Sleep Please

[Jennifer]

I'm coming up on a big move and a major life change in a few weeks. It is screwing with my sleep patterns. I wake up in the middle of the night and my brain starts running through what ifs. It is taking longer and longer to fall back to sleep. Last night it took four hours. I am an eight to ten hours a night of sleep kind of girl. If any rebel out there has any advice on how to get some sleep without extra chemicals please let me know.

[IfItPlugsIn]

Melatonin - take one or two tablets before bed.

Unisom is safe during pregnancy (just saying this because it is a chemical, but shouldn't be too bad for you if it's ok for mom/baby) and non-habit forming, so you could go that route.

Turn on your mp3 player when you go to bed. I personally can't do this, because I get lyrics stuck in my head and start singing songs instead of thinking, but it was a suggestion from my doctor.

[Rivanariko]

If you wake up in the middle of the night and you're actually awake, get up. Do something mundane that occupies your mind (like reading the DMV manual or something equally coma-inducing). Don't watch tv, get on the computer, or play video games. You want something quiet and relaxing, and even if it's a relaxing movie, the digital screen is stimulating to your senses. I'm not sure how e-books factor into that though, you'd have to go off of personal experience. For some people a cup of warm milk or decaf tea can help.

If you're worrying about "what ifs" and they're spinning around in your head over and over, sometimes journaling can be helpful simply because you're getting them OUT of your head and onto something else. Tell yourself that you're writing them down so that you can deal with them in the morning. Sometimes this works for me, sometimes it doesn't.

If you're the kind of person who can sleep with music on, find some relaxing, quiet music to try playing. Sometimes I like classical music with ocean sounds in the background. I never sleep with my normal music on, personally, because I find it very distracting. Everyone is different though.

Make sure your bedroom is DARK. Get some blackout curtains if you have to. Or a sleep mask if you can stand them (I take them off while I'm sleeping).

These are a few things I've tried with varying levels of success. I have major sleep issues, but if I focus on really doing the things I need to at bedtime, I can usually train myself to start falling asleep again.

[Mnemneth]

I have a few self-hypnosis CD's (from seminars I've attended) that I have on my iPod that I listen to at night when I know I'm not quite sleepy enough yet. They're so relaxing that I have never actually heard the end of the track. I fall asleep during the relaxation process before they even start giving suggestions. If you can't get a hold of anything like that, just try it yourself. Focus on your breathing, in through the nose, out through the mouth. Imagine all the stress and high energy leaving your body very slowly, from the top of your head all the way down to your toes. I usually get to about my waist, then don't remember anything after that. Hope you can find something that works for you!

[tigersheart]

Two things have helped me when I have that, and I have that a lot to be honest.

1. A magnesium supplement before I go to bed has helped me sleep deeper lately.

2. Get some meditative music that you like and put it on when you wake up and can't get back to sleep. Try just letting your mind relax and let go of the thoughts that bubble up instead of dwelling on them. Save the dwelling for the daytime if they absolutely have to be focused on.

[VorJoshigan]

I second the melatonin suggestion. Start with the 1mg, but don't be afraid of the 3mgs if you need to go there.

I also second the focus on breathing. What I do is 1) count my breaths 1-in 2-out and 2) Put 100% of my focus on the sensation of my body breathing in and out. I think of it as an opportunity to listen to my body - don't try to analyze anything, just feel.

[WarriorAmy]

I'm a big fan of having something to write on beside my bed. Sometimes when I'm awake at 2am all kinds of crazy thoughts pop into my head and then I lie awake for even longer worrying that I'm going to forget all these great 2am revalations. Now I wake up, scribble down the thought I've had, and then can go back to sleep easily.

On a more random note, sometimes when I'm having trouble falling back asleep I flip upside down and sleep with my head at the foot of the bed. I don't know why it works, but it does.

[Jennifer]

Thanks so much guys. I bought a bottle of 3mg melatonin today. I will cut one in half and see how that works tonight. I'm going to try to journal everything I'm worrying about before bed too and keep the journal next to me all night. Maybe I can let my brain know that I can worry about all of that crap in the morning and night time is sleep time.