Insomnia? Trouble Falling Asleep? Some tips...

[Moon_Stone]

This is a very common post I see here; many of us have trouble falling asleep, and each person's reasons for this difficulty are unique to the individual, so these catch-all suggestions won't work for everyone, but it's a starting point.

Aromatherapy
Lavender essential oil in a diffuser is great for this purpose. Some people also respond well to eucalyptus or menthol scents. Get a diffuser (the type with a tea light candle below and use real essential oils up top in water), and see how that works for you. Combine with relaxing music to aid in getting yourself ready to drift off.

Herbal/Homeopathic
Melatonin -but before you take these (or any herbals,) check with your doctor to make sure it's okay; and as with any meds, call your pharmacist to make sure there aren't any drug interactions you may have or need to be aware of. (you'll need to tell the pharmacist every medication/herbal that you take currently.) There may also be some homeopathic things that can help with falling asleep- I'd make a call to your local health food store and ask them what they have that might help too.

White Noise
A lot of people have a fondness for white-noise sounds when it comes to helping them fall asleep- not only does it muffle out other noises, it can help put you into a "trance" (sort of) where you're off in your mind somewhere. Often those noises mimic the sounds of the womb, and even as adults, we find it really comforting. Also, it can aid the person in "transporting" themselves somewhere else in their mind to a specific "place" they develop that relates to each sound. There's an awesome program for the iPod touch/iPhone that gives you sounds and songs to work with and combine in any way you like-- I used that program to create all kinds of things, there's one that reminds me of my grandparents house I used to spend a lot of time at as a kid- very fond memories and a very calming, welcoming sound combo. Perhaps look into something like that- they sell white-noise machines as well, but be sure to listen before you buy- that way you'll know whether or not you hate the sounds prior to wasting the money. Any monotone type noise is good though- it quiets self-chatter and busy minds. (Or music sounds- it doesn't specifically have to be monotone.)

Distraction
A lot of people find reading a good way to distract the mind and make them sleepy- it'll ease your mind into another place as well, you're more inclined to wonder what's happening next in your story than think about what ever is remaining on your mind from your day.

Word games work for me too, anagram type things. Not sure if anyone else gets sleepy when playing with words, but I suppose it's worth a try.


If too much household/roommate noise is your problem...
Go to the hunting/fishing section at a Walmart or wherever and get some of those inner-ear plugs used for shooting/hunting. Then go to the bedding section and get one of those not-shaped/formed (you'll want the regular fluffy type instead) memory-foam pillows. At night, stick the plugs in (which just kind of make the noise seem to be a lower decibel but you can still hear it), then put the fat, fluffy memory-foam pillow over your head & ears. (if you sleep on your side- if not, start trying to fall asleep that way, once you get to sleep, if you shift onto your back, the noise probably won't wake you at that point.)
-Also, consider including the "white noise" option above. Most of the white noise machines and iPhone/iPod touch applications have timers that will auto-shut off after you drift off. (At a pre-set time, that is.)

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Stuff to avoid:
1. Caffeine. Stop all caffeine consumption for the day by no later than 4:00 pm. None- not even chocolate. Caffeine is a stimulant and not only does it assist in keeping one awake, it also stimulates the bladder, leading to overactive bladder symptoms while you're trying to sleep.

2. Exercising right before bed. The effects of exercising before bed are still subject to scientific controversy, but I do tend to believe that it is not going to yield the desired results for "feeling" tired that would be conducive to sleep. If you can get all the exercise in during the afternoon/morning and get yourself considerably physically exhausted, that should do the trick when it becomes bed-time. But otherwise, exercising at any time releases adrenaline and other hormones that, while you might feel "tired", do continue to surge throughout your body for quite a while after completing your exercise routine. It's very different to want to flop down on the couch and rest verses close your eyes and drift off to sleep. (Though this fact of adrenaline affecting ability to fall asleep has been scientifically contested. When it is tested, though, it's on ordinary people who aren't suffering with sleep disorders, so it's at least safe to say it's not a "good" manner of getting yourself into being ready to slip off into a sleep-state.)

...Hope that helps! :28:


~Bright Blessings and Pleasant Dreams~
*MoonStone

[Ember Nightwolf]

Thanks a lot for this - it's really helpful! Another thing to try is Vervain tea - but you might want too add some honey (not sugar!), as its taste is supposed to be quite bitter. Thanks!

[violetserendipity]

This was very helpful for me... thanks bunches! I usually try chamomile with peppermint tea or Teavana makes a very good one called Tranquil Dreams that ALWAYS relaxes me enough to head off to sleep. White noise works for me, too, as does progressive relaxation.

[wolfgirl96]

rosemary helps me, in tea or just under the pillow

[Flaumig Shamane]

If you live near a Teavana store, you can try their Tranquil Dream tea. It is a herbal blend that works quite nicely for calming down for the day. It never really helped me go to sleep but then effects are different for different people.

[Zili]

Chamomil tea is supposed to relieve stress and help one fall asleep as well.

[Lillady]

Chamomil tea is supposed to relieve stress and help one fall asleep as well.

I second this Chamomile tea is a wonderful aid in sleeping, it helps to relax you and its even better tasting with a touch of honey and/or squeeze of a real lemon mmmm

[Kassandra]

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EAR PLUGS AND EYE SHADES!

The problem I have encountered with things I have to "take," like melatonin, valerian root, various teas, etc., is that in a few days it just builds up in my bloodstream and I quickly develop a tolerance to it. Then I have to take more and more to get any kind of result. After a while, they just don't work, period. My high tolerance to things led me to not even try pharmaceutical "sleeping pills." I've seen to many people unable to dig themselves out of that rabbit hole.

One day I tried earplugs and eye shades, and now I swear by them! Very simple, nothing you have to keep buying (like teas, pills, etc.). Since the slightest sound wakes me up (a car door slamming outside, someone in the house getting up to use the restroom), ear plugs have been a godsend. I prefer silicone earplugs because I can shape them any kind of way.

Also, any kind of light is distracting to me (light on a computer across the room, or coming through the window from a streetlight, etc.) and will wake me up. So I use eye shades that have a little "light blocker" along the bridge of the nose, because light can sneak in through the eye shade that way too.

I wish I had started using ear plugs and eye covers when I was a teenager, as that might have saved me years and years of insomnia. I saw people wearing them in movies and stuff, but I thought they were just trying to be cute, and I didn't think they really worked. So I never tried them until well into my adulthood.

It took me several months to finally get used to this stuff. On an animal level, I think it is totally counter-intuitive for a human being to cover his or her ears and eyes before going to sleep...we could get eaten by a lion or a bear! But, that kind of hypervigilance isn't necessary any more. For the first few weeks, I kept yanking the earplugs out of my ears in the middle of the night, and waking up with them in my hand or under the pillow. It was pretty funny to me. And at first I would panic and pull the eye cover off. I'd say these were normal, instinctual survival reactions. I had to really train my body to use these tools. Now, I sleep really well every night.

I know a lot of teens visit this board. You don't have to suffer for years like I did! Just go to Target or Walmart or wherever and pick these things up. You might feel awkward using them, but stick with it, and you 'll be glad you did. If nothing else, at least give them a genuine, consistent "try" for a couple months.

Even if light or sound are not issues for you, just the "ritual" of covering your eyes and plugging your ears alerts your body that it is time to shut down. Doing something in a consistent, ritual-like fashion is key. The teas and herbal pillows, etc., mentioned above, can be a pleasant part of the overall ritual. But the eye cover and ear plugs induce a type of sensory deprivation and strong bodily cue that I think will help anyone fall asleep.





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[AncientSideEffects]

I know I'm reviving an old post, but as simple suggestion, try mugwort. You can't use it in long term due to the trujone. It can cause seizures and death if taken in excess. However, it does promote sleeping as well as camomile. It may even increase lucid dreaming or remembering your dreams if you have difficulties with that or even dreaming in general. It may induce nightmares so be forewarned. Take at your own risk. I haven't had negative side effects, unless I count last night even though its been a few days. Again, NOT ONE herbal supplement or medical prescription is guaranteed. No one person is the same. This is my suggestion.
Sorry for the caps. Trying to cover myself invade they try and something goes wrong. I'll add a post about my many vivid dreams.

[shatteredsouls]

Thank you for all the tips! Sometimes I'm tired but my mind is just wide awake... I'll just close my eyes and force myself to sleep. Haha.

[WillowMoon]

Amethyst is supposed to be a good stone for helping out with insomnia.

[ness]

I don't suffer from insomnia but on days when I don't fall asleep easily, I turn off all the lights, close my eyes and go to my happy place (maybe like guided meditation). I am not alone and there are many interesting characters in my happy place. It's like a story turning out in my head and I am part of that story. Usually I don't even know when I fall asleep.

[WillowMoon]

Following on from ness's post. There is a good visualisation that you can try too to get a good nights sleep. Its best to visualise a place where you felt the most comfortable sooo it can be anywhere, I use this often in other peoples houses as it gets me off to sleep quite quickly if I'm feeling disorientated. But its an exercise you could do anywhere. Its involves for example picturing a time where you slept quite well on the beach and you remember how you felt with the warmth of the sun and the comfortable relaxing scene of the waves, breathing and receding in and out, you just basically remember what it felt like at the time and somehow it works like a charm at least for me it has done, much better than listening to a meditation cd. But do try this if you are having trouble sleeping. It does work

[BabyBear]

My bf has a trouble with insomnia and night terrors so i make a bracelet for him out of Jet, Citrine, Amethyst and Selenite to help.

Jet cus it absorbs negative energy. I figured it would help calm him and keep away the negativity. (earth/spirit)
Citrine cus it is known to help give you more quality sleep. (fire)
Amethyst cus of its insomnia and nightmare prevention. (water)
Selenite cus it has mental clarity. I figured this would let him see thought the nightmare or to make them less likely to accrue. (water)

To add air aspects to it I used White, Lt Blues, Yellows and Green embroidery thread to make the bracelet itself. And I found out that 11 was a good number for sleep and nightmares so I did 11 beads.

hope this helps someone

[Nightwatcher]

My bf has a trouble with insomnia and night terrors so i make a bracelet for him out of Jet, Citrine, Amethyst and Selenite to help.

Jet cus it absorbs negative energy. I figured it would help calm him and keep away the negativity. (earth/spirit)
Citrine cus it is known to help give you more quality sleep. (fire)
Amethyst cus of its insomnia and nightmare prevention. (water)
Selenite cus it has mental clarity. I figured this would let him see thought the nightmare or to make them less likely to accrue. (water)

To add air aspects to it I used White, Lt Blues, Yellows and Green embroidery thread to make the bracelet itself. And I found out that 11 was a good number for sleep and nightmares so I did 11 beads.

hope this helps someone

This sounds really nice! My BFF loves making jewelry so maybe she can help me make it.