Arrrggg - I need to sleep

[Englishbird]

Why is it that at 7am my bed is the most comfortable place on earth.  It is the right temperature, the sheets are cosy, the pillows are the right shape and the cat is curled neatly into one corner.  Whereas at midnight, it's hot, fidgety, uncomfortable and regardless of how tired i am, i cannot get to sleep.  What are your tricks for falling asleep?

[chazza]

Dont sleep during the day, no matter how tired you are, an afternoon nap is likely to stop you sleeping at night.

 

Don't eat or drink too late before bedtime.  Don't have anything with caffeine or sugar in it after your evening meal.

 

Try a hot milky drink before bedtime.

 

Try taking valerian an hour or 2 before bedtime (from holland and barratts, completely herbal!).

 

Use avon or boots sleeptherapy spray, which contains lavender to relax you, or a bath with radox or lavender oil.

 

Also, try getting up and going to bed at the same time everyday (including weekends if possible).  For an ideal nights sleep, your bedroom should be slightly chilly and your bed should be warm.

 

Read a book in bed rather than watching TV.

[barender]

Your bed must be the same as mine!

I either read or listen to the radio, but as chazza says, lavender does help you to sleep. A few drops of lavender oil (or spray) on your pillow after a nice hot bath.

[angel1978]

Try and separate your sleeping environment from anywhere else eg don't watch TV and such in bed.  Stick to the living room.  Once you get into a routine your body will subconsciously know you're going to bed.

Even use it as an excuse to give your room a bit of a makeover, just make it as nice calm relaxing place, get rid of all the clutter, make sure it's nice and dark etc...

Make sure your room is nice and cool, I have my window open until just before I go to sleep (can't risk leaving it open overnight where I am) so I get fresh air in then have a fan on all night.  If I need to warm up I can just pull up the throw I have at the end of my bed or put soem warmer night stuff on.

Don't do anything which will get your body going too much such as stimulants, nicotine etc... and exercise and don't eat for a couple of hours if possible before you go to bed or have a hot bath/shower as raised body temperature causes problems with you sleeping somehow.

Valerian is good stuff but watch it as it used to make me groggy the next morning which isn't great if you need to be awake and alert such as driving and operating machinery.  I used to buy it fresh and make it into a tea though.  May help get you into a good pattern but just don't come to rely on it too much that you end up not being able to sleep without it.

I do some relaxation exercises sometimes. Try and get any issues I have on my mind out first so they're not niggling then lie on my back, get comfortable and just relax my body bit by bit, say start at toes and gradually work up until have done whole body.  Pretend I'm lying by sea and the water gradually laps up relaxing my body and making it heavy. Even it you don't drop off I'm just nice and relaxed (so I'm resting if not sleeping) and then curl up and think of nice things (man of your dreams etc)

Good luck :)

[Little Lady]

I always read to winde down after i get into bed for half an hour and i struggle to get to sleep i meditate, i never come out of it and wake up feeling great!

[dmsjps]

Hi Englishbird, I know what you mean! If you have something on your mind and you're not the type of person who can put package things away and forget them, then it will be really hard to get to sleep. I toss and turn all night if I'm worried about something, but my husband just hits the pillow and he's zedding!

 

I find reading the best way to relax. I usually end up falling asleep with my book open and then losing my page, but at least I've had a good night's sleep.

 

Are there any comforting sounds that might help? I think you can buy tapes of relaxing sounds (like whales, the sea, etc), but I've never tried them. I find the 'tick-tock' of a proper clock relaxing.

[HAnn521]

Tylenol Simply Sleep...two pills and I'm snoozing like a baby...and I can always wake up the next morning...safe, obtainable, but effective....(if you get that desperate)

[Gilli]

..... and don't have children !!!

(from someone who gets unbroken sleep at best 4 nights out of seven)

[ronianna]

Maybe it's just me, but 9 times out of 10, my 'girls best friend' eventually sends me to sleep if you get my drift. (oh and I don't mean diamonds!!!!)

[LionNo4]

Can.t get out of bed during the working week then at the weekend,up at the crack of dawn...

[moonunit100]

I reckon the reason we feel like we wanna go back to sleep when we have to get up is due to the way we wake up. That is, during the week we're woken by an alarm, our bodies weren't yet ready to wake and so we feel tired. However, at the weekend, we wake up when our body wants to, although this might be about the same time as the alarm normally goes off. This means we wake up at the end of a sleep cycle and not in the middle of one.

 As for a tip to help you sleep, meditation is definately a good one but it is quite difficult to do. Meditation takes a bit of practice. An easy version, although not strictly speaking meditation, is to slowly count upto 50. As you count your mind will start to wander and you will lose count. When this happens you must start again from zero. Don't concentrate on your counting, allow your mind to wander if it wants to but don't engage your thoughts. Simply acknowledge them and return to thre counting. Just be sure to start again from zero if you're not 100% positive you haven't lost count and missed/repeated a number. If you manage to get to 50 (I hardly ever manage it), then count back down to zero again.

[indian]

An enjoyable way to fall asleep is counting how many men you fancy. This could be split into real life, film stars, singers- alot more interesting than counting sheep!

[shaneystar]

I don't sleep well at at all.Well I sleep O.K. but have trouble getting to sleep.After years of being a slave to the alarm clock and now retired and not having to get up at a certain time every day I find myself getting up later and then lying awake at night.
Plus if I am reading a good book and I can't get to sleep the light is on and off all night .Looking to see what happens next.My hubby hits the pillow and he is out for the count!! World War 3 could break out and he wouldn't wake up. Some of your tips have been very helpful and I shall certainly try moonunits counting method.
Sweet dreams everyone!

[MargeB]

THE THE THE THE THE THE THE THE THE.

This is a great chant (silently). It does the job: occupies your brain, but will not occupy it in a way that leads to other thoughts.

Also: 'drugs': a glass of wine will knock me out or let me wind down. No work after 8pm. No thinking about 'issues' after 8pm.

Good luck. Let us know how it goes.

I used to count sheep, then it led to thoughts of marriage, settling down, etc.

[jock]

Have twins! You end up grabbing whatever sleep you can, whenever you can!