To-Done! Working to live.

Drew Bell on January 10, 2006 said:

Good tips all. That warm milk, though, will only make you sleepy on an empty stomach.

Arjan van der Gaag on January 10, 2006 said:

Good tips. I have trouble with this too, and here’s what I found useful:

DON’T GET OUT OF BED and go ‘do stuff’, this will totally mess up your cycle.

RELAX before going to bed. Make sure you’re not moving from quantum mechanics, complex math and academic-level accounting right into bed. Round up your work, take at least an hour to relax and only then go and try to sleep. Otherwise you’ll continue your work in bed.

Build a cycle—as obvious as it sounds, I find it very difficult. Get up and go to bed at the same time every day. Don’t allow your body to get confused.

Lea on January 11, 2006 said:

An ongoing problem for me too – I used to lie awake for hours every night. I tried everything and nothing worked – my eventual solution isn’t very useful to most people. I had kids. When my eldest was a baby I used to say that I fell asleep just before my head hit the pillow :)
They are older now and I am just coming back to my insomniac ways, but as I stay up way later (trying to get some work done…) than I used to, I really am exhausted when I get to bed…

Jay on January 11, 2006 said:

Ok this is what I do. This is a bit of a weird one. When I got to bed, I have a long running story that I make up in my head. Within 20 minutes os so I drop off. This stops my brain from wandering and
gets me away from thinking things I have to do and such like. It also stops me from being bored and restless and trying to get to slepp. Sometimes it can be difficult to get me to focus on the story but I just have to kepp trying. Sometimes this means that I’m bored with the story and I ahve to make up a new one. I’ve been doing this ever since I was young so it’s pretty natural. I don’t know what it would be like to try and implement it or whether it would work for anyone else, but it might be worth a try.

daan on January 11, 2006 said:

I’m like you w.r.t. thinking about how I’m not falling asleep. As soon as I first think that I know I’m lost!
The one and only thing that works for me (and somehow I keep forgetting that) is to read a book (preferably not too exciting – historical books work wonderfully). It stops my mind from going and tires my eyes.
Other tips like taking hot showers, drinking warm milk, exercising before bed may help; but for me it’s all about occupying my mind.

Damien Blake on January 11, 2006 said:

I’m also quite an insomniac, and am just after returning to Ireland from a few weeks in the USA so my body clock is really messed up.

I appreciate your tips, and will give it a shot.

I have to agree with Jay. I’ve found the “story” method effective at times. It’s strange, but you seem to pass from having a story in your head to having a dream. I can’t describe it any better.

My problem is with the story telling. It can’t be too active, or else you’re keeping your brain active. And it can’t be too passive, or else I’ll get distracted by something else. It’s a case of having a finely balanced thought in your head, much like day-dreaming.

Javier Cabrera on January 11, 2006 said:

I found I only have to sleep 5 hours a day, while other people need at least 8. It is hard for a few days to sleep only five hours a day, but you get used to it and no, I don’t go zombie all the day long; I’m very proactive (as much as I can be) so this tips are really a life saver!

Thanks!

Duane on January 11, 2006 said:

Learning how to meditate/relax has been the biggest bonus for me. Many times now I will find myself lying in bed, paying attention as I fall asleep. It’s a weird feeling, but much better than “Ok, I’m not asleep yet….not asleep yet….not asleep yet…maybe I should get up and go do something…”

I am a bad sinner on the “no tv or computer for 30 minutes before bedtime” rule. I have both on right up until the moment I go to bed. :) Maybe I’ll switch to a period of light reading before bedtime…just not in the actual bed.

Michael Hessling on January 11, 2006 said:

For me, the most effective trick is waking up at the same time every day. I get up at 4a, and, generally, by 10p, I’m ready to go to bed. If I’m not tired at 10p, the 4a wakeup call ensures that I will be the following night.

Having children works, too.

Julian Schrader on January 11, 2006 said:

I know this problem very well – I stay awake for one or two hours, lying in my bed and thinking. Mostly it helps to stand up and write down the stuff I just thought about to relax and finally fall asleep. Thanks for your tips!

Ivan Minic on January 11, 2006 said:

Tried :) Seem to have effect :)

Mike J on January 11, 2006 said:

One method for me is focus. Once getting to bed, think the primary task is to sleep. Not thinking something else. If thinking something else, that is not the purpose to go to bed for sleep. The hardest thing is brain do not stay there. It is easy to slip to different place which you are not expected. Relax and Feel the natural feeling of your body. If brain slips off the road, bring it back to relax and think of the things only, only around your body and your bed. Constrain your imagination space as small as just around you.

Jahn Chez on January 11, 2006 said:

My sister (sleep issues are a family problem I guess) uses the story method so I tried it as well and it worked great until I started writing so well that I needed to capture it to a micro-cassette recorder I keep by my bed. My fail-safe method is to use visualizations that take over my brain completely. My favorite is visualizing my self driving to someplace from the house. I notice every mailbox, telephone pole, trees, etc. to make the visualization as real as I can and when my mind wanders… (which it does often) I have to start the trip all over!

Brandon on January 11, 2006 said:

I started doing this at school, when I slept in the same room as my computer which I left on all the time:

I noticed that focusing on the sound of the computer’s fan kept my mind from drifting toward the high mental activity that was preventing me from falling asleep. Now that I don’t sleep in the same room as my computer anymore, I focus on the quiet, but constant whining in my ears when I need help concentrating on sleep.

If you’re not lucky enough to have such a mild case of tinnitus, you can generate your own white noise by turning on a fan, space heater, or a radio set between stations. If you put your radio on a sleep timer, just make sure it isn’t going to trip until well after your asleep (2 hours, at least).

kath on January 11, 2006 said:

As far as the “use bed only for sleep and sex” goes, sex is kinda like exercize, so I dunno if it’s just better to have sex first thing in the morning then…

Also, I’ve been told that if you’ve been in bed for 20 min and can’t sleep, get up and do something else for a while till you feel tired enough to try again. As you say, if you just lie there, you’ll start concentrating on how much sleep you’re not getting, and what you could better be using your time for.

I don’t make up stories in my head, I do math problems… yea, I’m strange. I try to figure out how to trisect an angle… yea, it’s impossible, but hence I can repeatedly think about it… and I believe thinking about the same thing each night in bed gets my mind into sleep-mode.

Donnie on January 11, 2006 said:

I have many of the same problems. However, I have found that when I exercise, regardless of the time, I can fall asleep much easier. Usually, I exercise between 7-8pm and have no trouble falling asleep by midnight.

Sometimes there are those days when you are anticipating something the next day and “need” to get to sleep early when you just lie there calculating the hours of sleep you will get.

Neil on January 11, 2006 said:

Great tips! I always found watching TV kept me awake longer, but I never really thought about WHY.

As for getting to sleep, my studies of hypnotism taught me a lot about relaxing, and relaxing quickly. I’d advise anyone with insomnia to study self-hypnosis.

Helpful Former Tosser N. Turner on January 11, 2006 said:

Serotonin is very close in both structure and function to melatonin. 5-HTP is a chemical precursor to serotonin and works wonders.

Purchase 5-HTP in capsule form (Jarrow makes a good one). Before bed, “unscrew” the capsule and dump the powder under your tongue. Chalky, but effective.

Amit on January 11, 2006 said:

I physically exhaust myself before I sleep. I try to do some sort of exercise daily but not before sleeping.

Don’t take any caffeine before sleeping. It’s tough to sleep with an energy drink in you. I know first hand.

Try to sleep at a temperature around 65 F. You sleep better at certain temperatures.

Keep the room dark. I usually don’t need to do this, but for some it is important.

Try to sleep in the same room. It should not be the room you work in because you look at your desk you start thinking about work.

Reading before sleeping is good. Read something boring, an interesting book will keep you awake longer. Read something like an encylopedia or the dictionary if you start getting desperate.

Sometimes quiet soothing music helps. Classical music, but quiet and slower. Fiery, energetic music like the 1812 Overture or the Firebird Suite are not recommended.

billg on January 11, 2006 said:

To point to the obvious, watch the caffeine. It remains active in the body for several hours. Your inability to fall asleep at midnight might be due to nothing more than that habitual mug of coffee after dinner.

Our ability to tolerate caffeine decreases as we get older, so those six lattes a day you drank in college might be off limits for you at 30.

Wes on January 11, 2006 said:

My wife falls asleep when the lights go out. I sit there thinking about, well, anything.

I too find that milk before bed and exercise during the day make me fall asleep quicker. And of course watch the caffine, I especially try not to have coffee anywhere from four hours before bedtime.

When I was in university cramming for a test would often make me crave sleep; but I think it had more to do with procrastination. Anyway, I never had problems falling asleep if there was an exam the next day. Weird.

Jeff on January 11, 2006 said:

I overcame a very similar sleep problem through polyphasic sleeping. I am not currently doing it, but learning it once has taught me how to fall asleep in a consistent manner.

One difficulty for me was that I felt sleep was a burden. I had so many other things to do that I wished I could find a way to sleep less. Much, much less. Enter polyphasic sleep, where I could survive with only 3 hours of sleep per day. Suddenly, I had an abundance mentality.

For this to work, however, I needed to learn to fall asleep quickly and consistently. I learned to relax, to modulate my own breathing, and to put off thoughts of “I need to ____”. Because I had only 25 minutes at a time to sleep, I needed to adapt to falling asleep fast.

The “transition period” where I was—instead of getting sufficient RAM sleep—becoming more and more sleep deprived taught me the value of sleep. And where I was only “wasting” a couple of hours per day sleeping, it was an easy investment. Plus, the mental benefit of sleep was accessible to me throughout the day via periodic naps. All positive stuff. Plus, six naps a day made for a lot of practice fast.

In the end, I discovered that, for me, falling asleep was a learned skill. Discovering my own patterns, and practice, made all the difference in the world.

Anonymous on January 11, 2006 said:

Meditating is really helpful for me, but I always seem to convince myself that I need to sleep RIGHT NOW, and so instead I toss and turn under the covers for one to two hours and finally exhaust myself.

I think I can get over this. Thanks for the tips.

Harmony on January 11, 2006 said:

Good tips all, thanks for posting them :) I seem to have no trouble at all getting to sleep these days, usually within 15 minutes of crawling into bed, and I just use a variation of the breathing exercise you mentioned (I visualise the breath as mist/white air as I breath in and out and concentrate entirely on that, sends me to sleep in no time).

I also sleep a maximum of 6.5 hours per night, often less. I’ve found with sleep it’s quality not quantity that counts for me, it’s like my body knows I’m only going to give it limited time each day to get sleep so it makes the most of the time I give it. Even on 4 hours I’m usually ok, but I can’t do that every night ;)

Keith on January 11, 2006 said:

This is great stuff, thanks Josh. I usually sleep pretty well for the first part of the night and again just before I’ve got to get up. But I’m a pretty light sleeper and I always toss and turn in the middle. I’ve found that some of the things you mention (like hitting the hay when I’m really tired and wearing myself out) really help me get over that middle of the night hump.

Good stuff and lots to try.

Vikram on January 12, 2006 said:

Hello Josh,

All the points you mention are mentioned in ancient spiritual sciences like Ayurveda, Chinese Medicine (not sure for this but am sure they too have mention of this)

These ancient spiritual/medicinal approaches did not go far enough to identify the amino acids in milk, but they work at more macro level.

try Yog (Yoga is anglicized work) and you will notice that your whole life will improve… not just sleep problems

Best Wishes
Vikram

Lyndsey Hume on January 12, 2006 said:

I use a combination of factors to get of to sleep but the two I feel are crucial are exercise and ventillation. Sport before 8pm on a semi regular basis and ensuring ventillation in the bedroom. Despite the fact I live in Scotland I keep my window open just a fraction throughout the night. I also try and go to bed at roughly the same time each night and make sure that I have done something relaxing an hour or two prior to bedtime.

will on January 12, 2006 said:

I go to bed and imagine a map of the usa and Im above it in the sky, I slowly look back and forth over the map ( left to right ) and say the word “the” over and over again under my breath so that thoughts cant get through because I am talking lightly

got to sleep in 2 min on avarage… seriously try it, it works!

Dee on January 12, 2006 said:

Great Tips!

thanx for those.
What I do for a good sleep is to take deep breaths. At first, they seem to be a laborious thing. But as you are trained with it, it will take you into deep sleep quickly. It is a kind of meditation. You will know that you are slipping into sleep by sensing the keyless, uncontrolled streams of thoughts/scenes that fills your mind. I remember waking up at this stage and recalling what rubbish i have been thinking of. Also if you find yourself awake in the middle of sleep, get up, walk a bit and try to realx. Think of the beautiful day to come. Drink some water if necessary and lay down calm. Take deep breaths again. I dont know if these would work well with everyone. These are the methods I do follow and gives me sound results. :)

JayMan on January 12, 2006 said:

I have no problems sleeping. I have a strict routine before sleeping that takes at least 10 minutes to do.
1) Brush teeth.
2) Use Toilet
3) Check on kids
4) Make sure any electronic devices are off (computer, tv etc)
5) Turn off all lights (except the 1 kitchen night light)
6) Make any last minute wardrobe changes (take off t-shirt or socks)
7) Lay down
8) Turn on fan
9) Get into position
10) Sleep

I try to go to bed, every night at about the same time. I only vary about 30 minutes.

In general I avoid caffine after 4pm. And excercise in the early morning.

No problems sleeping what so ever. Except maybe in times of extreme stress.

That’s all.

AlexT on January 12, 2006 said:

A colleague of mine only sleeps with the TV on, channel set on any non-stop news and the volume as low as possible but still hearable. I had to endure this once in a hotel, and wasn’t that annoying…

Joey Jo Jo Jr. on January 12, 2006 said:

I have no problems getting to sleep, even in times when I am stressed out and good sleep is more difficult. The key is thought control. I always make sure I ‘go to bed’ about half an hour before I actually want to go to sleep. This gives me some quiet time to lay there and let my mind go wherever it wants to. The problem, particular when I am under stress, is that given a free reign my mind would continue this all night long and I would never get to sleep. So after I let it run around for a bit, I take control and guide my thoughts away from reality and into a SAFE fantasy. What is a safe fantasy? It is a fantasy that has zero correlation to any events in your life. The reason for this that any similarities to real world problems in your fantasy will quickly draw your mind back to tackling those real problems. So I imagine a scenario and place myself into it and begin day dreaming about it. An example is that I imagine the world is being attacked by aliens and that I am leading the underground war against them. Not very much in common with my real life there. As long as I focus my mind to stick with the dream and not wander back to reality, it works like a charm and I am asleep in minutes. sol_403@yahoo.com

Jason on January 12, 2006 said:

Marijuana people works every time.

toad on January 12, 2006 said:

I used to toss and turn a lot. I couldn’t sleep in general without a two hour wait. I used to lament about all the time I was using up that could have been put to productive uses. Often would simply stay up to absurd hours to get things done because I knew it would be no used to sleep.

I tried a lot of things. One that helped was having some ambient noise, in my case a fan blowing in the background helps drown out thoughts.

Lately I’ve been exercising (weight lifting) before bed and I have discovered that when my body is tired, I’m pretty much guaranteed to fall asleep almost instantly.

The biggest offender ended up being caffeine. It never affected me as a kid but now, I will drink 3 or 4 sodas at work, and then after 4 pm I will not touch the stuff. I won’t drink anything sweet at all for that matter. It not only allows you to fall asleep sooner, but you will get a much deeper more restful sleep. I had no idea how much of an affect it had on me until I stopped drinking it after work.

Other things that help me when I still have difficulty is the relaxation technique someone mentioned above where you relax, and try to ‘feel’ every limb from toes to fingers in your body. When you get done with that you are pretty damned relaxed.

Glen C. on January 12, 2006 said:

I don’t know, my friend is a huge proponent of watching TV before bed because it makes it so you don’t think about anything and thus keep yourself up. I’ve tried all of this stuff and none of it works for me.

Geo on January 12, 2006 said:

TV == the opiate of the masses!

sobelius on January 12, 2006 said:

If your mind will not shut off, sit in bed and write down (not type on a laptop) everything you are thinking about. Write it all out until there is no more left to write. If more thoughts come up, write them down as well.
Start using this as a way to preserve what you’re thinking about, and your mind will relax and let go of the thoughts because it now knows they are stored somewhere. It will eventually get to the point where it trusts that if you have written things down, it doesn’t need to keep dwelling on them.
Writing stuff down can be whatever you need it to be—pictures, words, scribble, or carefully written, doesn’t matter.

vildur on January 12, 2006 said:

I really appriciated this tip list :)
“Don’t watch TV or even so much as look at a computer screen atleast 30 minutes before you lie down. ” helped me a lot.

Robert on January 12, 2006 said:

I used to have this problem and still do occasionally. I just don’t go to sleep until I’m about to just pass out… I guess that’s probably not the healthiest approach but it works for me.

Brian on January 12, 2006 said:

When I’m stressed and my eyes fly open in the middle of the night, I count backward from some very high number. I’m usually asleep before I reach the 4th or 5th number.

One Trillion, Eight Hundred Thirty-Two Billion, Ninety-Three Million and Eight, One Trillion, Eight Hundred Thirty-Two Billion, Ninety-Three Million and Seven, zzzzzz…

Jeff on January 12, 2006 said:

Re: Tryptophan

Get some 5HTP from the vitamin store.

Jim Thompson on January 12, 2006 said:

I have the same problem you do: I can’t turn the brain off sometimes. Lately, I’ve hit on some things that work well for me:

Avoid caffeine. My tolerance for (and need for) the stuff declined rapidly after age 35. I never drink anything caffeinated after noon.

Go to bed at the same time every night, and get up at the same time every morning. I find when I have a regular schedule, I don’t even need an alarm clock.

Drink a slug of Scotch or a couple of beers before bed. The “experts” say that alcohol interferes with sleep, but they’re talking about getting drunk. I find that I just a little alcohol helps me fall right to sleep.

Have a “wind-down” routine. This meshes with the suggestion not to look at a computer or TV before bed. Keep a book in a chair in the bedroom and read half an hour in between brushing your teeth and going to bed. Keep all the lights off but your reading lamp. Make this a regular habit.

Dan on January 12, 2006 said:

I watch movies. Movies, that is, on the back of my eyelids. If you just relax and pay attention to the “noise” your brain generates, it’s invariably entertaining and soothing. Sometimes it’s a scene with people and activity, sometimes it’s just abstract, moving shapes. I think it’s really no more than one’s pattern-seeking brain organizing random neural firings, but it’s never the same show twice. Sounds weird, but give it a try—the simple act of focusing lets the rest of the body slip into sleep.

Johnny Chadda on January 12, 2006 said:

Great and insightful article, with good tips!

What usually works for me is having the room temperature set fairly low. Around 17 degrees Celsius makes me fall sleep far easier and also increases the quality of sleep.

If I can’t sleep however, I get up after an hour or so and do something (most often on the computer). After approx. 30 minutes I go to bed once again, but this time it is far easier to fall asleep for some reason. I guess the body is more relaxed the second time.

Also, if something is nagging me or I think of something I just have to remember, I just write it down and try to think of it no further until the next day.

Robbien on January 12, 2006 said:

If you have a serious sleep problem, Smoke a little bit of marijuana.
I guarantee it’ll work.

Larry on January 12, 2006 said:

This topic has elicited a lot of ideas—very good! The secret to me is not going to bed until I am tired—DEAD tired.

Every minute spent lying waiting to fall asleep is pretty much wasted. Ocassionally I use those few minutes to line up what I have to do the next day, etc., but “clearing” my mind like that rarely enables me to fall asleep.

I stay up, even on the computer or watching TV (violating that rule observed by others), until I literally cannot keep my eyes open. I fall asleep immeidately—NO wasted time! The funny thing is that if I fall asleep like that, it almost doesn’t matter how many hours I sleep. It can be 6.5 or 10, I feel about the same.

The other end of the equation is to not use an alarm clock or other artificial means of awakening. I sleep until I am rested, then get up, no matter what time it is.

Not everyone has that luxury, but if you can, you will benefit in many, many ways: 1) rarely tired while awake; 2) never lie awake in bed wasting time; 3) have a greater sense of freedom because you are not ruled by the clock.

That is really the key: smash the clock. Never sleep or wake based on the clock. Rely solely on natural needs.

(Btw, same for eating—only eat when first noticing you are hungry, not by the clock. And don’t put off eating because you have to do something else first. Eat something when your body says it wants energy!)

drted on January 12, 2006 said:

I second (or third) the recommendation for 5-HTP. Intense, long dreams. Of course, your mileage may vary. Marijuana? – not so much. Like alcohol it prevents deep, dreamful sleep, and I find myself waking up constantly if used before bed. Glad those days (years) are over.

Like mentioned before, a healthy lifestyle will promote good sleep. Eat right, exercise, cut out sugar and caffeine, and you won’t have to rely on tricks to sleep.

danilo on January 12, 2006 said:

I force myself to sleep by telling “I need to sleep and rest so I can make good decisions the next day, if I don’t’, I’ll get ptoblem”

vinu on January 12, 2006 said:

some things I do:

1. read a book
2. if the book is too interesting or mind intensive. read on something that will put your to sleep.
3. have nice glass of juice instead
4. have a warm bath
5. put your foot in a hot tub – nice way to relax

schmelding on January 12, 2006 said:

If “meditating” by thinking of your breathing sounds boring…it is.

Try this form of mild self-hyponsis (nothing magical here, folks—just another relaxation technique).

First, get in a comfortable position. (duh)

Next, imagine your feet getting heavy and turning into lead.

Then, imagine your feet (and subsequent parts) sinking into the bed from the weight of the bed. As you feel your feet getting “heavy” move up to your ankles and calves (calfs? I dunno). Then your knees and thighs, waist, torso, chest, etc.

About the time you reach your waist you’ll begin to feel a light floating sensation, even though you’re thinking about getting heavier.

Soon you’ll be having a pleasant conversation with Mr. Sandman. I’ve been doing this trick since I was a teenager and I’ve never made it past my chest. Even during the most stressful times in my life, this has worked like a charm.

Larry Gilbert on January 12, 2006 said:

Some people need music to lull them to sleep. I’m just the opposite. I’ve found that ear plugs (the basic foam type) do wonders for me. I get much more restful sleep wearing them. Yes, my alarm clock can still wake me up when I’ve got the plugs in.

Stef on January 12, 2006 said:

Growing up it took me well over an hour to fall asleep, but a number of habits I developed have brought that to now under10 minutes.

Establish and stick to any routine helps put one mentally in the state for sleep.

Organize something e.g. papers, sock drawer…there’s something about the act of putting things in their place that also allows us to put our thoughts in order, which aids sleep.
Lower air temperature in the room is good but also important to be warm in bed. I’ve noticed that I’ll toss during the night if I feel cold.

If you can’t sleep get out of bed and do something boring and tedious, like cleaning the bathtub with a toothbrush.

Lalima on January 13, 2006 said:

I’m an insomniac at nite & a sleepyhead during the day. Somethings I’ve learned in the process>>
Warm baths help.
Last smoke of the day must be had 30 minutes before sleeping.
Dont drink Red Bull.
Say a prayer.
Do a hypnosis type talk to urself..u’re gooooiinnggg to sllleeeepp nowwwww..(it works).
Try to be in the here-&-now.
Imagine the whole world sleeping in peace, snugly in their beds, happy & content…& then try to be a part of the rest of this world (it works).

Andy on January 13, 2006 said:

I use a relaxation tape (CD). It has a guy with a monotonous voice talking about calming things and the sound of water etc.

It works for me, but took a few days to get used to.

B0mBjAcK on January 13, 2006 said:

The music thing is a good, it sometimes works for me. I find that ambient music does the trick well if I have it on so quiet that it’s barly audiable.

It works better with out beats but it still works with or without beats, stuff like Soma, Bola, Plaid, Plastikman, Biosphere, Plone ect… work well for me.

I have my PC right next to my bed (I’m quite comfy laying on my bed as I type this :) which is good because it means I can listen to internet radio, one of my favourite ambient radio stations is SomFM.

Kathy on January 13, 2006 said:

Music with words tends to keep me awake…singing in my head. But nature sounds help me sleep if they are very soft.

Sometimes when bedtime is creeping up and I want to stay up (I’m a night owl), I just picture myself sinking into a cloud, with that pillow cradling my head and suddenly staying up isn’t as appealing.

Sometimes I just thing about my husband holding me, which he can’t do if I stay up late (he doesn’t like to)...that also gets me upstairs faster.

Inquisitive on January 13, 2006 said:

Yes, yes…please, do go on. ;)

Jake on January 13, 2006 said:

Melatonin seems to work too.
Better for women I think.

Jon on January 13, 2006 said:

When I’m laying there thinking about how I’m not falling asleep, I actually trick myself into it with reverse psychology.

The act of consciously trying to stay awake puts me out very quickly.

Timmy Treadwell on January 13, 2006 said:

Having problems sleeping? I recommend a product available to all adults, its called Wild Turkey 101. Drink 4-6 ounces for up to 2 hours before you want to pass out, face down. Works like a charm, you’ll be gobbling in no time.

Bhavik on January 13, 2006 said:

Those are all good ideas, however they only work depending on the person. I actually tried all of those over the past few years and some will work only for a while till my mind gets use to it and begins to reset itself.
One method which I found out to work really well is a deprivation step pattern. Here’s how it works:

The first night you lay down to rest only for two hours (doesn’t matter if you don’t fall asleep).

The second night, extend it to three hours, laying down at roughly the same time as the night before (this will be your start time).

Third night, make it 5 hours (by this time your body will be exhausted and will go to sleep quicker).

Fourth night, 6-7 hours.

Fifth night, go back down to 5 hours but instead of going to bed at your start time, go to bed 5 hours before your designated finish time (time you wake up).

Sixth night, down to 4 hours.

Seventh night, back up to 6 hours.

Doing this for about a month will allow your body to recognize the time pattern and will make it easier to go to sleep thereafter.

Sean on January 13, 2006 said:

This might sound weird, but I find that I have a “sweet spot” for falling asleep. If I try to sleep sometime between 10 – 10:30, I fall asleep rather quickly. If I try to sleep before 10, I’m usually not tired enough to fall asleep, and if I do it after 10:30, I might tend to fall into a “second wind” and my mind is racing until 1 AM.

Zack on January 13, 2006 said:

I don’t know if other people experience this, but it works for me sometimes:

As I get closer to falling asleep, I feel like my bed is rotating very slowly on a ferris wheel. It goes up, over a little bit, and then sloowwwlly back down again, again and again. Or sometimes, I feel like I’m doing the same part of the ferris wheel over and over again. In any case, just try to concentrate on that feeling of weightless motion, and you can feel yourself start to drift off. Just a thought.

stefan on January 13, 2006 said:

When I was a teen I was frequently unable to get to sleep. But I taught myself a self-hypnosis technique that worked beautiifully, and I haven’t had a problem since (I’m 50 now).

It’s a basic ‘count backwards from 10 to 1’ method, with some visualizations. The key is to do it very slowly, not rush though it like there’s a prize at the end. The “prize” – falling asleep – is a result of the doing of it, not from getting it done.

The counting is done while imagining descending a very long tunnel or elevator or escalator (of your could float down like Alice in Wonderland). I also prefer to visualize getting TO the entrance of my tunnel (works best for me) which is in the middle of a grassy green plateau somewhere. Start going down your tunnel (or whatever) slowly. Let it be dark and really let yourself have the feeling of going DOWN as you relax. After a while, count the first number “10”. AT THE SAME TIME, imagine seeing the number clearly, and imagine hearing it as well. I see it as a sign hanging from the the tunnel ceiling, but a number on an elevator would be fine too. I ‘hear’ it as if being spoken softly by a recording over a loudspeaker.
Then, continue down slowly, letting yourself feel that going down/dropping feeling. Give it a good amount of time until you get to the the next number, the repeat the seeing, the hearing, and the feelings of going down.

If you lose track of where you are, start at the last number you remember. Again, the goal isn’t actually to reach 1, but to fully engage your senses in the process. So doing extra numbers is fine.

From the night I first started this method I rarely got past 7. Now I’m so in the habit of being able to go to sleep I almost never need this technique, but I often find myself doing the basic shell of it – finding my tunnel in a green field – even when I don’t need the help.

Kim on January 13, 2006 said:

I have this problem many nights, but not as severely as some have mentioned. Unfortunately, it takes my husband about 3-10 seconds to fall asleep most nights…and his snoring contributes to my not being able to fall asleep. There are also a couple of nights each month that I just can’t turn my brain off.

Some of the things I try:

Turn on my white noise machine. It drowns out the snoring.

Take a Benedryl. I have allergies anyway, so it helps me breathe better, but it also makes me sleepy. I can’t do much about hubby’s snoring, but the Benedryl helps me sleep a little harder—just one, though…two leaves me sleepy in the morning. I also use a muscle relaxer medication to achieve the same results when I know I absolutely MUST have a good night’s sleep.

DH likes to watch TV in bed before sleep, which usually doesn’t bother me if it’s not something I’m interested in…the History Channel is a definite tranquelizer! LOL!

With my eyes closed, I visualize a white wall—nothing else. I concentrate on it. Because it’s white, I’m “looking” at it, whereas, if it was black (which seemingly makes more sense), I can’t “see” what I’m looking at. May be a bit weird, but it works for me.

Prayer. This won’t apply if you’re not religious, but I am. I talk to God and in my mind, “give” him all my worries, concerns, etc. so it relieves me from having to think about them.

Paul on January 13, 2006 said:

My problem, when not being able to sleep, is the thinking. All the suggestions from above that involve imagining or thinking always carry me to more thinking, which keeps me awake.
Visualization of smoke or water, self hypnosis, any of those create conversation and commentary internally.

Here is something concrete that doesn’t require you to ‘think’ of anything. It’s a chi kung exercise. It’s called twelve circles sleeping.

It involves circling your tongue around the inside of your mouth while using your fingers to circle around you navel. Start with your tongue touching the left inside of your cheek, circle it down across the inside surface of your bottom teeth, up the inside of your right cheek and across the inside surface of your upper teeth back to your left cheek. Notice you are moving your tongue counterclockwise. At the same time rest three fingers of either hand just left of your navel. Circle your fingers starting across the top of your navel and continue, coordinating with your tongue.

Start your tongue inside of Cheek = start with fingers at left side of navel
Move tongue across bottom of teeth = move fingers across top of navel
Move tongue up right cheek = move fingers down right side of navel
Move tongue across top teeth ( returning to left side) = move fingers across below navel ( returning to left side)

Do this twelve times, if you lose count – just start over.

This will unwind your brain (and your thinking) I usually get so relaxed I just stop doing it to fall asleep.

Mike on January 16, 2006 said:

I did not read through all the comments, so this may have been said already, but hot chamomile tea or “Sleepytime® Herb Tea” helps me fall asleep.

Liz on January 18, 2006 said:

I think I may have figured out my problem: I am ALWAYS on the computer within hours of going to bed. Shoot, I’m on it right now. Good tips!

Ed on January 18, 2006 said:

a brilliant metho for getting to sleep… try and get yourself as cold as you can for around 10 minutes. do this by opening a window or removing the bed covers. when you feel cold immedietly get warm again. this will concentrate your brain on temperature conditions of the body and allow you to forget about trying to get to sleep. tell me if it works at edzy123@aol.com thanks ed

Brian on January 18, 2006 said:

Hmm wow thnx a lot for all these tips… spend around 30-50 mins reading all these comments.. just going to drink a cup of hot milk, take a hot shower and use some of these techniques to sleep now =) anyway thanks everyone for all these tips.

John on January 19, 2006 said:

I often times fall asleep at night only to wake up around 30 minutes after very lively and with my heart-beating extra quick. A recent visit to the doctor made me realize it was because I had Asthma. He explained that at night when my mild Asthma would kick in, I would experience a very unnoticeable breathing problem that would result to my sleepless nights. I’m 22 and I am very active, I play sports alot and so panting for air was not really something I thought weird. Anyway, maybe some of you should go visit your doctor soon.

Roberlan Borges on January 19, 2006 said:

Lately, i´m having serious problems to sleep. is been a long time that i dont have a good night of sleep. I think in my case the problem is watch tv. Tonight i´ll try these tips. wish me lucky
Thanks for the tips!
:)

clifyt on January 19, 2006 said:

As for the Tryptophan:

A little factoid I heard over Thanksgiving—it really doesn’t cause the sleep it is given credit for. For instance, you have to have a completely empty stomach for it to work. And even so, it is in nowhere big enough quantities in foods to slow you down.

The myth, it was said, was perpetuated that after eating a huge meal, such as Thanksgiving, your body simply spends a good deal of energy digesting it and this exhausts ya.

Is it true? No clue…as I’m just repeating what I heard a food scientist state last year. Makes sense. I’ve never gotten tired from either milk or turkey. Thats pseudoscience folks.

Alex on January 19, 2006 said:

Instead of writing stories in my head, I write music. Making up beats and melodies I’m usually able to forget everything else and pass out.

lindsey on January 19, 2006 said:

I used to have trouble with thoughts racing through my head for hours. Now I do the crossword every night in bed – it keeps my mind completely occupied and I’m not emotionally invested in it. When I have just enough energy left to turn out the light, I roll over and fall asleep within seconds (usually after about 15-20 min of crossword). Establishing a routine helped me associate something specific with sleep – I start getting drowsy as soon as I start the puzzle!

mara on January 20, 2006 said:

The best method I’ve found is talking books on an iPod. Maybe harkens back to the days of bedtime stories. But they need to broken up into chunks of 90 minutes at most, just long enough to get you into the first stages of sleep. Otherwise they will weave their way into your dreams which, depending on the story, can be worse than insomnia.

Scott on January 20, 2006 said:

Have a question those who have trouble getting to sleep. I also struggle to fall asleep at night, however, I can take a nap in the middle of the day like nobody’s business. Usually, I can fall asleep for a nap in minutes. I have heard that our brains treat a nap differently than going to sleep for the night in that a different part of the brain is responsible for napping as opposed to night sleeping. Seems weird to me but it seems to be true in my case.

ess on January 20, 2006 said:

I don’t have much trouble getting to sleep. Staying alseep for more than a couple of hours is a big problem, though. I am usually awake several times a night, the final wake-up usually lasts an hour or more, so that I finally fall back to sleep about 1/2 an hour before my alarm is set to go. By Friday morning (corporate, regualar hours job) I have a hard time getting out of bed.

Exercise helps, but the problem with this plan is that, the better shape you are in, the more you have to work to “over do it” enough to sleep through the night.

I can always sleep well outside, but this is not often possible. Actually, I just fall back to sleep really easily outside so I’ve racked up a reasonable sleep time by morning.

Matt on January 22, 2006 said:

Pot really, really works. Contrary to what someone said above, I’ve found that the only time I don’t wake up in the middle of the night is when I’ve smoked marijuana. The only catch is you have to make sure you have time for a good nights sleep, otherwise waking up will be a little more difficult or you’ll have a headache or something. I guess the illegality of it is a catch, too.

Paul on January 22, 2006 said:

I take a lesson from my yoga class and blend it with some personal meditation. I ignore any thoughts that enter my mind while imagining my body floating in outerspace. I’m out in 1 minute every time.

Viragette on January 23, 2006 said:

Wow – lots of responses! I’m interested as well – I’ve had this problem since I was a baby. Evidently, I would beg every night for hours to be let out of my crib. By now, I’ve tried so many strategies that many of those mentioned above are unconcious habit. But when these aren’t enough and I know I’m going to have a hard time winding down, I have one tactic that almost never fails in the ~2-3 years I’ve been using it. Mara mentioned it too.

I have some favorite books that I’ve read many, many times. I got the audio version with a writer I like – and listen to them, very quietly, when I get into bed. I love the stories, so I listen, and this keeps my attention away from the woulda, coulda, shoulda, to-do, philosophical debates etc… but also I’ve heard these stories so often that I have no fear of “missing something”. It has to be a book I’ve read before, and one that is associated with happiness and a good mood, rather than tension or suspense. Usually, I’m asleep within 15 minutes – and, as a bonus, I now have several of my favorite books practically memorized.

I stumbled into this tactic when I read a favorite book outloud into a tape player for my grandma, who had recently lost her sight. I tried to listen to the chapters later to check for errors, technical problems, etc – and was out like a light. Now that I know it works, I’ve gradually adapted to a more complicated system with an iPod, a remote, a timer,...

Good topic.

Ben holt on January 25, 2006 said:

What you can do is get a really,really long book and lie down in bed and you get to sleep much quicker than just counting sheep so this will work much easier. Plus you need to get into bed about 7.00 so you dont get to sleep so late.Try this and you you’ll get to sleep in a flash.I tried and got to sleep at 7.30

Trevor on January 30, 2006 said:

Thanks so much for the ideas, everyone! It’s only been recently I’ve had difficulty getting to sleep—could be that my life is getting busier.

A problem I’ve had for much longer is, as at least one person mentioned, staying asleep. I, too, wake up many times a night, and it’s sometimes frustratingly difficult to get back asleep—until it’s time for my alarm to go off, then I’m dead tired.

Anyone have any secrets for dealing with this? I would really appreciate it! Thanks.

Pedro Victor on January 31, 2006 said:

This text in portuguese: http://www.lombaxomba.com/2006/01/dicas-para-dormir-rpido-e-melhor.html

Check it out :)

Steve Harold on February 13, 2006 said:

Great sleep tips. I find that making sure I do nothing in the bedroom other than sleep or making love, keeps the association strong between being in bed and going to sleep. The association weakens if you watch TV or read in bed. Better to do these elsewhere and then go to bed to sleep when you are tired.

tony on February 17, 2006 said:

take 2 benadryl 30 minutes before you lay down and its lights out..

J Davila on February 21, 2006 said:

Is kinda funny, the more you focus on goin’ to sleep, the less likely you are to succeed. Basically, if you feel tired, drop what you are doing and hit the sack.

It depends on a lot of human factors about the ammount of sleep you need, but it has to do a lot with general state. Make sure you have a good balanced diet, enough vitamins, the right weight, and there you go. It might sound foolish, but it works.

It doesn’t really matter what you do in your bed, sleep, have sex, play with your kids, pets, read, eat, watch TV or anything else. Is about closing all and shut all off when you start to feel like it. Don’t force you to sleep cuz it won’t work. It varies. I can sleep 3 hours a day during a week, and then on next week sleep bout 6 or more, it all depends on your daily routine, but getting back to the basic: if you feel tired, GO TO BED and stop thinking bout anything else, trust me, it works ;)

Paulito Osborne on February 21, 2006 said:

I think those tips are great yall’. One extra, do go to the bathroom right before, and totally drain yourself.

Mavto on February 22, 2006 said:

thanks a lot for sharing this tips man… now i gotta go to the bed

J2 on February 24, 2006 said:

Sleep problems can be indicative of a seratonin imbalance. A trip to a doctor who understands endocrinology may be worth it. A good SSRI has worked wonders for me.

BTW…marijuana isn’t a toy. It’s serious medication. Please consider using another of the fine methods mentioned by other commenters. Sleep safely, ferheavenssake! Love from Oregon.

lana on February 27, 2006 said:

I hope it works for me.. sometimes i take like 7 hours to get to sleep….. so literally i go to sleep at like 6 and wake up at 7.. in the morning ofcourse….......... it’s kinda scary.. i lose my concentration and focus as well as.. just everything… not getting enough sleep seems only like a minor factor in life but it can really screw you up!!!

Mike on March 4, 2006 said:

I have difficulty in falling asleep and because of this I am almost afraid to lay down and try to sleep because I know that I will lay there for a couple of hours before dozing off. Also my girlfriend recently took a job in a different city. I always slept good when she was in the bed, now that she’s not I don’t sleep good. When I was young (3-4) my mother would lay in bed with me till I dozed off. Maybe b/c my mom did that I have always been needy of another person to sleep with. Pyschological not physical.

Anna on March 6, 2006 said:

These tips are great…thanks a lot. I will try them and see if they work. I am 17 yrs old and I always notice that it is so damn hard for me to fall asleep. I think the reason being is that I exercise before I sleep. I am 110 lbs and I dont want to be fat so i exercise (also to tone up my body). Bad timing for it tho!

I will try these tips and hopefully PLZ GOD HOPEFULLY they wills show excellent results…

k im off…buh bye!

Anna on March 6, 2006 said:

These tips are great…thanks a lot. I will try them and see if they work. I am 17 yrs old and I always notice that it is so damn hard for me to fall asleep. I think the reason being is that I exercise before I sleep. I am 110 lbs and I dont want to be fat so i exercise (also to tone up my body). Bad timing for it tho!

I will try these tips and hopefully PLZ GOD HOPEFULLY they wills show excellent results…

k im off…buh bye!

jack johnson on March 8, 2006 said:

smoke pot..smoke lots and lots of pot an hour or 2 bfor bed…best remidy of all time

tem on March 9, 2006 said:

I’ve started having problems sleeping since I’ve become menopausal.
I find valerian tincture works best for me. I take 30 drops of valerian tincture in some warm water, half an hour before bed and that usually puts me to sleep.
When my mind is working overtime, I also take a theanine capsule which relaxes the mind.
I got these tips from Sleep Tips and there are more if the above don’t work.

sleepy head on March 23, 2006 said:

In my experience most sleep medications only compound sleep problems.Being casual and carefree just before bed puts me to sleep.

nathan on April 3, 2006 said:

thanks for the tips they are great i usually have a hard time worrying about school but with these tips it helps me relax and get a good nights sleep

Qamar on April 4, 2006 said:

Respected Sir,
I enjoyed ur tips very much.Plz guid me more.

Me, Damnit on April 5, 2006 said:

niacin makes u sleepy. a.k.a. vitamin B-3

i take two 500 mg “time release” variety.

one i split in half so it enters my system at a decent pace, then i leave the other one whole so it keeps me asleep.

i drink plenty of water with this so it doesn’t upset my stomach, and keep a glass of water beside me in bed, so if i wake up with an upset stomach, i take a drink.

important: do not chew, or take too much or your body will feel like it’s sunburnt for a while.

andrea on April 10, 2006 said:

these are great tips :) and i didnt know about the computer and tv one, and i guess i shouldve of cause im on it right now and its like 3 am … whoops!

ROSA on April 19, 2006 said:

I GET SO TRIED FROM BEEN ON THE COMPUTRE MY BODY IS GETTIG US TO GET UP EVERY MORING BUT NOW VERY TRIED I CAN SLEEPBETTER IN MY BED

septik boy on April 22, 2006 said:

i would like to know why when i’m between sleep and awake i feel like i’m floating i would really like to know don’t trick me please this is serious / when you find an answer to that please tell me

:thank you

nathan on May 2, 2006 said:

actually looking into a computers light has never prevented me from sleep. however if i go outside i begin to feel more active and won’t want to sleep. i think the best way to help is to take some nuelesta, and sit around trying to not think. that is actually a problem for me i’m always worried about my stuff, and wondering if someone has moved it. i always have to know where somthing is.

Ex pothead on May 2, 2006 said:

I actually find pot makes it harder for me to sleep. I rarely smoke it these days, but found the same even when i regularly smoked it. It tends to make my mind wander for hours on end, making it very difficult to sleep.

Joey on May 7, 2006 said:

I have the same exact problems, think about stuff too much…These work tooo….

Tony on May 8, 2006 said:

A technique that I used to use: Imagine an empty theater with a blank screen, block out any noises and focus on the screen, the screen gets bigger and bigger as you float closer and closer. When your whole mind is blank white like the screen, a word appears SLEEP! Now I found out about “sleep minerals” a blend of minerals designed to put you into R.E.M. quickly and easily and keep you there longer so that your brain has a chance to heal the body while you sleep so you wake up every morning feeling refreshed and ready to take on a new day. Because they are minerals and not a drug or a blocker like other sleep aids I’ve tried you can use them every day day after day with no side affects. check it out it’s called “SleepMin” A liquid swish it gets absorbed under your tongue and is in your blood stream instantly. Like I said put it under your tongue and soon you’ll be sound asleep. Check out the web page: http://www.asome.com

Marius on May 13, 2006 said:

I also suffer from an extreme case of tossing and turning for hours before I actually fall asleep. For as long as I can remember, I’ve had this problem.

Recently, I decided that this problem had to stop. For this reason, I decided to make some changes:

1. Go to bed and get up at the exact same time every day (this was hard at first, but I forced my way through)
2. No caffeine (apart from a coffee in the morning)
3. Exercise in the morning
4. Avoid the tv and computer an hour before bed.

These tips worked wonders for me, so good luck and sleep tight!

tiffany on June 6, 2006 said:

having trouble sleeping because your mind is too busy thinking is a symptom of anxiety disorder.
may i suggest therapy to learn some techniques to reprogram yourself into a less anxious state?

i also find that quiet and a cool room—where i’m neither shivering nor sweltering under a blanket—is best. it’s hard to get to sleep when you’re uncomfortable.

one other technique that i read about somewhere: count backwards from 10, visualizng each number in a different color. works for me every time.

pfadfaog on June 6, 2006 said:

Science?

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that you can get from anything with a good amino acid profile. Sure, it can help you get to sleep, but there are plenty of other foods that have more tryptophan.

Don’t know what “science” you’re reading.

marc on June 6, 2006 said:

Dont go to sleep watching tv? Hey tv always puts me to sleep at night. Especially when watching the Jay Leno show.

oscarlu on June 6, 2006 said:

I know this sounds wierd, but , it actually works sometimes.
When you can’t sleep try Staying awake.
In other words, lie there and try to keep your eyes open and stay alert. For some reason this helps put me to sleep sometimes.
It was actually recommended to me by a sleep doctor.
Hope it helps

jw on June 6, 2006 said:

Just try reading all these comments and see how fast you fall asleep :)

Michael Lambie on June 7, 2006 said:

Melatonin supplements & NyQuil

spankaccount on June 7, 2006 said:

The Tryptophan Myth:
http://www.openscience.org/blog/?p=124

Samuel Murray on June 7, 2006 said:

Go for a 20 minute brisk walk outside before going to bed. The distance doesn’t matter.

Dress as you would dress if you were to go for an evening walk. Do not take a shower after the walk, but go straight to bed (okay, make some hot milk if you have to).

The idea is to get mildly tired from aerobic exercise. Going for a walk also helps your mind calm down.

Wasim Shaikh on June 17, 2006 said:

i sleep at 6am ( right now i am typing at 4:45AM) and wake up at 3pm. Wht do sujjest me is this affect me.

bill t. on June 26, 2006 said:

my problem is that iam sleepy , but as i start to drift off to sleep i catch myself holding my breath. the problem started a month ago ,when i started having bad sinus problems. iam addicted to nasal sprays ,ive gone without good sleep for so long my body is all tensed up , worrying about not getting any sleep. i took a muscle relaxer the other nite and it worked perfect , i think i’ll do that for the next 2 or three nites and see it if works.

Shawn on July 9, 2006 said:

Hey, I am a 13 year old boy and this must sound so weird but even i have problems with sleeping. Its gotten to the point where i just dont go to sleep at all. And then during the day ill sleep all day and wake up later and have to stay up all day do you have any tips on this syndrome. I am scared that i may have a serious problem.

mdklfsmlm on July 15, 2006 said:

It takes me up to 6 hours to fall asleep…
sdlfmskflsmkdfmslkfmslfmsmfskmlnjaldk. grrr. that’s why im on here noww, after about 4 hours of lying in bed i got sick of it.

mdklfsmlm on July 15, 2006 said:

Hahaha, a lot of these comments are really funny. & I’m going to try them.

what works for me sometimes is picturing a kaleidoscope or a spiral red thing..& then I tell myself im getting sleepy.
ahaha. like in cartoons.
although it only works sometimes. haha.

Kelly on July 15, 2006 said:

DON’T COUNT SHEEP.
That NEVER works.
Honestly.

COUNT ZEBRAS INSTEAD.
Or giraffes!
=)

Jilll on July 15, 2006 said:

JOSH
o my gosh. this sounds like me writing this. it is exactly what happens to me . i lay in bed not being able to sleep ,knowing i should, and sometimes its a few hours. thanks for this and i will def. try it.

Bobbyyyyy on July 30, 2006 said:

The milk thing works, but the taste of milk in my mouth keeps me up… I usually think before I sleep. About the meaningless things. ‘What do plastic scissors really cut?’ ‘Who started the lottery’ It drives me to the point I fall asleep.

kailash on August 3, 2006 said:

guys dont watch tv or b with ur laptop, its the only soluton

kat on August 3, 2006 said:

hey!! im 18!! n i cant sleep to save mylife!!! n sumtimes i have panic attacks!!! n if i do sleep its only for 2 hours or less!!! its driving me insane!! :P HELP!

txdave22 on August 3, 2006 said:

Best sleep you can have is on a visco-elastic mattress with pillows made of the same material.

See my blog both articles and ads for more information on sleeping deeply, waking better rested.

dave http://backbebetter.blogspot.com

sergio on August 4, 2006 said:

just like the past hundred comments left on the site i too have a problem getting to sleep. not because of insomniac but its more because my sleeping pattern gets later and later. every night its a cram session. big exam tomorrow so i have to force myself to stay up till 6a.m.get about three hours of sleep then go and take the exam. now usually my body will go to sleep when i want it to when i stay up that long but for some reason when im at school i cant. its summer here so i have some time to go back home and meet my parents. but now my body is too used to staying up till 6. then sleep for 9 hours making wast most of the day to spend with my family. i had this kind of trouble before when i was a kid. what i used to do was think of a story each night different. sometimes adventure storys, other times a romantic story, and most of the time erotic stories i can’t help but think about erotic stories because well i was a teen and all i could think about was girls. now im not that creative anymore so i can’t think up of the stories. but lucky for me i wrote down my stories when i was a kid and my mom still kept them in the closset so i just read those to help me go to sleep. man my stories where really good i wonder why i can’t write any anymore. well long story short i just think of stories or read stories. now i wrote about my life because a. i dont think too many people are gonna read my post and b. i couldn’t even read all of the post because there where too many!!!!!!!!!!!

joey on August 5, 2006 said:

I too am an insomniac.
I only require about 5 to 6 hours of sleep every night, i mean it’s 2:33 a.m. right now. Your tips have helped me, but one other thing (which is a little strange) is smelling lavender. The scent of lavender is used in a lot of aromatherapy methods, and in hospitals to put people to sleep faster, and into a deeper sleep. You will not need to sleep as long and will sleep better.
Get a Lavender Scented Candle and burn it before you sleep. Blow it out before you go to bed so the house doesnt burn down (obviously) and you will sleep very well.

whitney on August 16, 2006 said:

I have never thought of turning off lights and the t.v.i mostly write in bed or read for like an hour and i sit in bed for hours. i mostly think of stuff. well this is kinda weird but im only 12 and im starting school and for the past days i stay awake untill 100 and my mind is thinking like KRAZY!thanks for the tips.I REALLY needed them.

Jesse on September 1, 2006 said:

Before i turned 20 i used to not worry about sleep. I went to bed usually at the sametime but i didn’t go nuts if i went to bed late. Now i am 23 and i spend alot of time thinking about sleep while im awake. Reading all these stories i can tell you all can relate. I try to go to bed at 11:30 on the dot and back up at 6:30 on the dot. This is from coming off the computer most the time. I grab some water hit the bathroom, then lay down and watch about a half hour of TV. It always seems to help me relax, but lately im falling asleep while watching tv then i wake up from a loud noise on the tv after being asleep for 30 mins. This totally kills me cause now instead of sleep ive taken a power nap and im wide awake and if i do not instantly go back to sleep i get impatient and worryful of when i will go to sleep. When i do sleep easy, which is most the time 4-5 nights out of the week, i try to close my eyes and concentrate on my eyelids or staring into the darkness. If you focus on this you cannot think. If you drift from this you will start to think. Ive been doing this for a year now and it goes from staring to waking up nightly. Although if i cannot get calm i tend to get up over and over. I try to sit still but i get anxious and try to lay down again and just repeat a 2-3 hour cycle. ALso something that seems to have helped me is if you have to watch TV before bed or during to try to relax, watch something you normally would not and with the volume all the way off. For me its the cooking channel. I personally cannot cook, i could burn water if it were possible :) so watching this lil ol lady make a pie just bores me to death and i just stare at it silently and it causes me to relax my mind and i get tired. Usually ill cut off the tv if im still awake, but me doing this in the middle of the night is rare. If im not going to sleep im going do whatever it takes to make me stay calm. Im not ashamed to say also that i have a fear that i will not get to sleep this night or the next, very paranoid about my sleep. If i have a horrible night sleeping the next night i take a decent dose of sleep aid. My brand i personally use is Equate Sleep Aid, its a over the counter product i get from my local Wal-Mart. I take 150 mgs (3 pills) even though it says only take 50. i researched the product and all forms of what it does and taking over the recomended dose seems to fine. This sleep aid forces your body and mind to get tired and thus you don’t think much at all and you stay very still. Im serious its hard to walk to the bathroom with what i take, but it keeps me calm and i only take it after a previous bad night of sleep. So thats like 2-3 times a week. Its none habit forming cause i do it only when i need too. Other than that i just take it day by day. Remember that even if u fail to sleep your body will get tired and eventually go to sleep. Im not saying you will pass out but some days youll have no choice but to sleep like a rock. Thank you you all for the messages, i feel better knowing others have similar issues. I plan to try the story method tonight actually. :)

rachel on September 6, 2006 said:

i have tried everything EVERYTHING to help me fall alsleep. nyquil, painkillers, and the above remedies. nothing is working. and i have 2 kids that i have to be up with at the crack of dawn… not that that matters, because i not only have trouble falling asleep, but i am also a premature waker. i’m talkin finally dropping off to sleep at 2 and waking at 4. its gotten increasingy worse over the course of 5 months. i know someone has to have a solution to this. okay, i’m BEGGING for a solution. hope one comes soon, because this is seriously killing me.

wifey on September 21, 2006 said:

OH my gosh…......I can’t sleep!!
I am awaking thinking about what if’s, what if i was famous, what if I married my love, what if i saw my ex, what if’s seem to go on forever and I cant sleep…..........

soo mad….but the funny thing is i am sleepy now..but when i lie down i am wide awake…whats up with that?

wifey on September 21, 2006 said:

OH my gosh…......I can’t sleep!!
I am awaking thinking about what if’s, what if i was famous, what if I married my love, what if i saw my ex, what if’s seem to go on forever and I cant sleep…..........

soo mad….but the funny thing is i am sleepy now..but when i lie down i am wide awake…whats up with that?

wifey on September 21, 2006 said:

OH my gosh…......I can’t sleep!!
I am awaking thinking about what if’s, what if i was famous, what if I married my love, what if i saw my ex, what if’s seem to go on forever and I cant sleep…..........

soo mad….but the funny thing is i am sleepy now..but when i lie down i am wide awake…whats up with that?

James on September 22, 2006 said:

Probably good tips, I wish I had known the computer screen thing before I turned on my computer though. I’m not gonna sleep at all tonight. It’s 05:03 here now, I start work in five hours and then I’ll be there for thirteen, then I’ll be back home by about 11:45, then I start work at ten the next morning again. You get the idea? I think I’ll give up on sleep and become a robot.

Andrew on September 26, 2006 said:

I have exact some things as you guys, from reading on this site, I kind of think, I have a problem waking up… always sleep for a long time like for 8 to 9 hours. For those I know who can sleep quickly always have a regular wake up schedule. Is that the problem here for all of us? Does anyone here sleep less than 7 hours still have a sleeping problem? Please let me know, I like to find out.

Drew on October 10, 2006 said:

I have the cycle problem of sleeping i think, i start to think about if i am going to get to sleep then it circles in my head and my thoughts will not stop, i have tried to think of other things but it still does not seem to help, even when i stop thinking i do not sleep, this has only happend recently though.

Moreno on October 13, 2006 said:

Because of a tight working time (I’m working in a construction yard abroad). I’ve long thought about the sleeping techniques in order to improve my performances during the day.
Most of them are the same I’ve found in the above contributes. I only would like to add the following:
1. Keep the bedroom cool (air conditioning or open windows). To sleep covered by a blanket is very comfortable and relaxing.
2. Avoid naps before bed time.
3. Try to maintain the same bed time. If necessary postpone or anticipate not more than half a hour a day.

I confirm the caffeine must be absolutely avoided. It is very surprising how many people don’realize this.

Tee on October 17, 2006 said:

I’m glad I’m not the only one who experienced this !! I have soo many thoughts that I actually talk in my sleep. My hubby tells me to stop thinking about things so much. I go to bed and my mind starts running ! I’ve even cry myself to sleep sometimes when I start thinking about my deceased father.

I found that running at night ( after school around 9pm ) gets me soo tired that I knock out in my bed. I don’t know if it’s because of school or running. I have the best sleep when I mix the two. Plus, I have the temperpedic bed which is always cold and relaxing.

Thanks for the interesting topic :)

ryan shields on October 17, 2006 said:

Normally,i worry alot at night. I would go to sleep around 9pm.Then i would worry am i going to get to sleep or not and i would think of alot of things.Then i look at the clock and it is about 9:45pm and i feel it only seems i’ve been in bed 5 minutes!So then to worry about am i going to stay up all night and if i’m going to actually get to sleep.It realy worries me because i have to get up realy early in mornings for inportant jobs and i wonder if i’m not going to not be able to get up in time for my job.These problems have started in the summer holidays when i was 10 till i was 20 which was 2 years ago.i found out that you shouldn’t watch telly at least 30 minutes before bed.You should drink milk and/or read a book.

michelle on October 23, 2006 said:

RYAN, i feel so much better knowing there’s someone out there exactly like me (as well as so many other of you that have written on this page). i swear, i thought i was going to lose it today. last night iw as freaking out from the time i turned off the tv that i wouldnt be able to fall asleep, and what do you know, that’s exactly what happened. i’m going to try the tips on this website. thank you.

Mark on October 25, 2006 said:

I’ve tried many of these methods…even tried the “story” and meditation thing, but the problem is before I realize it, I’m thinking about something real to do with my day or some issue that won’t leave my head.

Sometimes I have found that I can kick start my dreaming process, by rapidly cycling as many silly images and memories through my mind as quickly as possible without allowing myself to “dwell” on any memory or image, eventually tricks my mind into being in that state where it’s ready to start dreaming.

Images are completely random, and only flash for a split second. Like balloon, a room of balloons, clown, monkey, bicycle, Santa, Elves, Superman, etc. and just keep going in an unconscious manner. (i.e., don’t think about what you’re going to picture next…just let images fly by.) Kind of like a streaming word association, but with images.

On really bad nights this still won’t work for me, as I will flash the images through my head, and then forget I was doing that because I started thinking about a real issue.

pawaneep sethi on October 26, 2006 said:

WELL IF CAN’T GO TO SLEEP YOU SHOULD STOP DRINKING COFFE AND HOT CHOCOLATE …. AND WHEN YOUR LAYING DOWNTHINK OF ANY THING YOU LIKE THEN CLOSE YOUR EYES AND WARM YOUR SELF UP TO SLEEEP CALL ME TO HELP YOU ON 07960281175 BYEE I AM SLEEEPY …....

pawaneep sethi on October 26, 2006 said:

WELL IF CAN’T GO TO SLEEP YOU SHOULD STOP DRINKING COFFE AND HOT CHOCOLATE …. AND WHEN YOUR LAYING DOWNTHINK OF ANY THING YOU LIKE THEN CLOSE YOUR EYES AND WARM YOUR SELF UP TO SLEEEP CALL ME TO HELP YOU ON 07960281175 BYEE I AM SLEEEPY …....

pam sethier on October 26, 2006 said:

WELCOME TO MY COMMENTS FOR SLEEPING QUICKLY MY TIPS ARE…

1.AVIOED TV,COMPUTERSBEFOR BED.
2.DON’T DRINK COFFEI,HOT CHOCOLATE.
3.STOP WORRING ABOUT THINGS.
4.DON’T BE DISTRESSED.
5.IF YOU WORK YOU SHOULD DO AS MUCH WORK AS YOU CAN SO AT NITGH YOU FEEL SLEEPY.
6.DO EXSOSIZEIN THE MORNING.
7.IF YOU ARE UNDER 15 YOU SHOULD HAVE A BED TIME.
8.rael bed time SHOULD BE
8:00
8:30
9:00
IF YOUR KID GOES TO SLEEP IN THESE TIME THAT MEANS THEY ARE GETTING INOFE SLEEP.
9.DO SOME JUMPING AT NITGH.

marjo on November 2, 2006 said:

hi em marjo suffering from insimnia for about half adecade so want to get info itried so many things but it didnt worked out.

Keri on November 7, 2006 said:

Fool proof for me everytime:

Pretend you are in a hospital and in a coma. Then imagine all the things people might say to you as you are out. Remember if in a come you can’t move!!! I fall asleep out of being bored

Alberto on November 9, 2006 said:

It happens to me that 2 or 3 times per week I remain eyes open (alreday in bed) for 1 to 3 hours before finally sleep. I try to relax and try to not to think nor to use my mind. I whish I could have just a list of steps I should follow so that I could sleep then. I MISS THOSE DAYS WHEN I WAS 10 YEARS OLD WHEN I GOT TO BED AND JUST AFTER 5 MINUTES I WAS ALREADY SLEEPING.

Johnny Walker on November 9, 2006 said:

THESE ARE REALLY GOOD TIPS THAT WORK…
1 GO TO BED (OBVIOUS)

2 REMAIN WITH EYES OPEN FOR 5 MINUTES (DONT
TRAY TO SLEEP)

3 START THINKING OF ANYTHING BEAUTIFUL (ie. a nude girl)

4 START JIRKING IT OFF AND JUST WHEN YOU ARE ABOUT TO DROP IT OFF, THEN SCREAM AND HANG YOUR NUTS LIKE IF IT WHERE UR LAST NIGHT WITH THEM.

5 ONCE U’RE HOT… GO FUCK THE GIRL NEXDOOR :)

6 FUCK OFF

Chuck Norris on November 9, 2006 said:

SLEEP!!! IT’S AN ORDER!!! MTF’S

ChristieBarbie on November 15, 2006 said:

I suggest smoking some (crappy) weed. The good stuff gets you high and makes your mind wander and expands creativity but low-quality weed just makes you sleepy. I am dependent on marijuana, and have been for years in order to cope with insomnia. I tried taking NyQuil, sleeping pills with diphenhydramine in them, valerian root, melatonin pills, everything. Nothing was strong enough. Nothing but weed. I am so glad God put it on this earth.

King on November 15, 2006 said:

I’m experimenting a polyphasic sleep schedule and the last 2-3 days have been horrible because it always takes me 20-30 minutes to fall asleep (Polyphasic sleeping is where you sleep for only 20-30 minutes at a time, so I’m sure you can see the problem). I think I’ll try the staying off computer and Crossword(in my case Su-Doku) tips. I don’t drink caffeine anyway, so that’s not a problem.

pee pee weee weee on November 22, 2006 said:

VVVVVVVVAGINA!

Mark on November 28, 2006 said:

Something I found really useful was an ebook called Powerful Sleep, by Kasper Postawski.

It’s more about getting better quality sleep than more sleep.

Highly recommended!

trix on November 29, 2006 said:

wank hard for 20 mins you will start feeling sleepy and then slowly let go

efimia on November 30, 2006 said:

thanx man that drink the milk helped alot and i did have a problem because i would watch television at night and couldent go to bed and for school i would be to tired to get up for school and would sleep in and sleep in classes!!!thanks again!!1

night watchman on December 1, 2006 said:

Nice tips. I fall asleep at bedtime but wake up by 1-2 AM and then can’t go back to sleep. I tried everything: milk, exercise, hot bath… but still continue to have interrupted sleep.Any help?

Ali on December 5, 2006 said:

Thanks alot, i needed this, i have the same problems.. I think too much!

Jon on December 23, 2006 said:

Electro-magnetic fields can disrupt your pineal gland and the production of melatonin
and seratonin, in fact too many of them can disrupt your body’s cells, affecting our
sense of balance and quality of sleep.

Devices such as: Televisions, Radio-alarms and Computers can all disturb your sleep.
If you cannot remove them from your bedroom, try to avoid having them near
your bed, disconnect them when they are not being used or, if you have a silk
cloth of some kind, cover your TV or computer screen with it. This will help to
kill the radiation emitted just after it is switched off.

jonny;D on December 24, 2006 said:

I have very bad troubles with going to sleep when i know the next day is going to very exciting for e.g christmas when you were little because i still have that problem.

Cin on December 28, 2006 said:

great advice!

i heard that we should try not to toss in bed for more than 30 mins. If you have trouble sleeping, try reading a comic book to tire your eyes out. I tried it many times and it worked.

another advice is to fast about 2 hours before you sleep. having a full stomach will somehow keep you awake.

Lina on January 2, 2007 said:

I have the same exact problem. I lay down at night and, no madder how mmucch i try, i cant stop thinking about things or fall asleep. The techneques will probably help, so i will try them.Thanks Josh

Graham on January 5, 2007 said:

I am not an insomniac and the things stated above are all fine and dandy i’ve tried them all and I can’t sleep until my eyes eventually drift that way. Again I’m not an insomniac I just evolved my life in my first year at uni to stay awake for as long as possible and now it seems the way of life for me. I have been awake for over 72 hours many times in the last year but my body seems to have adjusted itself to this new way of life.

I have found however the best course of action for me is to drink 3 cans of beer in an hour and a half before going to bed, going to the toilet only once, then drinking a pint of water going to the toilet again in the last 20 minutes. You drift off because the alcohol has started to effect the way your neuron tissues work (effectively slowing they’re processes down) but you urinated after a pint of water which means that the water drunk in the alcohol is flushed out better meaning you do not wake up during the night.

Again this works for me but every person is very different and I’m incredibly surprised at the fact this post is still going strong after a year.