Best thing for insomnia? [Archive] - SV650.org

LewSpeight

07-01-13, 04:21 AM

So, any of you who glue to this forum religiously will have probably figured I'm only ever on here from like 10pm till 4/5/6 am every night.
Friday night I didn't sleep longer than 10 minutes.

I got diagnosed with insomnia a couple of years back and every now and again it creeps up on me, anyone got any ideas on what to do without taking prescribed medication?

Surely you parents out there will have some awesome information?

EssexDave

07-01-13, 07:40 AM

I sometimes struggle to sleep. I've had a few nights recently where I've gone without getting any sleep at all and literally had to wait till that awkward moment when you 'pass out' from tiredness.

I never get any problems sleeping if I have a good cycle (or hard gym workout for that matter). Two hours on the bike, have a bath, straight to sleep.

Not sure if it would help in your situation but could be worth a go!

Mr Speirs

07-01-13, 07:57 AM

Never do anything apart from sleeping or sex in your bed. If you sit there reading or surfing the net or playing games then your mind recognises your bed as an active place father than a resting place.

There is an app you can get that plays sound effects that enduces sleep. Things like a washing machine, hairdryer, car journey or waves on a beach. You could try them.

Littlepeahead

07-01-13, 08:14 AM

Glenn Harold Hypnotherapy CD. Once you get over his accent sounding a bit like he comes from Dagenham it works. Don't actively try to listen just have it on in the background and after a few nights it penetrates your subconscious and you drift off.

Radio 4 is also good. Today In Parliament then the ShippingForecast switch my mind off.

And if anything is bothering you put a notebokand pen by the bed then write a 'to do' list before bed and tell yourself you'll deal with it tomorrow instead of dwelling on it.

Fallout

07-01-13, 08:15 AM

Agree with both statements above.

- Exercise. Physical tiredness is the best thing for putting you to sleep.
- Routine. Eat dinner at the same time (early), wind down, go to bed at the same time. Get your body used to going to sleep at a certain time and it will start to feel tired. Get up at the same time too.
- Stress. Sort out all your mental issues so you have nothing to think about/worry about when you get into bed. Pay your bills, get all those 'things' done as soon as they arrive, sort out your relationship issues, fix everything that dwells on your mind. Ease your conscience by righting your wrongs.
- No caffeine about 5 or 6 hours before bed.

Tips for actually falling asleep that work for me:
- I am most comfortable on my side, so I don't start out on my side. I lie on my back for ages as I slowly get more tired. When I eventually roll onto my side it's more comfortable and then I fall asleep.
- I start dreaming when I close my eyes. Sounds weird, but it works for me. So rather than trying not to think about anything, or thinking about real stuff, I think creatively. It helps that my personality is like that anyway and I can think about my work (which is creative). By thinking about random worlds I'm detached from reality and it helps put me to sleep.

Basically get physically tired, defeat all stress and get into a routine are the key ones. Works for me.

xXBADGERXx

07-01-13, 12:56 PM

Most stuff has been said , and all valid points . Reduce your stimulants . Doing things like watching MotoGP and then going to bed will have your brain going ten to the dozen . I don`t know what your daily intake is of exercise/food/drink but I can probably guess your a tad on the bored side of things and keeping your brain going and devouring information at a stupid rate of knots ..... vicious circle .

I switched over to naturally decaffeinated Tea a few months back which has helped knock things back a notch . The Tea is called Tick Tock and has quite a smooth taste to it , If I am ready for bed about 11 at night then I don`t drink anything past 9 . If I am thirsty then a slurp of Water will suffice before brushing my choppers . As Mr Speirs says , the bed is a place of rest or jiggery pokery , don`t sit there with a tablet/laptop (if you do) watching Die Hard with a Vengeance , the Brain needs to slow down before that . I now tend to do this (it`s a tad fogeyish but it works) ..... I fill the dishwasher , get stuff ready for the next day like butties and stuff for work . The mind starts to wind down . The next day I don`t use the snooze , get the hell out of bed and get showered and have a peaceful journey to work all in good time . No flitting about and keep that mind calm .

As far as bed goes , make it a pleasurable place (no sniggering at the back there) . Change the sheets often . I have taken to using Brushed Cotton sheets in the Winter as they give a nice and snugg sensation , change that Duvet for a Comfortably warm one , being cold at night is a sure fire way of keeping you in and out of a good sleep pattern . Alternatively just turn your Mrs inside out in a manly fashion so that she is steaming on the bed sheets and fall asleep ...... in a smug fashion , much easier than doing all that washing-up Bullshard , if you do a proper job on the Mrs she will do all that the next day ;)

Viney

07-01-13, 01:02 PM

I lay awake for hours trying to think if cures!

Oh look, i think thats my taxi.

LewSpeight

07-01-13, 01:20 PM

Thank you all for the interesting responses.

The hardest thing is sorting 'relationship issues' as that is the reason for most of my troubles at the mo (boo hoo)

Getting into a routine has never been me, I can't do 'routine', I'm a kn*b like that and like to live everyday on my toes.

I love the little hints of doing some manly exercises with the partner and yeh that helped a lot... But obv it's not an option now haha.

I always believed in the idea of bed isn't for watching tv or laptop. But when I'm laying here for 4 hours bored out of my tree I end up wanting to rip something apart out of frustration, so resort to watching pointless YouTube videos.

xXBADGERXx

07-01-13, 01:25 PM

Well , laying stuff out on here is a beginning , don`t want to pry but if you feel the need to unload then go for it ..... and I mean mentally by the way .

Littlepeahead

07-01-13, 01:28 PM

Room temperature is important and fresh air. If the room is too warm or stuffy you won't sleep, and if you have cold feet you won't sleep. So the window cracked open an inch and some fluffy bed socks is the answer. And try to kill any light sources with black out blinds.

Read a book, a really boring one. Not an exciting thriller. Something on the A level English Lit curriculum should do it - how about Larkrise to Candleford, or Sense and Sensibility - yawn.

Oh and don't try and share a room with Treacle or Chris8886 unless you have really good earplugs or can out-snore them.

Purity14

07-01-13, 01:32 PM

http://www.nlplanet.com/images/image_db/bag.jpg

xXBADGERXx

07-01-13, 01:36 PM

Tut , nobody likes Broccoli

missyburd

07-01-13, 02:08 PM

- Stress. Sort out all your mental issues so you have nothing to think about/worry about when you get into bed. Pay your bills, get all those 'things' done as soon as they arrive, sort out your relationship issues, fix everything that dwells on your mind. Ease your conscience by righting your wrongs.

The hardest thing is sorting 'relationship issues' as that is the reason for most of my troubles at the mo (boo hoo)

http://www.siestacrafts.co.uk/__uploads/Catalog/369_large_image_6101C_Guatemalan_Worry_People_Bag. jpg

Now I know what you're all thinking, here's some hippy yoghurt-knitting suggestion but these really do work. And yes, the Mayan tendencies may put you right off given their latest failed predictions....Obviously it's all psychological, that's my reasoning anyway, but I've spoken to a number of people who convincingly swear by these things. The idea of offloading the troubles on the mind before sleep isn't such a stupid one and that sense of release helps for better Z production.

You're not far from me LewSpeight if you want me to get ya some ;)

Fallout

07-01-13, 02:22 PM

hahahahahahahhahahahahahah! HAHAHAHA MARIA AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAH! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Now that's out of the way, that's actually a really good idea. :) I don't believe in voodoo jiggery pokery shizzle dizzle either, but it's good to consciously air your problems. If I think about something stressful I can never solve it, but saying it out loud goes round some other brain circuit and makes a big difference. It's like stuff in your head stays in your head, and stuff that comes out your mouth you let go of.

That's why I laughed in your face. Now I feel better. :-P

jambo

07-01-13, 02:33 PM

As a former dyslexic agnostic insomniac, I used to lie awake at night wondering if there was a dog...

With that to one side, I tend to sleep annoyingly well compared to most people, but in the past I've used a combination of the above when it's an issue. Routine really is quite key, like you I get bored easily, but if your life is too random your body never really knows when it should be scaled back. Get some thinking / activity / excitement in in the early evening, and wind down for an hour before bed.

Jambo

missyburd

07-01-13, 02:51 PM

but it's good to consciously air your problems.
Most of the time I have a human worry person called YC but he can only take so much worrying :razz:

Owenski

07-01-13, 03:30 PM

FOOL PROOF METHOD OF SLEEPING WELL = DIET and DISCIPLINE!

Simple biology will tell you you're designed neigh required to sleep to survive. If you're not sleeping then its something you're doing which is causing that problem. Change your habbits or get used to it been as it is.

Dont eat ****, dont drink caffine or sugar based fluids after 6pm. Dont eat ANYTHING after 8pm

Discipline wise, Get up at 8am and don't nap. Be a man and stick to that for 2 weeks and if you're not sleeping like a baby, well if you're not sleeping by sticking to that then I wont believe you've stuck to it.

Sounds harsh but I used to moan "I cant sleep, Im not a good sleeper etc I've tried everything yada yada whinge whine" Then I took the above advice on bored and stuck to it.

chris8886

07-01-13, 04:13 PM

Oh and don't try and share a room with Treacle or Chris8886 unless you have really good earplugs or can out-snore them.

oi, there's no need for that! tis only when i've had rather too many to drink that i sometimes let out the odd snore!

i do agree on the light thing though, i find it hard to get to sleep unless i cover up the digital alarm clock!

Jayneflakes

07-01-13, 04:25 PM

I know the issue too, so I gave up coffee completely and have a relaxing read before bed. Therapy worked as well! :D

As for a good bedtime read, try theoretical physics. A Brief history of time was a great read and took about two months. That was followed by Deep Time by David Darling and I now have Afterglow of Creation by Marcus Chown at the moment, while also reading Dreams of Stone by Jonathan Wylie, Stuart by Alexander Masters and the various books of The Hitch Hikers Guide!

A damn good cycle ride early in the day to make you tired is a fabulous way of sorting out the body for a good nights rest. Physical activity makes the body tired and the brain will follow. Good luck.

If things get out of hand and you start to lose nights to being awake, think about seeing a cognitive behavioral therapist. This can help a lot by teaching you to retrain yourself. Good luck. :D

Littlepeahead

07-01-13, 04:28 PM

oi, there's no need for that! tis only when i've had rather too many to drink that i sometimes let out the odd snore!

i do agree on the light thing though, i find it hard to get to sleep unless i cover up the digital alarm clock!

And that means stumbling round the room muttering and swearing before chucking pillows at the clock on the TV. Before going to sleep. Of course by then I was wide awake. :smt015

I love the Fallout lists all those things he doesn't believe in but he does think there are Zombies.

Fallout

07-01-13, 06:43 PM

Grrrrrrr! When will you get it woman? I don't believe in zombies! They are, in their portrayed sense, a scientific impossibility. I just like the idea of everyone in the entire world being dead except me, a few friends, and some hot women, and then driving around in a trucks with corrugated iron welded to them killing things and doing whatever the hell I want! I would ride the rollercoasters naked, sleep in a different millionaire's bed every night, and wee in all the swimming pools. Where's the harm in that?!

metalmonkey

07-01-13, 06:47 PM

Dude learn to meditate, I’m serious you need to clear your mind. Find that place you can go where its pure bliss and you feel at one with your self. So for me its diving in warm ocean, just hanging in the water frickin awesome total relaxation. The more you do it, the better you will get also your experiences from meditation will become more interesting.

It sounds like your circadian rhythm is out of sync, you need to reset it. Go bed by 2230 no later than that by that I mean sleeping at that time. This is the most important thing you must do it. Try this below see what happens, I have issues with sleep from a chronic illness this is what I do as I don't want to spend the rest of life medicated.

So just start with something, simple breathing most people don't breath right or even know how to. Slow deep breaths take the air into the pit of your stomach breath from there not your chest. So just start with deep breathing first, get use to that practise that, one you have done that imagine your safe place where its bliss master that first.

Also grab a swiss ball lie backwards over it so feet flat against the ground, lean totally backwards so your fully stretched out your hands are straight and behind your head. What is does is open your solar plexus, your chrakras trust me you will feel better. Go buy one if you haven't got one, an anti-burst ball is about £15 just make sure its right your height. I have 65cm ball I'm 168cm.

Eat good food, no junk you will suffer problems with your energy if you do. Don't drink booze, drink lots of water, no fruit juice or soda just remember the consequences of any those above things and train just find something you like doing.

My mind moves along at warp 9 pretty constantly Stimulants send me nuts so I really avoid anything other than chocolate or soda I don't bother.

Try that first, then let us know how you progress.

Bibio

07-01-13, 06:49 PM

drink...

Mark_h

07-01-13, 06:56 PM

Do some physical exercise.
Chill a bit before going to bed.
Don't take laptop/iphone/tablet etc into the bedroom.
If you start stressing about going to sleep, write down things that are bothering you. I find if I write them down I stop worrying about them until morning.
If all else fails, go back downstairs, have a cup of tea, watch something dull on iPlayer then try again in 20 minutes.
If you have to have something making a noise in the room, try radio 4. It's in ch 704 if you've got freeview in your bedroom. They do a book at bedtime and if I listen to that I'm rarely awake at the end of it.

chris8886

07-01-13, 06:58 PM

metalmonkey

07-01-13, 07:00 PM

oi, there's no need for that! tis only when i've had rather too many to drink that i sometimes let out the odd snore!

i do agree on the light thing though, i find it hard to get to sleep unless i cover up the digital alarm clock!

Dude when went camping at the WSB, I could hear your "sleeping" over a rather large genny, you need a sound proof tent!

metalmonkey

07-01-13, 07:02 PM

drink...

Booze is totally wrong, it removes nutrients from body, impairs liver function diverting it from important tasks, it causes dehydration in the body which impacts on a lot process that are going on. We are mainly made of water, so its a dumb idea to remove it right? Booze stops sleep from happening so you never get the benefits from it, probably one of the worst ideas suggested ideas do it at your risk!

metalmonkey

07-01-13, 07:05 PM

i would say that all sounds good bar the tea, don't bother with that cos it's got loadsa caffine in it, which you don't want when trying to sleep!

Something like fresh lime juice and honey direrct from hive taste amazing got given some last year it was really good if you want a hot drink, also hot choclate can work the insulin spike will make you sleepy.

yorkie_chris

07-01-13, 07:12 PM

Booze is totally wrong,

Never done me any harm. #hic#

Bibio

07-01-13, 07:20 PM

booze might be wrong but it bloody works.

chris8886

07-01-13, 07:25 PM

Never done me any harm. #hic#

booze might be wrong but it bloody works.

LOL! likewise :smt015

Littlepeahead

07-01-13, 10:50 PM

PM me your address and I'll post you a copy of the hypnosis CD.

Chris everyone you've slept with complains.

Simon would I be one of the select few?

Joe Marcon

07-01-13, 11:41 PM

I have strong sleeping tablets and end up sleeping till like 3 haha . Need a new idea to get sleep

Sent from my iPhone

TamSV

07-01-13, 11:41 PM

Has no-one suggested having a w***?

HTH.

widepants

07-01-13, 11:46 PM

Has no-one suggested having a w***?

HTH.
mmmm better to do as Badge suggested and post the misses to the mattress

Joe Marcon

07-01-13, 11:47 PM

Fap fap fap

Sent from my iPhone

Specialone

07-01-13, 11:49 PM

If tams idea doesn't work, what about a double barrel shotgun? ;)

Seriously, I generally have no trouble sleeping but have had stressful times and I do seem to have more trouble dropping off.

There has already been loads of good suggestions, I find reading sends me to sleep, I'll try reading a few pages of a book or mag and within 10 mins I've got heavy eyes.

A clear conscience and mind helps too IMO,

metalmonkey

07-01-13, 11:52 PM

Fap fap fap

Sent from my iPhone

At least Joe is having a good time, my other suggestion was probally a bit much for some of you.

LewSpeight

08-01-13, 02:12 AM

FOOL PROOF METHOD OF SLEEPING WELL = DIET and DISCIPLINE!

...snip

Discipline wise, Get up at 8am and don't nap. Be a man and stick to that for 2 weeks and if you're not sleeping like a baby, well if you're not sleeping by sticking to that then I wont believe you've stuck to it.

Sounds harsh but I used to moan "I cant sleep, Im not a good sleeper etc I've tried everything yada yada whinge whine" Then I took the above advice on bored and stuck to it.

I like this idea.. Gunna have to try it, it sounds relatively simple and fairly easy at the mo, im very good at getting up when i need to.

Richie

08-01-13, 02:29 AM

Sleep is the best cure.... FACT

Richie

08-01-13, 02:34 AM

If I can't sleep I listen to this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wbg_7CHb97M

or this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xqQkejfG2M

Bordtea

08-01-13, 05:25 AM

Gotta be reading for me... generally reading that I'm required to do rather than doing it voluntarily, annoyingly.

Can quite honestly be sound asleep within a single page of this book on American Government. Bodes well considering I'm studying politics doesn't it...

Littlepeahead

08-01-13, 07:52 AM

In a few weeks England play New Zealand in the cricket so put Test Match Special on overnight on Radio 4 LW or 5live Sports Extra. As if you don't like cricket it'll bore you to sleep. This works in reverse of course if you like cricket. Then you end up like me staying up all night and struggling into work with suitcase size eyebags.

nikon70

08-01-13, 01:19 PM

alcohol, diazepam (not together, just one or the other)

metalmonkey

08-01-13, 07:11 PM

alcohol, diazepam (not together, just one or the other)

Why are you taking that its highly additive!

Bibio

08-01-13, 07:58 PM

alcohol, diazepam (not together, just one or the other)

whats the point in that.. you have to take both for that instant sledgehammer effect but i would say valium and alcohol is much better. not that i would know anything about such things :smt064

the white rabbit

09-01-13, 07:12 PM

Wan King.

(a nice big meal from the Wan King Chinese restaurant)

Biker Biggles

09-01-13, 09:28 PM

Best thing for insomnia?

A good nights sleep.

mattSV

09-01-13, 10:10 PM

Wan King.

(a nice big meal from the Wan King Chinese restaurant)

Bloody hell -Dr Rich is still alive. :smt039

Jayneflakes

10-01-13, 11:03 AM

If I can't sleep I listen to this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wbg_7CHb97M

or this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xqQkejfG2M

This is a great idea, peaceful music really does help me when I cannot sleep. There have been many times when I have needed music to drown out the wife's snoring, also she tends to be restless and gets up in the night to go to the loo. Music tends to block her out a little. However, loading up the MP3 player can lead to suddenly being blasted awake by Burzum at four in the morning!

For me, good music to fall asleep to is a bit of gentle black metal. Akercocke or Enslaved works well as does early Burzum. However, when I tried it with the album Fallen, it totally failed! :smt020

carelesschucca

10-01-13, 01:43 PM

Chris everyone you've slept with complains.

Now there's a comment and a half... Poor Chris!

Me I've got plenty of recent experiance with not being able to sleep had a good few months of it last year, but I'm a natural born worrier, and I do it the best when my head hits the pillow.

God two nights ago I started thinking about how Germany were slowly talking over Europe again, this time using money not guns, and I lay there and mulled over it and other nonsense for hours...

I need to try some of the ideas that have been said before...