How do you help yourself sleep?

When you are upset and have a lot on your mind, how do you help yourself to go to sleep?

Because I can't sleep more then four hours and then I go to school and do everything else that I have to do and I drink a lot of coffee to keep me going.

Hey Emmie, I am so sorry to hear you've been struggling with sleep lately. The biggest thing that might be contributing to this is how much coffee you drink and when you stop drinking it. You should not drink coffee after 2pm, no matter what you might have after that point. Caffeine can stay in our system for a while, so by the time we're supposed to sleep, we're unable to because we still have remnants of caffeine in our bloodstream.

I would first suggest finding other ways to keep yourself awake. Are you eating enough food? Are you taking in the right kind of nutrients? Adjusting your diet even just a bit can certainly help with your metabolism. Also, try moving around a bit more to burn off any excess energy you might have hanging around by bedtime. Remember to consult with a nutritionist or your doctor about this!

When it comes time for bed, remove any kind of distraction. Shut off the TV, turn down the music, and put away your phone. Meditating before you go to bed might help, but it isn't for everyone. If it's something that interest you, you might be able to find apps on your phone or resources via a Google search.

I hope you're able to get your sleeping issues resolved soon.

[Ennui.]

I really love the suggestions Jenna said.

I also want to add that setting a routine has helped me, where I try to go to bed during a certain time of night (normally I give myself an hour window) and wake up around a certain time of the morning as well. It takes a little while for your body to get used to it, but I've had more energy than I normally do lately. I'm still low-energy in general because that's just who I am as a person, but it has helped.

[Soda_Voxel]

I struggle with sleep sometimes. I used to struggle way more. I take melatonin, so that helps. But I also like to imagine things. Random scenarios, things I like, that kind of thing. I imagine stories and even act out stuff while laying there and it helps take my mind off of things I'm stressed over or the pressure of needing to sleep. And it tires my brain out so I feel more able to sleep.

[Dawn.]

I usually read, drink tea and watch a TV show/movie to help me sleep. I agree with limiting the amount of caffeine you drink as that might be a factor as to why you're struggling to sleep. Yoga, meditation and listening to relaxing sounds such as rain falling might help.

[Ennui.]

In group therapy today we actually went over this handout about coping mechanisms and ways to help you sleep (sleep hygiene). I thought of you when she started going over it. I'm wondering if you've tried any of these? There are fifteen tips there, such as about creating rituals before you go to sleep, not watching the clock, getting up for a little bit and doing something boring and then trying again, and others. Maybe some of their suggestions will help you.

[BoyNextDoor]

i can’t say it here but it works


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[Silvan]

I listen to sleep music or sleep meditations every night. I'm so used to it that it's hard for me to fall asleep without it now. Sometimes I pick fantasy sleep stories, sometimes meditations/affirmations, and sometimes - when I don't feel like listening to someone talking - I pick sleep music or music with Tibetan bowls.
My favourite YouTube channel for guided meditations is Sleepy Cat. He has a soothing voice that I particularly like.

[Arabesque- golfing girl.]

Thank you everyone so much for your help.

[BoyNextDoor]

i usually don't have a hard time falling asleep. if i do i chat with my friends until i start dozing off and worst case scenario i listen to audiobooks (idk why but they make me sleep even during the day and regardless of how interesting they are

[hendertik]

I used to start to panic, I was still awake at say 1:00 am - thought I had to get up in 4/5 hours, so one more piece of advice: NEVER check the time and try to imagine it's only around 10:00 pm .

Sometimes I go to the kitchen and pour myself some warm drink (milk, cocoa, hot chocolate) or, in moments of despair, when I can’t sleep for too long, I take a couple of drops of melatonin in a glass of water ... just remember that it can not be combined with alcohol

here is what the article says about this killing mix
“To put it simply, melatonin mixed with alcohol is a dangerous combination that should not be taken lightly, especially if you are new to this supplement. To be safe, do not take it at least 10 hours before drinking and 10 hours after . "
You can see the full version at the link