Advice on getting to sleep

Quest for Lucidity
21

Omega3:
You should invest in some earplugs. :smile: I had a hard time getting to sleep for the first time in a long time so I popped them in; at least in the side that isn’t on the pillow. Also, have the least amount of covers on as possible. Don’t use flannel sheets, use… can’t remember the kind. They are for summer. Use those year round. Put a small fan on your night stand or a medium fan on the floor aimed at your face on low. It might take getting used to, but the coolness and the low hum should help lull you to sleep. If possible, get a new matress!! Not only for your sleep but also for your bones and muscles! Also, since you get up early (what, 5:30?) on a regular basis, make sure your time for going to bed and waking up is hardcore-consistent! This will program your body that when it’s … 8, it had better start shutting down for the night. And when it’s 5:30? it’ll start waking up. All these things should help significantly. No food before going to bed either. Try to have not eaten for 2 hours or so when you hit the hay.

22

I always wake up at 6:40 AM ( :wink: yes 20 min is enough).

Before going to bed yesterday I tried placing my feet under cold water, I managed to sleep at 10:40 something.

23

I have a great suggestion for getting to sleep and sleeping well that I tried…

Place an amethyst crystal under your pillow. You can use more than one. I use 2 or 3 of them. The energy of amethyst helps you to get to sleep pretty fast and it also helps with dream recall. :wink:

24

I couldn’t agree more! I drive my partner crazy because I like the fan on by our bedside, even in the middle of winter. I find the windy/humming very relaxing.

If worse comes to worse, you can always try some Valerian (Valeriana officinalis), the best-researched herbal sleep aid around. Valerian has been known to be as good as, and in some circumstances better than, prescribed sleeping medication.
I’ve been meaning to get some myself.

25

Dude, word! LOL I do that too! I didn’t this winter though cos I was too lazy to get the fan and clean it, but I usually throw like 6 blankets on (hey, I live in Canada, aight?) and just have my face poking out.

I briefly read that having a fan helps you with flying-lucid dreams or something? Anyone have any experience with this?

26

Well, I guess cold things to help you out. While trying to sell some pit bull puppies I asked my neighbor about my insomnia. He said to try ice cream… Strangely it worked, I slept at 9:35, I also had an LD that I’ll post later.

Thanks to everyone for the help though. :clap:

27

No prob, Omega3. Keep cool. :wink:

28

I got some tips on my own, sorry if someone already mentioned any of them:

  1. Perform exhausting activities during the day. Resting all the day (like sitting 'fronta your computer all day builds up energy) will only make it harder. (For those of you who are too lazy, play EyeToy Play for the Playstation2 console.)

  2. Try drinking warm milk, or anything else that you know makes you drowsy.

  3. Give your brains excercises regularly, like trying to solve riddles, study harder for school, etc.

29

Most psychological articles I’ve read recommend good sleep hygiene as one approach to insomnia. What this means is:

  1. to only sleep (or have sex) in your bed. If you can’t get to sleep then get up and do something for 20 minutes or so, then go back to bed.
  2. Keep a regular sleep schedule - go to bed at the same time, wake up at the same time (even on weekends!). Sleeping in only makes insomnia worse, making it more difficult to get to sleep the next night.
  3. Cut down on your intake of caffeine, alcohol and/or nicotine, especially prior to bedtime.
  4. Don’t exercise or eat within two hours of going to bed. I think this is due to the effect on your metabolism.
  5. Be consistent and strict with appying the above hygiene tips, you shouldn’t expect success if you’re not diligent.

Also a number of other approaches are recommended by professionals, including herbal remedies, cognitive behavioural therapy (administered by professional clinicians), stress reduction and relaxation techniques (as in ETWOLD), all of which assist with combating insomnia.
Like White Mage Cid suggested, if you perform exhausting activited during the day (try going on a hike for a couple hours!) you’ll surely sleep like a baby. This works like a charm, speaking from personal experience!

Good luck with it,
R

30

I’ve got the same problem of getting to sleep. It usually takes me a fair while to nod off, and MILDing does make it damn near impossible (in fact, usually I’m MILDing for so long that my mind wanders elsewhere without me noticing). I’m definitely gonna try the cold shower technique tonight.

31

Yeah. Getting to sleep is hard. Takes me hours. That’s one of the main reasons that I gave up trying to WILD. Anyway…

32

MILD should not keep you awake for more then 10 - 15 minutes. By then, quit and just go to sleep without giving it any more thought. However perhaps you referred to WILD (?), which is another story since falling asleep conscious is pretty hard when you have trouble falling asleep at all.

33

drink some warm milk and keep a clear head, my remedy for insomnia :content:

if you are really strict with your MILD technique I can see how it might keep you up for a quite a while, but if thats the case and you don’t want to be kept up id only practice MILD for a few minutes before letting your mind wander… you still have the intention it just isnt focused on for such a long period of time.

34

I have a fan next to my bed which helps me fall asleep because it keeps me cold and also the white noise is relaxing.

35

Soon it’ll be fan-season in Canada. Right now it’s still way too cold out at night to have one, well… unless I shut the window I guess, but I’d rather keep the window open. It’s right over my head so I sleep pretty good (I know, it goes against the laws of Feng Shui, but it works for me.)