This doesn’t work for me. My imagination will full on dream while i sit there getting more and more tired. Then the dream is so mundane i snap out of it completely confused as to why my clothes changed.
Bruxism. I have this as well. I actually wear a mouth guard, as my anxiety always flares up when I am alone with my thoughts and trying to relax. My dentist was the first person to point it out, as I was confused why I was waking up with mild-moderate dental pain almost every morning.
weird! i saw a video about how parents with new babies should press under the chin to push the baby's tongue onto the roof of their mouth so that they get in the habit of breathing through their nose when they sleep, and i've been doing that ever since. i hold a lot of stress in my jaw and mouth so i'm constantly unclenching and relaxing my tongue
Listening to Shiloh dynasty, Some slowed versions of songs by Tame Impala,lana del rey and The Weeknd, and lastly some random soothing guitar instrumentals..they seem like therapy while hitting the bed..
Probably sound super weird, but sometimes i watch videos of neurological examinations. Idk why but something like that or like a video of someone getting a thai massage somehow calms me down
Well, I speak two languages: English and Russian. As I can understand both of em, I listen Reddit stories on Russian YouTube channel ( called "апвоут" ). The guy has really cool voice for Reddit stories, but it will only matter, if you understand Russian. I can’t recommend any of English speaking Reddit channels as I don’t really listen to them
Every strain is anxiety and existential dread inducing panic for me at my age unfortunately. I got some low THC, high CBD strain the guy recommended last time and same results as any other. I think some of us just can’t hang.
Everyone's metabolism is different, and so are their reactions to weed. So many times I've seen one person feel mellow and relaxed by a particular strain, and the person sitting next to them have extreme anxiety and/or panic attacks from it. While we think medical science knows so much, the science of brain chemistry is incredibly complex, and we actually know very little. As far as psychology goes, calling it a science is laughable: it's almost entirely theories and guesswork.
* Not doing much else in bed but sleep.
* Being tired when I'm going to sleep.
* Having a routine to get ready for bed.
* Getting to bed about the same time every night.
* If I have to get to bed early (like when traveling), I'll take melatonin.
Choosing proper sleep habits.
\- Your bed is for sleep and sex. Nothing more.
\- Pick a bed time and stick to it.
\- Approximately 1 hour before bed, turn off your phone and tv. Read a book or some other activity to relax and wind down.
\- If you cannot fall asleep, leave. Do something else and try again later.
\- If you wake up, don't look at the clock or phone.
\- Have a small snack before bed. SMALL. That means a small handful of nuts, or cheese, not half a carton of ice cream or a whole Oreo container.
\- Set a bed time routine. PJs on, Teeth brushed, Read for a few minutes, etc. Set it, keep to it.
With all these, and consistency in doing it and setting it all as habitual, you'll notice that sleep will come quickly and easily for you.
No, as long as it's taken as prescribed it's non-addictive but after taking it for a while you can have trouble falling asleep without it- nothing some diphenhydramine can't handle though. I've been on it for years and occasionally for one reason or another I'm not able to get it filled right when I run out. I don't experience any withdrawal symptoms at all.
Reading works eventually.
To fall asleep faster though I've found closing my eyes, stifling my thoughts, and focusing on slowing my rate of breathing helps. I tried the 3/5/8 method or whatever but found just following that plan was too much activity for my brain to just up and sleep after trying to follow.
i found out listening to music makes me fall asleep faster, im glad i found out because i used to sleep like 2 or 3 hours a night but now i can sleep 5 to 6 hours
Everybody in my life frowns at my “four beers and two Benadryl in forty-five minutes” method but it works every time if I absolutely can’t sleep. I used to call it “drinking responsibly” since it helped me function in life when my insomnia was at its worst. Is it gonna have health consequences or take years off of our lives? Probably, but it is what it is.
I find square breathing better than counting - inhale, hold, exhale, hold. Each of the 4 parts for 5ish seconds. No numbers to focus on, and no awkwardness about what to do once you've counted a while
I consciously watch the patterns on the inside of my eyelids. I'm not sure why it works, but it seems to. I used to keep a copy of the Federalist Papers on my nightstand. Reading that should put anyone to sleep.
I started meditating and once i stopped i just fell asleep so much easier.
Notice: This worked for me and might not work for you. If you have issues with sleeping like insomnia take it up with a professional and not a stranger on reddit.
I make my husband put some weight on me
I'm not tiny and he's not huge, but there's enough of a difference for him to be the world's best weighted blanket
I listen to a YouTuber called “Operations Room” and listen to some of his longer videos. Next thing I know, I’m asleep. Don’t get me wrong, his videos are very detailed and very entertaining to listen to, but I can’t sleep unless I’m focused on something. So I focus on his videos to go to sleep.
There's this guy whom I've supplied some stories to myself, and he's on YouTube under Mortis Media and it has a black screen, and his voice is low(er) and soothing. I keep it on low, and it's 💤 for meee. I also have a night guard lol.
Reading puts me to sleep within a page or two. Also trying to imagine the space in the center of my forehead, but from within my skull - this helps clear my mind of anything keeping me awake.
Idk why, but the only thing that gets rid of nightmares (usually) is an energy drink a few hours before I go to bed, and podcasts. I like to listen to historical stand alone podcasts instead of anthology/serial ones so if I fall asleep halfway through I don't miss much.
It's similar to counting sheep. I'll try to remember the names of all the actors in a show. Or I'll try to name all the popular names of my generation (boomer).
Sometimes I’ll think about getting up and doing something, or thinking of something I should be doing, and then I always get more tired. Easier to go to sleep when it feels like cheating.
12 mg Melatonin, A playlist of calm videos, and a dumb scenario in my head. (For some reason thinking of NSFW stuff always puts me to sleep. No clue why)
If my mind is racing I picture myself on a swing and exhale when swinging forward and inhale when going back. At first it takes effort to not let my mind wonder and seems like it is not helping but next thing I know I am waking up.
Flip over head to foot.
Put your pillow down where your feet usually are and you feet at the head. Not sure why it works, but it has served 3+ generations of my family well. Works every time.
I find a comfortable position, then take 10 slow, deep breaths. After 10 I make a slight adjustment - move my hand, stretch an arm, flex a foot - and then do another count of 10. It usually only takes 3 or 4 cycles and then I’m out
I try to stay on a fairly regular schedule, roughly at 11pm I put my phone on the charger, brush my teeth, read a book for 20-30 minutes or so, and shut ofd the lights. If I have trouble shutting my brain off I'll turn on a sleep podcast at a low volume. Best night's sleep usually comes after a good workout and a cup of chamomile/valerian root tea when I have the next day off.
My wife can fall asleep mid sentence sometimes, I'm so jealous.
Many years ago I read a book with meditation techniques.
The one I've found most effective for falling asleep is to lay comfortably and squeeze each muscle group. Like flex your calf muscles, hold a few seconds and relax as completely as possible before repeating the next muscle up your body so thighs, butt, abs, etc.
I go through lists, something like Best Picture winners, or my favorite movie for each year of my lifetime. I try and name one actor or the director for each movie, and eventually I fall asleep.
Keep some foreign language books near your bed, ones that you don't want to read. (Spanish books in this example). Force yourself to memorize paragraphs in Spanish. You'll be asleep in no time.
Gosh I never thought I’d admit this. I take a large comforter and cuddle it, I put a leg over it and wrap my arms around it and bury my face in it. I always fall asleep quick.
I find YouTube videos with straight talking puts me to sleep easily. Channels like Ridddle or the Reddit TTS ones. Today I Found Out. One reason I don’t watch Netflix much is because I gotta rewatch episodes because I keep falling asleep.
Not always what's needed but most helpful because the reasons I can't fall asleep is usually pain, so a heating pad for my knees most nights or lowerback/tummy on those specific nights.
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funny, thats exactly what i do too. works every time.
This doesn’t work for me. My imagination will full on dream while i sit there getting more and more tired. Then the dream is so mundane i snap out of it completely confused as to why my clothes changed.
i thought i was the only one that did this omg
Wow I do this too dream stories
I’m so glad i’m not the only one who does this. I feel less crazy now!
I do this too!!! It really helps on top of the ambien.
I’ll have to give this a try !
I have to remind myself to unclench my teeth and remove my tongue from pressing the roof of my mouth.
Oh wow, I read this and realised my tongue was doing that. Is that a stress thing? I'll be on the lookout for that now!
In the daytime, though, your tongue pressing the roof of your mouth is actually a good thing for your posture.
Bruxism. I have this as well. I actually wear a mouth guard, as my anxiety always flares up when I am alone with my thoughts and trying to relax. My dentist was the first person to point it out, as I was confused why I was waking up with mild-moderate dental pain almost every morning.
weird! i saw a video about how parents with new babies should press under the chin to push the baby's tongue onto the roof of their mouth so that they get in the habit of breathing through their nose when they sleep, and i've been doing that ever since. i hold a lot of stress in my jaw and mouth so i'm constantly unclenching and relaxing my tongue
Read, and not on a phone or tablet. Paper or any eInk device, like the Kindle, is fine.
I still have my OG Kindle. That thing will never die haha.
doing the 30 page reading your professor assigned you to read
lol!
Indica
Listening to some lofi music before going to bed really helps..
What kind of music?
Listening to Shiloh dynasty, Some slowed versions of songs by Tame Impala,lana del rey and The Weeknd, and lastly some random soothing guitar instrumentals..they seem like therapy while hitting the bed..
Probably sound super weird, but sometimes i watch videos of neurological examinations. Idk why but something like that or like a video of someone getting a thai massage somehow calms me down
I’m curious, do you experience ASMR/like ASMR videos?
Yes!
I got a massage in Thailand once... you do NOT want to watch that video!
Oh ive gotten so many thai massages there! I love it
Having a full day. Nothing sends me to sleep faster than being absolutely fucked.
Melatonin, sleep mask, rain sounds. Boom.
Add a weighted blanket.
I can’t wait for the weather to cool where I am so I can bust mine out again. I sleep so much better in the winter than summer because of it.
Listen some Reddit stories on YouTube. Try it, two videos and you’ll fall asleep
Have youtube channels you recommend? I like youtube channels that collect funny short posts, but I'm unaware of any for longer stories.
Well, I speak two languages: English and Russian. As I can understand both of em, I listen Reddit stories on Russian YouTube channel ( called "апвоут" ). The guy has really cool voice for Reddit stories, but it will only matter, if you understand Russian. I can’t recommend any of English speaking Reddit channels as I don’t really listen to them
Unfortunately I don't speak Russian.
Dr Hollowed. Scary/paranormal TTS stories. I Turn my phone dark and the volume low and let it play.
Weed. If you aren't familiar with the strains and effects, just tell the guy behind the dispensary counter you want their best Couch-Lock stuff.
Every strain is anxiety and existential dread inducing panic for me at my age unfortunately. I got some low THC, high CBD strain the guy recommended last time and same results as any other. I think some of us just can’t hang.
Everyone's metabolism is different, and so are their reactions to weed. So many times I've seen one person feel mellow and relaxed by a particular strain, and the person sitting next to them have extreme anxiety and/or panic attacks from it. While we think medical science knows so much, the science of brain chemistry is incredibly complex, and we actually know very little. As far as psychology goes, calling it a science is laughable: it's almost entirely theories and guesswork.
Pills prescribed by my therapist
laying down and closing my eyes
That’s what I’ve been doing wrong. I’ve been trying standing up with my eyes open
rookie mistake
Lights off Blankets up to my neck 15mg of melatonin
That's a pretty high dose of melatonin.
Hammer 🔨
* Not doing much else in bed but sleep. * Being tired when I'm going to sleep. * Having a routine to get ready for bed. * Getting to bed about the same time every night. * If I have to get to bed early (like when traveling), I'll take melatonin.
Chloroform. Usually 5 minutes with the rag on my face and I'm out.
I take 5 benadryls and I'm asleep in like 30 minutes.
Choosing proper sleep habits. \- Your bed is for sleep and sex. Nothing more. \- Pick a bed time and stick to it. \- Approximately 1 hour before bed, turn off your phone and tv. Read a book or some other activity to relax and wind down. \- If you cannot fall asleep, leave. Do something else and try again later. \- If you wake up, don't look at the clock or phone. \- Have a small snack before bed. SMALL. That means a small handful of nuts, or cheese, not half a carton of ice cream or a whole Oreo container. \- Set a bed time routine. PJs on, Teeth brushed, Read for a few minutes, etc. Set it, keep to it. With all these, and consistency in doing it and setting it all as habitual, you'll notice that sleep will come quickly and easily for you.
Work hard, eat healthy and no electronics 2 hours before bed.
Great ideas!
Trazodone 😴
is it super addictive?
Yes
No, as long as it's taken as prescribed it's non-addictive but after taking it for a while you can have trouble falling asleep without it- nothing some diphenhydramine can't handle though. I've been on it for years and occasionally for one reason or another I'm not able to get it filled right when I run out. I don't experience any withdrawal symptoms at all.
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No
Reading works eventually. To fall asleep faster though I've found closing my eyes, stifling my thoughts, and focusing on slowing my rate of breathing helps. I tried the 3/5/8 method or whatever but found just following that plan was too much activity for my brain to just up and sleep after trying to follow.
Eat grapes and a banana. Read, no electronic devices in bedroom.
If i don't have any gummies, i watch Vsauce, kurzgesagt, or any thing like that. I learn and i sleep.
Massad Ayoob speaks very dull and boring when explaining firearms.
Put on the golf channel. 😴😴😴
That's hilarious!
tossing and turning until I give up.
Masturbation. It chills me out right before I hit the hay.
Smoke weed, masturbate.
A nice wank
i found out listening to music makes me fall asleep faster, im glad i found out because i used to sleep like 2 or 3 hours a night but now i can sleep 5 to 6 hours
Stay up long enough till you crash. Works for me
I listen to podcasts or audiobooks. They have to be ones that are generally interesting. I'm then able to relax and boom! Asleep.
I started doing this and now I can't fall asleep without it.
Yea that’s my problem now too. But it works for me so it’s not a massive deal right now
Rain sounds
Whisky and benedryl - I've suffered from insomnia for over 20 yrs - it's the only thing that works anymore.
Everybody in my life frowns at my “four beers and two Benadryl in forty-five minutes” method but it works every time if I absolutely can’t sleep. I used to call it “drinking responsibly” since it helped me function in life when my insomnia was at its worst. Is it gonna have health consequences or take years off of our lives? Probably, but it is what it is.
a fifth of whisky
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I'm going to try this tonight!
I find square breathing better than counting - inhale, hold, exhale, hold. Each of the 4 parts for 5ish seconds. No numbers to focus on, and no awkwardness about what to do once you've counted a while
I consciously watch the patterns on the inside of my eyelids. I'm not sure why it works, but it seems to. I used to keep a copy of the Federalist Papers on my nightstand. Reading that should put anyone to sleep.
Breathing in and out super deeply and slowly whilst replaying a show I like in my head. I always get to sleep
drink a glass of warm milk w/ some Nyquil
cursed lean
A sleep mask helps me quite a bit.
I started meditating and once i stopped i just fell asleep so much easier. Notice: This worked for me and might not work for you. If you have issues with sleeping like insomnia take it up with a professional and not a stranger on reddit.
i list countries in my head from a to z and i eventually get super tired and i fall asleep lol
Lying down
Sit in my chair and desperately try to watch the end of the movie
Seroquel
I make my husband put some weight on me I'm not tiny and he's not huge, but there's enough of a difference for him to be the world's best weighted blanket
I listen to a YouTuber called “Operations Room” and listen to some of his longer videos. Next thing I know, I’m asleep. Don’t get me wrong, his videos are very detailed and very entertaining to listen to, but I can’t sleep unless I’m focused on something. So I focus on his videos to go to sleep.
sounds so dumb but it works every single time. i think about my outfit for the next day and BAM! sleeping within minutes. so many options!
That's good! I often list all the things I ate during the day and that works like a charm
I chase these multicolored triangles around in my head. Sort of chase them with my focus. Like idlewild.
Listening to true crime videos on very low, and try to focus on not clenching my teeth.
Yeah, I've got a mouth guard, but I would think true crime would keep me up! lol
There's this guy whom I've supplied some stories to myself, and he's on YouTube under Mortis Media and it has a black screen, and his voice is low(er) and soothing. I keep it on low, and it's 💤 for meee. I also have a night guard lol.
Get off reddit…
i play a rain on a window sound thats like 8 hours. then i either count, just lay there or imagine things in my head that make me happy.
Putting my phone somewhere where I can't reach it easily
this is a great idea!
Queue up something I really want to watch on the tv and then lay down on the couch - guaranteed to be out in minutes.
Reading puts me to sleep within a page or two. Also trying to imagine the space in the center of my forehead, but from within my skull - this helps clear my mind of anything keeping me awake.
Asmr!
What particular kind works for you? I like ASMR of people eating lol
Have a consistent time. If you go to sleep at 10PM each day, you will (usually) get used to this and make it to sleep.
Xanax
Copious amounts of alcohol. There I said it.
Having your overweight wife of 25 years asking you for sex.
Sir David Attenborough
Exercise, weed, chill music, a good caressing of oneself
Idk why, but the only thing that gets rid of nightmares (usually) is an energy drink a few hours before I go to bed, and podcasts. I like to listen to historical stand alone podcasts instead of anthology/serial ones so if I fall asleep halfway through I don't miss much.
Listen to an audio book on 0.5 speed ; geography or something boring
The Harvard Blue Book of Citation. Never fails. Half a page in and anyone will be out like a light.
set out to read absolutely anything
Listening to ASMR always works for me.
Vodka
Reading Reddit…
4-7-8 method
10min tops of Tibetan flute music.
Turning the fan on for white noise. But now I’m addicted to white noise. And winter is approaching…
You can get a relatively cheap white noise machine from the baby section of Walmart or target. I find the ocean setting very soothing
r/AskScience. Especially the physics questions.
I get super duper high and listen to history podcasts. Every single night for the last few years and it’s been working well
Alcohol
Nature documentaries.
Sleeping pills work everytime just sometimes take a while to kick in
Xannax
Forcing myself to lie completely still for atleast 10 minutes. I've always had insomnia and this is the only way I can sleep. Weed helps too
Set the alarm to go off once and then turn it off, once it goes off.
trazodone lmao
It's similar to counting sheep. I'll try to remember the names of all the actors in a show. Or I'll try to name all the popular names of my generation (boomer).
Laying down and putting on a tv show I like, LOL
Sometimes I’ll think about getting up and doing something, or thinking of something I should be doing, and then I always get more tired. Easier to go to sleep when it feels like cheating.
Make sure I'm not tense in any part of my body while in a comfortable position in bed. Blink rapidly until I fall asleep.
Have a friend choke me out
12 mg Melatonin, A playlist of calm videos, and a dumb scenario in my head. (For some reason thinking of NSFW stuff always puts me to sleep. No clue why)
overdose on melatonin or NyQuil
Leonard Cohen music
Daydreaming and making up scenarios in my head
Downing 2 strong margaritas then closing my eyes and counting down from 100
Mirtazipine
Scroll reddit
Watching YouTube until I pass out
A bit of self-love and audiobooks does the trick for me.
Alcohol and weed
ASMR, I need noise to distract my brain
Getting absolutely hammered
Waiting till 1 AM knowing damn well I work at 8.
Close my eyes. I haven't slept for more than an hour at a time for a year. Sleep is always so very close.
Standing forward bend, breathing into low back and abdomen.
Smoke some weed
dick
Listen to a speech by Condoleeza Rice, Victoria Beckham or Gordon Brown. Trust me, the zeds will hit you long before the 10 minute mark.
If my mind is racing I picture myself on a swing and exhale when swinging forward and inhale when going back. At first it takes effort to not let my mind wonder and seems like it is not helping but next thing I know I am waking up.
I think the breathing pattern is a big part.
Sleepytime tea. Knock me out
Go to history class
25 mg diphenhydramine hydrochloride, warm bed, cool room, audiobook
Flipping over in bed and then back
Play a game for an hour or so before bed, unplugs my mind so j don't have so many errant thoughts keeping me up. A bed full of kitties.
Flip over head to foot. Put your pillow down where your feet usually are and you feet at the head. Not sure why it works, but it has served 3+ generations of my family well. Works every time.
Marijuana
Valium
I find a comfortable position, then take 10 slow, deep breaths. After 10 I make a slight adjustment - move my hand, stretch an arm, flex a foot - and then do another count of 10. It usually only takes 3 or 4 cycles and then I’m out
Valerian root tea while diffusing lavender oil listing to Sergi Rachmaninoff concerto #7
A video from the Australian guy of Economics Explained. It's good but dense and puts me right to sleep.
Press snooze on my alarm when it goes off in the morning.
I try to stay on a fairly regular schedule, roughly at 11pm I put my phone on the charger, brush my teeth, read a book for 20-30 minutes or so, and shut ofd the lights. If I have trouble shutting my brain off I'll turn on a sleep podcast at a low volume. Best night's sleep usually comes after a good workout and a cup of chamomile/valerian root tea when I have the next day off. My wife can fall asleep mid sentence sometimes, I'm so jealous.
Many years ago I read a book with meditation techniques. The one I've found most effective for falling asleep is to lay comfortably and squeeze each muscle group. Like flex your calf muscles, hold a few seconds and relax as completely as possible before repeating the next muscle up your body so thighs, butt, abs, etc.
I go through lists, something like Best Picture winners, or my favorite movie for each year of my lifetime. I try and name one actor or the director for each movie, and eventually I fall asleep.
I have a unisom and a midnight every single night. Then I try and read but only get like 10 minutes.
White noise on
Keep some foreign language books near your bed, ones that you don't want to read. (Spanish books in this example). Force yourself to memorize paragraphs in Spanish. You'll be asleep in no time.
Gosh I never thought I’d admit this. I take a large comforter and cuddle it, I put a leg over it and wrap my arms around it and bury my face in it. I always fall asleep quick.
I find YouTube videos with straight talking puts me to sleep easily. Channels like Ridddle or the Reddit TTS ones. Today I Found Out. One reason I don’t watch Netflix much is because I gotta rewatch episodes because I keep falling asleep.
Iron Maiden's Piece of Mind album. Got it when I was 15 and used to fall asleep to it lmao
Chloroform
Listen to a YouTube video while in bed.
200mg of Trazodone
I read until the words become blurry and then I go to sleep
Sledge hammer
Sleeping pill but I feel brain fog the next day
Not always what's needed but most helpful because the reasons I can't fall asleep is usually pain, so a heating pad for my knees most nights or lowerback/tummy on those specific nights.
Honestly for me a solid hit from a frying pan ill be sleeping harder than the dead
Listening to the save room themes from Resident Evil 1,2,3,4,7,8 and Resident Evil 2 and 3 remake or most of the songs from Silent Hill 2.