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blimixAfter more than half a year of frequent insomnia that's finally starting to abate, here are my collected tips for sleeping, which (if I recall) are more comprehensive than any I've seen online:
Blue light (even as part of white light) keeps your body in daytime mode. Avoiding bright lights and screens for the last 90 minutes before bed is good, but often hard to arrange. Wearing orange goggles that block blue light is much easier, and works on all the ambient light too. Also turn your computer screen brightness down at night. Set an alarm to remind you to put on the goggles.
While lying in bed waiting to fall asleep, try slow, deep, mindful breathing. Pay attention to how each breath feels. Count your breaths. If you get distracted, just notice that without judgment, accept it as part of the process, and resume counting. I'm less likely to get distracted if I count on both the inhale and exhale. I also visualize the numbers forming, with a flame tracing out each number on the inhale and reversing to erase it on the exhale. That keeps my mind too busy for intrusive thoughts. It's okay if you have to keep starting over! (Relatedly, 4-7-8 breathing did nothing for me, but it has helped others, so feel free to look it up and try it.) If you count to 60 and still aren't asleep, try something else.
Your mileage for this one may vary, depending on your body's chemistry and digestion; it's what I've had to do: No caffeine from coffee or tea. (Even decaf coffee has too much. Second pot tea is okay.) No chocolate in the afternoon. (Edit: See this follow-up post about decaffeinating second pot tea.)
Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) works as a sleeping pill for some people. It didn't work for me, but I used a different, prescription antihistamine (hydroxyzine HCl). Once my new sleep cycle was well established, I went off it. Sleeping pills can build dependencies, such that you can't sleep without them if you use them consistently, but it only took about three nights before I was okay to sleep without them. (I took advantage of a long weekend for this.)
No melatonin: It can badly disrupt your sleep cycle, in the long term. (Karen told me this, and my doctor confirmed it.)
Exercise in the middle of the day, so that you're tired enough to sleep. (Exercise right before bed keeps me up, and if I exercise in the morning, I've already recovered by bedtime.)
Use earplugs that work and are comfortable. (I use Mack's Maximum Protection soft foam (33 dB) orange ear plugs, found at the supermarket.)
Separate blankets/sheets/covers in bed, so that other people and animals aren't waking me by tugging them.
A drop of lavender essential oil on a tissue placed near the head of the bed. I keep it enclosed in a container during the day, and add another drop every few nights. I leave it in the container, just opening the lid, to ensure that I don't get the essential oil on my skin. (A friend recommends lavender hydrosol, which is cheaper, or an eye pillow stuffed with dried lavender.)
A sleep mask. This might be supplemented with a pillow on top of your head, to further insulate your eyes and/or ears from your surroundings.
A small, early dinner. Lying down while still trying to digest is just uncomfortable enough to disrupt sleep.
Magnesium cream, applied after each shower. Magnesium is needed to recover from stress, and is used up by stress. It is absorbed better through skin than by eating. I've tried magnesium supplements, epsom salt baths, and epsom salt foot baths. The cream seems to be working most reliably. (I apply it to the legs, because areas that sweat can get slimy with it.) You can make your own goop out of epsom salt, water, vegetable oil, and glycerine.
Notice which thoughts are intrusive and keep you from sleep. Try to notice and shut down those thoughts, by redirecting to other thoughts or to breaths, when they happen. I tell myself stories, reliving happy memories and favorite films.
Adjust the room temperature and covers. You can subtly be too cold or warm to sleep, without feeling uncomfortable.
Change sleeping positions. Turn over, or remove or add a pillow.
Use a ritual for just before sleep, that involves already being in bed. I play online Boggle (with orange goggles on, lights off, and screen brightness all the way down) until I'm drowsy, and can then just put it away and drift off.
For waking up: Pound a tall glass of water first thing in the morning. I add bottled lemon juice until it is noticeably sour. (Apparently, some people swear by squeezing a third of a lime into a glass of water every morning. I can't be arsed. And who cuts limes into thirds, anyway?) A bit of exercise in the morning helps, too.
Blue light (even as part of white light) keeps your body in daytime mode. Avoiding bright lights and screens for the last 90 minutes before bed is good, but often hard to arrange. Wearing orange goggles that block blue light is much easier, and works on all the ambient light too. Also turn your computer screen brightness down at night. Set an alarm to remind you to put on the goggles.
While lying in bed waiting to fall asleep, try slow, deep, mindful breathing. Pay attention to how each breath feels. Count your breaths. If you get distracted, just notice that without judgment, accept it as part of the process, and resume counting. I'm less likely to get distracted if I count on both the inhale and exhale. I also visualize the numbers forming, with a flame tracing out each number on the inhale and reversing to erase it on the exhale. That keeps my mind too busy for intrusive thoughts. It's okay if you have to keep starting over! (Relatedly, 4-7-8 breathing did nothing for me, but it has helped others, so feel free to look it up and try it.) If you count to 60 and still aren't asleep, try something else.
Your mileage for this one may vary, depending on your body's chemistry and digestion; it's what I've had to do: No caffeine from coffee or tea. (Even decaf coffee has too much. Second pot tea is okay.) No chocolate in the afternoon. (Edit: See this follow-up post about decaffeinating second pot tea.)
Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) works as a sleeping pill for some people. It didn't work for me, but I used a different, prescription antihistamine (hydroxyzine HCl). Once my new sleep cycle was well established, I went off it. Sleeping pills can build dependencies, such that you can't sleep without them if you use them consistently, but it only took about three nights before I was okay to sleep without them. (I took advantage of a long weekend for this.)
No melatonin: It can badly disrupt your sleep cycle, in the long term. (Karen told me this, and my doctor confirmed it.)
Exercise in the middle of the day, so that you're tired enough to sleep. (Exercise right before bed keeps me up, and if I exercise in the morning, I've already recovered by bedtime.)
Use earplugs that work and are comfortable. (I use Mack's Maximum Protection soft foam (33 dB) orange ear plugs, found at the supermarket.)
Separate blankets/sheets/covers in bed, so that other people and animals aren't waking me by tugging them.
A drop of lavender essential oil on a tissue placed near the head of the bed. I keep it enclosed in a container during the day, and add another drop every few nights. I leave it in the container, just opening the lid, to ensure that I don't get the essential oil on my skin. (A friend recommends lavender hydrosol, which is cheaper, or an eye pillow stuffed with dried lavender.)
A sleep mask. This might be supplemented with a pillow on top of your head, to further insulate your eyes and/or ears from your surroundings.
A small, early dinner. Lying down while still trying to digest is just uncomfortable enough to disrupt sleep.
Magnesium cream, applied after each shower. Magnesium is needed to recover from stress, and is used up by stress. It is absorbed better through skin than by eating. I've tried magnesium supplements, epsom salt baths, and epsom salt foot baths. The cream seems to be working most reliably. (I apply it to the legs, because areas that sweat can get slimy with it.) You can make your own goop out of epsom salt, water, vegetable oil, and glycerine.
Notice which thoughts are intrusive and keep you from sleep. Try to notice and shut down those thoughts, by redirecting to other thoughts or to breaths, when they happen. I tell myself stories, reliving happy memories and favorite films.
Adjust the room temperature and covers. You can subtly be too cold or warm to sleep, without feeling uncomfortable.
Change sleeping positions. Turn over, or remove or add a pillow.
Use a ritual for just before sleep, that involves already being in bed. I play online Boggle (with orange goggles on, lights off, and screen brightness all the way down) until I'm drowsy, and can then just put it away and drift off.
For waking up: Pound a tall glass of water first thing in the morning. I add bottled lemon juice until it is noticeably sour. (Apparently, some people swear by squeezing a third of a lime into a glass of water every morning. I can't be arsed. And who cuts limes into thirds, anyway?) A bit of exercise in the morning helps, too.
(no subject)
Date: 2019-07-08 09:39 am (UTC)On a normal day I exercise first thing as a way to wake up, but I see the point about using a midday workout to generate fatigue.
Oddly, social time during the day seems to help me sleep that night. Not sure why this should be (and I'm possibly overgeneralizing from a few instances).
(no subject)
Date: 2019-07-08 10:41 am (UTC)Anyway, you have my sympathies regarding your own lack of sleep.