Sleeping Tips?

Off Topic
1

I’ve noticed that many times, when I have something important going on in the morning or an appointment of some sort, I seem to get some anxiety and have a hell of a time falling asleep… something in my head is trying to screw me from being either on time or not a zombie when I get there, I guess.

Any tips on how to cope with this? Relaxation techniques that have worked for you? Things not to do?

Normally melatonin will help me go out but there are times when that shit is like shooting a BB gun at a freight train and it makes no difference.

2

These aren’t quite what you asked for (dealing with anxiety), but they’ve been very helpful to me for relaxing before bed. So they should be useful.

Breath to your belly not to your chest. Slow rhythmic breathing is good.

You want total darkness and pretty cool temperature while you sleep. No noise helps. White noise isn’t too bad.

Try to start winding down an hour or so before bed. Nature is good at this. Take a walk or something low level and relaxing. Absolutely do not use your computer (or tv or phone) right before bed. It’s too bright and it fools your body into thinking it’s daytime. If you do have to use it, check out flux. f.lux: software to make your life better

Don’t get freaked out or pissed off that you can’t get to sleep. That’ll just keep you up longer. Just lie there and don’t consciously try to “force” yourself to sleep. Lying there and resting isn’t as good as sleep, but it’s pretty good too. So don’t sweat it.

One last trick is to imagine each part of your body completely relaxing and stopping moving. start at your feet and take a little time to relax them totally. Then move up to your calves, then knees, etc.

3

My favoarite yoga pose always puts my out no matter what.

Deep breaths in the corpse pose…I can’t post vids from my phone but its on youtube

4

Have sex / masturbate

5

I got nothing for you. I’ve done job interviews and finals and various other types of tests on 45 minutes of sleep over 72 hrs.

Except maybe caffeine and vitamin B complex in large quantities at the usual time that I would be waking up if I had slept.

6

[quote]hastalles wrote:
These aren’t quite what you asked for (dealing with anxiety), but they’ve been very helpful to me for relaxing before bed. So they should be useful.

Breath to your belly not to your chest. Slow rhythmic breathing is good.

You want total darkness and pretty cool temperature while you sleep. No noise helps. White noise isn’t too bad.

Try to start winding down an hour or so before bed. Nature is good at this. Take a walk or something low level and relaxing. Absolutely do not use your computer (or tv or phone) right before bed. It’s too bright and it fools your body into thinking it’s daytime. If you do have to use it, check out flux. f.lux: software to make your life better

Don’t get freaked out or pissed off that you can’t get to sleep. That’ll just keep you up longer. Just lie there and don’t consciously try to “force” yourself to sleep. Lying there and resting isn’t as good as sleep, but it’s pretty good too. So don’t sweat it.

One last trick is to imagine each part of your body completely relaxing and stopping moving. start at your feet and take a little time to relax them totally. Then move up to your calves, then knees, etc.[/quote]

I read this entire post as if you had the most relaxing yoga voice on Earth. I almost fell asleep.

I do all of those things whenever I’m having trouble falling asleep. I must say those techniques are spot on.

Also, sex/masturbation followed by downing a glass of milk puts me right out too.

Also, a box of wine. Puts me right out.

7

[quote]hastalles wrote:
Try to start winding down an hour or so before bed. Nature is good at this. Take a walk or something low level and relaxing. Absolutely do not use your computer (or tv or phone) right before bed. It’s too bright and it fools your body into thinking it’s daytime. If you do have to use it, check out flux. f.lux: software to make your life better
[/quote]

This fucks me. I REALLY have to stop using smartphones at/near bedtime. I’ve noticed this as well.

This is definitely the toughest.

Especially knowing that normally my sleep patterns are OK, but every once in a while I get stuck in a crazy insomnia cycle, or that thinking about something I have to do tomorrow completely keeps me awake.

I do agree that resting is sometimes adequate. It helped me today.

8

[quote]SkyzykS wrote:
I got nothing for you. I’ve done job interviews and finals and various other types of tests on 45 minutes of sleep over 72 hrs.

Except maybe caffeine and vitamin B complex in large quantities at the usual time that I would be waking up if I had slept.
[/quote]

Dude…Such a killer. This morning I did 12 rounds with my boxing coach at 10 a.m. after getting about two combined hours of shitty sleep.

The only thing I’ve determined at this point is to never let it make me quit. I’ll go dead tired and fuckin pass out if I must but I’m not giving in and canceling because of it.

9

I think identifying and defining the stress specifically helps. When I have a big meeting or something on the line, I feel a sense of performance anxiety, kind of like sitting in the locker room before a big football game starts. It’s not the idea that I have to perform per se, but maybe potential weak links in my performance can worry me and keep me up.

What helps me is a mental “pep talk”. A coach in my analogy will give a talk, build confidence in his team, remind them of all their practice and preparation and when you hit the field the butterflies turn to energy.

Anyways, I find it helpful to remind myself of how prepared I am, how ready I am, how my event will be a walk in the park.

It helps me to be organized, rehearsed, prepared…ready, what ever that means for you, beyond a doubt. And, if I’m not totally ready, I fix what ever is unprepared until I’m comfortable with it. Then, the activity is my cakewalk to make and it’s waiting for me, not the other way around.

Also, ambien. Or nyquil. No doubt unhealthy for regular use but for random sleepless nights they are each certainly helpful and stronger than melatonin by a long shot.

10

If I think about work, it will take hours for me to fall asleep no matter how tired I am.

To put myself asleep I practice creating something in my mind; somehow the visualization and imagination put me into a state of mind where I easily drift off.

11

[quote]bcingu wrote:
Have sex / masturbate[/quote]

And then do it again, with a shot of whiskey and some benadryl.

12

I’ve been an insomniac since I was a baby.

A few things to think about;

1.) Wherever you sleep - avoiding spending time there as much as possible. Outside association other than sleeping can dampen the ability for a body to adjust to the natural sleepy state that’s desired. This includes tv, videogames and yes, even sex.

2.) I figured this is obvious, but if you can avoid lifting within 6 hours of sleep, you’ll be well off. Same goes with stimulants and such.

3.) I have used most conventional sleeping pills/prescriptions/what have you, and nothing is more consistent (personally) than a good indica at night. Say what you want, and I don’t think you have the option in New Jersey, but medical marijuana is a life saver. Other good things are (obviously) Valerian root and Melatonin.

4.) Tits are awesome. Just for the record.

5.) Despite this, you may still have the issue, honestly. It’ll happen dude.

13

Jacking off and sex don’t work…I just want more orgasms and stay up all night

14

I have the first two disks, Oasis and the Dive. Do not fall asleep with it on loop, trust me. I have yet to stay awake for the full thirty minutes, I am out, it’s great.

I can’t say for sure I sleep better because I’m not consistant enough listening to it everynight. The website is loaded with BS imo but who knows, you be the judge.

https://centerpointe.com/

15

I had trouble sleeping for the longest time… what really helped me, and it took a while to get good at it, was, when laying there, instead of thinking ‘oh damn I’m never going to fall asleep, this sucks’, as long as countless other things, just really trying to think ‘finally get to lay down, this is so relaxing, etc.’ Just really enjoying resting, laying in bed, after going all day, and then I really started sleeping way better/faster.

16

Here’s a little article about a sleep study done on monks.

ps
It’s pretty bland but I just came across so it so figured I’d post.

17

Stilnox

18

[quote]HoustonGuy wrote:
I think identifying and defining the stress specifically helps. When I have a big meeting or something on the line, I feel a sense of performance anxiety, kind of like sitting in the locker room before a big football game starts. It’s not the idea that I have to perform per se, but maybe potential weak links in my performance can worry me and keep me up.

What helps me is a mental “pep talk”. A coach in my analogy will give a talk, build confidence in his team, remind them of all their practice and preparation and when you hit the field the butterflies turn to energy.

Anyways, I find it helpful to remind myself of how prepared I am, how ready I am, how my event will be a walk in the park.

It helps me to be organized, rehearsed, prepared…ready, what ever that means for you, beyond a doubt. And, if I’m not totally ready, I fix what ever is unprepared until I’m comfortable with it. Then, the activity is my cakewalk to make and it’s waiting for me, not the other way around.

Also, ambien. Or nyquil. No doubt unhealthy for regular use but for random sleepless nights they are each certainly helpful and stronger than melatonin by a long shot.
[/quote]

That’s a very good idea.

That’s the frustrating thing for me - I recognize that it’s totally mental. It’s overcoming that piece that I need to do, and this might be a good way to go about it.

But I know that if my mind can keep me up all night, it can also be turned off no matter what as well.

19

[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:

[quote]HoustonGuy wrote:
I think identifying and defining the stress specifically helps. When I have a big meeting or something on the line, I feel a sense of performance anxiety, kind of like sitting in the locker room before a big football game starts. It’s not the idea that I have to perform per se, but maybe potential weak links in my performance can worry me and keep me up.

What helps me is a mental “pep talk”. A coach in my analogy will give a talk, build confidence in his team, remind them of all their practice and preparation and when you hit the field the butterflies turn to energy.

Anyways, I find it helpful to remind myself of how prepared I am, how ready I am, how my event will be a walk in the park.

It helps me to be organized, rehearsed, prepared…ready, what ever that means for you, beyond a doubt. And, if I’m not totally ready, I fix what ever is unprepared until I’m comfortable with it. Then, the activity is my cakewalk to make and it’s waiting for me, not the other way around.

Also, ambien. Or nyquil. No doubt unhealthy for regular use but for random sleepless nights they are each certainly helpful and stronger than melatonin by a long shot.
[/quote]

That’s a very good idea.

That’s the frustrating thing for me - I recognize that it’s totally mental. It’s overcoming that piece that I need to do, and this might be a good way to go about it.

But I know that if my mind can keep me up all night, it can also be turned off no matter what as well.[/quote]Some times the mind is a belly and you have to feed it to shut it up.

Controlling your thoughts is an awesome act of willpower most don’t even know exist but it can require action, like flipping a switch.

Try analyzing your stress down to specifics for sure and then handle each stressor appropriately. It works.

20

Edit not working

Basically you are stressed and stress is causing your sleeplessness. Do what ever you do to beat stress in general and sleep will follow.