Can't sleep. Alternatives to pills?

[RetroFresh]

So, basically, I think far too much about literally everything, so it takes me a long time to finally fall asleep after being in bed in the dark for hours.


I am really not a fan of pills of any kind any more, so I am looking for alternatives. I do listen to ambient music very often regardless of my anxiety, it's really great, but doesn't help with sleep... Also, I sometimes work out, before sleep but meh..

Any teas that can help me fall asleep faster? Special drinks, hot milk... Methods, strategies, basically anything that's not bad for health goes.


Thanks

[RunningWild]

I wouldn't suggest working out before sleeping. You may feel tired, but your muscles are worked up and sleep won't come easy.

I drink this Sleepytime Tea from Celestial Seasonings, and I find it to have a very calming effect. So does avoiding technology and screens for 15 mins before bed time, and instead reading a nice book or magazine. It gets you thinking about your reading material instead of whatever things are going on in your life, and that is often easier to fall asleep on.

Sweet dreams!

[RetroFresh]

Thanks, I will check out that tea, I think they have something like that in shops around here... Good point about avoiding the screens, they just irritate the eyes.



Cheers, thank you.

[Theoretical]

I have the same problem. I use a few techniques to help me sleep.

One thing that's really useful is progressive muscle relaxation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progres...cle_relaxation

Basically, you lay down with your eyes closed and breathe deeply. Then, starting at your toes, you tense each muscle group, one at a time, for ten seconds, then relax them for twenty. Concentrate your mind fully on the sensation of the muscle.

Another thing I do to help me keep my mind from constantly turning over the day's events is some guided imagery.

I close my eyes and breathe deeply, and picture myself standing in a classroom that I feel very comfortable in. I am wearing clothes I feel good about myself in, and I feel peaceful. I walk up to the board and pick up a marker, take the cap off, and write the number "100" on the board. (concentrate on exactly how you form the numbers. Are they top to bottom? Left to right?) I put the cap back on the marker, and put it down. I pick up the eraser, and erase the numbers in the same fashion that I wrote them. I then set down the eraser, pick up the marker, and start again, this time with "99", and repeat the process down all the numbers. I never get down very far before I fall asleep.

Hope this helps.

[Nicole!]

Hey there!
Teenagers sleep cycles are actually different then adults. Our bodies produce melatonin which is synthesized from tryptophan, which is an amino acid. When level of melatonin increases we feel sleepy. Each step takes about 30 minutes.
As teenagers, we don't generally make melatonin until about 11 pm where as adults make it around 9 on average.
Ways to help you fall asleep faster are to keep your room really dark at night to trick your brain into thinking its later then it actually is. You can also take melatonin as a supplement which will help the process go much faster.
It might take a little while until your internal clock is used to going to bed earlier however.
Good luck!

[Saphire]

Originally Posted by Theoretical

I close my eyes and breathe deeply, and picture myself standing in a classroom that I feel very comfortable in. I am wearing clothes I feel good about myself in, and I feel peaceful. I walk up to the board and pick up a marker, take the cap off, and write the number "100" on the board. (concentrate on exactly how you form the numbers. Are they top to bottom? Left to right?) I put the cap back on the marker, and put it down. I pick up the eraser, and erase the numbers in the same fashion that I wrote them. I then set down the eraser, pick up the marker, and start again, this time with "99", and repeat the process down all the numbers. I never get down very far before I fall asleep.

Hope this helps.

Ohh I might try this!