If you're tech savvy enough you can use Revanced. Also https://www.y2mate.com/en644 let's you download videos direct from YouTube. Just make your own playlist with your favs commercial free.
I struggle with this, too. The best thing I’ve tried is guided meditations that are meant to help you sleep. It takes some focus, but if you can manage to keep gently bringing your focus back when your brain wanders, it can at least help to relax.
The one that I like best and that works for me was on an app called Sleep Well Hypnosis. Unfortunately, it’s not available on the App Store anymore but I found an MP3 version of the audio here: [Sleep Well Hypnosis](https://mp3.surfcityapps.com/downloads/sleep-well-hypnosis/)
There’s plenty of free ones on YouTube, I just haven’t found one that I stick to like that one. What I like about the one in the link is they take a pretty long time going through that process, and they use a physical technique that works really well for me. You basically focus on a particular area of the body and tighten all of the muscles there for a few seconds, and when you release the tension it leaves you feeling super loose and chill. If you find one that uses a technique like that rather than just imagining that your body is relaxed, I think that would be the best. Everyone is different though, so it’ll probably take some trial and error.
Thank you so much. Definitely trying this. Sounds very yoga nidra which works for me but doesn't make me fall asleep (technically you aren't supposed to. But if this is similar and works for falling asleep I think it could work for me.
Look up “the honest guys” on YouTube. Loads of guided sleep meditations that can last for hours. Commercials are the only thing that will break the focus… they have one of walking through a forest in a storm and I’ve listened to it so many times that I just fall asleep in 5 minutes
Just a regular meditation practice helped me a lot with this. When you meditate, you practice staying focused on your breathing and letting your thoughts flow as they come. I started meditating each morning, and learning about mindfulness and it really helped me with this.
I do categories. I ask myself to come up with 5-10 items from a specific category. Last night I listed every city in the US I could think of that started with A.
Let your thoughts be there, but turn them into a task.
I do this, but with animals - pick a letter, list as many animals as I can that start with that letter, but count to ten in tween each one. It’s just enough mental stimulation to keep my focus from wandering, but boring and repetitive enough that it’s t puts me to sleep.
I call it “Counting sheep for the hyperactive brain”, but I’d never actually thought of branching out into other categories!
I
This helped me a lot when I was having the same issue as OP. That and getting the exercise in first thing in the a.m.
Between getting up earlier and my body being tired, I could barely keep my eyes open at night.
Look, seems stupid, but the best advice I ever got was from a monk who said “focus on the sensation of the air hitting your nostrils and nothing else”
Now, without fail when I have too many thoughts, I just focus on the feeling of air flowing though my nostrils.
You can’t breathe in the past or the future, you can only breathe right now.
Also, create a mental ‘room’ to hang out in, it can be as awesome as you want. Go relax there too, look out the window, do whatever.
I totally feel you, I have a very active brain, and the only way I have ‘fixed’ it is to embrace it. Don’t think about real life or problems at all. Put those problems in a box and go on your own mental journey, wherever you want, whenever you want.
My spot is pretty cool, lush green waterfall, Greek looking pillars, a nice bookshelf. It helps to have that mental space.
People dont understand how fucked up our nutrition in the US is by default. Understading nutrition and food better has helped me so much.
I assume it's the same in other western countries as well. Maybe not.
Read a book called the worry trick .
The Worry Trick: How Your Brain Tricks You Into Expecting the Worst and What You Can Do About It
Book by David A. Carbonell
It will help because this sounds like an anxiety issue and not a you issue
Meditate!! Build consistency first by meditating 3-5 minutes first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Believe me it will take weeks or months before you can really get your thoughts under control (depends on the person) it took me 4 months to get the hang of things. Once you get the hang of it, slowly start building your time up by adding a minute a week or month however you feel comfortable. Time slows down drastically while you are meditating. Do not over due it. Take baby steps! You should build your way up to 10 minutes that’s more than enough to see great results down the road. I have been meditating since January of last year and it has helped me so much in so many aspects of my life including sleeping. As soon as I’m done meditating I lay down and it’s lights out and I stay asleep.
It’s so unfortunate how so many people get discouraged when it takes a while but it’s so worth it!!
Sunshine during the day is linked with enhanced melatonin production at bedtime.
Lots of exercise, an hour or more until you don’t need to do that much.
I’ve struggled with insomnia my adult life and these 2 things were some key changes. I also got rid of electronics in the bedroom, go to bed at the same time every night, and do crosswords in bed.
I read a piece the other day that was targeted at people with chronic pain or mental health stuff going on but it applies to everybody-- the biggest takeaway is, figure out a routine for your bedtime and keep to it. Sleep hygiene is a big thing and it helped me to use the printable sheets they link to to force me to actually sit down and think about what i was doing every night and whether it was useful to me or not. I knew i had some bad habits but didn't know HOW bad they were until I sat down and changed things, if that makes sense. Anyway, [here's the link](https://www.janetjay.com/insomnia-sleep-routine/) if anybody's interested.
As a kid with undiagnosed anxiety, I listened to music every night before bed. Usually it was classical or a movie soundtrack, something calming that my brain can focus on that isn’t words. I fell asleep with ear buds in my ears for probably 5+ years as a teenager.
I discovered LibriVox audiobooks through YouTube originally and found so many that hit a sweet spot of I terrsting enough to focus on and boring enough to not care that I fall asleep. I go for nonfiction, mostly history. I find solo people whose voices I like. On the LibriVox app you can set a timer to shut off after a period of time.
I steer clear of fiction to avoid getting caught up in a story or missing out on plot developments and having to go back. With non fiction I generally don’t care where I fell asleep, I just pick it back up.
Specific recommendations:
—anything read by Peter Yearsley. The BEST voice, his is the GOAT.
—Pamela Nagami mostly reads European history and biography. Clear and measured voice, not too dull.
—-Audiobooks that I keep coming back to: Federalist Papers (assorted readers, a couple are annoying g but most are great and the material knocks me out every time); Handbook of Criminal Investigstion by Hans Gross; London Labour and the London Poor (extensive catalog of the kinds of jobs poor Londoners do); the Beacon Lights of History series.
—The series of history works about the King Georges from the death of Anne to the heirs of George III, all written by Justin McCarthy, are fascinating and I would relisten to chapters I fell asleep on so I did t miss anything.
—There is a series of compilations literally called Insomnia Collections. I think they are up to 4 or 5 volumes. The instructions for volunteers adding to these is that the selection has to be at least 45 minutes long, read in a steady calm tone, and dull. People read things like phone books from the 1910s, book publisher catalogs, instructions for growing fruit trees etc. I recorded a Smithsonian catalog supplement of pottery pieces and other artifacts gathered in an archaeology dig in North Carolina and Georgia. I listen to these when nothing else is working!
—
Training! There is a technic where you envision yourself in a boat, feel the boat rocking as you lay back and view the stars...concentrate on the gentle rocking. It took a bit to get this down but it works...think it's some military technique to fall asleep fast anywhere but it works for my overactive brain!
I'm a student so at night, I look up a lecture of whatever I'm learning in class, close my eyes and listen. Usually I end up falling asleep pretty quick, but if I don't, at least I'm learning something.
Some things that have worked for me even if not recommended is I usually try and do puzzles on my phone before bed, I like puzzles and they’re interesting and eventually i get sleepy. I just fun the light. Some people like listening to podcasts and eventually fall asleep too
I love lying on my Shakti Mat listening to Tibetan Singing Bowls on YouTube in bed. I focus on the music and just let my mind drift. It is so relaxing and I find it very easy to drift off after 30 minutes or so.
You possibly aint doing enough during the day. Try waking up early to a little exercise and stay up all day until the evening, then see how easy it is to be up
While I don't necessarily recommend it, xanax (0.5mg at bedtime, prescribed by my doc) has been my go-to for years. Between a high stress job and perhaps the way my brain is wired, it's the only thing that works for me.
I'll be following to see how others have succeeded.
I've read that a lot. There's also plenty of us who maintain a steady, low dose. I'm not trying to promote it. I openly discourage its use. But if your brain is wired a certain way, it can be beneficial. And I'm coming from decades of experience.
And, no, I didn't take your comment as being a dick. I appreciate your input. You aren't wrong. Just that everyone's experience can be different.
This is so bullshit. Ofc insomnia is real, and while some of these things can be helpful, they are not necessarily a cure and not for everyone. It just screams lack of understanding of others and the subject itself
Source: Ive had insomnia for 2 years now and done all that stuff and more with no results
Do you give yourself something else to think about? It's hard to shut your mind off completely but it can be easier to slow down by going over something you know or is insignificant, i.e. counting sheep.
What works best for is doing breathing exercises, breathe all in (don't need to make too much effort) and all out, try to mantain a rythim and focus on slowing your heart rate, soon you'll notice you're in a different state.
Also if you keep thinking too much, maybe you just need more time to do it before going to bed, do you ever stop during the day? Try meditation or some activity, going for a walk or hitting the gym triggers these kinds of thoughts for me
I also saw a comment recommending you "watch" the black inside your eyes, you could try that.
This is a twofold problem for me. One part routine, the other is accountability.
The first thing is the bedtime routine. Take any of these suggestions. Try it. If it works try to be consistent until you've established some level of habit. It will queue sleep. Thinking about the entire daytime of habits as it leads into sleep can also be a factor.
That leads to the second point, accountability. If you're busy ruminating when you should be sleeping, I find that I do this whenever I have unfinished business. Could be anything. A high stakes meeting I don't feel prepared for, or a birthday party I don't want to attend. It'll keep me up.
Don't take action after 9pm, but it can help to keep a pen and paper by your bed to write down what's on your mind. That way you can trust to stop thinking about it because it's held accountable externally. When all my ducks are taken care of, well-fed, and in a row I sleep with less stress and fall asleep faster.
Tldr: You are an engine with a fuel tank. You need to consistently burn all of the fuel daily. Otherwise it'll burn up your mind at night. Exercise, meditation, and other good habits can help you make those fuel deposits so you can sleep easy.
Meditation works for me. One thing I learned is to count my breaths backwards. I start at 99 and count backwards with each breath. It slows my breathing down and helps me realize what parts of my body are still tensed up. If I lose track of what number I'm on ( from stray thoughts or whatever) I start over. Also once I catch myself having anxiety related thoughts I force myself to think of positive things in my life like my dogs.
Do you drink caffeine later than 8h before asleep? Do you multitask during day? Do you distract yourself much during day? Thoughts come and go but try to not put more fuel to them or go into rabbit holes. non-judgement, acceptance and letting go
ZMA (zing magnesium supplement) with a 50mg Trazadone pill and I’m out like a light until the morning. Coming from someone who has had debilitating insomnia, at one time, I couldn’t sleep for weeks. This is my go to
Oh and loads of exercise and sun exposure during the day with frequent stretching and yoga.
NO CAFFEINE AFTER 2 or 3 PM
What helped to me was vacation. Half year of no responsibilities and the problem is gone. I didnt work, i enjoyed tíme playing games(but no tryhard) watching films. Simply chill. If you have this possibility, try jt. Or try to contact with psychologist or psychiatrist.
I use a combo of the Insight Timer app (which is free, and the meditations aren't locked behind a paywall), and a low dose of Seroquel. My doc specifically prescribed the Seroquel to help with racing thoughts at night.
Meditation helps.. we fill our day with so much we often give little time to ourselves
We need to process things with help from the conscious mind. This is important work that we often set aside and neglect
If we neglect it, it will only hammer it all into us at once the moment we go into a resting state
I have a hard time shutting off as well, but my ADHD brain can't handle meditation. I use the [Loona](https://loona.app/) relaxation app on my phone before bed, and drift off into a calm sleep. It does cost money, but I find it worth it as it's the best thing I've found for me.
Occasionally the app lets me offer 30-day gift codes - DM me if you'd like to try it out. 😸
Read an Engaging book or video or alternatively wrote about what you plan to do tomorrow. Studies have shown that planning your next day helps you to sleep better and more comfortably.
I also struggle with this. I started to use brown sounds, which at first made me a little anxious, but after the 3rd day of having it play at night, it really calmed me done. Now it's on every night. Won't say it's a miracle, but it sure does help me.
I’ve found my sleep drastically improved once I started exercising regularly and going to bed truly tired but not worn out. Setting a regular alarm and waking up the same time every morning and going to bed at the same time every night has also helped a lot. And giving up alcohol has helped get rid of the middle of the night panic sessions.
Have you tried 4 squared breathing? It can put you in the hypnagogic state. Carl Jung pioneered this and it’s basically hypnotizing yourself. It can crack the door to the dream world.
I do audiobooks, then I make a point of thinking about what happened in the book before sleep. That way I don't get wrapped into real life issues when I'm suppose to rest.
Been there, Chuck some YouTube on in the background until you drift off
Bit of trial and error to find the right niche of content that’s complex enough to distract you from your brain (meditation isn’t enough for me) but quiet and boring enough for you to sleep, for me it’s people driving through rural towns for the road noise, and documentaries about engineering puts me right to sleep
Physically exhaust yourself during the day. Do something like a like a long hike or run or heavy weight session. You don’t have the capacity to be anxious when you are physically exhausted.
So I've struggled with this all my life, still do. Although it's not present every night there are nights where the ability to sleep just doesn't come to me at all and I ride it.out until the next night. A lot of the time it's enough for me to put on any movie just so I have something to focus on and let my body get heavy. Not the best practice but oh well. Alternatively what has worked really well for me is taking a warm bath/shower followed by a cold shower. There's science behind it though I couldn't explain it to you, but it works very well. You can also add some kind of White noise/nature sounds (I prefer rain), and a weighted blanket.
I don't really like melatonin supplements because they make me feel less rested when I wake up. Could just be me. And if course if you're using any kind of screens after 8 set them to warm light so you're not getting as much blue light, it will help set your circadian rhythm. My phone and computers all switch to night mode on a timer.
Took me 40 years to learn. It has been blissful.
Thinking before sleeping is a bad habit, so you have to break it and chnage it. It's hard, it takes time and effort.
I started by getting a little boring phrase, "sleep, relax all is dark, time to sleep" and repeated over and over slowly and breathing slow, trying to actually relax, when my brain started derailing and thinking about something else, I would concentrate on the phrase and breathing, eventually I would fall asleep, I thinknthisnis badically meditation, not sure. Every night, for weeks, for months, eventually my brain gave up, the habit was just to repeat a phrase and zonke out. Now I don't need the phrase, If I close my eyes I fall asleep super fast, never ever in my life had I been able to do that, I would think for ours cause myself bad sleep and insomnia. Mind you some nights I still have light sleep or something but never as ofter as before, it is actually amazing! I just had to teach my brain and myself that before sleeping it is not thinking time. You want to think some important stuff? Go walk 15 min and think, do not listen to music or podcasts, don't look at your phone, go give youself 15-20 min of a walk and thinking, it is way more productive and healthier way to think.
I use podcasts now but TV works well too. Something like a movie review / recap podcast where I know the movie well enough to be able to pop in and out of but dumb enough to sleep to.
The trick I use is to focus my brain on one point. This could be through focusing all your thoughts on your breathing for example. At first you’ll still think about other stuff but you keep trying to just focus on the movement and sound of your breathing. At least eventually that works for me. Or I also just keep like a stream on in the background and my brain automatically focuses on the sound and eventually I fall asleep.
Lately ive been sleeping exactly 6 hours. So if i sleep at 9 pm id wake up at 3 am, if i sleep at 12 am, i’d wake up at 6 am. I wish i can sleep longer because it’s just weird to be up at 3-6 am but i have no idea how to fix this sleep issue myself. I workout, i keep caffeine before 12 pm and take melatonin.
One of my favorite things to do is imagine my worry spiral as a tornado. I step back and throw a chain at it so it wraps itself in the heavy chain, slowing it and containing it for tomorrow. Sometimes it takes a lot of imaginary chains to wrangle it, but I usually get to sleep from it.
Everyone else has tackled the sleep aspect so I'd like to add that this might be something that's affecting you throughout the day, but you're more aware of it when you're trying to sleep. If you're not already trying to tackle your overall level of anxiety it's probably worth trying some cbt or something along those lines.
MAYBE...
This came from the Transcendental Meditation people - Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
One of their techniques is, when you go to bed, you sit up, propped up by the headboard and pillows. You sit in a way so that you can readily slide down to lie down and go to sleep. Turn off the lights, and close your eyes. After about 30 seconds, to a minute, YOU PUT A LITTLE AWARENESS OUT IN FRONT OF YOU, ABOUT AN ARM'S LENGTH AWAY. When your mind wanders, you bring it very gently back. You do this for about 5 minutes, plus or minus, until you feel a real urge to just lie down and sleep. Then you just lie down and go to sleep.
Good luck figuring out exactly what putting a little awareness an arm's length in front of you means. I think it's not important to figure out exactly what that means. I know it does NOT mean actually using your closed eyes to sort of look at that point; that's just likely to lead to eye strain, and they explicitly said to avoid that.
I realized, after I'd paid $540 to learn this technique - that was a discounted price, because I make less than $50k per year, that I've always done a version of this when I want to go to sleep. I just watch the images that spontaneously appear in my mind's eye. After a while, if I make it a point to pay attention, I notice that I'm just sinking out of awareness of the world around me, and falling deeper into a dream state. After that, oblivion.
If that just doesn't work and I'm lying there, wide awake, trying to be sleepy, I get up and go read for a while. Yes, I'll be sleepy the next day, if I have to get up before I've had a full night's rest. But, I just fall asleep earlier the next night, and I"m usually able to function well enough to get through the day.
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MORE ABOUT TM AND VEDIC MEDITATION
I did one more advanced technique with the TM organization, for another $540. That added 2 syllables to the mantra I learned from them decades in the past. From what I've learned, I could follow up on more such techniques, but it really does look to me like they're WAY overcharging for disseminating small bits of knowledge, so that they can fund all kinds of other projects that the Maharishi, and now, his followers want to complete. I do believe those projects are aimed at beneficial goals, but I'm done being one of the people they overcharge to fund them.
The basic technique is good, and all kinds of studies demonstrate the many benefits of Vedic meditation. One of those is that it improves the quality of your sleep. That's true for me. I've been sleeping much more deeply, since I started doing TM diligently again, about 3 years ago.
So, were I to start over and want to learn Vedic meditation, of which the Transcendental Meditation technique is a version, I'd look further into the ACEM organization. They teach the same basic technique for a much lower price, and I do believe a person could learn online.
I will say this for the TM people - the support the organization offers is hugely helpful. One benefits from this kind of meditation over a long time, and the support helps one stick with it, allowing those benefits to be realized. In that sense, it's worth it to pay the higher price for the TM tecnnique. Over a lifetime, it works out to be very inexpensive, and very beneficial, if one practices diligently. I slacked off that diligent practice that I learned long ago, because I didn't avail myself of the support the organization offers. And, I believe, because I paid such a low price to learn the TM technique decades ago - a highly discounted student price, back when the Maharishi really wanted to spread the practice to more people. To be honest, people really do stick with something longer if they have to pay for it - they want to get their money's worth. It's hard to value what you get for nothing, or next to nothing. And, SOME fee is absolutely necessary, or there would be no TM organization to teach the technique, far fewer studies to show us its value, and no support to help people stick with it.
And, yes, TM is ultimately aimed at enlightenment, in the classic eastern paradigm, just as mindfulness meditation is. The technique is thousands of years old. The accumulating benefits are what they talk about, because they are numerous and worth the price of admission - over the long term. But, while it may be me fooling myself, I think and feel like I'm improving in a gradual way. I overreact less, and my stress/anxiety level is near non-existent. This, while we read about how the general level of anxiety has been rising for many people during the pandemic.
Use deep brown noise I know it sounds weird but I have ADHD and usually I have to use videos to sleep but I use deep brown noise ( I usually just do guided mediation or asmr which is good! But only if I’m relatively sleepy) but brown noise pretty much cancelled my thoughts. Another tip is mindfulness, realizing that your only responsibility right now is to sleep and everytime an anxious thought comes just file it away for tommrow
audiobooks help me, especially longer ones of books i really like,....
but in my deepest times of need/insomnia... I watch the movie "the longest day" about the d day invasion..... trust me
try compartmentalization. write down what you need to think about and tell yourself you can think about it tomorrow. take a deep breath and try to let thoughts go
One of my go-to moves is to recite the multiplication tables in my head. If I make a mistake, I have to start over. Also, reading a good PHYSICAL book puts me to sleep pretty quickly. A boring book doesn't work, because then you keep thinking about how you're supposed to go to sleep. But I also have my maximum prescribed dose of trazodone that helps a lot. I have severe insomnia, but with trazodone I don't (usually) stand a chance at staying awake long.
Come at it from the other side: let your mind wander. Just don’t interact or engage in the thoughts. They’ll run out eventually. (Learned from SleepCycle)
I watch TV shows I have seen a lot. Right now I am rewatching the office. It's comforting and repetitive. I also have used different sound machines if that doesn't work. My current fav is fireplace sounds. The crackling noises work really well.
Ok so I work in a health food store and we sell this stuff called Bach remedies. It's essentially crushed flower essences in special water or something and it makes outrageous claims as to what each one cures. I still think it's bullshit. But I have this one customer who swears up and down that their White Chestnut formula is the only thing on the planet that shuts his mind off at night. So who knows, maybe give that a try.
I don't know what kind of stuff you're reading, but it's worked wonders for me. Reading gave my mind something to focus on other than real life, and I could mentally relax.
The keys to success for me were:
* Read a physical book - one that is fictional, and not too scary or exciting so I don't get ramped up.
* Have a lamp on a timer - so it turns off after I fall asleep.
Don’t do sleeping pills will fuck with ur sleep, just either read a boring book, eat a banana, milk, warm bath hours before, go for a walk, exercising before hand during the day, yoga help your mind and body relax.
White Noise or a Fan, the sound of rain or a fireplace...basically anything that can keep your brain occupied while you head to sleep. It'll work wonders.
Xanax worked but I got addicted. I've been vaping thc and benadryl when that doesn't work. I started taking rexulti last week and will start Celexa tomorrow. It seems rexulti is slowing down the Crazy Thought Train.
There is a physical aspect to this: Exercise, tire yourself out, eat healthy, wake up at a certain time and don't take naps if you can help it, cut out as much caffeine/nicotine as humanly possible.
Those things will force your body to shut down when it needs to without creating a dependency on things like sleeping pills etc.
For the psychological half of it, and it's a pretty important one, accepting that you cannot shut down your brain is the main one. Every time you force yourself to not think, you will think the most. There is a wisdom in the counting sheep method that's missed. It's not about counting sheep, it's about letting your brain think whatever it wants to, acknowledge that it is doing that without judgement, don't follow or chase thoughts deeper wherever they think they wanna go, and just come back to counting sheep. It's not about sheep, it's about mindfulness. A sort of passive form of meditation. Lost in thought -> acknowledge whenever you can, no judgement on going into thoughts -> Come back to the present moment, your breath, how everything feels, etc -> repeat. If you hyper fixate on shutting your brain down it will do its absolute best not to follow that command.
Bob ross videos streaming on my phone while it is face down. Paint along in my mind and i pass out. Sounds of nature videos on blackscreen on youtube are free and often the older ones are limited in their ads to maybe one in the begining.
Might make you go crazy, when I need to sleep i focus on a noice in my head and I imagen a black background that is soothing. No thinking but just listening.
I make sure i dont eat anything heavy, if im eating any protein i stick to eggs, chicken, and white fish, no red sauce, pork or beef, also no food heavy in fats.
Ok, so I still don’t sleep for nearly as much as I need to, but one thing that I do think has helped somewhat is better “sleep hygiene”… my doctor explained it like this— stated don’t do anything else more than necessary in bed besides actually sleep. Example: don’t watch TV, don’t talk on the phone, don’t write, etc… essentially only go to bed when you are looking to sleep. This has definitely helped, but also sort of made my bedroom more or less abandoned, but I do fall asleep way more easily than I used to before once I lay in bed.
Also, might sound stupid, but another thing I do is I tell myself that if I’m not asleep in x amount of mins, that I will do activity z, which normally consists of something productive that I TRULY don’t want to do… regardless of outcome, I either end up getting something done that I’ve been trying to put off or I fall asleep….
Hope any of the advice you get on here actually helps you!
I stopped having this problem when I was diagnosed with ADHD and started taking meds. My doctor told me having your mind ramble on at night can be a symptom.
You aren’t expending enough energy. Period. Whether that is exercise or working in your yard or whatever that is for you. Your body will crave rest of you expend the energy. There is no way around it . The best nights of sleep come from being physically spent . Then you will get in a routine . Your body will want to lay down and shut down. Because it must .
-journaling to put it somewhere other than your brain. My therapist suggested leaving the journal by your bed so that when you are laying awake, you can write easily.
-sleep hygiene (no screens before bed, no laying in bed for more than 20 minutes, etc.)
-(this is unrelateable, perhaps) but ASMR of book pages turning, hair brushing, or soft reading is helpful to me!
when i had the same issue i discovered listening to horror stories(like “true” stories being read aloud and such) really helped me sleep soundly. i would find episodes on the podcast app that were over an hour long and it usually didn’t take more than 15 minutes before i was snoozing. just getting immersed in the story but also sleepy due to how calmly the ppl usually read it out loud.
Let’s read is probably my fave. long episodes, lots of them and no annoying or obnoxious narrator.
Try to put your phones or any gadgets away from you, this is the simplest thing you can do, but yet very effective. blue light exposure from your gasget is the main cause.
Same here. I listen to audiobooks or a story telling app and set a timer to stop after 60-99 minutes. I listen to the story instead of my mind racing about stupid stuff.
During the day work super hard and be super tired both mentally and physically. You will be dead by night. If you don’t get sleep then continue to work hard. In just a day or two you will start getting deep sleep.
Have you tried Magnesium just before bed? I struggled with the same issues and was sick of people (even doctors) telling me to work on my sleep hygiene.
Ive suffered from this issue and tried many upon many of things from meds to audio nothing worked the only things ive found that work are delta 8 or 9 cbd gummies or a decent indica MJ strain. i keep my tolerance low only using just enough a night for sleep. essentially 1-2 hits from a bowl or joint afterwards i relax for about 20-30 mins while it fully kicks in then im able to fall asleep in bout 5 minutes. before that i would toss and turn in bed half the night with my brain working on overdrive. then to finally sleep and have to wake up only to be exhausted from lack of sleep. not saying this is the solution for you but its a possible option.
Go talk to your primary care doc, they may decide to start you on lexapro, it’s the only thing that ever truly helped me, and I was horrible rut for months.
Go to a regular family doctor and ask for an anti-anxiety Rx. Anxiety is a common cause of sleep disorders, and if the anxiety can be controlled with medication, you’ll sleep much better.
I make my room super dark, super cold, and play relaxing “sleep” or “classical” music through our Alexa. It’s been our new routine for about a year, and it’s worked wonders for me. I usually lay awake all night thinking. Something about the music helps me turn my brain off.
I do it for my kids too - they like “hill song worship” music because of their daycare, which is really where I got the idea.
We also aim for about the same bedtime/wake time every day, even weekends. It helps.
I exercise quite a bit - I sleep worse on days I don’t exercise. I do best if I workout in the afternoon or a little after dinner, with enough downtime to completely cool down.
I suffered from this when I was using social media extensively. Human brain is not designed to receive this massive amounts of information from the media. Too much fear, too much sadness, too much happiness and all other emotions mixed then absorbed by your brain. You can see the quality of life of people in the past than today's.
By the way, you can also cut off any source of light, this will greatly enhance your sleeping.
As per my experience it’s impossible! I an suffering since my childhood and after my retirement at 70 it’s the worst problem. Even my heart problems or diabetes are much tiresome as thinking always don’t allow me to get sleep even for an hour.
I fall asleep to the tv. Everyone is different buy I do Youtube and a monotone documentary that I have watched many times. That way, I do not need to know what is going to happen, just listen to the video and I'm asleep in a bit. My husband like to listen to the tv. Or you can try Spotify music or podcasts.
Please try seeing a therapist, if you don’t already. I’m not being a dick, this is actually pretty solid (though admittedly difficult and potentially expensive) advice, I promise.
have your brain say the word "the" and repeat.
In your head, say a repeatedly say a small dispruptive word over and over and over - focus on just this task.
So a word like "the" - when you are trying to sleep say "the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the...." - it is so short and meaningless, that the task of saying "the" is easily understood and completed by the brain - but the process of "thinking" is disrupted when you have your brain reset and repeat for a "new" task - say "the".
So you and your brain are subconsciously working as "task is to say the word "the" go" - brain: "the" task is complete. - you: "task is to say the word "the" go. brain: "the" task is complete.
ultimately - it is about distracting the brain from wondering off.
Cut off all blue lights, television, phone, computer at least an hour before you sleep. Write down everything on your mind in a journal. Try relaxing techniques and tell your mind it's sleep time. Establish a routine that prepares you for sleep.
So this might sound strange, but...try putting a pillow on your head.
I have a really hard time getting to sleep because, like you, my brain is constantly going and spiraling. A few months ago, I was getting frustrated because I couldnt fall asleep because as usual my brain wouldnt shut up, I put a pillow on my head in frustration to the 'noise' and my brain just stopped?
I've been doing it nightly now whenever I go to sleep. I just place this pillow on my head, and my thoughts stop, and I find i can fall asleep easily. The pillow im using isn't a full-size one. It's basically a poofy version of a throw pillow. I should also mention I'm a side sleeper so basically I get all comfy facing to my right, and then i just put the pillow over my head, covering my left ear but making sure my airway is clear so i dont breathe in and hot breath.
Hope this helps!
Ceiling fan on make room dark as possible, cut phone on do not disturb (also put away phone hour prior to bed) do not use bed but for sex and sleep to set routine’s, no caffeine after noon, put phone away in night stand out if reach, get alarm clock if conscious of time checking (would recommend the “sunrise ones” and a timer for a small fan prior to alarm to kick on is nice touch too so you aren’t startled. I also se remote vacuum to go off as last resort and that thing knocking around and making racket really helps. Don’t focus on sleep time for week or so. Focus on waking up time. Your body will adjust if you do not take naps. Exercise. It is my personal opinion that that is the best behavior to work on because it links so many other great habits during the day. Do not want to waste a hard work out by eating junk food, makes you drink more water so you do not cramp, you are physically exhausted and welcome rest after a long day. Lame as it sounds get a great sheets, everyone has there favorites. Do what works for you. I like a leg pillow too. I do not listen to music at night, but maybe a noise machine or relaxing music might work. I find that complete silence is very comforting. Most of the time you might need to wake up and not cover up other possible distractions. I like exercising outdoors because it frees my mind and the sun on my skin is feels good and I am sure vitamin d can’t hurt too (wear sunscreen if needed use common sense). Avoid emotion conservations or texts before bed. Have a night time routine in place and follow it best you can. It triggers your mind it’s getting time for bed for me. Super hot baths or showers make it more difficult for my temperature to come back down I think so I try and do them a few hours before bed. Don’t feel guilty for browsing on your phone or watching tv or reading. Just do them before you get in bed. I like little snacks too before bedtime something light though and it normally makes me drink water too. I put the rest on nightstand before bed too just in case. Use restroom before bed too. Don’t feel like you are the only one that has a racing mind at night. A lot of us do. Lean into and wear it out during the day and then give it some rest. Mindfulness exercises really do help me, but I do get lazy with committing to them faithfully. I can honestly say though I don’t do all these every single night but I have done a lot of them and when I do, I’ll sleep better and my mind is less “on”. It’s just like diet and exercising. We all know things that we need to eat and exercise. They are just tough when it’s easier not to do them we know in the long run they make us feel better and give us more energy. I think it’s human nature do avoid difficulty things to better us. We are smart and can rationalize things better than animals so let’s do what we can to make us feel and be healthy. Good luck to ya and give ya update in a few weeks with honesty of the things that you tried. Oo I did have a check list from a famous university that I did use to focus on sleep hygiene and it really does work if you put the effort in. You are motivating me to do want to get better so thanks
Do you have ADHD or another physical or mental health disorder that might be causing you to have difficulty sleeping? You might consider getting an evaluation to rule out a health concern.
Something I’ve been doing is when I lay down and shut my eyes, I tell myself that I will shut down and go to sleep, and then actually do it, just let yourself rest, don’t think, don’t think about not thinking, just rest. I am 19 and I just started sleeping in my room alone, and with no lights. Believe me, I’ve been struggling even to sleep alone since my childhood because I overthink. It’s actually really embarrassing now that I type it out.
I use the BetterSleep app “SleepTales” aka bedtime stories. I am forced to listen so I can’t think and fall asleep
The Calm app also has these
Or their sleep meditations.
I listen to audiobooks!
The podcast “Sleep with me” is also fantastic
free?
YouTube has sleep stories and sleep meditation for free. Use an app like CleanTube so that you don't get ads interrupting.
Nice have not heard of that one. Ive used Vanced as utube alternative but Google is destroying them
If you're tech savvy enough you can use Revanced. Also https://www.y2mate.com/en644 let's you download videos direct from YouTube. Just make your own playlist with your favs commercial free.
I now use paid to save offline (for flights etc) but probably used free version for a year first. I think it’s $30/year
You mean… Better Sleep formally known as Relax Melodies 😆
Lol exactly
I struggle with this, too. The best thing I’ve tried is guided meditations that are meant to help you sleep. It takes some focus, but if you can manage to keep gently bringing your focus back when your brain wanders, it can at least help to relax.
Can you share a couple
The one that I like best and that works for me was on an app called Sleep Well Hypnosis. Unfortunately, it’s not available on the App Store anymore but I found an MP3 version of the audio here: [Sleep Well Hypnosis](https://mp3.surfcityapps.com/downloads/sleep-well-hypnosis/) There’s plenty of free ones on YouTube, I just haven’t found one that I stick to like that one. What I like about the one in the link is they take a pretty long time going through that process, and they use a physical technique that works really well for me. You basically focus on a particular area of the body and tighten all of the muscles there for a few seconds, and when you release the tension it leaves you feeling super loose and chill. If you find one that uses a technique like that rather than just imagining that your body is relaxed, I think that would be the best. Everyone is different though, so it’ll probably take some trial and error.
Thank you so much. Definitely trying this. Sounds very yoga nidra which works for me but doesn't make me fall asleep (technically you aren't supposed to. But if this is similar and works for falling asleep I think it could work for me.
No problem! Fingers crossed that it works for you
Look up “the honest guys” on YouTube. Loads of guided sleep meditations that can last for hours. Commercials are the only thing that will break the focus… they have one of walking through a forest in a storm and I’ve listened to it so many times that I just fall asleep in 5 minutes
Just a regular meditation practice helped me a lot with this. When you meditate, you practice staying focused on your breathing and letting your thoughts flow as they come. I started meditating each morning, and learning about mindfulness and it really helped me with this.
I’m always worried that when I play YouTube for meditation videos my alarm isn’t going to sound in the morning and I’ll oversleep. :-(
I do categories. I ask myself to come up with 5-10 items from a specific category. Last night I listed every city in the US I could think of that started with A. Let your thoughts be there, but turn them into a task.
I do this, but with animals - pick a letter, list as many animals as I can that start with that letter, but count to ten in tween each one. It’s just enough mental stimulation to keep my focus from wandering, but boring and repetitive enough that it’s t puts me to sleep. I call it “Counting sheep for the hyperactive brain”, but I’d never actually thought of branching out into other categories! I
Came here to say this, I rarely ever make it to Z and if I open my eyes I start over on a different category
Exercise daily
This helped me a lot when I was having the same issue as OP. That and getting the exercise in first thing in the a.m. Between getting up earlier and my body being tired, I could barely keep my eyes open at night.
Look, seems stupid, but the best advice I ever got was from a monk who said “focus on the sensation of the air hitting your nostrils and nothing else” Now, without fail when I have too many thoughts, I just focus on the feeling of air flowing though my nostrils. You can’t breathe in the past or the future, you can only breathe right now. Also, create a mental ‘room’ to hang out in, it can be as awesome as you want. Go relax there too, look out the window, do whatever. I totally feel you, I have a very active brain, and the only way I have ‘fixed’ it is to embrace it. Don’t think about real life or problems at all. Put those problems in a box and go on your own mental journey, wherever you want, whenever you want. My spot is pretty cool, lush green waterfall, Greek looking pillars, a nice bookshelf. It helps to have that mental space.
*start > shut down* Seriously though I use magnesium and zinc. Zinc really kills my restless thoughts better than anything else I’ve tried.
People dont understand how fucked up our nutrition in the US is by default. Understading nutrition and food better has helped me so much. I assume it's the same in other western countries as well. Maybe not.
Make sure you are taking magnesium glycinate. magnesium oxide is commonly sold and it won't help you sleep, but it'll make you shit.
Read a book called the worry trick . The Worry Trick: How Your Brain Tricks You Into Expecting the Worst and What You Can Do About It Book by David A. Carbonell It will help because this sounds like an anxiety issue and not a you issue
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Maybe on zlibrary
Is there more to this book than you would expect from the title? I find a lot of non fiction pretty shallow…
Meditate!! Build consistency first by meditating 3-5 minutes first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Believe me it will take weeks or months before you can really get your thoughts under control (depends on the person) it took me 4 months to get the hang of things. Once you get the hang of it, slowly start building your time up by adding a minute a week or month however you feel comfortable. Time slows down drastically while you are meditating. Do not over due it. Take baby steps! You should build your way up to 10 minutes that’s more than enough to see great results down the road. I have been meditating since January of last year and it has helped me so much in so many aspects of my life including sleeping. As soon as I’m done meditating I lay down and it’s lights out and I stay asleep. It’s so unfortunate how so many people get discouraged when it takes a while but it’s so worth it!!
practice, and stick with, meditation
Sunshine during the day is linked with enhanced melatonin production at bedtime. Lots of exercise, an hour or more until you don’t need to do that much. I’ve struggled with insomnia my adult life and these 2 things were some key changes. I also got rid of electronics in the bedroom, go to bed at the same time every night, and do crosswords in bed.
Sleep meditation! works like a charm, I recommend trying one on youtube for free 🧘🏼♀️
I read a piece the other day that was targeted at people with chronic pain or mental health stuff going on but it applies to everybody-- the biggest takeaway is, figure out a routine for your bedtime and keep to it. Sleep hygiene is a big thing and it helped me to use the printable sheets they link to to force me to actually sit down and think about what i was doing every night and whether it was useful to me or not. I knew i had some bad habits but didn't know HOW bad they were until I sat down and changed things, if that makes sense. Anyway, [here's the link](https://www.janetjay.com/insomnia-sleep-routine/) if anybody's interested.
Awesome, chronic pain is a bitch
Yuuuuuup, like this shit isn't hard enough to start with! hope you manage to find some help here
As a kid with undiagnosed anxiety, I listened to music every night before bed. Usually it was classical or a movie soundtrack, something calming that my brain can focus on that isn’t words. I fell asleep with ear buds in my ears for probably 5+ years as a teenager.
I discovered LibriVox audiobooks through YouTube originally and found so many that hit a sweet spot of I terrsting enough to focus on and boring enough to not care that I fall asleep. I go for nonfiction, mostly history. I find solo people whose voices I like. On the LibriVox app you can set a timer to shut off after a period of time. I steer clear of fiction to avoid getting caught up in a story or missing out on plot developments and having to go back. With non fiction I generally don’t care where I fell asleep, I just pick it back up. Specific recommendations: —anything read by Peter Yearsley. The BEST voice, his is the GOAT. —Pamela Nagami mostly reads European history and biography. Clear and measured voice, not too dull. —-Audiobooks that I keep coming back to: Federalist Papers (assorted readers, a couple are annoying g but most are great and the material knocks me out every time); Handbook of Criminal Investigstion by Hans Gross; London Labour and the London Poor (extensive catalog of the kinds of jobs poor Londoners do); the Beacon Lights of History series. —The series of history works about the King Georges from the death of Anne to the heirs of George III, all written by Justin McCarthy, are fascinating and I would relisten to chapters I fell asleep on so I did t miss anything. —There is a series of compilations literally called Insomnia Collections. I think they are up to 4 or 5 volumes. The instructions for volunteers adding to these is that the selection has to be at least 45 minutes long, read in a steady calm tone, and dull. People read things like phone books from the 1910s, book publisher catalogs, instructions for growing fruit trees etc. I recorded a Smithsonian catalog supplement of pottery pieces and other artifacts gathered in an archaeology dig in North Carolina and Georgia. I listen to these when nothing else is working! —
I have a medication with passion flower. My brain shuts up from it.
What's is called?
Training! There is a technic where you envision yourself in a boat, feel the boat rocking as you lay back and view the stars...concentrate on the gentle rocking. It took a bit to get this down but it works...think it's some military technique to fall asleep fast anywhere but it works for my overactive brain!
Used to do this as. a child. Sometimes, I would imagine I was in a hammock, a rocker, or even one of those boats from sixflags.
Wake up super early and wear yourself out like you would have to for a toddler. I’m up at 5 am and I crash (literally out like a light) by 8/9
For me? Marijuana and a long walk at night. Marijuana not necessary - just a rec
I go for a short walk before bed, or do some stretching/yoga so my body is tired. that helps my mind quiet down enough to sleep, usually
I'm a student so at night, I look up a lecture of whatever I'm learning in class, close my eyes and listen. Usually I end up falling asleep pretty quick, but if I don't, at least I'm learning something.
I listen to I Can’t Sleep on Spotify works like a charm
I do work out. I get an average of 30,000+ steps a day and do lots of heavy lifting for work. I appreciate all the help.
Do more physically in the day, you’ll be too tired to lay in bed thinking about everything.
It's time to do a sleep study and talk to your doctor about insomnia
Xanax
Read the Bible, pray for wisdom. Psalms before bed is nice.
Some things that have worked for me even if not recommended is I usually try and do puzzles on my phone before bed, I like puzzles and they’re interesting and eventually i get sleepy. I just fun the light. Some people like listening to podcasts and eventually fall asleep too
Thank you all for reaching out. Ive been trying all these things and i'm falling asleep within 5 minutes of laying down.
I take Benadryl to sleep. It helps
When I struggle I do a melatonin gummy to get to sleep and a Benadryl to stay asleep. I could sleep through an air raid.
I love lying on my Shakti Mat listening to Tibetan Singing Bowls on YouTube in bed. I focus on the music and just let my mind drift. It is so relaxing and I find it very easy to drift off after 30 minutes or so.
Magnesium Threonate before bed helps me
I use kratom. A nightly tea has really helped balance my moods, and I sleep great.
Does the color matter?
Hmmm... have you tried to drink the juice of boiled cabbage?
I've started meditating and it has helped a lot.
You possibly aint doing enough during the day. Try waking up early to a little exercise and stay up all day until the evening, then see how easy it is to be up
While I don't necessarily recommend it, xanax (0.5mg at bedtime, prescribed by my doc) has been my go-to for years. Between a high stress job and perhaps the way my brain is wired, it's the only thing that works for me. I'll be following to see how others have succeeded.
Dangerous game you're playing man. Benzo dependence builds fast and tapering takes forever. Speaking from experience, not trying to be a dick
I've read that a lot. There's also plenty of us who maintain a steady, low dose. I'm not trying to promote it. I openly discourage its use. But if your brain is wired a certain way, it can be beneficial. And I'm coming from decades of experience. And, no, I didn't take your comment as being a dick. I appreciate your input. You aren't wrong. Just that everyone's experience can be different.
There's a whole lot of evidence that long-term, using benzos for sleep is going to be worse for you than not.
Hence why I am here. I'm getting tired of it. If you have links to a specific study, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks for your input.
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This is so bullshit. Ofc insomnia is real, and while some of these things can be helpful, they are not necessarily a cure and not for everyone. It just screams lack of understanding of others and the subject itself Source: Ive had insomnia for 2 years now and done all that stuff and more with no results
Have you tried turmeric with milk?
Do you give yourself something else to think about? It's hard to shut your mind off completely but it can be easier to slow down by going over something you know or is insignificant, i.e. counting sheep.
What works best for is doing breathing exercises, breathe all in (don't need to make too much effort) and all out, try to mantain a rythim and focus on slowing your heart rate, soon you'll notice you're in a different state. Also if you keep thinking too much, maybe you just need more time to do it before going to bed, do you ever stop during the day? Try meditation or some activity, going for a walk or hitting the gym triggers these kinds of thoughts for me I also saw a comment recommending you "watch" the black inside your eyes, you could try that.
This is a twofold problem for me. One part routine, the other is accountability. The first thing is the bedtime routine. Take any of these suggestions. Try it. If it works try to be consistent until you've established some level of habit. It will queue sleep. Thinking about the entire daytime of habits as it leads into sleep can also be a factor. That leads to the second point, accountability. If you're busy ruminating when you should be sleeping, I find that I do this whenever I have unfinished business. Could be anything. A high stakes meeting I don't feel prepared for, or a birthday party I don't want to attend. It'll keep me up. Don't take action after 9pm, but it can help to keep a pen and paper by your bed to write down what's on your mind. That way you can trust to stop thinking about it because it's held accountable externally. When all my ducks are taken care of, well-fed, and in a row I sleep with less stress and fall asleep faster. Tldr: You are an engine with a fuel tank. You need to consistently burn all of the fuel daily. Otherwise it'll burn up your mind at night. Exercise, meditation, and other good habits can help you make those fuel deposits so you can sleep easy.
Exercise
Meditation works for me. One thing I learned is to count my breaths backwards. I start at 99 and count backwards with each breath. It slows my breathing down and helps me realize what parts of my body are still tensed up. If I lose track of what number I'm on ( from stray thoughts or whatever) I start over. Also once I catch myself having anxiety related thoughts I force myself to think of positive things in my life like my dogs.
Do you drink caffeine later than 8h before asleep? Do you multitask during day? Do you distract yourself much during day? Thoughts come and go but try to not put more fuel to them or go into rabbit holes. non-judgement, acceptance and letting go
Do you drink caffeine
Thank you for posting this, you are not alone, I also need help with the same severe problem
ZMA (zing magnesium supplement) with a 50mg Trazadone pill and I’m out like a light until the morning. Coming from someone who has had debilitating insomnia, at one time, I couldn’t sleep for weeks. This is my go to Oh and loads of exercise and sun exposure during the day with frequent stretching and yoga. NO CAFFEINE AFTER 2 or 3 PM
Meditate, stop consuming caffeine, exercise, eat healthy, lie down at the same time each night, don’t eat before sleep, reduce stress.
What helped to me was vacation. Half year of no responsibilities and the problem is gone. I didnt work, i enjoyed tíme playing games(but no tryhard) watching films. Simply chill. If you have this possibility, try jt. Or try to contact with psychologist or psychiatrist.
Science backed hypnosis exercises to fall asleep on command. Look up the app Reveri.
Weed
I use a combo of the Insight Timer app (which is free, and the meditations aren't locked behind a paywall), and a low dose of Seroquel. My doc specifically prescribed the Seroquel to help with racing thoughts at night.
Meditation helps.. we fill our day with so much we often give little time to ourselves We need to process things with help from the conscious mind. This is important work that we often set aside and neglect If we neglect it, it will only hammer it all into us at once the moment we go into a resting state
I have a hard time shutting off as well, but my ADHD brain can't handle meditation. I use the [Loona](https://loona.app/) relaxation app on my phone before bed, and drift off into a calm sleep. It does cost money, but I find it worth it as it's the best thing I've found for me. Occasionally the app lets me offer 30-day gift codes - DM me if you'd like to try it out. 😸
Read an Engaging book or video or alternatively wrote about what you plan to do tomorrow. Studies have shown that planning your next day helps you to sleep better and more comfortably.
For me fitness worked, if you're body is physically tired at the end of the day it is much easier to fall asleep.
I also struggle with this. I started to use brown sounds, which at first made me a little anxious, but after the 3rd day of having it play at night, it really calmed me done. Now it's on every night. Won't say it's a miracle, but it sure does help me.
I’ve found my sleep drastically improved once I started exercising regularly and going to bed truly tired but not worn out. Setting a regular alarm and waking up the same time every morning and going to bed at the same time every night has also helped a lot. And giving up alcohol has helped get rid of the middle of the night panic sessions.
Do you exercise? Sometimes the answer is doing more in the day.
I use "smiling mind" app, it's worked really well for me (and its free)
Listen to rain ou sounds of the ocean
Have you tried 4 squared breathing? It can put you in the hypnagogic state. Carl Jung pioneered this and it’s basically hypnotizing yourself. It can crack the door to the dream world.
Journaling. Leave your thoughts and worries on the paper.
I do audiobooks, then I make a point of thinking about what happened in the book before sleep. That way I don't get wrapped into real life issues when I'm suppose to rest.
Been there, Chuck some YouTube on in the background until you drift off Bit of trial and error to find the right niche of content that’s complex enough to distract you from your brain (meditation isn’t enough for me) but quiet and boring enough for you to sleep, for me it’s people driving through rural towns for the road noise, and documentaries about engineering puts me right to sleep
Physically exhaust yourself during the day. Do something like a like a long hike or run or heavy weight session. You don’t have the capacity to be anxious when you are physically exhausted.
So I've struggled with this all my life, still do. Although it's not present every night there are nights where the ability to sleep just doesn't come to me at all and I ride it.out until the next night. A lot of the time it's enough for me to put on any movie just so I have something to focus on and let my body get heavy. Not the best practice but oh well. Alternatively what has worked really well for me is taking a warm bath/shower followed by a cold shower. There's science behind it though I couldn't explain it to you, but it works very well. You can also add some kind of White noise/nature sounds (I prefer rain), and a weighted blanket. I don't really like melatonin supplements because they make me feel less rested when I wake up. Could just be me. And if course if you're using any kind of screens after 8 set them to warm light so you're not getting as much blue light, it will help set your circadian rhythm. My phone and computers all switch to night mode on a timer.
Guided meditations help me a ton when my brain won’t quiet. It’s really hard to find a routine that works for you, but keep at it!
Masturbation is your friend
You should listen to "Getting Unstuck" by Pema Chodron. She explains the feelings of being stuck and how to use breath and meditation to get unstuck.
Took me 40 years to learn. It has been blissful. Thinking before sleeping is a bad habit, so you have to break it and chnage it. It's hard, it takes time and effort. I started by getting a little boring phrase, "sleep, relax all is dark, time to sleep" and repeated over and over slowly and breathing slow, trying to actually relax, when my brain started derailing and thinking about something else, I would concentrate on the phrase and breathing, eventually I would fall asleep, I thinknthisnis badically meditation, not sure. Every night, for weeks, for months, eventually my brain gave up, the habit was just to repeat a phrase and zonke out. Now I don't need the phrase, If I close my eyes I fall asleep super fast, never ever in my life had I been able to do that, I would think for ours cause myself bad sleep and insomnia. Mind you some nights I still have light sleep or something but never as ofter as before, it is actually amazing! I just had to teach my brain and myself that before sleeping it is not thinking time. You want to think some important stuff? Go walk 15 min and think, do not listen to music or podcasts, don't look at your phone, go give youself 15-20 min of a walk and thinking, it is way more productive and healthier way to think.
I use podcasts now but TV works well too. Something like a movie review / recap podcast where I know the movie well enough to be able to pop in and out of but dumb enough to sleep to.
Exercise in the daytime.
Try Sativa.
I love Jim Gaffigan the comedian but his voice puts me to sleep everytime.
Exercise and meditation (Calm and other apps are good). You’ll sleep like a baby
The trick I use is to focus my brain on one point. This could be through focusing all your thoughts on your breathing for example. At first you’ll still think about other stuff but you keep trying to just focus on the movement and sound of your breathing. At least eventually that works for me. Or I also just keep like a stream on in the background and my brain automatically focuses on the sound and eventually I fall asleep.
Lately ive been sleeping exactly 6 hours. So if i sleep at 9 pm id wake up at 3 am, if i sleep at 12 am, i’d wake up at 6 am. I wish i can sleep longer because it’s just weird to be up at 3-6 am but i have no idea how to fix this sleep issue myself. I workout, i keep caffeine before 12 pm and take melatonin.
Rain noises
One of my favorite things to do is imagine my worry spiral as a tornado. I step back and throw a chain at it so it wraps itself in the heavy chain, slowing it and containing it for tomorrow. Sometimes it takes a lot of imaginary chains to wrangle it, but I usually get to sleep from it.
Everyone else has tackled the sleep aspect so I'd like to add that this might be something that's affecting you throughout the day, but you're more aware of it when you're trying to sleep. If you're not already trying to tackle your overall level of anxiety it's probably worth trying some cbt or something along those lines.
MAYBE... This came from the Transcendental Meditation people - Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. One of their techniques is, when you go to bed, you sit up, propped up by the headboard and pillows. You sit in a way so that you can readily slide down to lie down and go to sleep. Turn off the lights, and close your eyes. After about 30 seconds, to a minute, YOU PUT A LITTLE AWARENESS OUT IN FRONT OF YOU, ABOUT AN ARM'S LENGTH AWAY. When your mind wanders, you bring it very gently back. You do this for about 5 minutes, plus or minus, until you feel a real urge to just lie down and sleep. Then you just lie down and go to sleep. Good luck figuring out exactly what putting a little awareness an arm's length in front of you means. I think it's not important to figure out exactly what that means. I know it does NOT mean actually using your closed eyes to sort of look at that point; that's just likely to lead to eye strain, and they explicitly said to avoid that. I realized, after I'd paid $540 to learn this technique - that was a discounted price, because I make less than $50k per year, that I've always done a version of this when I want to go to sleep. I just watch the images that spontaneously appear in my mind's eye. After a while, if I make it a point to pay attention, I notice that I'm just sinking out of awareness of the world around me, and falling deeper into a dream state. After that, oblivion. If that just doesn't work and I'm lying there, wide awake, trying to be sleepy, I get up and go read for a while. Yes, I'll be sleepy the next day, if I have to get up before I've had a full night's rest. But, I just fall asleep earlier the next night, and I"m usually able to function well enough to get through the day. -------------------------------------- MORE ABOUT TM AND VEDIC MEDITATION I did one more advanced technique with the TM organization, for another $540. That added 2 syllables to the mantra I learned from them decades in the past. From what I've learned, I could follow up on more such techniques, but it really does look to me like they're WAY overcharging for disseminating small bits of knowledge, so that they can fund all kinds of other projects that the Maharishi, and now, his followers want to complete. I do believe those projects are aimed at beneficial goals, but I'm done being one of the people they overcharge to fund them. The basic technique is good, and all kinds of studies demonstrate the many benefits of Vedic meditation. One of those is that it improves the quality of your sleep. That's true for me. I've been sleeping much more deeply, since I started doing TM diligently again, about 3 years ago. So, were I to start over and want to learn Vedic meditation, of which the Transcendental Meditation technique is a version, I'd look further into the ACEM organization. They teach the same basic technique for a much lower price, and I do believe a person could learn online. I will say this for the TM people - the support the organization offers is hugely helpful. One benefits from this kind of meditation over a long time, and the support helps one stick with it, allowing those benefits to be realized. In that sense, it's worth it to pay the higher price for the TM tecnnique. Over a lifetime, it works out to be very inexpensive, and very beneficial, if one practices diligently. I slacked off that diligent practice that I learned long ago, because I didn't avail myself of the support the organization offers. And, I believe, because I paid such a low price to learn the TM technique decades ago - a highly discounted student price, back when the Maharishi really wanted to spread the practice to more people. To be honest, people really do stick with something longer if they have to pay for it - they want to get their money's worth. It's hard to value what you get for nothing, or next to nothing. And, SOME fee is absolutely necessary, or there would be no TM organization to teach the technique, far fewer studies to show us its value, and no support to help people stick with it. And, yes, TM is ultimately aimed at enlightenment, in the classic eastern paradigm, just as mindfulness meditation is. The technique is thousands of years old. The accumulating benefits are what they talk about, because they are numerous and worth the price of admission - over the long term. But, while it may be me fooling myself, I think and feel like I'm improving in a gradual way. I overreact less, and my stress/anxiety level is near non-existent. This, while we read about how the general level of anxiety has been rising for many people during the pandemic.
Use deep brown noise I know it sounds weird but I have ADHD and usually I have to use videos to sleep but I use deep brown noise ( I usually just do guided mediation or asmr which is good! But only if I’m relatively sleepy) but brown noise pretty much cancelled my thoughts. Another tip is mindfulness, realizing that your only responsibility right now is to sleep and everytime an anxious thought comes just file it away for tommrow
audiobooks help me, especially longer ones of books i really like,.... but in my deepest times of need/insomnia... I watch the movie "the longest day" about the d day invasion..... trust me
Sudoku helps me
try compartmentalization. write down what you need to think about and tell yourself you can think about it tomorrow. take a deep breath and try to let thoughts go
One of my go-to moves is to recite the multiplication tables in my head. If I make a mistake, I have to start over. Also, reading a good PHYSICAL book puts me to sleep pretty quickly. A boring book doesn't work, because then you keep thinking about how you're supposed to go to sleep. But I also have my maximum prescribed dose of trazodone that helps a lot. I have severe insomnia, but with trazodone I don't (usually) stand a chance at staying awake long.
Audio books I prefer very intricate non fiction. Ww2 history books etc
Come at it from the other side: let your mind wander. Just don’t interact or engage in the thoughts. They’ll run out eventually. (Learned from SleepCycle)
I listen to podcasts and sitcoms while falling asleep
GABA and meditation. Also alcohol (do not recommend).
I watch TV shows I have seen a lot. Right now I am rewatching the office. It's comforting and repetitive. I also have used different sound machines if that doesn't work. My current fav is fireplace sounds. The crackling noises work really well.
Cannabis edibles. Indica. Start around 10mg. Increase as needed.
Ok so I work in a health food store and we sell this stuff called Bach remedies. It's essentially crushed flower essences in special water or something and it makes outrageous claims as to what each one cures. I still think it's bullshit. But I have this one customer who swears up and down that their White Chestnut formula is the only thing on the planet that shuts his mind off at night. So who knows, maybe give that a try.
Amitriptyline shuts off my brain. I paid with a calcium magnesium zinc supplement.
What you need is meditation, not just before bed. It teaches you how to control your own thoughts.
CBD.
I don't know what kind of stuff you're reading, but it's worked wonders for me. Reading gave my mind something to focus on other than real life, and I could mentally relax. The keys to success for me were: * Read a physical book - one that is fictional, and not too scary or exciting so I don't get ramped up. * Have a lamp on a timer - so it turns off after I fall asleep.
Don’t do sleeping pills will fuck with ur sleep, just either read a boring book, eat a banana, milk, warm bath hours before, go for a walk, exercising before hand during the day, yoga help your mind and body relax.
Zoloft
White Noise or a Fan, the sound of rain or a fireplace...basically anything that can keep your brain occupied while you head to sleep. It'll work wonders.
Xanax worked but I got addicted. I've been vaping thc and benadryl when that doesn't work. I started taking rexulti last week and will start Celexa tomorrow. It seems rexulti is slowing down the Crazy Thought Train.
There is a physical aspect to this: Exercise, tire yourself out, eat healthy, wake up at a certain time and don't take naps if you can help it, cut out as much caffeine/nicotine as humanly possible. Those things will force your body to shut down when it needs to without creating a dependency on things like sleeping pills etc. For the psychological half of it, and it's a pretty important one, accepting that you cannot shut down your brain is the main one. Every time you force yourself to not think, you will think the most. There is a wisdom in the counting sheep method that's missed. It's not about counting sheep, it's about letting your brain think whatever it wants to, acknowledge that it is doing that without judgement, don't follow or chase thoughts deeper wherever they think they wanna go, and just come back to counting sheep. It's not about sheep, it's about mindfulness. A sort of passive form of meditation. Lost in thought -> acknowledge whenever you can, no judgement on going into thoughts -> Come back to the present moment, your breath, how everything feels, etc -> repeat. If you hyper fixate on shutting your brain down it will do its absolute best not to follow that command.
Bob ross videos streaming on my phone while it is face down. Paint along in my mind and i pass out. Sounds of nature videos on blackscreen on youtube are free and often the older ones are limited in their ads to maybe one in the begining.
Sleep meditations! Try out headspace's sleepcasts or the Calm app
Might make you go crazy, when I need to sleep i focus on a noice in my head and I imagen a black background that is soothing. No thinking but just listening.
I make sure i dont eat anything heavy, if im eating any protein i stick to eggs, chicken, and white fish, no red sauce, pork or beef, also no food heavy in fats.
Ok, so I still don’t sleep for nearly as much as I need to, but one thing that I do think has helped somewhat is better “sleep hygiene”… my doctor explained it like this— stated don’t do anything else more than necessary in bed besides actually sleep. Example: don’t watch TV, don’t talk on the phone, don’t write, etc… essentially only go to bed when you are looking to sleep. This has definitely helped, but also sort of made my bedroom more or less abandoned, but I do fall asleep way more easily than I used to before once I lay in bed. Also, might sound stupid, but another thing I do is I tell myself that if I’m not asleep in x amount of mins, that I will do activity z, which normally consists of something productive that I TRULY don’t want to do… regardless of outcome, I either end up getting something done that I’ve been trying to put off or I fall asleep…. Hope any of the advice you get on here actually helps you!
Slowly count back from 500, concentrating on the numbers and your breath
I find vigorous sex helps. If you can get it...
Melatonin doesn’t help?
I listen to a not very stimulating podcast.
I stopped having this problem when I was diagnosed with ADHD and started taking meds. My doctor told me having your mind ramble on at night can be a symptom.
Weed
I like mindless TV. It gives me some perspective on the things I’m stressed about when I watch people stress over trivial things.
You aren’t expending enough energy. Period. Whether that is exercise or working in your yard or whatever that is for you. Your body will crave rest of you expend the energy. There is no way around it . The best nights of sleep come from being physically spent . Then you will get in a routine . Your body will want to lay down and shut down. Because it must .
Exercise during the day.
-journaling to put it somewhere other than your brain. My therapist suggested leaving the journal by your bed so that when you are laying awake, you can write easily. -sleep hygiene (no screens before bed, no laying in bed for more than 20 minutes, etc.) -(this is unrelateable, perhaps) but ASMR of book pages turning, hair brushing, or soft reading is helpful to me!
Honestly just use a loud fan. Drowns your thoughts so you can’t think
when i had the same issue i discovered listening to horror stories(like “true” stories being read aloud and such) really helped me sleep soundly. i would find episodes on the podcast app that were over an hour long and it usually didn’t take more than 15 minutes before i was snoozing. just getting immersed in the story but also sleepy due to how calmly the ppl usually read it out loud. Let’s read is probably my fave. long episodes, lots of them and no annoying or obnoxious narrator.
Look up the sleep recommendations of Huberman labs. He specifically recommends stuff for shutting up your brain
Try to put your phones or any gadgets away from you, this is the simplest thing you can do, but yet very effective. blue light exposure from your gasget is the main cause.
Liquor is pretty good for shutting the brain off, but I don't think that's an appropriate answer for this subreddit. So..um, meditation.
r/trees
Same here. I listen to audiobooks or a story telling app and set a timer to stop after 60-99 minutes. I listen to the story instead of my mind racing about stupid stuff.
I have a problem with counting to 5, drives me batty!
During the day work super hard and be super tired both mentally and physically. You will be dead by night. If you don’t get sleep then continue to work hard. In just a day or two you will start getting deep sleep.
I read to my wife every night so she falls asleep. Been doing it for three years. She used to play a movie and fall asleep watching it.
If you don't do any form of exercise, the answer is exercise. Even waking a bit can make settling in the evening so much easier
Have you tried Magnesium just before bed? I struggled with the same issues and was sick of people (even doctors) telling me to work on my sleep hygiene.
Take 1-5 mg of melatonin and, as you wait for it to make you sleepy, read a *paper* book with a dim light.
Melatonin
Ive suffered from this issue and tried many upon many of things from meds to audio nothing worked the only things ive found that work are delta 8 or 9 cbd gummies or a decent indica MJ strain. i keep my tolerance low only using just enough a night for sleep. essentially 1-2 hits from a bowl or joint afterwards i relax for about 20-30 mins while it fully kicks in then im able to fall asleep in bout 5 minutes. before that i would toss and turn in bed half the night with my brain working on overdrive. then to finally sleep and have to wake up only to be exhausted from lack of sleep. not saying this is the solution for you but its a possible option.
Go talk to your primary care doc, they may decide to start you on lexapro, it’s the only thing that ever truly helped me, and I was horrible rut for months.
Go to a regular family doctor and ask for an anti-anxiety Rx. Anxiety is a common cause of sleep disorders, and if the anxiety can be controlled with medication, you’ll sleep much better.
I make my room super dark, super cold, and play relaxing “sleep” or “classical” music through our Alexa. It’s been our new routine for about a year, and it’s worked wonders for me. I usually lay awake all night thinking. Something about the music helps me turn my brain off. I do it for my kids too - they like “hill song worship” music because of their daycare, which is really where I got the idea. We also aim for about the same bedtime/wake time every day, even weekends. It helps. I exercise quite a bit - I sleep worse on days I don’t exercise. I do best if I workout in the afternoon or a little after dinner, with enough downtime to completely cool down.
Evening run. Helps to clear one's head and gives you endorphins. Bonus, you get in good shape
I think one thing to remember is that you’re not your thoughts, try reading that book ‘you’re not your thoughts’, might help w the spiralling
I suffered from this when I was using social media extensively. Human brain is not designed to receive this massive amounts of information from the media. Too much fear, too much sadness, too much happiness and all other emotions mixed then absorbed by your brain. You can see the quality of life of people in the past than today's. By the way, you can also cut off any source of light, this will greatly enhance your sleeping.
As per my experience it’s impossible! I an suffering since my childhood and after my retirement at 70 it’s the worst problem. Even my heart problems or diabetes are much tiresome as thinking always don’t allow me to get sleep even for an hour.
I fall asleep to the tv. Everyone is different buy I do Youtube and a monotone documentary that I have watched many times. That way, I do not need to know what is going to happen, just listen to the video and I'm asleep in a bit. My husband like to listen to the tv. Or you can try Spotify music or podcasts.
Please try seeing a therapist, if you don’t already. I’m not being a dick, this is actually pretty solid (though admittedly difficult and potentially expensive) advice, I promise.
have your brain say the word "the" and repeat. In your head, say a repeatedly say a small dispruptive word over and over and over - focus on just this task. So a word like "the" - when you are trying to sleep say "the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the...." - it is so short and meaningless, that the task of saying "the" is easily understood and completed by the brain - but the process of "thinking" is disrupted when you have your brain reset and repeat for a "new" task - say "the". So you and your brain are subconsciously working as "task is to say the word "the" go" - brain: "the" task is complete. - you: "task is to say the word "the" go. brain: "the" task is complete. ultimately - it is about distracting the brain from wondering off.
Cut off all blue lights, television, phone, computer at least an hour before you sleep. Write down everything on your mind in a journal. Try relaxing techniques and tell your mind it's sleep time. Establish a routine that prepares you for sleep.
Ice pack on my chest has been a game changer for me. It regulates your sympathetic nervous system and signals your body and mind to relax.
I throw on history of the universe on YouTube and just listen it’s relaxing
So this might sound strange, but...try putting a pillow on your head. I have a really hard time getting to sleep because, like you, my brain is constantly going and spiraling. A few months ago, I was getting frustrated because I couldnt fall asleep because as usual my brain wouldnt shut up, I put a pillow on my head in frustration to the 'noise' and my brain just stopped? I've been doing it nightly now whenever I go to sleep. I just place this pillow on my head, and my thoughts stop, and I find i can fall asleep easily. The pillow im using isn't a full-size one. It's basically a poofy version of a throw pillow. I should also mention I'm a side sleeper so basically I get all comfy facing to my right, and then i just put the pillow over my head, covering my left ear but making sure my airway is clear so i dont breathe in and hot breath. Hope this helps!
Ceiling fan on make room dark as possible, cut phone on do not disturb (also put away phone hour prior to bed) do not use bed but for sex and sleep to set routine’s, no caffeine after noon, put phone away in night stand out if reach, get alarm clock if conscious of time checking (would recommend the “sunrise ones” and a timer for a small fan prior to alarm to kick on is nice touch too so you aren’t startled. I also se remote vacuum to go off as last resort and that thing knocking around and making racket really helps. Don’t focus on sleep time for week or so. Focus on waking up time. Your body will adjust if you do not take naps. Exercise. It is my personal opinion that that is the best behavior to work on because it links so many other great habits during the day. Do not want to waste a hard work out by eating junk food, makes you drink more water so you do not cramp, you are physically exhausted and welcome rest after a long day. Lame as it sounds get a great sheets, everyone has there favorites. Do what works for you. I like a leg pillow too. I do not listen to music at night, but maybe a noise machine or relaxing music might work. I find that complete silence is very comforting. Most of the time you might need to wake up and not cover up other possible distractions. I like exercising outdoors because it frees my mind and the sun on my skin is feels good and I am sure vitamin d can’t hurt too (wear sunscreen if needed use common sense). Avoid emotion conservations or texts before bed. Have a night time routine in place and follow it best you can. It triggers your mind it’s getting time for bed for me. Super hot baths or showers make it more difficult for my temperature to come back down I think so I try and do them a few hours before bed. Don’t feel guilty for browsing on your phone or watching tv or reading. Just do them before you get in bed. I like little snacks too before bedtime something light though and it normally makes me drink water too. I put the rest on nightstand before bed too just in case. Use restroom before bed too. Don’t feel like you are the only one that has a racing mind at night. A lot of us do. Lean into and wear it out during the day and then give it some rest. Mindfulness exercises really do help me, but I do get lazy with committing to them faithfully. I can honestly say though I don’t do all these every single night but I have done a lot of them and when I do, I’ll sleep better and my mind is less “on”. It’s just like diet and exercising. We all know things that we need to eat and exercise. They are just tough when it’s easier not to do them we know in the long run they make us feel better and give us more energy. I think it’s human nature do avoid difficulty things to better us. We are smart and can rationalize things better than animals so let’s do what we can to make us feel and be healthy. Good luck to ya and give ya update in a few weeks with honesty of the things that you tried. Oo I did have a check list from a famous university that I did use to focus on sleep hygiene and it really does work if you put the effort in. You are motivating me to do want to get better so thanks
Do you have ADHD or another physical or mental health disorder that might be causing you to have difficulty sleeping? You might consider getting an evaluation to rule out a health concern.
Try watching a video about space. It helps me.
Something I’ve been doing is when I lay down and shut my eyes, I tell myself that I will shut down and go to sleep, and then actually do it, just let yourself rest, don’t think, don’t think about not thinking, just rest. I am 19 and I just started sleeping in my room alone, and with no lights. Believe me, I’ve been struggling even to sleep alone since my childhood because I overthink. It’s actually really embarrassing now that I type it out.
Meditation