I have trouble falling sleep. I think about it too much while I am about to sleep. How do I stop the thoughts?
Question:
When I am lying in bed, I begin to have thoughts about sleep. My mind seems to be unable to comprehend the transition from night to day. It seems unable to believe that by closing my eyes for a few minutes I can travel eight hours into the future. Even now I am questioning it. I feel that it is impossible to sleep. I question dreams and what they mean. I feel that, if I do fall asleep, I may never wake up.
These thoughts attack my mind every night. I lie in bed questioning sleep, something happens, and I wake up the next morning with no recollection of how I fell asleep.
Please help my mind. I do not want to go through eighty years of loathing sleep.
Answers:
I, as well ocassionally struggle with sleep. The more and more I think about it though, the less likely sleep comes to me. What I have found works for me is opposite of what every single person has told me. People tell me not to drink caffeine, but I drink Diet Pepsi so reguarly that it is a comfort for me, not something that keeps me away or stimulates me for awakeness in anyway. Secondly, people always tell me to shut everything off; shut the lights off, shut the tv off, etc. Well, honestly that just makes it worse. If I want the light on, I keep it on. If I want the tv on, I keep it on.
I find that at night, if it is particuarly hard to sleep, I write. I get up and out of bed, I come over to my computer, turn it on, and write about whatever is bothering me in a private journal. When I am to the point (after sometimes an hour or so) of almost drifting off right at my computer, I turn my computer off (or put it on standby), turn my tv on a favorite show on a low volume level, set the sleep timer and let nature takes its course.
Another thing that I do when I am writing is I listen to music like Enya, or something very calming, now what I listen to in the morning or at any other time of the day (cause I would fall asleep if I did).
Sparing all else, when I can't sleep, I take a hot shower. I do everything I would normally do in taking that shower, but I spend a few extra minutes with the water on my back. When I towel off, I don't dry my hair, but I get into pj's, make sure my room is not too too cold (but cold enough), slip under the covers, turn the tv on a lower volume on a favorite tv show, set the timer and for me anyway, it works.
Sometimes, whe I question what will happen when I sleep, I don't sleep. When I think about sleep no matter how tired I am, I can't sleep. I remember most all of my dreams and some of them are okay, the rest could be a horror movie so I know what you mean. The next night after having a very bad dream, I tend to not want to go to sleep either. I write down what is the worst that can happen to me and know that that is it.
I don't know when I wake up in the morning when I would have drifted off either and I think I have just gotten used to that.
Try for yourself, what makes you feel comfortable. Does it include a favorite drink (water, orange juice, etc), maybe a favorite book, or a blanket. When I feel the most scared (for whatever reason), I pile a lot of noisy things against my bedroom door so that I know if someone gets in. Maybe that would help you.
During the waking hours that you have, think about what makes you okay and try that at night. Try several things... again for me, my bedroom furniture can't stay in the same place for more than a month before I have to move it. I don't know why, I just do. Maybe that would help you.
Sleep can be a tricky thing. Keep trying things that make you feel okay and keep trying.
Last suggestion would be that if you try everything on here that works for you and none of it works, go to a dr. Maybe he/she can prescribe something that will help you fall asleep okay.
Good luck.
Say your prayers...!
Try breathing deeply, focusing on your breathing. that should keep your mind off other things. And keep your eyes closed too! You should fall asleep in a few minutes if you focus on your breathing. Good luck!
I have found success after a lifetime of trouble falling asleep by reading. I've always read before I go to sleep, but now I read until I fall asleep. I use a little flashlight to light the book and read on my side with the book right up by my face (the flashlight is on my pillow above my head.
The reason this helps is that I can fall asleep with the flashlight on and the book in my face and I don't disturb myself by turning off a light a putting a book away.
I'm at the point now where I can turn the flashlight off and put it and the book under my pillow without waking myself up.
I choose cozy mysteries and detective fiction. Very light stuff but things that my mind can get caught up in so I'm in the characters' lives and not my own.
The other thing I do, which sounds ridiculous but it works, is I have a small piece of a favorite candy (3Musketeers). For some reason (the ritual of it), after I eat that candy, I fall asleep. I know, bad for the teeth, but excellent for my mental health!
OH! I also bought one of those white noise machines which is amazing. You can focus on the sound and the next thing you know, you're groggy and falling asleep. This only works if you concentrate totally on the white noise sound. My is by Homemedics and cost $20.
You should get a comfortable luxurious Tempur-Pedic mattress. In addition to that, get a radio alarm clock, and sleep to the radio. In New York City, 96.3 FM is a radio station that continously plays classical music. It helps me sleep
See insomnia, at http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris... on page 3, and practise one of the relaxation techniques on page 2 in bed, after lights out.
I think you need to set aside some time each night (maybe an hour) before bed to just unwind. Lay in bed and watch tv or read a book or a magazine. This will distract your mind while forcing your body to relax and get sleepy. Sip some hot tea too. It also helps if you go to bed at the same time each night, it will help to train your body when to get tired. If these things don't work then maybe you should try the route of taking some medication. When I was having sleeping problems, a doctor told me to take benadryl about an hour before I went to bed. It used to knock me out, but I would still feel ok in the morning.
The part where you said "if I do fall asleep, I may never wake up" concerns me. Usually when people can't sleep there are other issues behind it. Maybe you should see a Psychiatrist who can guide you with medication and other relaxation techniques.
Ever thought of getting like some type of "calming" music to play when your sleeping. Sometimes I use this little waterfall/fountain that i bought from bed bath and beyond...the sound of water--the ocean really calms me down and helps me to sleep after a long day.
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/stylepag...
A counselor once gave me a relaxation tape that counted slowly and told me to relax each part of my body starting with my toes. I don't think I ever got to 10. It really knocked me out.
Also, what I do now, is count (sorta like counting sheep, I guess). I tell myself, if I get to 20 then I will get up and do something. Sometimes, I just have too much on my mind and to do and want to get it done, so I get up and do it. Other times, I just fall asleep before I get to 20. I have a hard time shutting my brain off, if I have too much to do.
I've also have had prescribed sleep meds, there are some that will help you fall asleep but not knock you out so bad that you can't wake up or have a hang over feeling the next day.
So talk to your doctor or counselor if you still have trouble.
http://www.personalitypage.com/intj.html...
This is my personality type. I can have the same over anaylitical style that you do.
Research your Personality Type by taking some online tests and it will answer all your questions about who you have become.
If you come back and post a question regarding the type you have tested as then people can help you understand yourself better that way as well.
Source(s):
I am an INTJ. That means (I) intreverted (N)intuitive (T)thinking (J)judging type personality.
Opposite would be ESFP they would be loud, goof around, percieve instead of pass judgement on what they sense.
I NEED my CD player ON, or I can't sleep. I guess it gives my mind something to focus on instaid of the WORLD.
Though, you seem like you have axiety problems too. Talk to SOMEONE(not nessarly a counceler, but someone)...but NOT me, I have the same problem to a lesser extent.
You can control your own dreams, they do not have to be unpleasant.
I have used this and it is fantastic
http://www.lucid-dreaming-kit.com/?afl=2...
Good luck and Happy Dreams
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