Things that help you sleep

[Greenie]

Naps will only HELP if, it's 20 minutes. No longer, or shorter or otherwise it leaves you feeling worse then when you had started AND throws off your sleeping cycle :D

I usually refuse to take naps vehemently. Like... as if someone's offering me a glass of dirty water ^_^' This one crawled up on me lol.

 

[Touch of Insanity]

I usually refuse to take naps vehemently. Like... as if someone's offering me a glass of dirty water ^_^' This one crawled up on me lol.

Haha I'm actually the same way. It very rarely happens to me these days. I have to litterally be sitting and doing something to pass out doing said thing for me to nap XD

 

[ᴛᴏᴄᴋᴀ]

Sex, not an option for everyone but it certainly helps me fall asleep easier.

Putting a sport I hate on the TV, usually baseball or golf. Within minutes I'm out like a light.

Reading a book that's hard for me to get into. A good book will keep me up all night, but if I find one that I'm not so hot on, I usually fall asleep after reading a few pages.

 

[Kagayours]

Do you find the Melatonin pills addicting at all? I take trazodone to help with sleep, but it's very addicting and doesn't really help me get a 'good' nights sleep... I still feel super tired the next day. :/ I'm in desperate need of an alternative.

What I find really helps me sleep is a good hike during the day. Being able to both mentally and physically exercise like that helps lull me into a nice sleep. Also, ASMR.

I use a very small dose of melatonin, and, admittedly, I did use them more regularly than I probably should have (every night for a couple weeks or so), so I found them to be very mildly addictive at that point. It really wasn't too hard to break that addiction, though. I think the only reason I kept taking it for so long was because I needed a way of getting to bed early enough to get enough sleep before my early morning classes, and my body wasn't doing a good enough job of adjusting on its own. >_>

That being said! I've never had any other side effects from the melatonin. Like others have said, it's the same chemical that your brain naturally produces to fall asleep, so there's not much harm that can come from it. I just see it as a tiny little nudge to help get you in that direction if your brain's not producing enough of it to get you to sleep.

Oh, and I only started using them because my sleep schedule was way out-of-whack and I could never get to sleep at the right time -- and taking them for a week or two definitely helped that. Got me back on a regular cycle. ^^ I mean, I was still a bit too much of a night owl for the melatonin to help me get to bed early enough to get a good 8 hours before I had to get up at 6, but, you know. And if you're really worried about addiction, then try taking them only some nights of the week instead of all of them like I did. Oh, and start with a low dose. I never went any higher than 3mg and it worked pretty well for me. Although, you might need to go slightly higher depending on how bad your insomnia is. Just be sure to not go any higher than you really need.

 

[Sidhe]

I use a very small dose of melatonin, and, admittedly, I did use them more regularly than I probably should have (every night for a couple weeks or so), so I found them to be very mildly addictive at that point. It really wasn't too hard to break that addiction, though. I think the only reason I kept taking it for so long was because I needed a way of getting to bed early enough to get enough sleep before my early morning classes, and my body wasn't doing a good enough job of adjusting on its own. >_>

That being said! I've never had any other side effects from the melatonin. Like others have said, it's the same chemical that your brain naturally produces to fall asleep, so there's not much harm that can come from it. I just see it as a tiny little nudge to help get you in that direction if your brain's not producing enough of it to get you to sleep.

Oh, and I only started using them because my sleep schedule was way out-of-whack and I could never get to sleep at the right time -- and taking them for a week or two definitely helped that. Got me back on a regular cycle. ^^ I mean, I was still a bit too much of a night owl for the melatonin to help me get to bed early enough to get a good 8 hours before I had to get up at 6, but, you know. And if you're really worried about addiction, then try taking them only some nights of the week instead of all of them like I did. Oh, and start with a low dose. I never went any higher than 3mg and it worked pretty well for me. Although, you might need to go slightly higher depending on how bad your insomnia is. Just be sure to not go any higher than you really need.

Thank you! (and you, @John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt)

My insomnia is produced mainly by anxiety is my problem. D: I need something to make me drowsy enough to stop my mind from wondering or else I will never sleep. I know taking pills is kind of just masking the problem, but I am (or was... I need to see my therapist again) working on my anxiety outside of medication too. I would take Ativan but obviously I don't want to take that every day. I think I'll just have to make an appointment with my GP and see what she says about taking Melatonin nightly. Again, thank you for your help!

 

[Robeatics]

Read fanfics until I'm too tired to keep my eyes open.

 

[Shiri]

I put on a calming show or movie I've seen before. If that doesn't work, I break the taboo of bringing a tablet into bed and watch a couple Let's Plays. If that still doesn't work, then I need to move to my chair or floor because its a comfort issue. Sometimes my body doesn't want a soft bed. Its bizarre.

 

[Alan]

Cold weather is the big thing.

I just don't sleep very well in warmer weather.

 

[Kestrel]

In general, most people with sleeping problems treat their selves like shit. Either by not taking care of their selves physically or emotionally. I mean I understand being a lot of stress, but what I do not understand is not doing something about it when it's affecting your health. This isn't aimed at anyone in specific, but it's people giving up on their selves whereas the effort required to make a change in their life is in the not-that-long run substantially less than whatever their sleep shortage and stress levels are sapping from them. That's just utter madness to me.

Anyhow. Having a routine. Regarding sleep, but also food and exercise. Carbohydrates, especially sugars, you should avoid two hours prior sleep. In fact you should cut a ton of sugars from your diet because the highs and lows are exhausting. Keep in mind your inner calm as well. Take moments not to think about shit. Get off your computer, video games and roleplay or whatever at least half an hour before sleeping to give you mind time to wind down (go take a long shower, stretch a bit, read a book.) Sex is also great if it's an option. During the day exercise is brilliant. Go running for half an hour with Eye of the Tiger on repeat or something. If this seems like general health advise that is because insomnia is caused by stress and being in bad health causes stress. Most advice tends to fight symptoms rather than the cause. Here's how most people can fight the cause; live healthier.

 

[FieryCold]

• I had the worst insomnia of my life two years ago. A friend told me to listen to music, particularly instrumentals or classical music with rainfall ambience in the background (this and this). It helped. I slept like a baby.
• Sex
• Cool temperatures (especially when it's raining)
• A soft pillow and comforter (I can't sleep unless I'm covered from head to foot)

This song, for some weird reason, has me conking out quite easily.

!!!
Hey, I know that song! It actually has an hour-long version somewhere in YouTube, I think. :D

 

[Greenie]

Hey, I know that song! It actually has an hour-long version somewhere in YouTube, I think. :D

It's pretty good :D my friend can attest that I fell asleep twice while conversing due to this song.

My mom has pretty bad insomnia, she'd only sleep like 3 hours a night. Listening to water helped her out some.

 

[The Mood is Write]

Temperature is also a big must, and weight. The weight of blankets helps me drift off, and too few will make it feel like I'm not in a bed. The problem though, is that weather is getting warmer here, so I don't need my electric blanket anymore, so a lot of the weight is just gone. Not there.

The next best thing is a kitty cuddle, though. <3 I wait, holding my breath, and she flops herself against my side, and then it's easy to drift off unless my brain refuses to turn off.

 

[LogicfromLogic]

Sooo... Sleeping problems. Some of us have it most of the time, some only occasionally. Without going into the details, I have been on a continuous sequence of sleeping at unusual hours and it's because I honestly can't fall asleep without tiring myself out first.

Usually, I just have to do my nightly routine of washing face, freshening up and brushing my hair before bed and I'm prepped for sleeping. If I have a bit more trouble, I just play soft music until I fall asleep listening to it.

What do you do to help yourself sleep? Do you have sleeping problems? If so, how do you try to get a good night's sleep?

I have the perfect solution to your sleeping problems.

Side effects might be concussion, cracked skull or worse. Consult a sane person if you question this method.


What helps me sleep at night?

Hm, I have a running bit with sleep myself. I just lay in bed until I either sleep or hear the coffee pot start in the morning.

 

[Dervish]

I know a way to put you to sleep.

 

[Icy]

I know a way to put you to sleep.

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)