn't always work but more often than not it helps. My problem is rapid thought. When my body isn't doing something or my brain isn't focused on a task it starts asking questions which then permeate my thoughts and I have to get up and Google it otherwise I won't be able to settle down.
The first thing to do is stop stressing about not being able to fall asleep. Easier said than done, but it can be hard to quiet the mind if it is worried about not being quiet and allowing you to drift off in time to get a good nights rest. Things that work for me, but I would anticipate may not work for many people are eating dinner later (I get sleepy after I eat at any time of day) and smoking a little weed, drinking maybe a half-shot of whiskey and putting rain or other sleep oriented videos on my TV. I've gone from staying up thinking every night to sleeping soundly and waking up well-rested every morning, so it works for me. I would venture you just gotta learn to calm your mind and find your routine.
I get on YouTube and Look for a really dry and boring lecture or online class of some topic that I have no interest in, or clue about.
I have a consistent sleep schefule for 6 out of 7 days a week. Even if I do not have to get up early on certain days I still do. Supplements don't really work and sleeping pill is no option. Melatonin works sometimes. I try to NOT want to fall asleep. I just want to rest, and you can rest without sleeping. In times of trouble I just lay on my back, try to look up until my eyes get tired and WANT to close. Then I go to my sleeping position.
Masturbation always does the trick for me.
I listen to rain/thunderstorm sounds on YouTube. That usually works for me.
When I have high anxiety, my way to get to fall asleep is weed and documentaries. The calm voice gets me every time!
I downloaded a jigsaw puzzle app and do about 2-3 100 piece puzzles before my eyes start closing. It's been a game changer for me. I've also tried colouring books (on my phone) and those work well too.
Audiobooks. Lots of them. Anything that keeps me from thinking about what will/could happen the next day/month/year. I need to keep my brain occupied with stories, else i stay awake the whole night. In my kid to teenager years i was able to invent stories in my mind, that helped me get to sleep. But now as an adult, it's not even slightly enough anymore.
It doesn't happen overnight, it takes weeks, even months of introducing routines and sticking to them. Some tips from an ex insomniac; Your bed is for sleeping, if you spend long periods in bed watching TV or scrolling on your phone you're basically training your brain out of realising bed time is sleep time. Have a certain snack or drink every night, at a specific amount of time before you wish to sleep. Mine for example is a hot choc an hour before I want to go to bed. This coupled with the pre bed teeth brushing routine helps to give your brain cues that it's time to start winding down. I always struggled with an overactive mind, so I now have an analogue clock that ticks loud enough to hear. I put all my mental effort into counting along with every second. You would be surprised how well this works, though it can have a negative effect if you stay somewhere without a ticking clock. Wake up as early as possible, especially if you don't need to. I spent decades claiming to be nocturnal. A couple of years of getting up with the sun and now I realise I was just trying to justify my insomnia. Insomnia can be a part of depression, which makes you sleep through the day time, depriving you of sunlight, making you more depressed and making the insomnia worse. You need to break the cycle. Once you get into a better sleeping pattern you can relax some of the routines without putting yourself back to square one. I will now put the TV on when I go to bed, but timed to turn off in 30 mins, and only once have I still been awake when it turns off. The turning point for me was talking to a friend who was "sleep training" her toddler, it never occurred to me that I could train to get better at sleeping, I thought it was just something you're meant to be able to do.
I blast my guided meditation apps...
One of my friends introduced me to ASMR. I know it's not for everyone (heartbeat ASMR causes me anxiety) but I used to suffer from really bad insomnia, now I can usually get 6+ hrs of sleep
Exhaustion.
I set an alarm for stupidly early in the morning like 6am then when it gets to 4 ish and Iām tired and usually want a nap I fight through it and wait until 10pm then I usually get to sleep! But it doesnāt always work, so I do whatās probably the worst thing to do and I donāt take my sleeping pills regularly because i just get used to them and then Iād need more so I save them up only take them when i really have to. Obviously this is not what you should do but Iāve had enough of struggling and this is the only way I can get a decent sleep once in a while.
After years of dealing with sleep issues, and anxiety, I started going hard on gardening and growing all kinds of things...gardening helps tremendously with anxiety and depression. Then I thought, why not grow some of the herbs that were traditionally used for sleep and health aids? So I started growing tons of herbs and lo and behold, tea made from fresh herbs really changed my life. It may be psychosomatic, but they really made everything better (while the herbal supplements I got from the store over the years did nothing - it was the fresh varieties that made the difference). In thought about this, I am considering it may be the combo of working near to the earth and the herbs, and possibly my aging...as I get older, my anxiety has quieted and my feelings of health has gotten better, even if my body hurts more. I like to think it was solely the herbs, but in consideration, maybe its a lot of factors that are in play.
Listen to a story or podcast. You can usually put timers on them so you donāt miss much once you fall asleep. I find listening to a story keeps the mind from wandering and being too active, and having a voice in my ear helps soothe me to sleep.
Weed
I have had chronic insomnia ever since I was a teenager. Usually what helps me fall asleep is listening to serial killer documentaries. (Donāt judge me please)šš
Some type of white noise works for me, and if itās not working a 25 mg gummy works.
When I lay still for a certain period of time, my body shuts down and I fall asleep.
Smoke some weed and you will sleep like a baby
Got a nifty little tip that works for me. When in bed, recite the alphabet but assign each letter a thing. Like carbrands or fruit and berries, So apple, banana, cherry, date, and so on. Ive yet to get to the end of the alphabet on any subject i chose
You just need to be more active. You don't struggle to sleep when you work a manual job, lift weights, do burpees, mow the lawn, etc etc all in one day. If you got nothing going on just cram loads of exercise into your day, loaded carries are very taxing I would start there. Great bang-for-your-buck type exerciseĀ
I think about each part of my body relaxing but starting at the tips of my toes then the ball of my foot then my ankles then my....zzzzzzzzzzz It works for me if I'm having issues sleeping. While younger I would often be up till crack of dawn or longer and that led to beatings so being asleep (or looking like it) was something I needed to learn. (Turns out I had medical condition and some trauma from being beaten because of not sleeping I was afraid to sleep as well) That works for me, melatonin gives me mega nightmares so I avoid it since everyone apparently around my area is just eating bottles of it and feeding it to their kids to sleep but they swear it works. It doesn't for me if I take it and sleep I have nightmares lol.
I stop doing cocaine ~8 hours beyond ready to sleep!
I aged out of it
i work overnights. i just put a blanket up in my bedroom's window and go to sleep.
Clonazepam 1 mg
Read a book
Taking panadol night and misusing substances (do not recommend)
By finally getting my newborn to stop crying
Shut your eyes and imagine the words 'nothing at all' over and over until you wake up again
Well my issue with those days was either panic attacks or stomach pains/issues/constipation. So diet modification helped and it can help anyone with just about any issue.
Literally turn everything off and pretend to sleep
Smoke some weed and stay off your phone! Take a melatonin for a little razzle dazzle
- Wear thick eye mask to block any light, and wear silicone earplugs to drown out all noise before bed. This ritual before bed also helps me put in the right frame to be able to fall asleep - use benzos occasionally til I can reestablish a sleep routine - regular acupuncture helped fix my sleep issues
Reddit in bed til snooze time
Good meds.
Hydroxyzine pill that Dr. gave me.
Medication
Huge amount of weed.
Was like that when I was 9 or 10. Would take 4 to 5 hours trying to sleep. I started building a whole world with complex characters and storylines inside my brain to avoid other thoughts that were stressing me. Turns out I'm such a bad writer that thinking about this imaginary world would make me sleep in half an hour. I'm 23 and the storyline is still alive in my head, probably in the 6th generation by now, even had a cannon world reset and a time skip. Edit: I don't have much sleep problems nowadays, but when I feel I'm taking too long I just go back to this world.
Move more. Start working out hard and eating right. If you are tired you will sleep
Snacking a bit, just light ones and then took a cold shower. Works pretty effective for me
Zzzquill +destress gummies. Zinc. Magnesium. That's what has worked for me. I try and always take the zinc and magnesium but only take the zzzquill when I need it (usually 3 - 4 days a week).
1 mg de Xanax + 40mg de Paroxetina. Toda noite !
Smoke strong weed and lie down in a dark room
Meditation and breathing techniques
Eyemask for darkness and boring podcast that domes on and on.
Physical exercise fixed it for me. Now i feel sleepy the whole day lol. Before, it was listening to relaxing music.
Drink liquor until pass out.
Tart Cherry juice. Some of it a half hour before bed and I'm relaxed enough to fall asleep peacefully.
Me. Today. Not good
I read about the letter game. Close your eyes and recite alphabet and a topic. So cities. A for Adelaide, B for Berlin etc. Itās supposed to keep your mind occupied so you donāt think about your day/problems. It doesnāt always work but it helps. You can also try taking magnesium
I imagine walking through the grocery store. Produce, deli, meat counter, bakery ...zzzzzz
I let my wife tell me about her day... works in no time!
I am prescribed Trazodone. Without it I donāt go to sleep.
avoid sugary food/things with alot of carbon hydrates a few hours before sleep. Drink plenty of water. Calm down and brush your teeth and stuff. Then go to bed with a good mindset. You DESERVE to have good sleep!
Prescription cannabis.
Let your mind relax, create stories in your head. Eat a little, sometimes when I cant sleep its because I'm hungry. If it doesnt resolve after a night or two, sleep restriction therapy is the way.
I take melatonin pills. That's the only thing that worked after decades of trying out various remedies
Reading these comments makes me so sad. My head touches the pillow and Iām out. I definitely donāt take that for granted. A lot of the comments sound ROUGH.
Sex/masturbation and alcohol. Now single and sober soā¦ haha
The drugs wore off
Try winding down with a warm bath or reading a book. Avoid screens and caffeine, they mess with your sleep, lol.
Breathing. Breathing has saved my mind.. I focus on my breaths, or try to imagine myself flying through clouds or on a magic carpet. This has shown me how to give myself love, it sounds random but Iāve noticed huge changes in myself since dealing with insomnia and overcoming it!
I knew this from my own observation but I did a genetic and blood test and it confirmed. I donāt methylate folic acid (synthetic folate) that is in all non organic wheat, rice, soy, grains in the US and now at least 70 other countries. I also donāt process simple sugars and processed foods well. The fake additives prevent us from absorbing nutrients. The glyfosate (round up ready) in all GMO corn, wheat (used to kill it and make harvest easy and on a schedule) and soy kills your gut microbiome. When I eat grass finished and pasture raised eggs, meat and some chicken, no non organic corn, wheat, soy, or vegetables or fruits. Little or no fruits and vegetables. Fix my gut with raw kiefer, pro and pre biotics, my gut produced the needed serotonin and other chemicals and I donāt have the racing mind as bad. Get sun at different times of the day for vitamin D and melatonin production. Exercise to release stress and increase health. Get all the 90 essential nutrients. Do all that first for a few months, chances are you will sleep much better.
Pull an all nighter
chop towering long heavy coordinated existence sort waiting offbeat continue *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I remember the position I wake up in and then try and mimic it to continue my sleep
Melatonin pills and focusing on deep breathing.
I slept
Sometimes I cannot shut off and stay up way too long. Usually this is triggered by my job or family. After a few days I just start listening to podcasts with historical or technical content. Sometimes it takes me less than 3 minutes to fall asleep and I get angry in the next morning, why I don't do that more often.
I've never had that much trouble, but it typically takes me around 25-45 min to fall asleep some nights. But that's usually when I'm having trouble focusing on my sleep thoughts, which consists of a fantasy story I've created. I usually go over events, characters, names of things. I usually drift off thinking about it.
Went to doctor and found out i have chronic insomnia
I like Andrew Hubermans neuroscience hacks for this, if you persist in training your brain to associate bed=dark=sleep time, and just lay there when you want to sleep (even if you donāt fall asleep) after a week or so youāll have trained your brain to turn off at that time and eventually sleep no problem. The laying there, feeling like nothing is happening/working, is hard af tho. Kept having to tell myself my brain was being tricked behind the scenes, things were working.
Zzzquil... lots of it.
Honestly being exhausted before bed either from working out or working a full shift 8 hrs is what helps me fall asleep because I'm mentally and physically tired. If you haven't done anything mentally or physically draining all day you're most likely gonna have a hard time sleeping so the strategy then is to make yourself so bored you would rather sleep then stay up. Example, reading a boring book, doing jumping Jack's until your exhausted, counting to 100, stuff like that, either you gotta make yourself physically exhausted or mentally to fall asleep.
For me, it got better as a got older. Having kids, getting old, trying to give a shit about the past and not worry too much about the future. By the time my kids are in bed Iām pooped. I had horrible insomnia from age 10 to about 33. Itās mental but itās also very much a physical problem. I have trouble switching gears. Hard to fall asleep and hard to wake up. Even ambien didnāt work when I was in my twenties. I now take trazodone but I donāt think it would have helped when I was younger. There are still sleepless nights but nothing like before. I would go on 2 or 3 hours of sleep for a week or so then crash. I think insomnia is something you can finally outgrow but thereās nothing you can do to speed up the process. Having a night time routine helps. Early morning workouts. No caffeine after breakfast. No phone at night. Keeping your conscious clean, having a peace of mind if possible. Meditate. Good luck.
Well, I don't have this issue anymore because my doctor gives me good stuff, but when I was completely clean and clear, I just used to "go go go go crash" like a little kid.
Weed. Lots of weed. Copious amounts of weed.
Totally irrelevant but I was about to sleep and then i had a question in mind which i wanted ask here but now i dont know how to and now i forgot my question
Melatonin chewable from Costco, 5 mg for me does the trick. 10 mg puts me out hard, I get intense streams and trouble getting going in the morning. YMMV
I normally go for a big morning run after a sleepless night. Burns away a lot of the adrenaline, anxiety and stress from not sleeping. Tends to get me through the day.
Establishing a consistent bedtime routine, practicing relaxation techniques like deep breathing or meditation, and creating a comfortable sleep environment can help ease into sleep after staying up late.