Share your tips for getting back to sleep
Discussion
Like a lot of people, if I wake up around 5am, I find it virtually impossible to go back to sleep, as my mind is racing with a myriad of thoughts, in the old days they said just count sheep jumping over a wall worked wonders, well I've tried that without success
I need to clear my mind and chill out.
Any tips? (Keep it clean)
I have similar problems, albeit around 3am is my bogey time. I’m often awake from this time until around 6am, before finally falling asleep and then waking up for work an hour later groggy as hell.
A tip I’ve been given is to repeat a word to yourself every few seconds. Don’t say the word but possibly allow your mouth to form the word. Something dull like ‘the’. It apparently prevents your brain from getting stimulated by other thoughts. I tried it over the past couple of nights and had a modicum of success.
Might be worth a try.
A tip I’ve been given is to repeat a word to yourself every few seconds. Don’t say the word but possibly allow your mouth to form the word. Something dull like ‘the’. It apparently prevents your brain from getting stimulated by other thoughts. I tried it over the past couple of nights and had a modicum of success.
Might be worth a try.
Jugosaurus said:
I read a bit of my book then can doze back off.
Anything to distract the mind from getting going otherwise it’s game over for more sleep!
Good shout. It needs something to break my chain of thought, I've even tried getting up and making a nice cup of tea.Anything to distract the mind from getting going otherwise it’s game over for more sleep!
I'm not suffering from depression btw, just an over active mind, thinking about all kinds of nonsense.
Sounds familiar. Often work related thoughts and find them playing over and over.
For me the best things are:
- Don't look at any watch or clock
- Ideally keep my eyes closed
- Breathing exercises
If that fails - laptop out and some idle surfing for 30 mins or so and then nod off again.
For me, going to bed early or lying in to late tends to exacerbate the problem. I'd stay up till midnight every night if I had my way but have two under 5 so getting up late also isn't really an option!
For me the best things are:
- Don't look at any watch or clock
- Ideally keep my eyes closed
- Breathing exercises
If that fails - laptop out and some idle surfing for 30 mins or so and then nod off again.
For me, going to bed early or lying in to late tends to exacerbate the problem. I'd stay up till midnight every night if I had my way but have two under 5 so getting up late also isn't really an option!
lost in espace said:
Waynker Renee said:
Podcasts with volume low,earphones on if you share a bed !
I can't get to sleep without a podcast, and if I wake up it is invaluable. If I can't find my earbuds I start panicking and have 3 sets just in case. I find the intimacy of an earbud really helps. 
I personally celebrate my alarms not off. I think to myself "aw yes!! 3 more hours sleep" and fall back to sleep easily. If I don't check the time I won't sleep thinking my alarms any minute now. Always had that mindset and it's now made it easy on days off to have a long lie. So just think about it differently.
grumbledoak said:
5am? You may as well get up.
Have you tried going to bed later? Your body is a pretty good judge of how much sleep you need.
Doesn't matter if I go to bed at 10pm or 2am, I always wake up. I have absolutely no problem falling asleep.Have you tried going to bed later? Your body is a pretty good judge of how much sleep you need.
I don't think I have slept through till 7 for thirty odd years,
Still, it saves on having to buy an alarm clock,
Wacky Racer said:
Doesn't matter if I go to bed at 10pm or 2am, I always wake up. I have absolutely no problem falling asleep.
Me too. Fall straight to sleep as soon as my head hits the pillow but ping awake at 5. Sometimes get back to sleep, sometimes not.Relaxing Podcast and/or the sleep solution that dare not speak it's name certainly help.
Sounds like me and my anxiety.
I find different methods work depending on what I'm worrying about. Sometimes I make notes of things I need to remember to do then can relax knowing I won't forget them. Sometimes I just get up and do whatever it is I'm thinking about and then go back to bed (might not work at 5am though!) or I just get up.
What time do you go to bed? If you're asleep by 10pm getting up at 5am isn't so ridiculous.
I find different methods work depending on what I'm worrying about. Sometimes I make notes of things I need to remember to do then can relax knowing I won't forget them. Sometimes I just get up and do whatever it is I'm thinking about and then go back to bed (might not work at 5am though!) or I just get up.
What time do you go to bed? If you're asleep by 10pm getting up at 5am isn't so ridiculous.
Wacky Racer said:
Like a lot of people, if I wake up around 5am, I find it virtually impossible to go back to sleep, as my mind is racing with a myriad of thoughts, in the old days they said just count sheep jumping over a wall worked wonders, well I've tried that without success
I need to clear my mind and chill out.
Any tips? (Keep it clean)
For example:
- Black out curtains, pinned to the wall on both sides to keep light out.
- Sleeping in quietest room in the house
- Alcohol helps me sleep very well. Other people think milky drinks do.
- Avoid caffeine and similar before bed.
- Make sure your day includes exercise so you are tired at bed time.
- Banish any snoring partners to a different room/house/town.
- Ensure your pillows/mattress/sheets etc are comfortable and don't make you too hot/cold/sweaty whatever.
- Ensure you are "sated"....
You get the picture. My point is as well as pondering what to do when you do wake up, do your best to make sure you don't wake up in the first place.
audiobooks has been my biggest improvement to sleep.
I used to take 1hr+ to get to sleep once in bed, started with audiobooks on 30m sleep time, then 15m now i set 10m and im often out before it turns itself off.
also ZMA helps me get a deeper sleep with less waking although it can produce some weird dreams from time to time.
https://peaksupps.co.uk/products/zinc-magnesium-vi...
I used to take 1hr+ to get to sleep once in bed, started with audiobooks on 30m sleep time, then 15m now i set 10m and im often out before it turns itself off.
also ZMA helps me get a deeper sleep with less waking although it can produce some weird dreams from time to time.
https://peaksupps.co.uk/products/zinc-magnesium-vi...
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