What do you do to help you sleep at night when you have a lot on your mind?

2

Replies

  • Motorsheen
    Motorsheen Posts: 20,493 Member
    Most every evening I just collapse onto the floor of the ensuite shower, sobbing while curled up in the fetal position.

    ... the hot water seems to help.

    The only downside is that I wake up every morning, shivering, wrapped only in a bath mat.

  • amitgagal
    amitgagal Posts: 32 Member
    Lately I've had a hard time sleeping and have needed prescription medication to help me sleep. I don't want to rely on this anymore. I'm writing this post at 1:09am in the morning with a plan to wake up at 6:30 and go to the gym. This is an absolute cry for help. Help help help! :s

    Music
  • amitgagal
    amitgagal Posts: 32 Member
    for sleep , I just leave my phone in side.. simple
  • amitgagal
    amitgagal Posts: 32 Member
    I think I've new opportunity to change my future and be what I really want to be , I've chance to make thinkgs works and I can do it.


    Always be positive 🙃
  • amorfati601070
    amorfati601070 Posts: 2,854 Member
    I used to smoke the wacky tobacci but can’t anymore. My sleep is so whack from shift work now..I usually just go do something. Read, study, waste time on the internet. I tried melatonin but it’s not effective for me.
  • Diatonic12
    Diatonic12 Posts: 32,344 Member
    Some say that using melatonin regularly will cause your brain to get lazy and start producing less of its own especially if you're young and your brain is running on all cylinders.

    'Melatonin is generally safe for short-term use. Unlike with many sleep medications, with melatonin you are unlikely to become dependent, have a diminished response after repeated use (habituation), or experience a hangover effect.'


    https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/melatonin-side-effects/faq-20057874
  • kindalikevelma
    kindalikevelma Posts: 1,337 Member
    xtqbvv9hk3dc.jpeg

    Magnesium has been helpful for me when I feel restless. This is what I take.
  • Strudders67
    Strudders67 Posts: 978 Member
    Pick a subject and try to think of every possible answer beginning with the letter A, then B etc. Subjects over the years have included countries, counties I've visited, Capital cities, cities in the UK, girls names, boys names, friends & acquaintances, food items, animals / birds.
    Meditation.
    Listening to a bedtime sleep story (the Mindfulness apps such as Headspace have free ones).
    Counting backwards from 1000.

    Most of these work in the same way - by focusing on something specific, your mind doesn't wander or jump around thinking about all the things you need to do tomorrow, what went wrong today etc etc. I started on the list of countries etc etc, many years ago, when I had a really bad spell of insomnia.
  • ythannah
    ythannah Posts: 4,366 Member
    Prescription sleep meds.

    Prior to resorting to drugs I had implemented the following, without success:
    Complete elimination of caffeine
    Screen-free 60 mins before bed
    Rigid sleep/wake schedule
    Blackout shades
    White noise (air cleaner) plus pink noise (rain sound)
    No exercise before sleep, heart rate stays elevated too long
    No sex before sleep (same effect as exercise)

    Melatonin had zero effect. I think I've downloaded every free sleep hypnosis/meditation mp3 in existence, none worked.
  • dmkoenig
    dmkoenig Posts: 299 Member
    This is one of the crazier things, but I have had a lot of success with an acupressure mat. Basically it's a pad with a lot of little plastic nails, so it's literally like sleeping on a bed of nails. I find it works really well when my mind is racing and I can't relax. Works best on direct skin. The first 30 seconds it is rather uncomfortable as you might expect, and then I start getting a tingly feeling in my hands and extremities. Then the discomfort goes away and I start to fall into a deep relaxation. It's quite interesting but there are literally thousands of positive reviews with similar stories. Happy sleeping! https://www.amazon.com/Spoonk-Relief-Regular-Acupressure-Pagoda/dp/B00BGWQT2Y
  • Motorsheen
    Motorsheen Posts: 20,493 Member
    night-train-express-20171108080132.jpg
  • AwesomeSquirrel
    AwesomeSquirrel Posts: 632 Member
    It depends a little bit on how bad it is. In a regular day I fall asleep fine and sleep well. Sometimes however, especially if I’m worried about something that happened that day or is on the schedule tomorrow it can be a disaster. Here are some ways I’m working on it:

    Pre-bed:
    - not eat candy or crisps after 8pm (I generally go to bed around 10pm). I mainly think the sugar here is the trigger for me, but sometimes salty snacks will impact me as well.
    - Not use my computer or phone in my bedroom. Reading a book is fine, but I’m working on my bedroom being a screen free zone. One way I do this is to never allow myself to plug in a charger there.
    - Use my sunrise alarm clock on the reverse setting to gradually introduce darkness (it also moves through the white -yellow-red spectrum which is supposed to help prepare the body for sleep.

    If hard to fall asleep in general:
    - get back up, open a window and go in the other room to read a chapter in a book. Then repeat the sunrise reversal thing.
    - Play some quiet, soothing music while trying to fall asleep. I like Ludovico Einaudi.
    - I have a lavender pillow spray and roll-on aromatherapy to put on wrists

    If hard to fall asleep because major stress/I’m upset:
    - make a cup of peppermint tea, sip while trying to calm down
    - Say out loud what I’m feeling and why
    - If possible, decide how to take action in the morning and articulate that verbally
    - If action is not possible/already taken care of, articulate that verbally
    - If needed, call a friend. I’m lucky to have friends in a different time zone who will be awake.

    Reflecting on my response to this thread I’m grateful to realise that it has been a long time since I needed to refer to the third section of my reply <3
  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,088 Member
    I mean I just move all day, so I get some of the best sleep ever. Wearing one's self out can do wonders for sleep.
  • ChrissyChickie
    ChrissyChickie Posts: 182 Member
    xtqbvv9hk3dc.jpeg

    Magnesium has been helpful for me when I feel restless. This is what I take.

    I have also heard people singing the praises of this stuff.
  • Mellouk89
    Mellouk89 Posts: 469 Member
    I had problematic insomnia when I used to work a job I really hated. When I quit that job and I began to sleep better. It's because I was stressed for the next day.
  • jmakleanaddo
    jmakleanaddo Posts: 101 Member
    Not to be indecent, but since nobody mentioned this... sex can really help. https://www.sleepscore.com/can-sex-help-you-sleep-better/#:~:text=Sex and Sleep
    ,to%20fall%20asleep%20more%20easily.

    Haha only if this was an option at this point 😅 but thanks for the suggestion
  • jmakleanaddo
    jmakleanaddo Posts: 101 Member

    Now this i found incredibly helpful! Thank you!
  • PaperDoll_
    PaperDoll_ Posts: 32,841 Member
    dmkoenig wrote: »
    This is one of the crazier things, but I have had a lot of success with an acupressure mat. Basically it's a pad with a lot of little plastic nails, so it's literally like sleeping on a bed of nails. I find it works really well when my mind is racing and I can't relax. Works best on direct skin. The first 30 seconds it is rather uncomfortable as you might expect, and then I start getting a tingly feeling in my hands and extremities. Then the discomfort goes away and I start to fall into a deep relaxation. It's quite interesting but there are literally thousands of positive reviews with similar stories. Happy sleeping! https://www.amazon.com/Spoonk-Relief-Regular-Acupressure-Pagoda/dp/B00BGWQT2Y

    I have one of these, and I love it! Actually think it’s the best thing I’ve ever bought off Amazon.
  • kindalikevelma
    kindalikevelma Posts: 1,337 Member
    xtqbvv9hk3dc.jpeg

    Magnesium has been helpful for me when I feel restless. This is what I take.

    I have also heard people singing the praises of this stuff.

    I was pretty skeptical about this stuff, but I swear by it now. I’ve tried a combination of other ingestible sleep remedies, but nothing else really does it for me. Aside from THC which knocks me out and leaves me cloudy, so I refrain.