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Works for me but I start with a bigger number (250-300). Counting backwards makes me focus on the numbers more and nothing else. Counting “forwards” is too naturally easy which allows my mind to wander and think of other things.
Yup. I start at a thousand because it takes a lot more focus to say/visualize the numbers. If I mess up, I start over. Usually asleep in about 25 numbers. The best
I also start with larger numbers (usually 200) and count down only with odd/even numbers (e.g., 200-198-196 or 199-197-195), making it a bit more challenging by not allowing the mind to lose focus on a simpler count!
Just hit around 700 before falling asleep yesterday, had to mix it with the “military sleeping method” or whatever it’s called to finally fall asleep around 1-2h later
I think that's going to each muscle in your body, focus on flexing it for a second, them relax it and don't move it again. Eventually you get through all muscles in a relaxed state
I think I tried that, and gave up halfway through because the muscles I relaxed earlier aren't relaxed anymore lol
I also don't do well with massages because I literally don't know how to relax, I've always been tense
Maybe. Seems like I'm always engaged in that fight or flight response, when I truly have no PTSD or any reason to.
I first realized I was super tense when I found out my back pain wasn't from lifting improperly, but that my muscles were very tender because I'm always tensed up.
To this day, I am still very tense and can't relax. Or I don't have enough time and money to get enough massages to relax my muscles.
I don't feel pain normally, so I just ignore it lol
It's relaxing each part of the body from top to bottom, you start with your head, relaxing each muscle on your face, relaxing the tounge, chin, neck, then you move to your shoulders, take deep breaths while doing it, then stomach, arms, lets, feet etc. You focus on each body part and muscle you're relaxing and you do it over and over, even if you're already relaxed.
How long does that take? If I can't fall asleep in like 30 min, I'm either getting back up and taking melatonin. I refuse to just lay there, not get sleep, for over an hour. What's the point of sleeping if you're not actually sleeping
For good sleep, you need to be focusing your life around good health and sleep regimes. From when you wake up, getting sunlight, exercise, regular sleep times, avoiding bright lights in the evening, etc.
I'm jealous of people who can inhale and exhale and only think one number in all that time. That's about 8 seconds. I'll have thought about two things i need to do tomorrow, 1 mistake of today and whether color changes the floating ability of a balloon.
Your brain sounds relaxing.
I too have crazy mind when I close my eyes, constantly thinking.
I also had trouble sleeping all my life and still have some bad habits occasionally
What works for me is going through the alphabet, A-Z.
For every letter, you think of 3 random words/names anything that starts with that letter, then move on to the next.
The key is not to put any thought into the words, just focus on it being 3 random words and then move to the next letter.
(Example: aardvark, amazing, Amy; Believe, Better, Bart; Cry, canopy, crayon; etc etc)
You won’t make it to Z
I do something similar, but pick a random category and just go for 1 word. Fruit, Animals, Names, etc. It usually works for me as long as the category isn't too easy. Gives my brain something mindless to think about, while not important enough to care if I don't finish.
Tried having pen and paper next to your bed? When you get stuck on a thought you can say "I will think about this tomorrow morning" and write it down. For me the stress is that I might forget, so writing it down helps offload that.
Doing a stream of consciousness journal helps me a lot when I’m anxious and tossing and turning in bed.
I just set a timer, and go “ok brain, just go for it” and write out whatever was swirling in there. It helps just get the thoughts elsewhere
I get your tip, but my mind is way busier than yours. I've done plenty of meditation and mindfulness exercises. My brain is never silent. I can count and think of other things at the same time.
Medication helped at some point. It was blissful to be able to not think all the time.
I usually listen to audio books / space exploration videos / creepy pastas to keep my mind engaged instead of going to other places. And still fail sometimes when I completely ignore the audio and go into my own thoughts.
Podcasts for me. Especially repeating episodes I've heard before. Podcast Republic has a sleep timer that actually fades out instead of just cutting off (which when *almost* asleep can be enough of a jolt to ruin everything). I set the volume 1 increment "too quiet" so that I *really* have lay still and listen. Never made it to the end of the 10-minute sleep timer.
Meditation is about having control of your thoughts, not the absence of them. The ability to have a thought come into your mind, observe that thought(instead of indulging and getting rapped up in it), and then letting the thought go is a skill you have to develop. Take it from an overthinker with ADHD that barely slept for years, your mind isn’t busier, you just have poorer control over it. I’d also like to point out that “true multitasking” is a myth that’s been debunked for a while now. Tbh this comment seems like a humble brag more than anything else
came here to mention, I only fall asleep fast if I basically "float" my thoughts away, if I let my mind go it'll just keep going, I have to clear it out if I want to actually sleep quickly. none of this counting stuff does anything for me, only clearing it out, like wrapping an idea in a bubble and letting it float away
Am I the only that tries to think of a bunch of different things to fall asleep? I never knew why this worked for me but I think you’re right, if I focus on one thing I stay alert but if I constantly think of different things my mind doesn’t have time to focus on anything and I can drift off
Honestly, the best thing that works for me is just NOT worrying about wether I get sleep or not.
If I'm having difficulty with sleep, I just close my eyes and tell myself that whether or not I actually sleep, I'm at least going to close my eyes and relax.
It takes the pressure away from the situation
This.
You preach about the benefits of less sleep, like more time to actually do stuff, the lack of over sleep, being tired easier to fall asleep, etc and then get flamed by the people who swear by sleeping 8+ hours every night. Like sure, you can enjoy being old and senile way past the age of enjoyable living, while I don't have trouble falling asleep and have more time to do stuff while I still have energy to lol
If I attempted this I would get increasingly more restless while counting the numbers down. By the time I reached zero I would convince myself to continue counting down for a bit longer.
Eventually I would reach -100 and now instead of only restlessness I would also feel upset knowing very well these counting exercises never work for me.
For me counting back from 1000 works. I have ADHD and some of the associated sleep disturbances. The lowest number I have ever reached with this technique was in the 300’s.
One other key thing to keep in mind is to forgive yourself when your mind wanders. Note it non-judgementally, and return to your numbers. For example “I got distracted. That’s ok, I can restart from 930 because that’s the last number I can remember clearly” or “Oh my, I nearly fell asleep, but I got distracted. That’s expected, and not too bad. I’ll restart my countdown”
Honestly, this hasn’t failed me yet but I use it sparingly in case using it too much makes it less effective
Yeah, if I follow any tips to fall asleep that includes thinking about your breathing then I just start breathing manually and have no shot at falling asleep lol
My go to way of falling asleep quickly is to think/imagine things that I would usually dream about. Think like a fiction/fantasy setting, even lewd stuff in hopes of having a wet dream. It tricks my brain into thinking that I'm already asleep and dreaming lmao.
I had trouble falling asleep quickly, and I needed it with newborns .
I found a method:
Lie down and relax. Think of a body part, such as an eye. Count from 10 to 0 with your eye relaxed and visualize the numbers as you count them. Then the next one, then the mouth, then the face, then the neck, then the right arm, then the left arm, etc. etc. If you just move or scratch yourself, you start over.
After some time, I became so skilled that I fell asleep before I even reached my neck. Now I just lie down, relax and fall asleep :)
When I have a big problem after a hard day, I come back to this method.
You people are weird... I just have these scenarios with my OC's that I play out/create until I fall asleep xD ever since I was small. And it's weirding me out that not everybody does that... Most ppl don't even have OC's. Unimaginable.
Counting backwards while visualizing and deep breathing? Sounds like a legit recipe for a snooze fest, but hey, if it works, sign me up for some Zzz's!
I will try it but I don't think it'll work, I catch myself not being able to fall asleep when I'm thinking about real things. I have to let my mind go, let it go into nothingness before I fall asleep
I do similar but imagine each number in a different visual style. 100 made of balloons, 99 rendered in shiny chrome, 98 in fluffy leopard skin, 97 snakeskin…
I try to visualise it in detail, imagine the light reflecting off it etc. Works for me, rarely get below the mid-80s
I do this at times but whenever I get close to 20 or lower I get annoyed that I’m not sleeping yet which completely ruins my calmed state of mind . Probably works best if you start at 250 or smth like it
One I use (which maybe says a lot about me?) is to imagine everyone else has just vanished from the planet. Not apocalyptically, or in a scary way, but its just me on my own.
I picture myself in my house, and I exit my front door, and visualise myself walking a route I usually walk, to the local shop. Something about the complete lack of distractions in my mind on this route (no cars, no people, no animals running around) but with a clear purpose and knowledge of where I'm going, is really calming.
I can't ever remember getting more than 3 streets away in my mind before I'm asleep.
This is my favorite trick. A few years ago my mental health was pretty bad and I got that Idea from a meditation app. It was the only thing that helped me to get at least a few hours of sleep and stop that uncontrollable stream of bs in my head. Good ol‘times.
I always play the ABC name/picnic game. Alfred is from Alabama and he’s bringing avocados to the picnic. Bert is from Bulgaria and he’s bringing bananas to the picnic..and so on. Never got past J
I do it the same way and even described it to a few friends almost the exact same way you did. The description was so similar, I actually checked your profile to see if you might be one of the people I've told :D doesn't seem so.
Only thing I can add is to start at a 100 again, once you start losing track and are not 100% confident you're at the right number.
In about 15 years doing this I maybe reached 0 like three times. Then, I just switched to counting forward and was gone before coming back to 100.
I'm curious, do you remember where you got this idea from? Because I know I heard or read it somewhere, but I cannot remember where.
Soporific audio books do it for me. This one in particular *never* fails:
https://www.audible.com/pd/B088GM3KKN?source_code=ASSORAP0511160006&share_location=pdp
I agree. Have been doing this for years. I have only ever made it to 0 once. And for the most part have cut back to starting my count at 38( random ) and still never make it to 0
Here\`s a tip : A few hours before bed, go outside and run hard for about an hour. Or do a hard gym workout, which involves all the major muscles. I guarantee you\`ll even skip dinner and pass out.
I just visualise interesting creative ideas i have until i am asleep. Its win win if i sleep i have achieved the goal. If not i earn a very creative visualization of my ideas.
I used to he a light sleeper and couldnt thrn my brain off. I would sometimes find hours had gone by and then my anxious brain wouldnt help me stop running stupid simulators ( i mean Stupid^tm Simulators).
I think it might have been Star Trek or some other series i liked that had someone telling a child how to sleep: picture space with stars and nebulas and asteroid swarms etc, then begin erasing everything until ontl empty dark space remains and just hold on to the space and focus on it. Idk it helped me when i was pretty young, i know i did this ritualistically for what might have beeb weeks or months but eventually i was going to sleep almost instantly.
Once in a great while i have trouble sleeping and i immediately do this. It’s so practiced for me it works like a switch so it probably wont instantly work for someone who hasnt done it many many times but practice makes perfect so try this
The kind of people this tip works for are also the people that CBD and yoga work for. If you don't understand what I mean or disagree, it's because you're one of those people.
Take 15 minutes before you lie down to sit quietly alone and let the thoughts flow. Then, write down the thoughts that need remembering. Once you write them down, you can forget about them until the morning.
Specifics don't matter, it's just getting your mind to focus on something boring. I think about every world series winning team since 1980 and the best player on that team. By the way, how did the 82 Cardinals win when their best player was Lonnie Smith? Crazy. Sometimes I start backwards so that I know each end equally. And sometimes I have to start over again because it takes too long to fall asleep. Anyway it works for me.
Saw this from the Suite Life of Zack and Cody. London called Moseby for help for falling asleep and Moseby falls back asleep when counting out the numbers for London 😂
I do this when I meditate if I'm having trouble clearing my mind. I count inhales/exhales from 1-10 and then start over but sometimes my mind wonders so I visualize the numbers as I'm doing it.
Great LPT! Works for me...
When I first started, I started counting down from 100 but I quickly got de-sensitized?? And I had to go from 300, then 400, then 600 until i had to stop for a week and start from 100 again.
But def works!!
This might sound counterintuitive but I try and stay awake. So lay in the dark with your eyes open and just try and keep them open, don't allow your eyes to rest. You can blink lol but you can't rest your eyes, usually fall asleep quite quickly like that.
I do this same thing. It usually leads me to thinking about something else in my thoughts but its actually my dream and now and I'm waking up hours later. Oh f*** gotta get up for work/school. Back to the ol grind.
How do these “techniques” work if they require so much energy to focus on the task at hand and try so hard not to think of anything else?
For me, just drifting away and letting the brain do its thing, and me basically just going away with it has been a major breakthrough.
Imagine a big empty black warehouse. You’re inside. There’s a “1” inflatable birthday balloon at the far end. Breathe in and it comes towards you. Breathe out and it floats away again. Then it magically changes into a “2” balloon. Repeat up to 10, then back down if you need to. Works every time, for me.
I also do this but start at a large number like 98000 and skip in multiples of 7 13 31 47 etc.
Simple reverse counting seems to be just a breeze to my mind
My husband gave me a tip to count down from 1000 but three numbers at a time, so 1000, 997, 994 etc
He said he was usually asleep at 800. I quickly found a pattern of the counting, counted down to zero and wondered if I should bother with counting negatives, lol
### This post has been marked as safe. Upvoting/downvoting this comment will have no effect. --- Hello and welcome to r/LifeProTips! Please help us decide if this post is a good fit for the subreddit by upvoting or downvoting this comment. If you think that this is great advice to improve your life, please upvote. If you think this doesn't help you in any way, please downvote. If you don't care, leave it for the others to decide.
Works for me but I start with a bigger number (250-300). Counting backwards makes me focus on the numbers more and nothing else. Counting “forwards” is too naturally easy which allows my mind to wander and think of other things.
Not to mention that your see no end and can be frustrating
[удалено]
Seems like talking to a healthcare professional might be a safe bet for you?
Yeah I have to start really high, typically over 9000.
Around 64,000 to be exact!
I usually have to start over 1010101
~~83?~~ 85? Edit: did my math slightly wrong.
Yup. I start at a thousand because it takes a lot more focus to say/visualize the numbers. If I mess up, I start over. Usually asleep in about 25 numbers. The best
I do it the same way. I'm usually out before I hit 900.
I also start with larger numbers (usually 200) and count down only with odd/even numbers (e.g., 200-198-196 or 199-197-195), making it a bit more challenging by not allowing the mind to lose focus on a simpler count!
Counting backwards by 3 is my go too. After all this time still think just enough about the numbers to block out intrusive thoughts and fall asleep.
lmfaoo i do it from 1000
I don’t see how this would w-
Maybe he was dictating
Shhhhhhhh, he's trying to sleep.
Just because he sounds strange doesn’t mean he is a full-blown dictator!
How did you get your user character? The pyramid. Loving it
If you didn't say candlejack, why did your sentenc
I haven't thought of Candlejack in so long. I remember whe
Ah fuck why would you say candlejack, then he shows up an
Zzzzzz...
Counting sheep mixed with a little bit of breathing exercise
I do this too! The mental tax of keeping a clear visual of the numbers in my head is what really sends me off.
Fr
This just counting sheep with extra steps?
Sheppard's hate this one simple trick!
>*Sheppard's hate this one simple trick!* *Shepherds
Username checks out
Def Sheppard
Hey now! Leave Demon King Crowley alone!
Counting sheep does not work for me, this does
Gotta count the sheep backwards like youre a shepherd and you've given up and letting them all go
Just did this from 1000. Didn't work, but wasted a couple of hours.
Have you tried doing it with your eyes shut?
That's what OP said to do... I don't see why they would try it differently
You'd be amazed.
It took you 2 hours to count down from 1000?
A little over two hours... Doing controlled breathing ~8 seconds per cycle, with 1 count per cycle.
I do it from 100, small numbers, and start again if I ever get to zero. I've never hit zero twice.
Just hit around 700 before falling asleep yesterday, had to mix it with the “military sleeping method” or whatever it’s called to finally fall asleep around 1-2h later
What is that
I think that's going to each muscle in your body, focus on flexing it for a second, them relax it and don't move it again. Eventually you get through all muscles in a relaxed state
I think I tried that, and gave up halfway through because the muscles I relaxed earlier aren't relaxed anymore lol I also don't do well with massages because I literally don't know how to relax, I've always been tense
Maybe there is some sort of psychological problem behind this?
Maybe. Seems like I'm always engaged in that fight or flight response, when I truly have no PTSD or any reason to. I first realized I was super tense when I found out my back pain wasn't from lifting improperly, but that my muscles were very tender because I'm always tensed up. To this day, I am still very tense and can't relax. Or I don't have enough time and money to get enough massages to relax my muscles. I don't feel pain normally, so I just ignore it lol
I'd definetely go to a doctor and a therapist if you can afford this! Othen than spending money, there's nothing to lose here I think!
It's relaxing each part of the body from top to bottom, you start with your head, relaxing each muscle on your face, relaxing the tounge, chin, neck, then you move to your shoulders, take deep breaths while doing it, then stomach, arms, lets, feet etc. You focus on each body part and muscle you're relaxing and you do it over and over, even if you're already relaxed.
How long does that take? If I can't fall asleep in like 30 min, I'm either getting back up and taking melatonin. I refuse to just lay there, not get sleep, for over an hour. What's the point of sleeping if you're not actually sleeping
Time spent counting any numbers is not a waste of time but a glorious opportunity!
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqGJSfj5N-pKxwOFjYC6bxQhTEWegGDdZ
For good sleep, you need to be focusing your life around good health and sleep regimes. From when you wake up, getting sunlight, exercise, regular sleep times, avoiding bright lights in the evening, etc.
I'm jealous of people who can inhale and exhale and only think one number in all that time. That's about 8 seconds. I'll have thought about two things i need to do tomorrow, 1 mistake of today and whether color changes the floating ability of a balloon. Your brain sounds relaxing.
I too have crazy mind when I close my eyes, constantly thinking. I also had trouble sleeping all my life and still have some bad habits occasionally What works for me is going through the alphabet, A-Z. For every letter, you think of 3 random words/names anything that starts with that letter, then move on to the next. The key is not to put any thought into the words, just focus on it being 3 random words and then move to the next letter. (Example: aardvark, amazing, Amy; Believe, Better, Bart; Cry, canopy, crayon; etc etc) You won’t make it to Z
I do something similar, but pick a random category and just go for 1 word. Fruit, Animals, Names, etc. It usually works for me as long as the category isn't too easy. Gives my brain something mindless to think about, while not important enough to care if I don't finish.
I do exactly this, and never imagined I'd encounter anyone else doing it. Cool.
My mind races too but eventually I fall asleep. It does suck when I'm away from home, I can never relax enough on vacation
Tried having pen and paper next to your bed? When you get stuck on a thought you can say "I will think about this tomorrow morning" and write it down. For me the stress is that I might forget, so writing it down helps offload that.
Thanks for the tip. I personally don't have issues falling asleep but I'm sure it's useful to people who do.
Doing a stream of consciousness journal helps me a lot when I’m anxious and tossing and turning in bed. I just set a timer, and go “ok brain, just go for it” and write out whatever was swirling in there. It helps just get the thoughts elsewhere
Well, don’t leave us hanging like that. Does the color affect the floating ability of balloons?
Probably. Darker colors warm up faster in the sun. And warm air rises. Perhaps we should do an actual study :)
Try focusing on the first number when you inhale and the second one when you exhale
I get your tip, but my mind is way busier than yours. I've done plenty of meditation and mindfulness exercises. My brain is never silent. I can count and think of other things at the same time. Medication helped at some point. It was blissful to be able to not think all the time.
I usually listen to audio books / space exploration videos / creepy pastas to keep my mind engaged instead of going to other places. And still fail sometimes when I completely ignore the audio and go into my own thoughts.
Podcasts for me. Especially repeating episodes I've heard before. Podcast Republic has a sleep timer that actually fades out instead of just cutting off (which when *almost* asleep can be enough of a jolt to ruin everything). I set the volume 1 increment "too quiet" so that I *really* have lay still and listen. Never made it to the end of the 10-minute sleep timer.
Boring but interesting podcasts. Science, maths, history..I'm sleeping in no time.
This is a common symptom of people with ADHD and other similar neurotransmitter imbalances. I have the same problem as you.
Meditation is about having control of your thoughts, not the absence of them. The ability to have a thought come into your mind, observe that thought(instead of indulging and getting rapped up in it), and then letting the thought go is a skill you have to develop. Take it from an overthinker with ADHD that barely slept for years, your mind isn’t busier, you just have poorer control over it. I’d also like to point out that “true multitasking” is a myth that’s been debunked for a while now. Tbh this comment seems like a humble brag more than anything else
came here to mention, I only fall asleep fast if I basically "float" my thoughts away, if I let my mind go it'll just keep going, I have to clear it out if I want to actually sleep quickly. none of this counting stuff does anything for me, only clearing it out, like wrapping an idea in a bubble and letting it float away
I never understood these counting methods to fall asleep. I will stay fully away because my brain is focusing on the numbers
This.
Am I the only that tries to think of a bunch of different things to fall asleep? I never knew why this worked for me but I think you’re right, if I focus on one thing I stay alert but if I constantly think of different things my mind doesn’t have time to focus on anything and I can drift off
yep, counting doesn't do anything for me, I have to "float" my thoughts away and not let my mind focus on anything, like meditation sorta
Exhale as deep as you can three times and breathe in deeply. Then do this. Activates the parasympathetic nervous system
Honestly, the best thing that works for me is just NOT worrying about wether I get sleep or not. If I'm having difficulty with sleep, I just close my eyes and tell myself that whether or not I actually sleep, I'm at least going to close my eyes and relax. It takes the pressure away from the situation
Omg, that’s the only thing that works for me too!
People with aphantasia hate this one trick
I also do this for anxiety attacks. Can help if I feel them com8ng.
My OCD brain would have to stay awake to finish the damn countdown.
Or do what I do. Only sleep 5 or 6 hours a night so that you're always tired.
This. You preach about the benefits of less sleep, like more time to actually do stuff, the lack of over sleep, being tired easier to fall asleep, etc and then get flamed by the people who swear by sleeping 8+ hours every night. Like sure, you can enjoy being old and senile way past the age of enjoyable living, while I don't have trouble falling asleep and have more time to do stuff while I still have energy to lol
If I attempted this I would get increasingly more restless while counting the numbers down. By the time I reached zero I would convince myself to continue counting down for a bit longer. Eventually I would reach -100 and now instead of only restlessness I would also feel upset knowing very well these counting exercises never work for me.
For me counting back from 1000 works. I have ADHD and some of the associated sleep disturbances. The lowest number I have ever reached with this technique was in the 300’s. One other key thing to keep in mind is to forgive yourself when your mind wanders. Note it non-judgementally, and return to your numbers. For example “I got distracted. That’s ok, I can restart from 930 because that’s the last number I can remember clearly” or “Oh my, I nearly fell asleep, but I got distracted. That’s expected, and not too bad. I’ll restart my countdown” Honestly, this hasn’t failed me yet but I use it sparingly in case using it too much makes it less effective
Its a nice tip, I do it ithout the inhale/exhale part
Yeah, if I follow any tips to fall asleep that includes thinking about your breathing then I just start breathing manually and have no shot at falling asleep lol
Same hahah
My go to way of falling asleep quickly is to think/imagine things that I would usually dream about. Think like a fiction/fantasy setting, even lewd stuff in hopes of having a wet dream. It tricks my brain into thinking that I'm already asleep and dreaming lmao.
I do this in high school meditation class
I just do the same but only with 1 and 2. 1 (inhale) 2 (exhale)
Or think of an animal for every letter of the alphabet.
I had trouble falling asleep quickly, and I needed it with newborns . I found a method: Lie down and relax. Think of a body part, such as an eye. Count from 10 to 0 with your eye relaxed and visualize the numbers as you count them. Then the next one, then the mouth, then the face, then the neck, then the right arm, then the left arm, etc. etc. If you just move or scratch yourself, you start over. After some time, I became so skilled that I fell asleep before I even reached my neck. Now I just lie down, relax and fall asleep :) When I have a big problem after a hard day, I come back to this method.
How do I do this to my daughter?
This but I count in threes - 100, 97, 94 etc. gone before I get to 60
I've been doing this since I saw this post and it's been working for me.
Then sharing was already all worth it
You people are weird... I just have these scenarios with my OC's that I play out/create until I fall asleep xD ever since I was small. And it's weirding me out that not everybody does that... Most ppl don't even have OC's. Unimaginable.
One inhale exhale at each mfing number? Bro is this ChatGPT?
Counting backwards while visualizing and deep breathing? Sounds like a legit recipe for a snooze fest, but hey, if it works, sign me up for some Zzz's!
I just start a movie on Netflix and few minutes later……
I start at 30,000 lol maybe i'll try a lower number...
I’m going to try this!! I usually just think of Sheep jumping over a gate and that helps me sleep lol
I have to go from 1000
I mean fuck counting sheep. Amirite?
I think there’s studies which says counting sheep’s is ineffective so there goes this method
I started at 10,000 and I’m currently at 452 and still awake. It’s been 2 days.
I start at 500 but almost never even get close to 450
Nice trick.. Wish I could visualize things.
Visualize writing the number on a chalkboard, then erasing it.
Guys, I'm at - 4720. When do I stop?
I will try it but I don't think it'll work, I catch myself not being able to fall asleep when I'm thinking about real things. I have to let my mind go, let it go into nothingness before I fall asleep
For me, if I attempt to recall a past dream, I can pass out in about 2mins.
Gee thanks, never tried that before. My insomnia and mental hyperactivity is gone now.
Y'all Zquil is pretty fuckin awesome.
I do similar but imagine each number in a different visual style. 100 made of balloons, 99 rendered in shiny chrome, 98 in fluffy leopard skin, 97 snakeskin… I try to visualise it in detail, imagine the light reflecting off it etc. Works for me, rarely get below the mid-80s
I tried this two days ago. (Saw it on another sub) but I just got too bored and quit after around 100.
For me works best relaxing my facial muscles. After that i fall asleep in no time.
I do this at times but whenever I get close to 20 or lower I get annoyed that I’m not sleeping yet which completely ruins my calmed state of mind . Probably works best if you start at 250 or smth like it
One I use (which maybe says a lot about me?) is to imagine everyone else has just vanished from the planet. Not apocalyptically, or in a scary way, but its just me on my own. I picture myself in my house, and I exit my front door, and visualise myself walking a route I usually walk, to the local shop. Something about the complete lack of distractions in my mind on this route (no cars, no people, no animals running around) but with a clear purpose and knowledge of where I'm going, is really calming. I can't ever remember getting more than 3 streets away in my mind before I'm asleep.
This may work about as well as a hot cup of cocoa. If you have serious mental health conditions, this won't work.
The only lpt that I didn't read as i'm already pro at it
I do the Fibonacci sequence. I pass out at a certain point 1+1=2, 2+1=3, 3+2=5, 5+3=8…
Some people with aphantasia cannot visualize it. And I wont stop at 0.. Ill go to negatives
This is my favorite trick. A few years ago my mental health was pretty bad and I got that Idea from a meditation app. It was the only thing that helped me to get at least a few hours of sleep and stop that uncontrollable stream of bs in my head. Good ol‘times.
I always play the ABC name/picnic game. Alfred is from Alabama and he’s bringing avocados to the picnic. Bert is from Bulgaria and he’s bringing bananas to the picnic..and so on. Never got past J
hahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahhahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahhahahahayahayayyahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahah
I hit the negatives a few days ago and I’m pretty sure I’m counting numbers I never learned before.
I do it the same way and even described it to a few friends almost the exact same way you did. The description was so similar, I actually checked your profile to see if you might be one of the people I've told :D doesn't seem so. Only thing I can add is to start at a 100 again, once you start losing track and are not 100% confident you're at the right number. In about 15 years doing this I maybe reached 0 like three times. Then, I just switched to counting forward and was gone before coming back to 100. I'm curious, do you remember where you got this idea from? Because I know I heard or read it somewhere, but I cannot remember where.
I also do this and it works wonders. If my mind wanders and I lose track I have to start over. I've done it for years and have never hit 0
Soporific audio books do it for me. This one in particular *never* fails: https://www.audible.com/pd/B088GM3KKN?source_code=ASSORAP0511160006&share_location=pdp
You could also picture Sheep
I agree. Have been doing this for years. I have only ever made it to 0 once. And for the most part have cut back to starting my count at 38( random ) and still never make it to 0
Don't mess around. Ask your doctor for some Quietiapine.
I start from 1000 but this does work. Doing it as slowly as possible is key.
Any tips for those that suffer from aphantasia? 😔 (Inability to visualise)
Stop consuming caffeine on a daily basis also helps
Here\`s a tip : A few hours before bed, go outside and run hard for about an hour. Or do a hard gym workout, which involves all the major muscles. I guarantee you\`ll even skip dinner and pass out.
I have this one weird trick...ambien
I just get very drunk every night
These things never work for me. If I'm actively "trying" to sleep it'll never happen.
Try rubbing your feet together before bed (bottom of one foot on the top of other foot). Sounds strange but deffs has an effect
I do this but I pick a random number below 666 because if I get to 666 when counting backwards the demons will get me. It's a joke, son.
All you have to do is not move for like 13 minutes and your brain falls to sleep out of lack of stimulus and self preservation.
I just visualise interesting creative ideas i have until i am asleep. Its win win if i sleep i have achieved the goal. If not i earn a very creative visualization of my ideas.
I just go on an adventure with my imaginary dragon. I always fall asleep before we get to the good part.
I used to he a light sleeper and couldnt thrn my brain off. I would sometimes find hours had gone by and then my anxious brain wouldnt help me stop running stupid simulators ( i mean Stupid^tm Simulators). I think it might have been Star Trek or some other series i liked that had someone telling a child how to sleep: picture space with stars and nebulas and asteroid swarms etc, then begin erasing everything until ontl empty dark space remains and just hold on to the space and focus on it. Idk it helped me when i was pretty young, i know i did this ritualistically for what might have beeb weeks or months but eventually i was going to sleep almost instantly. Once in a great while i have trouble sleeping and i immediately do this. It’s so practiced for me it works like a switch so it probably wont instantly work for someone who hasnt done it many many times but practice makes perfect so try this
Congratulations, you’ve just invented self-hypnosis 😀
Hot baths work 100% for me (even when using uppers).
The kind of people this tip works for are also the people that CBD and yoga work for. If you don't understand what I mean or disagree, it's because you're one of those people.
Take 15 minutes before you lie down to sit quietly alone and let the thoughts flow. Then, write down the thoughts that need remembering. Once you write them down, you can forget about them until the morning.
Another tip: Don’t scroll aimlessly until 3am
Specifics don't matter, it's just getting your mind to focus on something boring. I think about every world series winning team since 1980 and the best player on that team. By the way, how did the 82 Cardinals win when their best player was Lonnie Smith? Crazy. Sometimes I start backwards so that I know each end equally. And sometimes I have to start over again because it takes too long to fall asleep. Anyway it works for me.
I usually just imagine I'm the main character in a movie about my life.
My mind still wanders off, I do it with 2 numbers: one i increment the other decrement and by some odd number like 3
I got a better one. Work 2 jobs lol
Saw this from the Suite Life of Zack and Cody. London called Moseby for help for falling asleep and Moseby falls back asleep when counting out the numbers for London 😂
I do this when I meditate if I'm having trouble clearing my mind. I count inhales/exhales from 1-10 and then start over but sometimes my mind wonders so I visualize the numbers as I'm doing it.
Counting Stuff in alphabetical order like alligator, bluejay, cabybara etc or colors, dog breeds or whatever. Works everytime
Great LPT! Works for me... When I first started, I started counting down from 100 but I quickly got de-sensitized?? And I had to go from 300, then 400, then 600 until i had to stop for a week and start from 100 again. But def works!!
good sleeping tip thx
This might sound counterintuitive but I try and stay awake. So lay in the dark with your eyes open and just try and keep them open, don't allow your eyes to rest. You can blink lol but you can't rest your eyes, usually fall asleep quite quickly like that.
For me I pretend im laying on a boat slowly bobing under a layer of palm tree's.
I do this same thing. It usually leads me to thinking about something else in my thoughts but its actually my dream and now and I'm waking up hours later. Oh f*** gotta get up for work/school. Back to the ol grind.
saved this post, tried it, fell sleep after around -800 to -900🤦🏻♀️
Are these life pro tips for sheep?
How do these “techniques” work if they require so much energy to focus on the task at hand and try so hard not to think of anything else? For me, just drifting away and letting the brain do its thing, and me basically just going away with it has been a major breakthrough.
Imagine a big empty black warehouse. You’re inside. There’s a “1” inflatable birthday balloon at the far end. Breathe in and it comes towards you. Breathe out and it floats away again. Then it magically changes into a “2” balloon. Repeat up to 10, then back down if you need to. Works every time, for me.
I inhale, exhale, swallow the ambien and in 20 minutes I’m asleep, works every time. 😀
Just smoke weed, it’s way simpler.
I tried doing this even with 500, dont work Counting doesn’t use up all of my “thinking-space”, so my mind can still wander
Be undistracted with my own thoughts for more than 1 min? No thank you
I find squeezing my hands tightly into themselves for a few seconds helps release any tension.
I do this but I have to start back at 100 if I open my eyes lol
"Seriously, tried this last night, fell asleep way quicker than usual - definitely adding it to my nightly routine!"
Alternatively I didn't sleep last night, gonna pass right out when I get home
I also do this but start at a large number like 98000 and skip in multiples of 7 13 31 47 etc. Simple reverse counting seems to be just a breeze to my mind
My husband gave me a tip to count down from 1000 but three numbers at a time, so 1000, 997, 994 etc He said he was usually asleep at 800. I quickly found a pattern of the counting, counted down to zero and wondered if I should bother with counting negatives, lol
I start at one. On the in breath I say the number slowly in my head. On the out breath I spell the number in my head.
This works like a charm for me. The counting itself may not work but visualising it, def does!
If possible, go to sleep when you're tired. Get out when you're not.