How to get some sleep!!

Ambien, glass of milk with a chunk of cheese or.... just have an orgasm. Works great either way.
 
Can you give me an example?
https://www.pocketmindfulness.com/6-mindfulness-exercises-you-can-try-today/

See exercise number 1. This link gives about the most concise summary of how it's done that I've ever seen. The objective is simple: completely clear your mind of everything except what you have decided to concentrate on. It will most likely be very difficult at first, but if you are a "worrier" like me, mindfulness techniques are very effective - especially for stress.

By the way, I find it necessary to leave the bed and do the exercise somewhere else. I go to our family room and sit in the dark. On a good night, it takes me about 15 minutes to completely subdue the noises in my head and feel sleepy. On a bad night, it takes about 30 minutes. When I started, sometimes I couldn't do it at all, but at this point, I have been practicing for about 16 or 17 months.

I tried all the drug methods from Nyquil to prescriptions, but my job is very cerebral, and I have to be clear when I get to my desk in the mornings. All the drugs methods left me foggy in the morning.

To be honest, when "mindfulness" was originally suggested to me I almost rolled my eyes. I'm not really into all the holistic stuff. My job is science. But I strive to be open-minded, so I gave it a try, and it has been one of the best things ever. It has completely changed my life for the better.

Whatever you do, I hope you find relief!


CC, for what it's worth I want to second what has been said above. It does take some time in order for the "busy mind" to settle down and behave. But if you can make it over the hump, I believe you will have not only found a way to relax and get to sleep...but more importantly, you will have found a way to walk through life in a more relaxed way as well.

Fear keeps pace with hope. Both are mainly due to projecting our thoughts far ahead of us instead of adapting ourselves to the present. Limiting one’s desires actually helps to cure one of fear. — Seneca
 
Clear your bedroom of all electronics, books, and anything that distracts from sleep. Use your bed only for sex and sleep. It may help.

Good luck.
 
Sleepus Interruptus

The last two weeks have been insomnia hell. What do you do when you can't get to sleep?

I can usually fall asleep fairly quickly while reading a book. My problem occurs when 'call of nature' gets me up (being age 80 you see). Often it is a bear to get back to sleep. I try various things, no magic solution.
  • No TV an hour before bed.
  • Get out of bed, put on the clothes, got to kitchen, have a light snack, milk preferably. Go back to bed, repeat scene with book. Often works.
  • Let my mind rewrite the endings to movies I have seen in my lifetime.
  • Occasionally it is so bad that I resort to a sleeping pill. My psychiatrist gave me prescription for Belsomra, 15 mg. It does work, but only resort to it every couple of weeks.
 
At the risk of sounding like some dodgy stalking creep ... a quick self-administered orgasm usually helps, if I'm slightly in the mood, and actually remember that it does work.
Alternatively, sorting out whatever it is that's keeping the voice in my head chattering. (Easier said than done, obviously.)

Hey, resemble that remark!!!

But, yeah, what Kimgordon67 said.
 
Back before I left the rat race, I would go through periods where I would average three hours of sleep per night for months followed by a month or a little more where I would struggle to be awake for six to eight hours. And, yes Virginia, I did develop some health issues behind it.

I'm not expert, but here's some stuff I stumbled across that worked for me.

1) Absolutely positively NO caffeine, nicotine, sugar, or any other stimulant for a minimum of six hours before I'm ready to hit the bed. No food at all closer than three hours. Water only for the last three hours.

2) NOTHING but sleep or sex happens in the bedroom. No listening to music, watching television, talking on the phone, reading a book, eating, or anything. Well, okay, you can change clothes there if you must (for example little pitchers with big eyes and big mouths underfoot), but seriously NOTHING else. Anything else you want to do, leave the bedroom to do it.

3) Watch out for lights. Pitch black is best. Not even a digital clock with red glowing numbers. If you absolutely require some kind of light, blue is a hell of a lot better than white, red, or yellow. There was some research study or another I ran across having to do with light spectrum and neurochemical responses, but frankly beyond "blue is better", I just don't remember that much about it.

4) Uh, about the masturbation thing. *cough* Yeah. I kind of found out the hard way this can backfire if you start to rely on it. :eek: seven times per night... which, since I'm a guy, the seventh can, uh, take awhile But, once when you're in the mood can help take the edge off enough to get some sleepy time.

5) If you figure you've been laying there for fifteen minutes or more and absolutely can not sleep, then get up. Leave the room. Read or listen to whatever for thirty minutes. Keep the lighting as dim as possible. Television, computing and such are bad ideas since the screens are typically brighter and will wake you up more. The idea is calm the mind, not stimulate it.

Anyway, like I say I am absolutely no kind of expert at anything, much less this. But, thought I'd toss out some things that have worked for me. These days, when I lay down, I'm told I'm usually out in less than 120 seconds. A far cry from when I would be up and down and restless all night until just an hour or two before I had to report for duty. (I know I said three hours, but I never said all three happened sequentially)

Oh, and get the hell away from the forums when insomnia strikes. You'll be here for fucking HOURS! :D
 
I've never heard of this - I'll check it out. Thanks.

The difficulty I have with sleeping is medication induced. When I tried the binaural beats it surprised me how well it worked. I listened to it then took my buds out and just laid still. I didn't even realize until morning how easily I fell asleep. It seems to work so I highly recommend it from personal experience. I hope it can help you. :)

Here's a link to make it easier: https://youtu.be/jUpr0aSYu6A
 
I wish I could help, but I've tried a number of things when I was going thru one of those phases, and none of them helped. OTC or prescription sleeping pills do help, but I don't want to take them too often, and I hate the next morning "hangover" they give me, so I'll only do that for one night every couple of weeks or so if I really have to. I tried melatonin for a couple of weeks, and it did absolutely nothing for me.
 
It has been said a few times already, but "sleep hygiene " is important.

- No stimulants several hours before bedtime (5 pm in my case)
- reduce light (that means screens too!) the last couple of hours. Your internal clock has to agree with sleeping.
- condition your body to bed=sleeping, not to working, watching TV and the like.
- no naps during the day or evening


If I wake up, I'm careful not to get annoyed. Instead I read for some time. Preferably in the category "relevant but dull". I have a couple of books on Fourier transforms and spectroscopy. They can make me sleep in bright daylight!
 
Spotted this and thought of you insomniacs here and thought I'd point it out in case anyone hadn't seen it.
 
It has been said a few times already, but "sleep hygiene " is important.

- No stimulants several hours before bedtime (5 pm in my case)
- reduce light (that means screens too!) the last couple of hours. Your internal clock has to agree with sleeping.
- condition your body to bed=sleeping, not to working, watching TV and the like.
- no naps during the day or evening

Actually really helpful. I had a nap today and slept for a while by accident and can already predict that Ill have a hard time sleeping later.
Some hot milk with honey also calms me down usually.

What I'd like to add: Maybe taking a long walk in the evening.
 
Years of shift work left me with a lasting sleep disorder.

That said, for me the greatest way to ensure sleep is to ensure that I get a great deal of exercise during the day, which for me usually means at least a BRISK five mile walk at night (no more running due to a spine injury/surgery).

If I go to bed tired, I fall sleep (though still often for not as long as I'd like).
 
I work over night. I take Melatonin when I have trouble getting or staying asleep.
 
Clear your mind

The last two weeks have been insomnia hell. What do you do when you can't get to sleep?

Have to dull the mind somehow.... just let go of the control and the thoughts (no day planning or thinking about the things you forgot to do) and slowly fade out.

I used to read a boring book in which I never get passed the first three paragraphs. Now, I tend to turn on the television to something as boring as possible. Music has to be even (no crescendos), no war/action movies or applause/cheering. I like a documentary or a nature show that has soothing narration/music. A British accent would be better for me (I'm American). Decrease the backlight and brightness of the television and then make the volume as low as possible.

Don't go to sleep on an empty stomach or too full of a stomach. People say warm milk helps. Maybe milk and honey? I remember drinking that as a child. Eating something that has carbs is said to help.

Do not exercise before bed (maybe you need at least four hours to wind down), and alcohol can disturb the r.e.m. sleep. No caffeine after 1 p.m.

Remove the electronics from the room (some are sensitive to it). If there is light from like a clock, make sure the color of the light is red.... it's less disturbing. The light emitting from it can be more disturbing than you think. Try a sleeping masking and using ear plugs to block out light/noise. If you use the toilet in the middle of the light, try not to have a bright light on.

Maybe spray the linens with a soothing scent, like lavender.

There are certain teas that help soothe: Kava, Valerian Root, Passion Flower, Chamomile, Lavender.

Masturbation helps also... slow, steady, lazy movements. Sometime the monotony of the movement dulls the mind. If you have a strong orgasm, it can knock you out.

Oh and make your sleeping environment as cool as you can possibly tolerate. You sleep better in the cool than the warmth. You can always cover with sheets and a blanket.
 
Cbd. 25 or 50 mg should do it.

And reading.

Or CBD vapes if you like that. Probably faster than the gel caps.
 
Keeping a routine, turning off the phone, etc by early evening, taking xanax, a hot shower, and then watch an old show - nothing exciting..
 
The difficulty I have with sleeping is medication induced. When I tried the binaural beats it surprised me how well it worked. I listened to it then took my buds out and just laid still. I didn't even realize until morning how easily I fell asleep. It seems to work so I highly recommend it from personal experience. I hope it can help you. :)

Here's a link to make it easier: https://youtu.be/jUpr0aSYu6A

I will try that the next time I am in nocturnal distress.
 
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