Can’t Sleep at Night? Here’s What to Do
Emotions, Featured, Healthy Living, How To, Solving Problems April 9th, 2008
photo by Andy G
It’s 3:28am. You’re wide awake. You toss and turn, but you can’t sleep. You want to sleep, but you’re mind and body are not cooperating. What should you do?
Physical Causes of Sleeplessness
There are a many possible causes for waking up in the middle of the night and being unable to fall back to sleep. It could be physical such as muscle aches, muscles tension, need to go to the bathroom, you left the TV on, your partner is snoring, the dog is snoring, you had too much caffeine or alcohol today, and on and on. For these we can usually figure out the solution:
- do some light stretches for muscle aches
- take some aspirin/Tylenol/Advil/etc if pain is keeping you awake
- move to a different bed
- turn off the TV
- get up and do something until you’re tired enough to fall back asleep
Mental Causes of Sleeplessness
When you’re worried about something, that can be a real bugaboo. If you’ve got something on your mind, it can be hard to sleep. Many times you may not even be aware that you’re worried, much less what you’re worried about. But, in most cases, you will need to address the problem or you probably won’t get back to sleep anytime soon. So what should you do? Follow these steps to relieve your mind of worries and get back to sleep. (Yes, even tough guys like my Dad: Get in touch with your feelings and you’ll sleep better!)
1. Signs from our Dreams. If you woke up from a dream, think about it for a moment. What was going on in the dream? What do you think each part represents? Is there something you are afraid of, worried about, or a problem you need to solve?
2. What’s on Your Mind? Whether you had a dream or not, ask yourself,
- What’s bothering me?
- What problem do I need to solve?
Maybe you are worried about your health or a loved one’s health. Maybe there is an issue at work that you’ve been avoiding. Maybe you’ve been in an argument with your spouse or a good friend. Or perhaps you’re just feeling scared of dying. (Night time has a pesky way of doing that sometimes.) Or it might just be that your to-do list is so daunting it’s waking you up at night. Whatever it is don’t be afraid to identify it and label it. Thinking about it is not going to make your fears materialize. Not thinking about it is going to keep you from sleeping. Figure it out and you’ll back on your way to some restful zzzz’s.
3. Pen, Paper, & Solutions. You’re awake anyway, so flip on a light and grab a notebook and pen. Write down the issue that is on your mind. And then write down action steps you can take to resolve your issue..
- For problems, write down the steps you will start to take tomorrow. If you don’t know where to begin, write down that you will enlist someone to help you.
- For fears, write down the fear. Write down why it is scary. Write down any action steps you can take to alleviate your fears. If it is something that is unavoidable, write down reason why you are strong enough to handle this. If you have to fake it, then do so! Come up with a “strength mantra” that you’ll use to fall back asleep. Some suggestions are “I am strong” or “I am calm” or “I turn it over to God/Universe/Fate.”
4. Stretch and Breathe. Once you have your issue worked out, do some soothing simple stretches either in bed or on the floor. A great one to do is the child’s pose. Sit on your knees and fold forward with arms outstretched. You will feel a wonderful release in your arms, shoulders, and back. After that do any stretches that you sense would feel good. Then lay down and take several long slow breaths in and out. Breathe in for a count of 8, hold for 8, and breathe out for a count of 16. This will help slow down your body and mind.
5. Mantra. Lay down in a comfortable position in your bed, and use your “strength mantra” or some other calming, soothing mantra to help you sleep. Here are some good ones:
- Mmmmmmm
- Om
- Ahhhh
- So Sleepy
For some people saying a particular prayer, such as “Hail Mary’s” can be very helpful with falling asleep. The idea is to quiet your mind by focusing on a simple word or your breath. Be kind, gentle and patient with yourself. Sleep will come. Let your thoughts be like clouds in the sky. Just watch them go by without attachment. Keep returning to your mantra and your breath.
6. When All Else Fails. If you can’t fall asleep after a long period of time, consider getting up and starting to work on your solutions. If you have too much energy, then it makes sense to get up and do something with your time. Follow your instincts about what you should do. Don’t worry about losing sleep for one night. You can handle this.
7. Consider Self-Hypnosis. Using positive self-talk and creative visualizations can be a wonderful way to break out of the habit of insomnia or restless sleep. Here are a few resources to try out:
- Beat Insomnia – Hypnosis MP3 download. This is helpful if you have trouble falling asleep. It’s inexpensive and 100% guaranteed to work or they will give you a full refund.
- Quiet Blissful Sleep -Hypnosis MP3 download. This course is helpful for people like myself who sometimes wake in the middle of the night and can’t go back to sleep. This also has a 100% money back guarantee. (This company has very good products that I can personally recommend.)
- Sleep Solutions (The Calming Collection). Highly rated CD on Amazon for helping with going to sleep. (check out the reviews!)
- Instant Self-Hypnosis: How to Hypnotize Yourself with Your Eyes Open. This book presents an interesting method for self-hypnosis via reading.
Prevention is the Best Medicine for a Good Night’s Sleep
To ensure a good night’s sleep in the future, consider these tips.
- Take it easy on the caffeine. Either eliminate it or limit to morning only. The effects of caffeine last for 9 hours, so you do the math.
- Have a bedtime ritual that is calming. You could read before bed, plan your day for tomorrow, write in your journal, meditate, listen to soothing music, or anything else that helps your mind to slow down.
- Turn off the TV at least 30 minutes before bedtime. TV is a stimulant so establish a routine that helps you turn it off. You’ll fall asleep better.
- Listen to your body. If you feel tired, go to bed. Don’t torture your self by not getting enough sleep.
- Listen to your mind. If there is something on your mind before bed time, write about it in a notebook or talk to someone about it. Come up with solutions that you can work on tomorrow.
Please Share!
Do you have any sleeping tips that work for you? We’d love to hear them! All comments big and small are very welcomed!
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April 10th, 2008 at 1:15 am
Great post!
I used to have problems sleeping at night caused by many different things, (most of them are listed in your post).
The way I found to clear the constant problem was to change my wake up time. I used to either get up whenever I felt like it or when my alarm went up for work. Because of this my body could never get in a set pattern of sleep.
For the last year I have gotten up at 6am whether I need to or not. This have given me a much better sleeping pattern. I don’t find I am awake in the middle of the night, I sleep better, I have more hours in the day and I get to watch the sunrise every morning!
April 10th, 2008 at 5:05 am
There are really good advices. I know from first hand experience.
April 10th, 2008 at 9:35 am
Nice advices. But I prefer pills anyway.
April 11th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
I usually just lie there cursing at the fact I can’t fall asleep, haha. These tips are prety good, I think that the most practical is to get up and read or do something until you are actually tired.
April 14th, 2008 at 6:14 am
I ll try tonight, why i feel sleepy in the day but active during night? Crazy!
April 14th, 2008 at 10:45 am
I was agreeing with this article (I do the pen and paper exercise a lot), until I got to the mantra part. I’m sure I will give it a shot sometime, but it is the most outside the box out of those all.
April 15th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Let me give another idea. Wake up early in a morning. Do really hard work the whole day. Don’t take a nap in daytime. Take heavy food in dinner. Doing all these will certainly make you sleepy and you will have no problem in sleeping. This done once will put your whole chain ion the right place. Try it. Thanks.
April 15th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
Excellent advice! I never considered the pen-and-paper strategy; I’ll use it next time I’m laying in bed awake, with my mind racing.
I also find making sure the bedroom temperature is cool enough is important for sound sleep.
April 15th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Nice post, I like it..and I’ll definitely try some of those things next time I can’t sleep.
How about waking up early in the morning? Do you have any advice on that?
That’s my Achilles’ heel. I can’t stop myself from turning the alarm off and going back to bed. Maybe that will change if I start going to sleep earlier.
April 16th, 2008 at 9:52 am
I have to give this a try. After a motor vehicle accident in November 2007, I was diagnosed with a condition called tinnitus. It’s a constant ringing & buzzing in my ear. I’ve tried some of these things, but there are somethings here that I didn’t think about.
Thanks for these.
April 16th, 2008 at 10:30 am
I’ve had some problems recently with sleeping. I found most of my problems were relieved by exercising.
The days I exercise, I sleep better.
Also, planning the next day and reading a fiction book before turning off the light usually help me.
April 16th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Fantastic information!
I do not believe that I have ever slept a night without waking up at least 3 times….is this normal? I will try some of the listed steps and see what comes of it.
Mark Salinas, MN
April 17th, 2008 at 9:23 am
I will try to apply what is written on this article. Sometimes I felt sleepy but I can’t sleep even when Im sleepy.
I will print this article, thanks for posting.
April 17th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Mantra is really a great technique, I have used it and it works.
April 18th, 2008 at 5:50 am
Some times we face lots of problems while sleeping. When ever I’m tired, I go fast asleep but otherwise I sleep sleep in my sense. I get up when ever I feel like.
April 18th, 2008 at 11:44 am
Limiting the caffeine consumption to the morning has helped my sleep issues.
I think the information in the post is great!
Mark Salinas, MN
April 24th, 2008 at 12:44 am
Can’t sleep? here is what I do. I never take sweets or anything sweet before sleeping and if i still have trouble sleeping a nice warm glass of milk always puts me to sleep., you should try it as some of the oldest sayings are sometimes the best.
April 24th, 2008 at 4:43 am
There are really good advices and how nice baby
April 25th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
@Faraz – good tips! Old wives tales usually pan out to be useful today for sure! Thanks for sharing!
April 25th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
@Mark – thanks! I love caffeine but I have to not drink it because it causes sleeplessness and crankiness, both of which I don’t want.
April 25th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
@Mark – I wake up a lot too. I guess it’s normal if it’s not interfering with the quality of your rest. I think that’s a good measure.
April 25th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
@Barry – thanks for commenting. I wish you luck with the tinnitus.
April 26th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Great post and good advice. I hate when I wake up in the middle and cant get back to sleep. The only benefit from it is that the next night I sleep like a rock.
Sometimes, replaying a movie in my head that I have seen a lot helps me to get back to sleep.
Marc
April 28th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
A nip of brandy before bed time usually does the trick for me. lol
May 10th, 2008 at 1:24 am
im insomniac! can you help? but here is what I do. I never take sweets or anything sweet before sleeping and if i still have trouble sleeping a nice warm glass of milk always puts me to sleep., you should try it as some of the oldest sayings are sometimes the best.
May 14th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Hi agentsully,
I usually don’t have problems sleeping. I just do work until I’m knocked out.
Exercising helps a lot too.
Cheers,
Jag
June 3rd, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Well, the guide was good and the best part was the photo of the cute baby. The baby seems to be trying to sort out the problems of his sleeplessness – that is so sweet1
June 7th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
@Netbobz – thanks for the support!
June 14th, 2008 at 2:27 am
If I can’t sleep I go and get a piece of bread – usually flax seed, and I usually fall asleep very quickly. The high carb trick is from camping tips.
June 20th, 2008 at 8:59 am
I found this post really helpful. I always have trouble sleeping. I have tried many of the things your post suggests to no avail. (Cutting out caffiene, doing something else until I feel tired, etc.)
I think my problem is that I am a worrier and don’t always resolve things I am worried about before bed.
I don’t think I am going to stop worrying but trying to put some of my worries to bed first may help me fall asleep and sleep better myself.
Thanks for the great tip !
July 7th, 2008 at 7:39 am
Thank You! I /suppose/ some of these could help me, so I’ll try them to tonight, and if they work, I’ll post again :3
July 9th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
Kaze – I hope that some of these ideas work for you. Please do let us know about your experience!
July 14th, 2008 at 10:03 am
Figuring out the cause of your sleeplessness is brilliant….because once you know exactly what’s wrong, then you have a better chance of dealing with it. Thanks for that tip!
I love the idea of keeping a notebook and pen by your bed…….as a writer, the wee hours are a great time to jot down some ideas if I’m not doing anything else anyway.
And the baby picture is SO cute…oh my gosh….
July 17th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Hey Laurie!
The hard part is accepting that I can’t go back to sleep. But once I do and then address whatever the problem is, then I’m on my way back to sleep.
The worst thing for me is if I have chocolate in the evening, I usually wake up in the middle of the night, since I’m so sensitive to caffeine.
chocolate? sleep? hmmm. Sometimes it’s a hard choice!
August 22nd, 2008 at 3:22 am
Hi.
I found that the more I feel good about myself, the more I take action and be active in my life, then the more I get up early.
I used to live a life without a purpose, and I was feeling lack of energy, and i was always waking up late, going to work late, and going to bed late, wasting my time watching TV or surfing the net without a true purpose.
The time I started to feel better about myself, and take more action in my life, i started to spend my time better, and wake up early.
September 5th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
lots of sex
October 1st, 2008 at 11:42 am
I have always had anxiety and panic attacks during the day but now they have wanned and I fall asleep fast but always wake up at 3 or 4 AM and hear my heart pounding and can’t get back to sleep. Anyone have any suggestions?
October 1st, 2008 at 4:29 pm
@Marlene B – my suggestion – eliminate physical causes such as caffiene and alcohol, etc. Then get to the root of what may be on your mind. Start writing down all the things that are on your mind and then start listing ways to handle them. Then the next day start taking small steps towards making things better. Good luck!!
October 2nd, 2008 at 6:26 pm
@Tra – I’ve heard that can work well too.
October 2nd, 2008 at 9:04 pm
I have JUST learned how to shut my mind off so I can sleep at night. That and when my husband snores I just kick him awake! lol!
November 18th, 2008 at 6:43 am
The writing idea, as many have already said, is a damn good one. Also, I just found out (perhaps stupidly) that smoking before bedtime is a big no-no if you want to get to sleep.
The two best points from the comments above have to be these:
- going to bed at a set time and waking up early. I only do this because I work early in the mornings. However, my employer in halls knew I didn’t wake up for morning lectures, so we agreed to put my shifts there. Means I can’t always have a night out but I do go to lectures, instead of sleeping through them.
- feeling good about yourself. Honest to God, it’s true that if you feel better in yourself, or you have had a productive day, makes sleep so much easier.
Hope my 2p was useful!
December 17th, 2008 at 9:20 am
Hah… I’m awake and paranoid right now.
I’ll try the mantra, as well as starting a diary…
Thank you. I really hope this works.
This is the socond night of many I fear to come.
):
December 19th, 2008 at 10:59 am
I’ve been awake for over three days with intervals of three to four hours sleep. I feel very restless during the night. I’ll definitely try these suggestions.
December 29th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
@ Eugenia – wishing you success with your sleep!
December 29th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
@Gil – good luck to you for good sleep.
December 31st, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Thanks, Sully. Things haven’t been going as planned though.
I’ll eventually work it out I guess.
:/ a young gal like me shouldn’t be having sleeping problems!!! (Well, worries that cause the problems so badly anyway.)
January 11th, 2009 at 1:16 am
I can’t sleep and I am so dreadfully sleepy! I feel like an animated corpse, it is hard to move my body, it is somewhat numb and I get this quite often. I want to sleep but as soon as I lay down my heart races, I feel like I am dying, I can’t sleep! so I wake up, I try to walk around but my mind is drifty and I feel like I am being tortured. I don’t know what to do, I feel like I need to die just to end the sleeplessness. I can’t find anything online that relates to it, what is wrong with me???
January 14th, 2009 at 11:52 pm
@Biztastic – sounds serious. I would advise to see your doctor first.
Other things to consider:
is something bothering you? If so, address it.
do you take in drugs such as caffeine, nicotine, alcohol or others? If so, cut them out of your day and see if that helps.
Do you get enough exercise and de-stress time? If not, begin to do so.
I hope this helps.
Wishing you all the best.
January 18th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
Thanks for this writeup. I will try to incorparate as many tips as I can in my daily routines.
January 18th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
I hope you wont have to go to the emergency room.
I know these conditions can be so stressful, enough to consider various options but please hold strong and try some of the mental exercise mentioned above.
Sometimes I just want to scream myself.
February 8th, 2009 at 4:23 am
I do this everyday 7 days a week an I still can’t sleep.Got anymore advice?
February 12th, 2009 at 11:33 pm
What if I can’t sleep for days?
May 12th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
I have not been able to sleep for the past week, so i got up and walked around the house, then went to the basement and fell asleep quickly
May 12th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
Im 18 years old & i used to have nights were i lay in bed thinking without being able to fall asleep.
Even though i was really tired i still would not be able to sleep =(
Now its seems to be getting wrose =(
I dont want to try pills because of symptoms & because what if someone breaks in or something and i cant wake up.
Is there anything else that can put me to sleep?
May 16th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
@Kristy – address things on each level:
1. Mentally – Face, address, and find solutions to anything that may be on your mind. Write it down to get it out of your mind.
2. Physically – limit stimulants, get exercise everyday, (if you can’t fit in exercise during the day and you can’t sleep, do it at night!), address any physical pain/ailments.
3. Relaxation – after completing steps 1 & 2, then try some relaxation techniques.
Relax and don’t panic. Don’t try. Just say to yourself that it’s ok even if you don’t fall asleep. Even by just laying in bed you are getting rest. Sleep will come eventually. Each time your mind wanders, repeat the phrase “Empty the Mind.”
Good luck!
May 16th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
@pickles – congrats! sometimes a location change is just the trick! Probably took the pressure off of having to fall asleep.
May 17th, 2009 at 4:28 am
oh, i really need a cure for my insomnia,
i hope the pen and note technique works, going to try it tonight btw,
ty the author =)
May 31st, 2009 at 2:32 am
I really like this, and I’m trying the pen and paper thing with my labtop will it work?:)
June 2nd, 2009 at 10:59 pm
I can sleep but i can’t sleep at a certain time. I usually go to bed at 11:00 since I have to study but I wanna go to sleep at 10:00 now but I always end up sleeping at 11:00! Any tip? :heart:
June 6th, 2009 at 10:55 am
@Olivia – to change your “fall asleep time” you will need to change something else as well such as your “wake up time” or add more activity/exercise to your day to be more tired earlier. Also try to eliminate any caffeine after lunch time (coffee, tea, chocolate) Good luck!!
June 6th, 2009 at 11:17 am
@Izzy – good luck!!!
June 6th, 2009 at 11:57 am
@garyL – wishing you all the best. You will get there. Go easy on yourself. No pressure. Sleep will come. Good luck
June 9th, 2009 at 10:45 pm
I am 12 years old and dreadfully getting up in the morning laying restlessly in bed at night I have tried writing problems that may be keeping me up but it doesn’t work. I have tried streching and walking around it just isn’t the trick for me. I have gotten so restless at times I have gotten up and went outside to walk around the block making it only an adrenaline rush thinking someone is following me. If anyone has a tip PLEASE help me!
June 21st, 2009 at 1:59 am
hi i am 13 years old and i know thats pretty young to be posting a comment on here but i can not fall asleep at all i feel tired but i just can’t sleep i would like to go to sleep at like 10 but in stead i end up falling asleep at like 2 and in the middle of the night i feel bord and dont know what to do the other day i woke up at like 1 in the after noon!
any suggestions?
July 2nd, 2009 at 9:24 am
please excuse my grammar as i’m trying to learn English…
I’m 28 year old and i’ve been having sleep problem. I feel sleepy at night but my mind kept beeing active like wondering about something, repeating music lyrics in my head, etc… I just lay on bed for hours. I’m not sure it is something that i’m worrying about unconsciously. I’ve been trying starting from Tylenol P.M -> Melatonin -> Ambien but for some reason it doesn’t work too well. Now with Ambien sometimes i get full 7 hrs sleep sometimes i only get 4/5 hrs. Without Ambien i might get 1/2 or 3 hrs of sleep atmost.
Please help…
July 8th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
@Sonnil – sorry to hear of your difficult sleep. Know this: you can get back on track!
Stretch and or get a massage every once in a while to get rid of muscle tension.
Figure out if you have things on your mind by journaling. This will get them off your mind so you can sleep.
Try some relaxation techniques. See this article: “How to Nap at Work….”
Smile, laugh and choose happiness as often as you can throughout the day.
Cut out caffeine and other chemicals that interfere with sleep (msg, alcohol, diet pills, amphetamines, etc)
Be confident and relax. You’ll get there. Take your time building a new habit of good sleep. Take it slow, a little progress each night.
You’ll get there! Please let us know how it goes!
July 8th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
@Abby – thank you for asking your question. Please see my most recent comment for tips.
Take care of your body (exercise, good food, no chemicals) and also your mind/soul by journaling any and all things that are on your mind.
Find solutions for things that are worrying you, even if only for the night, such as deciding to worry in the morning instead, or putting things in God’s hands for the night. Then the next day come up with a plan to resolve things that are bothering you. Trust me, you will sleep much better!
July 8th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
@Cylie A. – it sounds to me like you need a lot more exercise and physical activity during the day, since you describe yourself as being so restless. Please try adding 30-60 minutes of physical movement each day such as walking, jogging, gardening, yoga, dancing, etc.
I think this may help you a lot.
Please let me know your results! I hope to hear that you are sleeping soundly soon!
Also, Please see me most recent comments above too!
July 10th, 2009 at 2:37 am
i am 16 years old and i cant sleep at night. i mean at first i thought i had panic attacks so i went to the doctor for my heart they said i had a very strong and healthy heart but they gave me an event monitor so if my heart races i can record it and send it in. every since i got the monitor other things happen such as light headed and headaches. now i cant even fall asleep. im very active i play football have training everyday i also play ice hockey and baseball. but i think it might be do to the fact that since the heart racing started im afraid that i might die at anytime and i feel more safe awake then asleep….. any comments will be appreciated
July 18th, 2009 at 12:59 am
hi there , really having probs sleeping at night …be my 5th night with only 2/3 hours per night tops ..i do excercise and work in the day …got a few issues in my life of money worries and family stuff but aint we all …i go to bed when im tired like 9pm and then im up at 11pm and cant get back to sleep …really drivin me mad , a pal ov mine gave me a sleep tablet which did nothing ..im writing this with no sleep …….i dunno ???? maybe if i went on a midnite hike mite do the trick ?????…..oh n i drink little tea !!!! cheers stevoooooo
July 21st, 2009 at 8:29 pm
@Stevo – I would recommend changing your pattern. Try going to sleep a little later when you might feel more tired. Try to do a lot of physical activity to help sleep come easier. Cut out all tea except herbal tea which is naturally caffeine free because even decaf tea and coffee have a little caffeine that can affect your sleep if you are sensitive to it.
Another thing to watch for is to make sure that your bedroom is only used for sleeping, not for work.
If there are worries or thoughts on your mind, get them off your mind by writing them down or calling a friend about it. That can make a huge difference too.
Lastly, take the pressure off yourself. Know that you will survive with little sleep. Be kind and compassionate towards yourself as you would with a child who needs help falling asleep. Think along those lines.
Deep breathing and focusing on your breath or a mantra or prayer can help too.
Please let us know how it goes for you. Wishing you peaceful sleep. You will get there!
July 21st, 2009 at 9:51 pm
@Zach – here’s the good news: You know why you’re not sleeping: you are worried and afraid.
Here’s the other good news: you can overcome this!!
Here’s what to do:
Talk to people about your fears, hopefully at least one professional counselor who can work with you on this.
Journal about your fears and solutions to them.
Postpone your worrying until the morning! Seriously you can do this!
Do something fun each day to get your mind off your worries. Try to find as much laughter and enjoyment as you can, especially before bed. If you are smiling you can’t be worried. Life is for enjoying. There’s all of eternity to worry about death after we die.
Watch the silliest funniest movies you can before bedtime. Read funny stuff.
Talk to family members if you are worried at night and can’t sleep. Let people help you. They usually want to help you.
Please let me know if this helps. Wishing you lots of peace of mind and good sleep!
July 29th, 2009 at 5:23 pm
agentsully – thank you for your feedback. very much appreciated.
I exercise almost everyday. I think I’m getting better with my sleep. I used to take the whole 10mg ambien that my doctor subscribed but recently i cut the pill half and i’m sleeping fine and waking up happy. I’m not sure the 10mg was too much for me or something else that was bothered me. As of now my fear is if i don’t take the medication i will suffer again…
Questions:
Is it bad if i keep taking this medication for long term?
August 2nd, 2009 at 5:16 pm
Thanks soooo much!!! I haven’t been able to sleep, and i have like lines under my eyes!(Yuck!)
I’m sure this will help very much, and I can’t wait to find out!
P.S.GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP HERE I COME!
August 6th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
@puffolina – good luck!!
August 6th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
@Sonnil – I’m not qualified at all to say whether any medication is safe to take. That’s why I focus on non-drug options. I would recommend you ask your doctor about medication safety questions.
August 6th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
@Sonnil – I’m not qualified at all to say whether any medication is safe to take. That’s why I focus on non-drug options. I would recommend you ask your doctor about medication safety questions.
August 23rd, 2009 at 11:34 pm
*yawn* It is now half 4 and I am still not asleep, I will try this advice but I don’t really like the thought of having to try to get to sleep, I would love the ability to fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow but I lack this. I also have a problem with waking up, caused by the lack of sleep. But I re-start school again soon and this year I really need sleep and a pattern to get me up ontime, any advice??
September 26th, 2009 at 4:30 am
im too depressed to sleep. once im asleep i don’t want to wake up but it extremely hard for me to even fall aslepp. i know its caused by stress but knowing what causes my problem doesen’t exactly help it
September 29th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
@Man – Many of us have experienced depression. The thing to know is that there are people who want to help you and that You Can Feel Better! I hope that you seek out someone that can listen and help you work out what is bothering you. Just talking to someone about it can be a huge relief, even if it doesn’t completely solve it all at once. Wishing you all the best!
September 29th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
@Artgirl – my advice, if all the other ideas in the article and comments don’t work, is to get up early one morning and don’t take any naps. At night, (you should be tired), and at the earliest feeling of wanting to go to sleep, do so. Don’t push through tiredness that night because then you may get a second wind and not be able to fall asleep. Do that for a few days an your body should adjust, but you’ll need to keep to that schedule as close as you can even on off days. Let me know how that goes! Good luck!
September 30th, 2009 at 4:06 am
Its 3am and I still cannot fall asleep. I have to work at 8:30am and it is so hard for me to get out of bed in the morning. My body is used to exercise because I have played soccer competitively for so long. Now, I don’t play soccer and the school I go to is super nazi conservative and has banned me from their recreational center because of some i.d. policy garbage. I think I need some drugs or something. This sucks.
October 4th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
hey, im 22 and i hate sleeping, i feel it is a waste of time.. i have done since i was a child.
problem now is, is my brain is programmed to believe that. its 3.13am, im wide awake and even if i try and go to to sleep i cant.. my body and mind decides to go to sleep at 5/6am every night then i wake up at 10am. I suppose im lucky as i dont need much sleep to function on a daily basis, never have done but it would be nice to be able to go to sleep at a reasonable time. ive resorted to Vallium, but my mind still fights it and i usually win !
October 11th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
@Kirsty – sounds like you may be one of those lucky rare people who doesn’t need a lot of sleep. If that’s the case then use the time where you are awake to get things done. If you’re tired and can’t go to sleep that’s a different story. If that’s the case then please read through my latest comments to other readers for ideas. I’m not a doctor,but my guess would be that vallium, other than for short term use, is not a good idea. Check with your doctor about this.
I can highly recommend yoga and meditation for help in slowing down your mind. Perhaps this might be helpful for those times you can’t sleep. The idea is that you need to practice it a bit ahead of time so seek out a class or two or pick up a book on meditation.
Please let me know how that goes for you!
October 11th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
@Hash – my advice would be to stay away from drugs! If you can’t use the rec center, just put on your sneakers and either walk/run for 30 minutes a day. Don’t let that keep you from exercising. Take care of You!
Please take a look through some of my most recent comments and try to implement some of them. Please let me know how this goes for you.
Wishing you restful sleep soon!
November 15th, 2009 at 4:48 am
I started reading this at around 3:26 hehehe just like the describtion said
December 27th, 2009 at 11:47 pm
im a 12 year old girl it is now 3.45 am and i cant sleep i have tryed techniquies but i’ve been in bed since 10.00 thats 5 hours and 45 minutes its destroying my life what should i do i get 4 or 5 hours sleep every night and on a school night i get 3 or 4 and i wet the bed please somebody help me i have a comfy bed
i dont drink caffeine
i dont have the t.v on
whats wrong with me
thankyou anonymous xx
December 31st, 2009 at 5:02 pm
@Anonymous – if you’ve already tried everything listed here & in the comments and that hasn’t worked, I would suggest talking to somebody. If you have things on your mind talk to someone who will listen and offer good guidance. If you think it may be physical, then maybe check with your doctor. Please let me know how things go for you.
January 2nd, 2010 at 5:35 am
okay well i took the advice and it worked but you know about the part where you use your energy to mske you feel sleepy it did work but you should put some more things like what kind of stuff you should do while doing the wasting the energy cause what if someone goeas thet advice was pretty good but what things should i do to waste my energy thats all
by the way love the advice
January 2nd, 2010 at 2:32 pm
@wackysabyka – glad it helped.
To answer your question about using up your energy:
During the day, be as physically active as you can and get 20-30 minutes (or more) of some type of exercise. The more you use your body during the day, the better you will sleep.
At night, to use up some of your energy to get sleep you could:
-do some light, slow stretches (this is particularly helpful if you are feeling any body pains which can come from tight muscles)
-read something very “dense” that uses up brain energy to grasp it. (in other words, not picture magazines)
- (if you are completely awake) get some tasks done.
-meditate
Unless you know that TV puts you to sleep, avoid turning it on, because for most people TV is a mental stimulant and will only keep you awake longer.
January 6th, 2010 at 5:33 am
Hi, had shoulder surgery early december. Sleep not 2 much of of a problem to start with.Since the New Year 2nd Jan i have not slept 1 single second.I have tried herbal sleeping tablets, perscribed tablets,soothing music, exercise etc but still no sleep. I rake my brain hoping to find out whats set deep in my mind stopping me from sleeping, but only get visions or flashes of what went on that day. Previous to my surgery i worked on a 3 shift pattern and could only get sleep when i was on earies. I am off work atm and thought that sleep would not be an issue.any ideas ?
January 7th, 2010 at 12:49 am
hi i am dennis i am 21 years old and i have trouble sleeping at night have done since i was a child but my parents thought it was due to my ADHD/ADD bt now that i am an adult and have grown owt of my ADHD/ADD i still do not sleep and i dont think i have troubles or any thing to worry over and wen a do sleep its like 6 in the morning till 4pm i lost my job over this and i miss interaction with my six year old daughter because she is at school till 3pm and then she goes to bed at 7 and i have just about had it so if any body had any soloutions i would be very gratfull thanks dennis
p.s
my mam has a realy bad sleeping pattern she is in bed for 10pm and she sleeps for like an hour at a time then she is upto the toilet or she just wakes up for the sake of it and she wakes up in cold sweats having real horrific dreams and then she is back off and i know she worrys about my little sister she used to have fits and she continstly checks her and ano she has tryed most of the thing listed at the top of the website thanks dennis
January 11th, 2010 at 12:17 pm
Hi just read all the great comments – thank you. I have two auto immune diseases and take many medications a lot of which are very powerful drugs – all prescribed by my specialists and professors.Of these I take Morphine patches to relieve pain – they work but dont make me sleepy, anti depressants to help with same and a calmative/sleeping pill at night. I dont drink, smoke or have caffeine after 3 pm. Its 4 am and this is an ongoing occurrance. I have tried to no avail most if not all the suggestions above and think they are all great but they dont work in my case. My medical conditions cause, among other things tiredness and fatigue. I find most days having to have a rest through the day but dont sleep more than three to four hours per night. Some days I am so exhausted I cant function or think. Is there anyone out there who can help with suggestions.This is driving me nuts. Thanks a bunch.
January 24th, 2010 at 5:24 pm
@Donchamon – If you’ve tried everything listed here, I guess my suggestion would be to work with your doctor who prescribes the pain patches regarding a sleep strategy. If that doctor can’t help, ask for a referral to a doctor who specializes in that. Sleep is so important. It might be that something as simple as light therapy during the day might make the difference for you.
January 24th, 2010 at 8:15 pm
@Dennis – that sounds really difficult. I have 2 suggestions. (If everything else listed above doesn’t work)
Try breaking out of your pattern, which sounds like a well-ingrained habit that your body has gotten good at. Come up with a strategy that you are going to follow and write it down.
1. Pick a new time to go to bed and stick with it for 30 days no matter what. I would suggest going to sleep at a reasonable time say 9, 10 or 11pm depending on what time you’d like to get up in the morning.
2. Pick either a new place to go to sleep or if you can’t do that, make your current sleeping place like new. Get new sheets and add some comfort items.
3. Follow the steps listed above as well as you can, especially no caffeine, alcohol, msg, etc near bed time. Also get some physical activity during the day and clear your mind by writing down anything that is on your mind.
OR
Consult with a medical doctor or holistic doctor. Seek to find a local doctor through word of mouth that has has helped others with problems like yours. You could check online or ask different doctors to provide references of clients who might be willing to talk to you on the phone.
wishing you all the best!
January 24th, 2010 at 8:35 pm
@Tony – see my latest comment to Dennis. It sounds like you need to establish a new habit. Force yourself to stick to a plan. It takes 30 days to establish a new habit. Be patient with yourself. Go for small improvements over time. And be sure to incorporate the ideas listed in the article and in the comments.
If you are desperate for sleep then by all means seek out professional guidance to help you overcome this, which you can!
Let us know how it goes.