How do you shut your mind down so you can get a good night sleep??? (page 4)

cult classic

I've tried the things mentioned above with some success.

However, either 1) a pinch of salt on the tongue or 2) yogurt and/or probiotics taken about 1/2 hr before bed is my all time fail proof favorite sleep aids. Make sure your room is as dark as possible. Some people have a very sensitive pineal gland and light can totally upset their clock.

And, of course, what works to calm some people can cause anxiety or problems in others. good luck!

My husband is like your wife. He can and does sleep under any and all conditions. It is absolutely maddening!!!

GrreatTeacher

I swear by running a fan for a little bit of background white noise. Bonus in hot weather.

Benadryl works well for me, though it wears off in about 4 hours and you might have to take another one.

Start calming your brain down an hour or two before bedtime. No JWN, no balancing the checkbook, no computer because the light can stimulate your brain. Try a nice hot shower or bath and some neutral reading material. I like catalogs. A good book of fiction would work, too.

I have tried melatonin and it didn't work for me, but it is natural, so it couldn't hurt to try.

eva luna

Ive tried all the natural remidies. Sadly they didn't work for me.

When I cant sleep it's, a Xanax with a Cab chaser and a good old TCM movie.

talesin

Melatonin is very good to help you fall asleep, and can also aid in restoring you to a regular sleep pattern. 1 or 2 mg about 20 minutes before you want to sleep.

Meditation - check! Do it any time of the day, it will help you to have a clearer mind, and be able to reach that 'less than busy' state whenever you need it. Even 5 minutes per day - you can sit in the yard, in a chair, relaxed, ankles crossed, back straight (ie, good posture), hands on things. Eyes open, and breathe in ....... into the diaphragm then your lungs, then till your stomach puffs out, and slowly release. Notice the blue of the sky, hear the ripple of the stream, the sound of the cicada... breathe in the blossoms and take another breath ....... that is my meditation. :)) Any time a thought comes in your head, say to yourself - thinking, thinking, and breathe .... take in the sensations - feel the breeze on your face. It's an easy and lovely way to spend 5 minutes or more in the morning, for me.

I can't sleep on an empty stomach. Ignore all that you hear, and do what's right for YOU. My solution is a small portion of protein shortly before bedtime (1/2 hour to an hour) - maybe a boiled egg, or left-over pork rib, or an ounce of hard cheese. Nothing sweet. That works for *me* - you will know what works for you.

Have a 'clean' sleep space. No lights, airy and cool if you can, and quiet (I do like a white noise at times, or Fleetwood Mac's Albatross on a loop is nice).

Hope you have more success sleeping!

xo

tal

* bona fide member of the 'insomniac from birth' class

sparrowdown

Establishing a sleep ritual can be helpful.

For me it is

no caffiene after 4pm

warm bath

followed by reading for little bit ( nothing stimulating, even boring is good)

Turn off light when starting to feel relaxed.

Get comfortable,empty your mind and start taking deep breaths, in through the nose out through the mouth.

counting inhale 1,2,3,4,5 exhale 1,2,3,4,5 concentrate only on your breathing.

It may take practise but it works.

Band on the Run

Benadryl helped me endure the pain. It is sedating. I used a phamacist who did home deliveries. Whenever I called in an order, I asked for Benadryl. One day the pharmacy sent me Benadryl and the generic drug. I fainted over the price difference. The cotton feeling in my mouth was not fun.

jam

You know the funny thing about my slepping disorder, it

wasn't a problem when I was a JW. You think it was because

I didn't think??? Every thing was so simple I guess...

I really need to check into meditation and Benadryl, the generic

one. Don't take much for me to faint. LOL

rebel8

Hibiscus tea, lavendar vanilla wax melt, fan and relaxing music. Whatever you do, do the same routine every night. Your body will learn the routine and know when you do it, it's time to sleep.

Teach yourself some relaxation techniques. They work.

Alcohol disturbs sleep.

Indian Larry

I went to a therapist with this problem. His first question was "have you tried music therapy"? I thought he would reccomend some new age music or Yani or something like that. Instead he said to listen to whatever I like. He said it is nessesary to listen with ear buds, and with the music loud enough that it over rides your thoughts.

I tried that for a while and it does work. However I found something that works better for me. I listen to audio books (not too exciting ones) my favorite book is the old classic Walden. It was written in the 1800's long before all the problems of todays world, it has nothing to do with religion, and he give a detailed description of living in the woods in a simple cabin on a lake.

I listen on my iPod. I listened to that book for several years, to the point I can almost recite it word for word. I can tell you this as far as helping shut down the "snowball of thoughts" it does work for sure.

Now I have moved on to other books but still listen every night. I now use Audible.com and get a new book every month. I set the timer on the audible app to run for 15-30 min. every night. I usually fall asleep before the timer goes off.

Anyway, I hope that helps. It works on the principle of over riding your thoughts and refocusing your mind into the story of the book. For good peaceful books that will put you to sleep I reccomend:

Walden by Henry David Thoreau as well as Cape Cod by Henry David Thoreau. Both of those books transport me to a different time and can be like a switch to put me to sleep.

Hope that helps.

wannaexit

In the early years of my "awakening", I also had issues with falling asleep. I would go over in my head all the crap and then get so upset , I would be wide awake for hours.

My remedy was a nice warm glass of milk and a good book . I don't know what it is with the book/milk combination but I always had success in falling asleep.

I hope that some of the suggestions will work for you.

How do you shut your mind down so you can get a good night sleep???

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