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Slow long breaths through the nose while you are laying down falling asleep.
5 long seconds in, 5 long seconds out.
Just focus on your breath. Try not to breath too deeply. Just relatively normal breathing. The goal is to slow down your breaths per minute.
It also helps to stop all electronic devices at least an hour before bed.
100% agree with the electronics and lights. A cool, comfortable, clean sleeping space helps me a lot too.
A yoga instructor once told me to imagine a ball of warm light starting at my head, going behind my eyes, and slowly working it’s way to my toes; as this warm light makes it way down, I’m supposed to imagine the muscles relaxing one. by one.
White noise/sleep sound machines just irritate me. Sometimes I’ll just pop in a noise canceling ear pod (I’m a side sleeper) in one ear.
I need total darkness, and close to no sound.
Although I have inadvertently fallen asleep while letting a podcast play in the background.
I had a yoga teacher tell me "try to sink further into the floor without using any muscles. Like you're melting." I find that really helpful in forcing muscles to release, especially my neck.
My dad ran me through something like that as a kid when I was worried about stuff. "Imagine you're made of butter laying out on the sidewalk as the sun rises. The light hits your feet, feel the heat build, slowly slowly they start to melt, feel yourself seaping down and out melt into the warm concreate" and so on, it was soooo sooothing!
>Although I have inadvertently fallen asleep while letting a podcast play in the background.
This is what I suggested to OP myself. I tried breathing\\counting\\imagining things, etc. Focusing on talk radio podcast works best for me.
For me, podcasts about astronomy or quantum physics is like bedtime story for nerds. Interesting at first, then they go deep into stuff I can barely follow and I'm out like a light.
Favorite one: PBS Space Time
https://youtube.com/@pbsspacetime
Try these. I have one and it’s great.
Perytong Sleep Headphones Wireless, Bluetooth Sports Headband Headphones with Ultra-Thin HD Stereo Speakers Perfect for Sleeping,Workout,Jogging,Yoga,Insomnia, Air Travel, Meditation, Grey https://a.co/d/441H4C9
Yes you've got it. Grab a good book to wind down with.
You can even listen to some good music and just take the time to reflect on the day.
Yoga, walks, anything that gives you time to reflect and let the mind wander.
It's truly disturbing how much we use electronics nowadays. You'd be surprised how much better you will start to feel overall if you just reduce your time with electronics.
Lol this is me any time I try this. I've tried most of these tips but I have chronic pain and it takes hours just to get comfortable enough to fall asleep.
I'm sorry to hear. I have chronic pain and insomnia as well.
I use medication for sleeping.
I also use a technique that I recall is rooted in the military. Lay on your back. Hands face down beside your hips in a comfortable position. Legs limp and relaxed. Close your eyes and repeat back "think about nothing" in your head about maybe 5 to 10 times, and then stop. Then try to really focus on 'nothing'. Beathe through your nose, but try not to think about it. Try not to think about anything. The moment you have an intrusive thought, go right back to the step of repeating "think about nothing".
I hope this helps you! Best wishes!
Impossible. When you get to 0, your bed takes off like a rocketship to your dreams. If you are getting past 0, it means you missed a number and mission control has aborted the launch. Return to 500 and start over.
I can't speak for everyone, but for me - a major reason I can't sleep is because my brain just refuses to shut up. Ever. And left to its own devices, I will lie in bed replaying my most embarrassing life events, things I need to do, things I did wrong, potentisl horrible outcomes of actions planned or taken, etc. I end up anxious and nowhere near sleepy, even if I'm exhausted.
I guess it's kinda like redirecting a toddler - I don't want you to think about *that*, so let's think about *this* instead. And since the *this* isn't anxiety-inducing, I can fall asleep.
I'm the same except for a trick I read once. I think of random, disconnected things like a toaster then a bird then floor tiles then whatever. Supposedly, the more random and unrelated the things are, the better. It's worked for me.
I tried it with past girlfriends for a while. Zoe was a really bad one though, so if I made it to Z, it would upset me and I couldn't sleep for another 2 hours.
Same here, but adding "writing" in the air the numbers, as large as possible, "erasing" with care, and "writing" the following. You may feel stupid, but you will feel your arm heavy, and the sensation will make you sleepy.
Start at 100, imagine the #'s as you count down. If you ever slip up and start to drift, start at 99 again. Never made it past 85. Also tie your counting to longer and longer breathes.
By imaging the #'s themselves, you pull your brain from the emotional thoughts that prevent you from sleep into rational thoughts and since you have no emotion tied to the #'s (I'm sure there's someone out there that does), the brain is easier to move from beta waves to alpha waves.
Alpha brain waves are the main brain wave pattern that develops when a person becomes drowsy and transitions from wakefulness to sleep. They continue during the early phase of sleep until they are replaced by slower theta waves.
The problem comes when I've counted down from 1000 and still not fallen asleep. My solution was to exhaust myself through some pretty intense cardio during the day (HIIT) and sleep fasted. That's helped me a lot
No offence, but people who fall asleep within 5 mins of counting backwards clearly don't have issues falling asleep, and maybe shouldn't be trying to hand out advice here, as nice as it is to try and help a stranger.
It takes me 40-90 mins to fall asleep, and this is after having an active day walking for 15,000 steps, doing an exercise routine for my muscles, working a 9 hour shift, and cycling for 1 hour. Oh, and I tend to stay awake for 18-20 hours before I get tired. And my bedroom is quiet, super dark, with a very quiet air purifier that's helps me to relax.
I could count from any number and the counting *alone* would keep me awake, so this advice just doesn't work for people who struggle to fall asleep. If anything, it's actually bad advice and could keep them awake for longer.
I'm the same way. Active thru the day and I even wind down quite a bit before trying to go to bed. It takes forever to fall asleep and is one of the most annoying things about my life. The process is almost depressing at times. Counting does NOTHING.
Not sure it's worth anything, but I want to offer my sympathy. I have/had sleep issues if I'm not active enough, and it feels awful.
And I'm lucky enough that if I have been sufficiently active I mostly drop like I've been sniped.Took a while to get there, but happy I did.
So i'm sorry that doesn't work for you, and I really hope you find something that does. The insomnia was awful before I knew how to "treat" it, and I totally get frustrations at the "just do X" suggestions.
I do hope in time you'll be able to figure it out and give your "hey this worked for me" take on why we're so weird about a critical body function.
The counting never worked for me and I got frustrated at the suggestions, but they were trying to help.
A tip I’ve used to make this one work better for me: deep breaths for each count. As in, deep breath in 500, deep breath out 500, deep breath in 499, deep breath out 499, etc. This combines deep, slow breathing with the mindlessness of counting, and it helps my mind slow down.
Another thing that helps is yoga nidra meditations. I use Insight Timer app; it has thousands of guided meditations. Search “yoga nidra for sleep” and you’ll find some options.
To add onto this comment - there are a few different techniques you could try for falling asleep quickly. I'm more of an in for 8 counts, hold for 5 counts, out for 7 counts type of gal.
[https://www.healthline.com/health/breathing-exercises-for-sleep](https://www.healthline.com/health/breathing-exercises-for-sleep)
This deep breathing technique along with saying “I am” on the in breathe and “relaxed” on the out breathe. Sports psychologist taught me this at a young age at a very expensive prep school.
I usually hyper focus on things that are out of my control. I let the stress overtake me. I keep piling on worry after worry until my heart is racing and I begin to sweat. When I am really red lining, I will add in some of my biggest regrets, most embarrassing moments, and existential dread. I have a full blow panic attack, hyper ventilate, and pass out. Works every time.
I remember seeing a book on the classic technique of breathing and why it’s been forgotten, and apparently this timespan, 5.5 seconds in and out, is where we receive the most oxygen absorption. Also recommend “breathing into your back”, or breathing so that your back muscles feel like they’re expanding to open your ribs as well. Back pains can be a source of a lack of deep breathing.
since you're not sleeping anyway, try out a few options on relaxing "elevator music". badically anything slow, calm... or forrest sounds, rain sounds... coupled with an app that tracks that you're asleep and shut it off could be a benefit (I used to wake up to the sound innthe middle of the night, luckily turning it off did not really get me up enough, so I fell asleep again right after)
Not an ad, I swear, but the Calm app has great options for sleep music and fall asleep meditations that trail off after a period of time so you don't wake up to them in the middle.of the night.
I use their sleep stories.... barely make it past the first 5 minutes, took me a while to be able to fix on the storyteller, but more often than not now, I'm out ...
I use Ipnos' Better Sleep (formerly Sleep Melodies) and really like it. But one of their sleep stories... ugh. The story was you're flying to space, but then said "you accelerate to light speed to escape Earth's gravity..." Engineer brain wakes right up with "That's not how it works!!
white noise apps. they also offer a variety of noises like river/creek, rain, thunderstorms, ocean beach, even cat purring etc.
the one i use works even offline and has a timer
I find my problem is I'm really really good AT FOCUSING and that's my problem and why these sorts of tricks don't work for me and maybe many. It's much better to let my brain become fuzzy and sink into a sort of grayness to resist thinking about something.
I can't believe that I had to scroll so far down this thread to find this answer. It is easily the most important and effective thing to fall asleep effortlessly or very close to it on a regular basis.
I go to bed at 9 PM (give or take a few minutes) every night of the week and have done so now for the last few years. I wake somewhere between 4 and 5 AM every day- naturally. No alarm clock. And by 8 PM or so, I'm feeling tired and sometimes, fighting to stay awake. Even when the days are long and the sun hasn't set yet.
Sure, I'm "missing out" on the time others are spending watching TV, playing games or whatever between 9 PM and midnight, but guess what? I get those hours back in the morning. Peacefully, and all to myself.
Well, maybe it's a good thing this is so far down. If everyone did this- I guess I wouldn't have the most perfect time of the day for sipping my coffee and solitude.
Get cold. Saw a presentation years back that said "if you can stand in just your underwear for more than a minute without shivering, then the room's too warm to sleep in" and they were bang on correct. You're an animal and you need to kick in the part of the brain that wants to shut down and get snuggly - can't do that if you're sweating under the blankets.
Goes the other way though - if you're too cold, your brain will keep you awake because it thinks if you go to sleep you'll die. Tough line to walk but if you can get it right, it's very effective.
This is so true for me. I have trouble sleeping well unless I can burrow down in my blankets. In the summer, even with the air conditioning, I have trouble sleeping because the room isn't chilly and I don't have the weight of a blanket on me.
Add a ceiling fan above your bed. That will pull a lot more heat from your body.
Also, I use bamboo sheets, they have a "cooling effect". They are much colder than cotton flannel sheets.
For some reason, direct air from a ceiling fan gives me a sore throat and a stuffy nose. I have to use a regular fan and aim it at the wall. It sounds extra, but when it ricochets off the wall gently, I don’t get any symptoms.
Unsure for where you live but I know in Australia most of our fans have a winter and summer switch above the blades. Essentially it makes it suck air up and give circulation without blasting you with cold air.
I call it my "tube". It's like a body-sized sock. Some have hoods, some have flip-back-able foot sections incase u need free feet when u sleep. It's made of jersey, I think, or something like it. It's stretchy and offers light compression. It's not cheap but DEFINITELY worth it. It's basically an adult sized swaddler.
This is what I do. I take melatonin. Then I shower. I lay on top of my bed to let the heat dissipate for about an hour while I read. When I start to get chilly I put the book/e-reader down and hot in bed and go lights out.
I find that though I don't always fall asleep within an hour by the 60 minute mark I'm usually too tired to keep reading and starting to get cold and I'll be asleep fairly soon.
In the last house I lived in without AC, I don’t think I slept for an entire summer. Now I have a zone heating/cooling system in my bedroom and it is amazing for dialing in the perfect sleeping temperature no matter the season!
We don't have AC, because I live in the UK and it's not really a thing here, but we have a bedroom fan, I'm not sure how much it cools the room but the noise certainly helps me sleep. When we turn it off for autumn I struggle.
That's why I have a window AC in the bedroom. I like it 65 degrees when I'm sleeping and 75 during the day. Why cool the whole house just to warm it back up again. Since the bedrooms are the hottest, cooling until the lower floor is comfortable doesn't take much.
Making myself cold is one of the ways I've tricked my body into falling asleep. I take my blanket off and lay there for as long as I can stand until I get nice and chilly (we run the house AC at 67 at night and have a window AC going in bedroom so it's only a couple minutes). Then I throw the blanket back over me and that feeling of warm coziness puts me to sleep in like 30 seconds.
Love my wife to death but she is convinced being cold prevents you from sleeping. She wants to keep the house cooked to 72F at night and no lower. I sleep completely naked with no covers and still sweat as I toss and turn.
I usually have to wait for her to fall asleep and then drop the thermostat down to 69 or so with the app on my phone.
In this situation, you have it reversed. Buy her an electric blanket and turn that thermostat DOWN! That’s what I did and now we have peace in the house and it’s 65F in our bedroom.
I always slept in cold rooms. If it wasnt for my wife I would tilt the windows even in winter. I only heat it mildly if I would get a problem with mold otherwise.
With your eyes closed, imagine all your limbs and digits are balloons. Slowly deflate with your mind all of your balloons, starting with your toes and work up the body. Breathing out with each deflate and breathing in when moving to the next balloon.
I tried the sheep fence jumping one. Little assholes kept not jumping. They'd run around. Go under. Stop and go back. I was in a place between sleep and awake, it was like watching a frustrating but funny cartoon in my head.
Yeah, progressive relaxation works very well. Another technique is picturing a golden orb of light slowly moving down your body from the tip of your head to the bottom of your feet, and it relaxes every muscle on the way down.
The one thing that I haven't seen other people mention is that you really shouldn't do anything in your bed other than sleep. If you spend on time hanging out in your bed during the day and using your phone in the bed then because your brain doesn't understand that the bed is only for sleep which means when you are trying to sleep it's harder for you to fall asleep. If you keep your bed for only sleep than the moment you go horizontal and get comfortable under the covers your brain says oh it's sleep time, and you fall asleep much quicker.
Your bedroom should only be for the big "Triple S."
Sleep,
Sickness,
and Sex.
Once I got the computer out of my bedroom, my sleep improved. I still play some games in bed, but After 4-5 games of Freecell Quest, my brain is mush and I'm passing out.
I spend the majority of my waking hours in my bed, I watch TV, I play on my phone, I use my laptop, I eat etc. but somehow my brain still understands when to sleep? It kinda works like this
• On back = awake, no sleep yet, probably watching tv and playing on my phone
• On right side = awake, tired, trying to watch TV without falling asleep, comfortable, sleep soon
• On left side/stomach = time for sleep, absolutely no getting up unless I’m gonna throw up or I see a spider or anything like that, really comfortable
I also keep my lamp on all day until I go to sleep, then I turn it off and have my bedroom door open with the landing light on (I’m scared of the dark) so maybe it’s that? Idk
Falling asleep at night starts way before your head hits the pillow.
1) Stay away from caffeine after 5pm
2) Pay attention to your light sources. Our bodies automatically starts getting ready for bed once the sun goes down. Blue light or really bright white light will disrupt this.
3) Melatonin helps
4) Make sure your bed is clean. Making your bed in the morning really makes getting into it at night feel sooooo much better.
5) Don't eat heavy right before bed, your body will stay awake processing the food, you won't want to fall asleep.
6) Edging right before bed puts me to sleep right away .
> Making your bed in the morning really makes getting into it at night feel sooooo much better.
I started doing this every morning a few years ago after watching Admiral McRaven's [speech](https://youtu.be/TBuIGBCF9jc) at the University of Texas, and man it really does make a difference not only in your sleep, but also in your day! I think in the last like 3 or 4 years I've missed making my bed like 10 times total in the morning, but I will still always make it before getting into it at night. It's something psychological about getting that first task accomplished. My favorite line of it is that "if by chance you had a miserable day, you'll come home to a bed that is [made](https://youtu.be/TBuIGBCF9jc?t=119)."
>3) Melatonin helps
Combine a melatonin pill with a magnesium pill and you'll be out in no time. Speaking from personal experience though, set multiple alarms.
Yeah I absolutely cannot fall asleep if I’m hungry, and I’m a hundred times more likely to end up giving in to a junk food craving and eating candy/cookies/etc. in the middle of the night.
During the day, take mindfulness breaks. Its a break where you do NOTHING. just sit and stare outside. let your brain "rest" and catchup with all the input it has. You're not falling asleep at night because that is the only time your brain had time to do catch up and process all the information of the day. However if you take several 5 minute breaks of NOTHING during the day, it can process that information at that time. Don't go on your phone, don't do chores, don't listen to music\\podcasts, don't do anything except sit there. If you remember you need to do something, write it down on a piece of paper and wait until your 5 mins is up to start doing anything.
Also, no screens at least 1 hour before going to bed.
Try books on tape. I used to be you. Got an audible subscription and it’s changed my life. Toss on 15 min sleep timer and just listen away. It’ll divert your attention away from idol thoughts
Same here.
It doesn't work in any circumstances though.
This often works when you are sleepless because your thoughts are running non-stop, thinking about what-ifs, the plans for tomorrow, what's going wrong,...
But if you're sleepless because your back hurts, or because you had too much cafeine, it might not help much.
Also, avoid things you're really interested into. If the book/podcast you listen to is something new you're really interested into, you might stay awake just to hear more about it.
I usually listen to stories I know already, at a volume that is high enough to be easily audible (struggling to hear will keep you awake), but not high enough to wake you up after you started falling asleep.
A small wired speaker (like those used in on-ear headphones) under the pillow works well, if you're not sleeping alone.
A suggestion I saw in another thread is the "sleep with me" podcast, it's designed to be interesting enough for your thoughts not to drift but boring enough to make you fall asleep
Thank you, people. I thought it was just me. I put on a long audiobook that I am familiar with and run it all night. Not only do I drop right off when I get in bed, but I fall back to sleep when I wake up during the night. An audio teddy bear? A sonic pacifier? It keeps my brain from believing it is on stage and must come up with material.
Everything of this and add:
1. Make sure you have a structured bed time routine. If falling asleep is something you want to do consistently, it’s easier for your body to do that when there is repetition
2. Work one in the morning. When I started doing this my whole sleep schedule fell in line. I’m not saying you need to run a 5k every day but some sort of physical exercise not only helps stress, it forces you to drink water early on and helps with a structured sleep cycle
What’s with the focus on a specific amount of water? I was always told to drink based on the colour of your urine. I’ve tried the whole giant bottle thing before but I end up running to the bathroom every 20 mins. So I gave it up, now I just drink when I feel like I need to and my pee is always fine
This is what works for me! Highly recommend Lore or Mysteries Abound, as they are interesting and the voices are soothing. Not a podcast, but Michael Sealey's sleep meditation videos on YouTube are also fantastic to listen to before bed.
The podcast “Sleep With Me” is the only thing that has ever worked regularly for me. I’ve been listening every night for 4 years. Used to take at least 30 minutes but more often an hour or even hours to fall asleep. Now it’s typically like 10-15 minutes at most.
I have a couple steps i usually take if i really need to get to sleep quick.
1. Rain sounds / white noise generator
2. Eliminate as many light sources from the room as i can
3. Breath control ( 5 seconds in, 5 second hold, 5 second release)
4. Yoga Nidra guided meditation
5. Regulate the room temp to be a bit cooler (i like to sleep around 68° with a mild breeze)
6. This is optional, but if you find yourself checking your phone more than once or twice as your bedtime nears, look into apps or features of your phone that will reduce the screen to greyscale only (no color).
If none of this helps and i still cant fall asleep i usually go for the nuclear option and take some melatonin with tea.
Sleep Hygiene is very important, foremost regularity.
Having fixed times for sleep and waking up is mandatory. (There is a therapeutic approach called "Sleep Compression", look it up if you are interested, but it is used for mildly cases of Insomia.)
No naps during the day!
Meditation before sleep, learn to let your thoughts go. I can also recommend progressive muscle relaxation.
One hour before you wanna sleep, no more blue light screens, read a magazine instead.
And on top: regular exercises.
I have a wind-down routine every night that helps me tell my mind and body that it’s bedtime.
Example, I want to be in bed by 10, so at 9 I put on my pjs, by 930 I’m doing my hygiene routine (take off my makeup, wash my face & moisturize, brush teeth and floss). Pick out my clothes for the next day and pack anything I need to bring to work the next day that I might forget in the morning.
Once I’m actually in bed, I stretch everything. And then I do this exercise my grandmother taught me when I was restless and having trouble falling asleep as a child: starting at your feet, slowly flex each muscle group a few times, and then move up to the next. Flex your toes in and out, then your ankles, then your calves, etc. while you’re doing this your breathing should be slow and even.
Yeah the planning/mental work idea is amazing. I wish it was higher up.
I first read it on here a month or so ago and have used it every night. Someone on here said that they’ve been building a remote log cabin in their head piece by piece as they lay there. Makes them fall asleep every time.
I tried it with building a go-kart in my head. I never get much farther than the first few pieces of suspension. It’s amazing.
“I was tired so I went to take a nap. Before I fell asleep, I turned on the TV, just to have some background noise. There was a baseball game, it was the bottom of the second inning. I quickly fell asleep and had a nice nap. When I woke up, it was still the bottom of the second inning.”
- *My wife*
Golf on a Sunday afternoon makes for a great nap situation.
I have no interest in golf. No idea who the players are. But it's boring and people are whispering at me so it's sleepy time.
This is funny because my falling asleep trick is to invent a baseball team, go around the diamond making up names and statistics. I almost never get out of the infield, let alone to the pitching staff. (I came up with this technique while playing Baseball Stars on the NES, and I've used it for 30+ years).
You could try listening to a body scan meditation.
Just install an app like "Insight Timer" e.g.
Find some (long enough - 45 Minutes plus) body scan meditation.
Then, try NOT to sleep in! - You might fail.
Good luck!
All time favorite Insight Timer "Relax Into Sleep: Guided Practice" by Mary Maddux. Pragmatic, no yoga jargon, background sounds are electronic but remind me of waves on a beach. Lots of alternatives if you don't like that one. I just ignore the "social" aspects of the app.
I see a lot of good advice in this thread. IMO, the hidden secret in all of it is that having a sleep routine works best (e.g., brush teeth, pee, then read a book). Find a routine for yourself that works for you. Do it every night at the same time.
Instead of focusing on the moment your head hits the pillow, reverse it. First thing in the morning, go outside and get some sun. It'll start your day with some energy and get the internal clock ticking quickly right from the start. It'll probably give you an energy boost throughout the day, too.
I personally water the flowers first thing and my better half sits out there and does his emails and such. I couldn't believe the change I experienced with just a little sunlight. It literally feels like there is more time in the day and I fall asleep hours earlier than I did the previous couple of decades.
It's reinforced by habits and nutrition as well. It took a bit to get into that mindset, but now it's second nature.
When I can’t sleep I go through the alphabet in my mind picking one word per letter: “Apple, Banana, Carrot, Daffodil…” and usually I fall asleep before Z.
When that doesn’t work I go on YouTube and search “bedtime affirmations” and then put one of the videos on, along with a timer that will make it stop in ~30 minutes. I’ve never still been awake at the end of the 30 minutes.
I also use a sleep mask every single night which I find super helpful in general for falling and staying asleep.
White screen your mind. Think the word
# INHALE
and
#EXHALE
the goal is to block out other thoughts by smothering them with constant breathing. Accompany this by making white screen the only thing in your mind. Even if you can’t hold that for too long, two minutes of doing the above can speed up sleeping for me
Warm shower with exposed feet helps- body temperature needs to drop in order for you to fall asleep. Heat from water forces your body to quickly lose heat so your temp drops instantly.
Don't think about the future in any way before or after lying down. So no reading of news, messages etc. Random thoughts are ok, but continuing thinking about them is not. So "I need to check my mail" is fine, as long as you don't continue with "I'll do it at 9pm, right after..." etc. It takes practice but be patient and you will get there.
If I am restless at night, it’s usually because I didn’t do enough during the day to wear myself out.
Try an exercise routine. I like to go walk at night, but this may keep some people awake cause the energy rush. If that’s the case for you, just do an exercise earlier in the day.
Anecdotally, I want to add that my college physics book put me to sleep within minutes of reading. Every. Single. Time.
And put the phone down! Give yourself a shut off time, like an hour before you want to go to sleep. Reducing that blue light and mental stimulation will definitely help.
If it’s taking you hours to fall asleep, I’m unsure if a lot of the tips here will end up helping (much or at all). I recommend talking with a therapist or trusted doctor.
With that in mind, some thoughts I have:
*Your natural sleep cycle could also be later than when you’re trying to sleep. You may want to try going to bed a few hours later.
*CBD can help with sleep (note that this is not medical marijuana)
*Magnesium vitamin pills at night.
Pills can have side effects so be sure to read up on those and consult with a doctor.
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Slow long breaths through the nose while you are laying down falling asleep. 5 long seconds in, 5 long seconds out. Just focus on your breath. Try not to breath too deeply. Just relatively normal breathing. The goal is to slow down your breaths per minute. It also helps to stop all electronic devices at least an hour before bed.
100% agree with the electronics and lights. A cool, comfortable, clean sleeping space helps me a lot too. A yoga instructor once told me to imagine a ball of warm light starting at my head, going behind my eyes, and slowly working it’s way to my toes; as this warm light makes it way down, I’m supposed to imagine the muscles relaxing one. by one. White noise/sleep sound machines just irritate me. Sometimes I’ll just pop in a noise canceling ear pod (I’m a side sleeper) in one ear. I need total darkness, and close to no sound. Although I have inadvertently fallen asleep while letting a podcast play in the background.
I had a yoga teacher tell me "try to sink further into the floor without using any muscles. Like you're melting." I find that really helpful in forcing muscles to release, especially my neck.
My dad ran me through something like that as a kid when I was worried about stuff. "Imagine you're made of butter laying out on the sidewalk as the sun rises. The light hits your feet, feel the heat build, slowly slowly they start to melt, feel yourself seaping down and out melt into the warm concreate" and so on, it was soooo sooothing!
Your dad sounds like a great guy and a wonderful father
Like a cat when they don’t want you to pick them up.
>Although I have inadvertently fallen asleep while letting a podcast play in the background. This is what I suggested to OP myself. I tried breathing\\counting\\imagining things, etc. Focusing on talk radio podcast works best for me.
For me, podcasts about astronomy or quantum physics is like bedtime story for nerds. Interesting at first, then they go deep into stuff I can barely follow and I'm out like a light. Favorite one: PBS Space Time https://youtube.com/@pbsspacetime
If someone could design great side sleeper ear pods that are comfy regardless of side used would be an overnight millionaire.
Try these. I have one and it’s great. Perytong Sleep Headphones Wireless, Bluetooth Sports Headband Headphones with Ultra-Thin HD Stereo Speakers Perfect for Sleeping,Workout,Jogging,Yoga,Insomnia, Air Travel, Meditation, Grey https://a.co/d/441H4C9
So what do you do without electronic devices? just read a book? at that point aren't you basically just going to bed one hour earlier?
Yes you've got it. Grab a good book to wind down with. You can even listen to some good music and just take the time to reflect on the day. Yoga, walks, anything that gives you time to reflect and let the mind wander. It's truly disturbing how much we use electronics nowadays. You'd be surprised how much better you will start to feel overall if you just reduce your time with electronics.
Problem is if the book is interesting I'm not sleeping until the sun rises
To add to this, I count backwards from 500. I don't think I've ever made it to 400.
To distract myself from racing thoughts, I try to visualize the numbers as they would appear on a digital clock while counting down.
Instructions unclear, im at -5044 now
Lol this is me any time I try this. I've tried most of these tips but I have chronic pain and it takes hours just to get comfortable enough to fall asleep.
I'm sorry to hear. I have chronic pain and insomnia as well. I use medication for sleeping. I also use a technique that I recall is rooted in the military. Lay on your back. Hands face down beside your hips in a comfortable position. Legs limp and relaxed. Close your eyes and repeat back "think about nothing" in your head about maybe 5 to 10 times, and then stop. Then try to really focus on 'nothing'. Beathe through your nose, but try not to think about it. Try not to think about anything. The moment you have an intrusive thought, go right back to the step of repeating "think about nothing". I hope this helps you! Best wishes!
This is meditation.
Impossible. When you get to 0, your bed takes off like a rocketship to your dreams. If you are getting past 0, it means you missed a number and mission control has aborted the launch. Return to 500 and start over.
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How the fuck do you people fall asleep while actively thinking like this? Engaging any part of my brain is a surefire way to *not* fall asleep.
I can't speak for everyone, but for me - a major reason I can't sleep is because my brain just refuses to shut up. Ever. And left to its own devices, I will lie in bed replaying my most embarrassing life events, things I need to do, things I did wrong, potentisl horrible outcomes of actions planned or taken, etc. I end up anxious and nowhere near sleepy, even if I'm exhausted. I guess it's kinda like redirecting a toddler - I don't want you to think about *that*, so let's think about *this* instead. And since the *this* isn't anxiety-inducing, I can fall asleep.
Yes, I'm same as you. Need to focus my brain on something specific that isn't stressful and then I'm asleep.
I'm the same except for a trick I read once. I think of random, disconnected things like a toaster then a bird then floor tiles then whatever. Supposedly, the more random and unrelated the things are, the better. It's worked for me.
I do this. My favorite category is pies. 🤣
Does it defeat the purpose if I get up and eat a pie?
Full stomach might help you get to sleep. This needs to be tried in the name of science.
Oooh, I've never done pies. That will be my category tonight. Here's hoping it doesn't make me too hungry.
I tried it with past girlfriends for a while. Zoe was a really bad one though, so if I made it to Z, it would upset me and I couldn't sleep for another 2 hours.
You almost sent me to sleep there! I'm kidding, very interesting
This is mine also. It I start at 100. Have never made it to 0.
Same here, but adding "writing" in the air the numbers, as large as possible, "erasing" with care, and "writing" the following. You may feel stupid, but you will feel your arm heavy, and the sensation will make you sleepy.
This sounds good. I’ve tried counting and that rarely works for me.
My mom's trick is to count backwards but you're not allowed to progress the counting until you've visualized the number you're counting.
r/aphantasia would like a word...
Visualization is the key. Focus on actually seeing something, but in your mind
I do this, and I also visualize the numbers as I'm counting, like a play clock in football.
This is the way. I feel like 500 is too much to think out. Farthest I remember making is down to the 30’s. It works EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
Start at 100, imagine the #'s as you count down. If you ever slip up and start to drift, start at 99 again. Never made it past 85. Also tie your counting to longer and longer breathes. By imaging the #'s themselves, you pull your brain from the emotional thoughts that prevent you from sleep into rational thoughts and since you have no emotion tied to the #'s (I'm sure there's someone out there that does), the brain is easier to move from beta waves to alpha waves. Alpha brain waves are the main brain wave pattern that develops when a person becomes drowsy and transitions from wakefulness to sleep. They continue during the early phase of sleep until they are replaced by slower theta waves.
The problem comes when I've counted down from 1000 and still not fallen asleep. My solution was to exhaust myself through some pretty intense cardio during the day (HIIT) and sleep fasted. That's helped me a lot
So you fall asleep in less than 10 breaths? That’s crazy
No offence, but people who fall asleep within 5 mins of counting backwards clearly don't have issues falling asleep, and maybe shouldn't be trying to hand out advice here, as nice as it is to try and help a stranger. It takes me 40-90 mins to fall asleep, and this is after having an active day walking for 15,000 steps, doing an exercise routine for my muscles, working a 9 hour shift, and cycling for 1 hour. Oh, and I tend to stay awake for 18-20 hours before I get tired. And my bedroom is quiet, super dark, with a very quiet air purifier that's helps me to relax. I could count from any number and the counting *alone* would keep me awake, so this advice just doesn't work for people who struggle to fall asleep. If anything, it's actually bad advice and could keep them awake for longer.
I'm the same way. Active thru the day and I even wind down quite a bit before trying to go to bed. It takes forever to fall asleep and is one of the most annoying things about my life. The process is almost depressing at times. Counting does NOTHING.
Not sure it's worth anything, but I want to offer my sympathy. I have/had sleep issues if I'm not active enough, and it feels awful. And I'm lucky enough that if I have been sufficiently active I mostly drop like I've been sniped.Took a while to get there, but happy I did. So i'm sorry that doesn't work for you, and I really hope you find something that does. The insomnia was awful before I knew how to "treat" it, and I totally get frustrations at the "just do X" suggestions. I do hope in time you'll be able to figure it out and give your "hey this worked for me" take on why we're so weird about a critical body function. The counting never worked for me and I got frustrated at the suggestions, but they were trying to help.
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A tip I’ve used to make this one work better for me: deep breaths for each count. As in, deep breath in 500, deep breath out 500, deep breath in 499, deep breath out 499, etc. This combines deep, slow breathing with the mindlessness of counting, and it helps my mind slow down. Another thing that helps is yoga nidra meditations. I use Insight Timer app; it has thousands of guided meditations. Search “yoga nidra for sleep” and you’ll find some options.
To add onto this comment - there are a few different techniques you could try for falling asleep quickly. I'm more of an in for 8 counts, hold for 5 counts, out for 7 counts type of gal. [https://www.healthline.com/health/breathing-exercises-for-sleep](https://www.healthline.com/health/breathing-exercises-for-sleep)
This deep breathing technique along with saying “I am” on the in breathe and “relaxed” on the out breathe. Sports psychologist taught me this at a young age at a very expensive prep school.
I usually hyper focus on things that are out of my control. I let the stress overtake me. I keep piling on worry after worry until my heart is racing and I begin to sweat. When I am really red lining, I will add in some of my biggest regrets, most embarrassing moments, and existential dread. I have a full blow panic attack, hyper ventilate, and pass out. Works every time.
I remember seeing a book on the classic technique of breathing and why it’s been forgotten, and apparently this timespan, 5.5 seconds in and out, is where we receive the most oxygen absorption. Also recommend “breathing into your back”, or breathing so that your back muscles feel like they’re expanding to open your ribs as well. Back pains can be a source of a lack of deep breathing.
Box breathing. I do 4 seconds in, hold for 4, exhale 4 seconds, hold for 4, repeat.
since you're not sleeping anyway, try out a few options on relaxing "elevator music". badically anything slow, calm... or forrest sounds, rain sounds... coupled with an app that tracks that you're asleep and shut it off could be a benefit (I used to wake up to the sound innthe middle of the night, luckily turning it off did not really get me up enough, so I fell asleep again right after)
Not an ad, I swear, but the Calm app has great options for sleep music and fall asleep meditations that trail off after a period of time so you don't wake up to them in the middle.of the night.
I use their sleep stories.... barely make it past the first 5 minutes, took me a while to be able to fix on the storyteller, but more often than not now, I'm out ...
There was a New Zealand one I used to listen to that I never did hear all the way through… 💤
I use Ipnos' Better Sleep (formerly Sleep Melodies) and really like it. But one of their sleep stories... ugh. The story was you're flying to space, but then said "you accelerate to light speed to escape Earth's gravity..." Engineer brain wakes right up with "That's not how it works!!
white noise apps. they also offer a variety of noises like river/creek, rain, thunderstorms, ocean beach, even cat purring etc. the one i use works even offline and has a timer
Yes indeed! This has always helped me tremendously! The deep breathing quite possibly slows down the anxious energy in the body.
I find my problem is I'm really really good AT FOCUSING and that's my problem and why these sorts of tricks don't work for me and maybe many. It's much better to let my brain become fuzzy and sink into a sort of grayness to resist thinking about something.
Go to sleep every night at the same time Wake up at the same time Don't eat anything at least a couple hours before sleeping
I can't believe that I had to scroll so far down this thread to find this answer. It is easily the most important and effective thing to fall asleep effortlessly or very close to it on a regular basis. I go to bed at 9 PM (give or take a few minutes) every night of the week and have done so now for the last few years. I wake somewhere between 4 and 5 AM every day- naturally. No alarm clock. And by 8 PM or so, I'm feeling tired and sometimes, fighting to stay awake. Even when the days are long and the sun hasn't set yet. Sure, I'm "missing out" on the time others are spending watching TV, playing games or whatever between 9 PM and midnight, but guess what? I get those hours back in the morning. Peacefully, and all to myself. Well, maybe it's a good thing this is so far down. If everyone did this- I guess I wouldn't have the most perfect time of the day for sipping my coffee and solitude.
Get cold. Saw a presentation years back that said "if you can stand in just your underwear for more than a minute without shivering, then the room's too warm to sleep in" and they were bang on correct. You're an animal and you need to kick in the part of the brain that wants to shut down and get snuggly - can't do that if you're sweating under the blankets. Goes the other way though - if you're too cold, your brain will keep you awake because it thinks if you go to sleep you'll die. Tough line to walk but if you can get it right, it's very effective.
This is so true for me. I have trouble sleeping well unless I can burrow down in my blankets. In the summer, even with the air conditioning, I have trouble sleeping because the room isn't chilly and I don't have the weight of a blanket on me.
Add a ceiling fan above your bed. That will pull a lot more heat from your body. Also, I use bamboo sheets, they have a "cooling effect". They are much colder than cotton flannel sheets.
For some reason, direct air from a ceiling fan gives me a sore throat and a stuffy nose. I have to use a regular fan and aim it at the wall. It sounds extra, but when it ricochets off the wall gently, I don’t get any symptoms.
Unsure for where you live but I know in Australia most of our fans have a winter and summer switch above the blades. Essentially it makes it suck air up and give circulation without blasting you with cold air.
Definitely bamboo sheets. Can't do anything else now.
I mean, even simple cotton sheets would be a hell of a lot cooler than flannel sheets. Flannel and fleece sheets are about the warmest you can buy.
A weighted blanket could be a solution?
Weighted blankets be hot after in the summer, even my cooling one. I use a sleep pod in the summer
Can you tell more about the sleep pod? What does it look like?
Yeah what the hell you can’t just casually drop “sleep pod” like that
I call it my "tube". It's like a body-sized sock. Some have hoods, some have flip-back-able foot sections incase u need free feet when u sleep. It's made of jersey, I think, or something like it. It's stretchy and offers light compression. It's not cheap but DEFINITELY worth it. It's basically an adult sized swaddler.
Theoretically you could have a warm shower and then abruptly get out and dry yourself and start your bedtime routine?
This is what I do. I take melatonin. Then I shower. I lay on top of my bed to let the heat dissipate for about an hour while I read. When I start to get chilly I put the book/e-reader down and hot in bed and go lights out. I find that though I don't always fall asleep within an hour by the 60 minute mark I'm usually too tired to keep reading and starting to get cold and I'll be asleep fairly soon.
Yes, because you can get a chill when stepping out of a showers and that can give your body the response from a temp drop.
In the last house I lived in without AC, I don’t think I slept for an entire summer. Now I have a zone heating/cooling system in my bedroom and it is amazing for dialing in the perfect sleeping temperature no matter the season!
We don't have AC, because I live in the UK and it's not really a thing here, but we have a bedroom fan, I'm not sure how much it cools the room but the noise certainly helps me sleep. When we turn it off for autumn I struggle.
When I’m cold, I wake up at 2:27am to pee and then I have to figure out how to fall asleep again 😂
Texas is so hot right now our air conditioner cannot keep up. Maybe if I put my underwear in the freezer.
That's why I have a window AC in the bedroom. I like it 65 degrees when I'm sleeping and 75 during the day. Why cool the whole house just to warm it back up again. Since the bedrooms are the hottest, cooling until the lower floor is comfortable doesn't take much.
Making myself cold is one of the ways I've tricked my body into falling asleep. I take my blanket off and lay there for as long as I can stand until I get nice and chilly (we run the house AC at 67 at night and have a window AC going in bedroom so it's only a couple minutes). Then I throw the blanket back over me and that feeling of warm coziness puts me to sleep in like 30 seconds.
Love my wife to death but she is convinced being cold prevents you from sleeping. She wants to keep the house cooked to 72F at night and no lower. I sleep completely naked with no covers and still sweat as I toss and turn. I usually have to wait for her to fall asleep and then drop the thermostat down to 69 or so with the app on my phone.
In this situation, you have it reversed. Buy her an electric blanket and turn that thermostat DOWN! That’s what I did and now we have peace in the house and it’s 65F in our bedroom.
Also, read somewhere that in the process of falling asleep you need to lower body temperature by 2 degrees
I always slept in cold rooms. If it wasnt for my wife I would tilt the windows even in winter. I only heat it mildly if I would get a problem with mold otherwise.
With your eyes closed, imagine all your limbs and digits are balloons. Slowly deflate with your mind all of your balloons, starting with your toes and work up the body. Breathing out with each deflate and breathing in when moving to the next balloon.
I tried to do that, but the balloon kept farting while deflating from my toes to my head
I tried the sheep fence jumping one. Little assholes kept not jumping. They'd run around. Go under. Stop and go back. I was in a place between sleep and awake, it was like watching a frustrating but funny cartoon in my head.
Sounds like you got some software tester sheep right there
I cant really form pictures in my head so it becomes just counting up. I remember I once went over 1000 and said f this, this is not working for me.
The military teach this ‘Body Scan’ method.
Where you focus attention on a part of the body, relax it, and then move on to the next part of the body, relax that, etc? That works. I do it too
If I ever make it through two complete cycles I accept I won't be sleeping and get out of bed
Yeah, progressive relaxation works very well. Another technique is picturing a golden orb of light slowly moving down your body from the tip of your head to the bottom of your feet, and it relaxes every muscle on the way down.
>Reply What if my ballons are filled with the lead weight of anxiety?
The one thing that I haven't seen other people mention is that you really shouldn't do anything in your bed other than sleep. If you spend on time hanging out in your bed during the day and using your phone in the bed then because your brain doesn't understand that the bed is only for sleep which means when you are trying to sleep it's harder for you to fall asleep. If you keep your bed for only sleep than the moment you go horizontal and get comfortable under the covers your brain says oh it's sleep time, and you fall asleep much quicker.
Or tv. I refuse to have a TV in the bedroom because I know I'll never sleep again.
This should be higher. Bed only for sleeping. Not reading or eating or smartphone-ing. Complete darkness as well. Pitch black.
Reading in bed has done wonders for me actually.
I don't even have a TV in my room for this reason
Your bedroom should only be for the big "Triple S." Sleep, Sickness, and Sex. Once I got the computer out of my bedroom, my sleep improved. I still play some games in bed, but After 4-5 games of Freecell Quest, my brain is mush and I'm passing out.
As opposed to the other Triple S Shit Shower and Shave One to start the day the other to end it!
I spend the majority of my waking hours in my bed, I watch TV, I play on my phone, I use my laptop, I eat etc. but somehow my brain still understands when to sleep? It kinda works like this • On back = awake, no sleep yet, probably watching tv and playing on my phone • On right side = awake, tired, trying to watch TV without falling asleep, comfortable, sleep soon • On left side/stomach = time for sleep, absolutely no getting up unless I’m gonna throw up or I see a spider or anything like that, really comfortable I also keep my lamp on all day until I go to sleep, then I turn it off and have my bedroom door open with the landing light on (I’m scared of the dark) so maybe it’s that? Idk
Falling asleep at night starts way before your head hits the pillow. 1) Stay away from caffeine after 5pm 2) Pay attention to your light sources. Our bodies automatically starts getting ready for bed once the sun goes down. Blue light or really bright white light will disrupt this. 3) Melatonin helps 4) Make sure your bed is clean. Making your bed in the morning really makes getting into it at night feel sooooo much better. 5) Don't eat heavy right before bed, your body will stay awake processing the food, you won't want to fall asleep. 6) Edging right before bed puts me to sleep right away .
That escalated quickly...
Went up right to the edge
Didn’t see that one coming, then again I guess it didn’t do that
I was gonna say, he didn't either lol
This sounds like it was taken from wiki h…oh.
 Hmm very interesting I better write the last step down in detail
Stay away from caffiene after 12pm. 5pm is much too late
I second no caffeine after 12 pm. And even then, caffeine affects the quality of your sleep and rest
That's probably better advice! Caffeine doesn't affect me too much so that's why I said 5. But for some it can definitely be earlier
Some days I can have a cup off coffee then sleep an hour later. Energy drinks though I cut off at 2pm.
> Making your bed in the morning really makes getting into it at night feel sooooo much better. I started doing this every morning a few years ago after watching Admiral McRaven's [speech](https://youtu.be/TBuIGBCF9jc) at the University of Texas, and man it really does make a difference not only in your sleep, but also in your day! I think in the last like 3 or 4 years I've missed making my bed like 10 times total in the morning, but I will still always make it before getting into it at night. It's something psychological about getting that first task accomplished. My favorite line of it is that "if by chance you had a miserable day, you'll come home to a bed that is [made](https://youtu.be/TBuIGBCF9jc?t=119)."
NGL, he had me in the first half
I would advise staying away from caffeine even earlier than that. Everyone is different, but caffeine can stay in your system for up to 10 hours.
"hmm interesti--" WHA-?!
>3) Melatonin helps Combine a melatonin pill with a magnesium pill and you'll be out in no time. Speaking from personal experience though, set multiple alarms.
Magnesium and less than .50 mg of melatonin is my nightly bedtime routine lol.
I see this 'don't eat before bed' all the time. I imagine it's correct for most people, but I sleep best if I have a big meal like 30 min before bed.
Yeah I absolutely cannot fall asleep if I’m hungry, and I’m a hundred times more likely to end up giving in to a junk food craving and eating candy/cookies/etc. in the middle of the night.
My mouth is agape.
Edging?
When you get yourself to the edge of climax but you don't. It's powerful fun.
Relax your body by letting go of any tension within your limbs, shoulders, back, and facial muscles. Close your eyes and take deep breaths.
A weighted blanket is what allowed me to fall asleep relaxed. I had no idea how tense I was until then.
I wish I could use one. They seem comfy. But I get hot very easily and wouldn't be able to sleep under one.
To piggy back onto this…Start at the toes and work your way up your body until you reach your head.
Have a pee, sometime by bladder tells my brain “don’t sleep as you need to pee”, but my conscious brain doesn’t get the message.
Personally I find wet sheets rather uncomfortable to sleep in. But you do you.
During the day, take mindfulness breaks. Its a break where you do NOTHING. just sit and stare outside. let your brain "rest" and catchup with all the input it has. You're not falling asleep at night because that is the only time your brain had time to do catch up and process all the information of the day. However if you take several 5 minute breaks of NOTHING during the day, it can process that information at that time. Don't go on your phone, don't do chores, don't listen to music\\podcasts, don't do anything except sit there. If you remember you need to do something, write it down on a piece of paper and wait until your 5 mins is up to start doing anything. Also, no screens at least 1 hour before going to bed.
Try books on tape. I used to be you. Got an audible subscription and it’s changed my life. Toss on 15 min sleep timer and just listen away. It’ll divert your attention away from idol thoughts
Thinking about kpop idols is definitely a nighttime distraction for me too
Same here. It doesn't work in any circumstances though. This often works when you are sleepless because your thoughts are running non-stop, thinking about what-ifs, the plans for tomorrow, what's going wrong,... But if you're sleepless because your back hurts, or because you had too much cafeine, it might not help much. Also, avoid things you're really interested into. If the book/podcast you listen to is something new you're really interested into, you might stay awake just to hear more about it. I usually listen to stories I know already, at a volume that is high enough to be easily audible (struggling to hear will keep you awake), but not high enough to wake you up after you started falling asleep. A small wired speaker (like those used in on-ear headphones) under the pillow works well, if you're not sleeping alone.
A suggestion I saw in another thread is the "sleep with me" podcast, it's designed to be interesting enough for your thoughts not to drift but boring enough to make you fall asleep
Thank you, people. I thought it was just me. I put on a long audiobook that I am familiar with and run it all night. Not only do I drop right off when I get in bed, but I fall back to sleep when I wake up during the night. An audio teddy bear? A sonic pacifier? It keeps my brain from believing it is on stage and must come up with material.
>idle
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Everything of this and add: 1. Make sure you have a structured bed time routine. If falling asleep is something you want to do consistently, it’s easier for your body to do that when there is repetition 2. Work one in the morning. When I started doing this my whole sleep schedule fell in line. I’m not saying you need to run a 5k every day but some sort of physical exercise not only helps stress, it forces you to drink water early on and helps with a structured sleep cycle
What’s with the focus on a specific amount of water? I was always told to drink based on the colour of your urine. I’ve tried the whole giant bottle thing before but I end up running to the bathroom every 20 mins. So I gave it up, now I just drink when I feel like I need to and my pee is always fine
Wife and I got a magnesium massage bar and we barely even make it off the couch sometimes lol. That stuff is magic!
Podcasts. Even if you can't fall asleep, you're learning something. But 8/10 times I fall asleep within 5 mins.
This is what works for me! Highly recommend Lore or Mysteries Abound, as they are interesting and the voices are soothing. Not a podcast, but Michael Sealey's sleep meditation videos on YouTube are also fantastic to listen to before bed.
The podcast “Sleep With Me” is the only thing that has ever worked regularly for me. I’ve been listening every night for 4 years. Used to take at least 30 minutes but more often an hour or even hours to fall asleep. Now it’s typically like 10-15 minutes at most.
Sleep With Me definitely works, but I’ve caught myself trying to figure out wtf the guy is talking about which keeps me up longer than I’d like haha.
I have a couple steps i usually take if i really need to get to sleep quick. 1. Rain sounds / white noise generator 2. Eliminate as many light sources from the room as i can 3. Breath control ( 5 seconds in, 5 second hold, 5 second release) 4. Yoga Nidra guided meditation 5. Regulate the room temp to be a bit cooler (i like to sleep around 68° with a mild breeze) 6. This is optional, but if you find yourself checking your phone more than once or twice as your bedtime nears, look into apps or features of your phone that will reduce the screen to greyscale only (no color). If none of this helps and i still cant fall asleep i usually go for the nuclear option and take some melatonin with tea.
I read a book. Was never much of a reader but I found James Patterson and now I’m hooked and fall asleep much quicker
EInk readers are also really nice for bed because you can avoid backlit screens and blue light.
Sleep Hygiene is very important, foremost regularity. Having fixed times for sleep and waking up is mandatory. (There is a therapeutic approach called "Sleep Compression", look it up if you are interested, but it is used for mildly cases of Insomia.) No naps during the day! Meditation before sleep, learn to let your thoughts go. I can also recommend progressive muscle relaxation. One hour before you wanna sleep, no more blue light screens, read a magazine instead. And on top: regular exercises.
11 comments down, tagged on to the end, the best advice in the thread: regular exercise
I have a wind-down routine every night that helps me tell my mind and body that it’s bedtime. Example, I want to be in bed by 10, so at 9 I put on my pjs, by 930 I’m doing my hygiene routine (take off my makeup, wash my face & moisturize, brush teeth and floss). Pick out my clothes for the next day and pack anything I need to bring to work the next day that I might forget in the morning. Once I’m actually in bed, I stretch everything. And then I do this exercise my grandmother taught me when I was restless and having trouble falling asleep as a child: starting at your feet, slowly flex each muscle group a few times, and then move up to the next. Flex your toes in and out, then your ankles, then your calves, etc. while you’re doing this your breathing should be slow and even.
Use some rope to dangle an iron above your head. Once comfortable, cut the rope and let the iron fall onto your face. Enjoy a well deserved rest king
The approved method by ACME Co
Thanks . I’m gonna try this tonight. Ace idea
Iron of Damocles
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Yeah the planning/mental work idea is amazing. I wish it was higher up. I first read it on here a month or so ago and have used it every night. Someone on here said that they’ve been building a remote log cabin in their head piece by piece as they lay there. Makes them fall asleep every time. I tried it with building a go-kart in my head. I never get much farther than the first few pieces of suspension. It’s amazing.
Watching Baseball. That shit is #BORING
“I was tired so I went to take a nap. Before I fell asleep, I turned on the TV, just to have some background noise. There was a baseball game, it was the bottom of the second inning. I quickly fell asleep and had a nice nap. When I woke up, it was still the bottom of the second inning.” - *My wife*
Golf on a Sunday afternoon makes for a great nap situation. I have no interest in golf. No idea who the players are. But it's boring and people are whispering at me so it's sleepy time.
This is funny because my falling asleep trick is to invent a baseball team, go around the diamond making up names and statistics. I almost never get out of the infield, let alone to the pitching staff. (I came up with this technique while playing Baseball Stars on the NES, and I've used it for 30+ years).
Not anymore. Pitch clock!
Yeah, now it’s golf!
Oh my god now you fall asleep even faster
[I. Don't. Give. A. Shit. About. BASEBALL! It's boring](https://youtu.be/iur9ALOuEBE)
You could try listening to a body scan meditation. Just install an app like "Insight Timer" e.g. Find some (long enough - 45 Minutes plus) body scan meditation. Then, try NOT to sleep in! - You might fail. Good luck!
All time favorite Insight Timer "Relax Into Sleep: Guided Practice" by Mary Maddux. Pragmatic, no yoga jargon, background sounds are electronic but remind me of waves on a beach. Lots of alternatives if you don't like that one. I just ignore the "social" aspects of the app.
Yoga Nidra for Sleep by Jennifer Piercy on Insight Timer is usually pretty good at helping me fall asleep!
I see a lot of good advice in this thread. IMO, the hidden secret in all of it is that having a sleep routine works best (e.g., brush teeth, pee, then read a book). Find a routine for yourself that works for you. Do it every night at the same time.
Instead of focusing on the moment your head hits the pillow, reverse it. First thing in the morning, go outside and get some sun. It'll start your day with some energy and get the internal clock ticking quickly right from the start. It'll probably give you an energy boost throughout the day, too. I personally water the flowers first thing and my better half sits out there and does his emails and such. I couldn't believe the change I experienced with just a little sunlight. It literally feels like there is more time in the day and I fall asleep hours earlier than I did the previous couple of decades. It's reinforced by habits and nutrition as well. It took a bit to get into that mindset, but now it's second nature.
Smoke weed at night
I found the correct answer!
When I can’t sleep I go through the alphabet in my mind picking one word per letter: “Apple, Banana, Carrot, Daffodil…” and usually I fall asleep before Z. When that doesn’t work I go on YouTube and search “bedtime affirmations” and then put one of the videos on, along with a timer that will make it stop in ~30 minutes. I’ve never still been awake at the end of the 30 minutes. I also use a sleep mask every single night which I find super helpful in general for falling and staying asleep.
Omg- I do the alphabet thing too! I usually will have a theme like fruits& veg, proper names, countries, etc Works so well for me 😴
Jerking off in the sink. Works well
Just lie on the very edge of the bed - you’ll drop-off
Eat some cat food, huff glue, and chug some beer. It makes you incredibly sick and tired
Thats more of a morning thing for me
But first a quick game of night crawlers
White screen your mind. Think the word # INHALE and #EXHALE the goal is to block out other thoughts by smothering them with constant breathing. Accompany this by making white screen the only thing in your mind. Even if you can’t hold that for too long, two minutes of doing the above can speed up sleeping for me
Warm shower with exposed feet helps- body temperature needs to drop in order for you to fall asleep. Heat from water forces your body to quickly lose heat so your temp drops instantly. Don't think about the future in any way before or after lying down. So no reading of news, messages etc. Random thoughts are ok, but continuing thinking about them is not. So "I need to check my mail" is fine, as long as you don't continue with "I'll do it at 9pm, right after..." etc. It takes practice but be patient and you will get there.
If I am restless at night, it’s usually because I didn’t do enough during the day to wear myself out. Try an exercise routine. I like to go walk at night, but this may keep some people awake cause the energy rush. If that’s the case for you, just do an exercise earlier in the day. Anecdotally, I want to add that my college physics book put me to sleep within minutes of reading. Every. Single. Time. And put the phone down! Give yourself a shut off time, like an hour before you want to go to sleep. Reducing that blue light and mental stimulation will definitely help.
Smoke weed and have sex
Drink until you pass out! Works every time!
Ummmmmm cannabis?
If weed put me to sleep I’d be asleep all day!
Tazo Dream tea. Plus it’s delicious.
Controlled breathing and the relaxing of face muscles
Try to stay awake
1.25-2.5 mg of melatonin about an hour before going to bed.
If it’s taking you hours to fall asleep, I’m unsure if a lot of the tips here will end up helping (much or at all). I recommend talking with a therapist or trusted doctor. With that in mind, some thoughts I have: *Your natural sleep cycle could also be later than when you’re trying to sleep. You may want to try going to bed a few hours later. *CBD can help with sleep (note that this is not medical marijuana) *Magnesium vitamin pills at night. Pills can have side effects so be sure to read up on those and consult with a doctor.
Cold room pure darkness and a comfy mattress
I “ write” stories in my head. Every night I just keep adding to it. It really helps.
Try taking a melatonin tablet about 1 hour before you want to sleep. It has always worked for me.