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Get Better Sleep


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#1
Duplex

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At this point, it's no secret that I suffer from insomnia. Even when I do get any sleep, it's never deep enough to feel truly restorative. For any dreamers on this forum, what do you do to promote better sleep? I tried melatonin pills, but that didn't work. I also make sure to turn off all electric appliances in my room, but that doesn't dent my insomnia much. Any chamomile tea I buy isn't potent enough to put me to sleep, so I often have to use three or four bags in one cup. What other methods should I try to promote better sleep?



#2
Nemoide

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I can kind of relate.  I suspect that I have sleep apnea, but can't afford to get diagnosed.  If you have health insurance, don't hesitate to talk to your doctor about your sleep troubles!  I've found that sleeping on my side helps with the quality of sleep, but is uncomfortable - I'm hoping to get used to it with time.

 

I also feel the need to have some white noise, so I try to have either air-conditioning, a fan, or an air filter going.



#3
Sierra

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I turn off all my electronics about an hour before bed. (Or try to... It's a challenge) I read somewhere once that the quality of light from computers, TVs, and smartphones inhibits melatonin production. I wish I could remember where I read it to show you. In either case, when I read in bed for an hour or two before I turn out the lights instead of INTERNET, I do notice a difference in how fast I fall asleep.

 

It also helps me to fall asleep faster when I eat a small snack beforehand, like a bowl of cereal or something.

 

Lastly, I also tend to wake up a lot when I sleep because I'm a ridiculously light sleeper, but I've discovered keeping a glass of water by my bed to drink from when I wake up helps me go back to sleep faster, for some reason.

 

Hope these help!



#4
viperxmns

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I've been awful at being sensible before bed as of late; here I am staring at a screen just minutes before hitting the hay. However what troubles me mostly when it comes to falling asleep is the ol' busybrain. Can't help but think and dwell on this and that, and that can make it very difficult to fall asleep. Combating it can be tough, when it reflects the troubles and goings on of day to day life. Plus for the past week I've had this nagging cough which has been hindering sleep. Other than that I can pretty reliably conk out at some point, but then I worry about getting enough sleep.



#5
Duplex

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I just read somewhere that it is not enough to simply turn off electronic appliances, but you have to unplug them as well. Apparently this is because some appliances still emit electricity even when they're turned off, which is why they are given the term "vampire appliances". Does anyone know if this is true, and if so, how much does it affect sleep?



#6
SammyKleww

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It all depends on why you're turning off your electronics. If you're turning them off to save money from your electric bill, then yes, pull the plug on everything. If you have hyper sensitive hearing, then also unplug them if you can hear it. Otherwise, I doubt unplugging things will help. I happen to stay on the pc in my bed all day and it does nothing to my sleeping patterns.

 

What I've realized is that the sun makes me tired and the moon makes me wide awake. While I can sleep at night, I sleep better during the day; I actually wake up well rested after a day time nap. So, my suggestion is, change your sleeping environment or the time of day in which you sleep. Try finding out where you're the most comfortable, when you're the most tired, comfortable temperatures, ectect.



#7
Duplex

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Last night I went to the gym, got home, unplugged both my laptop and my TV, and went to bed. Not only did I sleep well, but my dream was surprisingly coherent. I wonder what helped me sleep better, the gym or just unplugging stuff. I am more likely to lean towards to gym, but the lack of any electrical activity in my room might have helped the quality of my dream too.



#8
Sierra

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Exercise is proven to change brain chemistry, so yeah, it probably did. ^^ Try doing a small workout before bed for a few days and see if it continues to help.

@viper: I have the same problem.... My brain refuses to shut up. I actually worked out meditative breathing as a kid so I could fall asleep. I still use it when my brain is being hyper, it really helps. Just breathe in, count to five, breathe out, count to five, and repeat, putting all of your attention on the task. Your brain will try to wander, but keep at it!



#9
viperxmns

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True true, breathing cannot be underestimated as a tool. Sometimes I'll be playing the Wii Fit and the Zen exercise they have is actually shockingly effective at relaxation.



#10
iVYRAVE

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With me it's two things.

The first thing with me is getting to sleep in the first place.

When I was 9 I lost my grandmother, the night after she died I could have sworn I saw her wandering about our spare room, for years afterwards I refused to go in there at night time and struggled to sleep in darkness, constantly seeing shadows and hearing footsteps. Ever since I was 11 or so I've had to have a nightlight (or some substitute such as a phone or even my laptop on worse nights) in my room but that still that's not good enough, if I even think the words 'Grandma Evelyn' ,'Granddad George' or even 'Ebony' (i.e. the names of deceased loved ones) I start to panic, if there's no on except me in the house at a late night I find myself shaking uncontrollably and hyper ventilating. 

The only way I stop it was by playing something through speakers which were placed underneath my pillow, this could be from podcasts to a constant loop of all version of ai-di-la, Even watching ridiculously long youtube videos seems to help as it acts as a distraction from these thoughts. This seems to help and all but I feel I am getting too old to be afraid of such things but I cannot stop it.

Second thing is waking up. I'm one of those awkward people who has to be allergic to dust, meaning hayfever-like reactions all year long, pollen or no pollen. This allergy is so bad that I wake up at random times just to have a sneezing fit and it takes me roughly 3 hours to get back to sleep. Hopefully this is going to end soon a we're replacing some of the furniture in my room and I am seeing my doctor on Monday.






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