what do you do if you can't fall asleep?

[DragonFly]

On most nights, once my head hits the pillows, I'm asleep. Other times, I'll read for a bit before going to sleep. My guy on the otherhand can be yawning non-stop while we're watching TV, but even when he comes to bed, he's up for another hour or so in bed reading. Thankfully, we don't have a tv in the bedroom or he'd probably be falling asleep with it on.

On those nights when I have trouble falling asleep I tend to toss and turn and flip back and forth. For hours. Until I finally will myself body part by body part to go to sleep. My guy, he'll get online or read computer manuals and occasionally, go back into the living room to watch tv. What do you do about it?

[bug]

If I can't get to sleep b/c DH is snoring, I will either kick him to the guest room or go there myself. If it's some other reason that I can't get to sleep, I will switch my head to the foot of the bed (face pointing away from DH's feet!) to get a totally different position. This usually works. If it doesn't, I resort to my old standby of trying to stay awake by keeping my eyes open and focused on one thing. This trick works pretty well for me.

[DragonFly]

Bug, but what about the blankets? I'm not so sure I'd feel comfortable lying the opposite way. Then again, I have NO problems sleeping straight across the bed when I'm alone.

The snoring sometimes drives me crazy too, but since I also snore from time to time, I don't think I could ask him to get up and leave.

[bunny nose]

I either watch some TV or go online. Or (TMI here) I umm, take care of myself. It totally relaxes me and I am using sleeping within minutes. At the end of my pregnancy it was the only way I could get to sleep.

[HeatherFL]

Or (TMI here) I umm, take care of myself. It totally relaxes me and I am using sleeping within minutes.
I didn't want to be the first one to write it. :o Cheers to bunny nose for being brave enough to post it first!

[kris97]

I always read before I go to bed, so usually that makes me fall asleep right away.

On occasions when I'm stressed about something, I try to occupy my mind with dumb little games to distract myself from whatever's stressing me out - like, going through all of the states in my head and thinking whether I've been to them; seeing if I can remember all of the best picture oscar winners going back the last 15 years; alphabetizing my coworkers, you get the picture. It always puts me to sleep right away. :)

[mommy2allyandaveri]

I toss and turn and toss and turn until I finally fall asleep, it usually takes forever on nights like this. I hate it, I get really frustrated which does not help the situation at all.

[Kanga]

I learned a great little trick (can't remember where) that almost always works the first time. I tense up my muscles and count to 10, then relax for 10 seconds. Repeat, then move to the next group of muscles. (I start with my forehead, then move to my jaw, then shoulders, etc). Very rarely am I still awake by the time I get to my legs.

[kendriln]

Depends -- sometimes I'll try to be productive; other times a Unisom does the trick ;)

[NotDesperate]

Sometimes I do the "Ok, your feet are very sleepy, tired, and heavy" and move up from there thing when I am desperate. It must work because sometimes I wake up the next morning only remembering getting as far as my hips or something. LOL

But usually I am OUT within a few minutes, thank goodness. I abhor not falling alseep fast. If I can't sleep, I read. That usually helps. If it doesn't, I get up and get on the computer or something. That is worse though because it makes you more awake. Lighting causes your brain to release wake-up hormones. But I can't stand tossing and turning.

[Lucy Van Pelt]

Excedrin pm

[Kimberland30]

I always read before bed, but I suffer from insomnia too so I'm a pro at going back to sleep. I have a 20-minute rule. If I wake up I'll check the clock. If I haven't fallen back to sleep within 20 minutes, I'll get up and either read in the den, get on the computer, or drink hot tea/hot chocolate or have a small snack.

I can usually tell when I'm going to be tossing and turning. Like tonight, I was on the couch asleep most of the day (had a medical procedure this morning) so there was no use in trying to go to sleep earlier. I'm making out my list of "things to do" (taxes, FASFA form for DD's college, websites to visit, updating the budget, etc) because these things are running though my brain. I'm making a bagel right now, and after eating that I'll probably head to bed.

[Natasha]

I have pretty awful insomnia. The "taking care of myself" trick works well for me, as does Star Trek! I don't know why, but Star Trek: The Next generation always puts me right to sleep! I actually record episodes just to put on when i go to bed.

Worst comes to worst, Advil PM or Benedryl.

[numberlady]

Lately I have been reading if I wake up in the middle of the night. Sometimes I read for 10 minutes before my eyes get tired, and sometimes it more like 45 minutes. I used to watch TV, but for me that was a bad habit, because it would keep me up too long.

I also have been known to recite the ABC's in my head. That way if I am obsessing about something, it can't pop back in my head. I usually only make it through once. My therapist told me that was wierd.

[VASLP]

I always read before I go to bed, so usually that makes me fall asleep right away.

On occasions when I'm stressed about something, I try to occupy my mind with dumb little games to distract myself from whatever's stressing me out - like, going through all of the states in my head and thinking whether I've been to them; seeing if I can remember all of the best picture oscar winners going back the last 15 years; alphabetizing my coworkers, you get the picture. It always puts me to sleep right away. :)

I do this too. I play the name game with myself- the old college drinking game, without the drinks....think of a celebrity name, then think of a person who's first name starts with the same letter as the previous person's last name. Confusing? (Ben Affleck/ Adam Sandler, and so on). Anyway, back on track- I usually only do this for 10-15 minutes before I fall asleep.

[twainny]

I read a self help book a loooong time ago, I think it was by Dr. Andrew Wiel (I think he is dead now), anyways, he wrote to do some sort of breathing exercise, and it really works for me. Basically, you breath in and you say to yourself "in" and then when you are neither breathing in or out you say "change" and then when you breath out you say "out" and then "change" again. (I hope that makes sense). I usually fall asleep within minutes.

Not to say that I don't sometimes I toss and turn for hours cause I have an issue I am debating with myself. But that is another issue.

[HeatherFL]

I read a self help book a loooong time ago, I think it was by Dr. Andrew Wiel (I think he is dead now)...

LOL Andrew Weil is alive and well pushing his Origins product line (http://www.origins.com/weil/index.tmpl). ;)

On that note, I do have this really awesome heating thing from Origins. I stick it in the microwave for 3 minutes. It's also aromatherapy. When I'm cold and my muscles ache, it does help relax me. (Can't find it on their site.)

~H.

[camberne]

I either watch TV (unless my husband is already asleep and I'm not allowed to turn the TV from the music channel in those cases), or read a book. In extreme cases, I'll either go downstairs and watch TV and fall asleep on the couch (no TV in our guest room) or take an Ambien.

[bunny nose]

I didn't want to be the first one to write it. :o Cheers to bunny nose for being brave enough to post it first!

:p:D;)

[emmasart]

Get really frustrated? :)
Usually I try counting backwards from 100, and if that doesn't work and it's not too late I'll take a tylenol Pm or something similar.

[Fenway]

I learned a great little trick (can't remember where) that almost always works the first time. I tense up my muscles and count to 10, then relax for 10 seconds. Repeat, then move to the next group of muscles. (I start with my forehead, then move to my jaw, then shoulders, etc). Very rarely am I still awake by the time I get to my legs.

Sometimes I do the "Ok, your feet are very sleepy, tired, and heavy" and move up from there thing when I am desperate. It must work because sometimes I wake up the next morning only remembering getting as far as my hips or something. LOL


I do a combo of the two.

Or, if DH is snoring I put in ear plugs. lol

[NicoleWisconsin]

I repeat "Sweet dreams, sweet dreams..." over and over (in my head). It forces me not to think about anything.

[HeatherFL]

I do have a PDA and play Solitaire until my eyes burn sometimes too.

[myshel]

I imagine paint in assorted colors being poured into paint trays. I usually start with bright, bold colors and work my way to more mellow colors. I just follow the ripples over and over in my head. It sounds weird, but it's really calming.

[gayle]

I get up and play video poker until I am completely zoned, then I go back to bed. Usually only takes 30 to 40 minutes.

[bug]

Bug, but what about the blankets? I'm not so sure I'd feel comfortable lying the opposite way.

We use a duvet, and I just make sure DH's feet stay covered and then sort of angle it down over me, so there is a bit more at the top that I just fold over, but then I stretch it out over my feet. It does take a bit of getting used to--I am often surprised when I wake up in the morning with my head at the foot of the bed.:p

[jesseybell]

We use a duvet, and I just make sure DH's feet stay covered and then sort of angle it down over me, so there is a bit more at the top that I just fold over, but then I stretch it out over my feet. It does take a bit of getting used to--I am often surprised when I wake up in the morning with my head at the foot of the bed.:p

Sometimes I wish I could do this comfortably, because both DH and I like to sleep on the same side of the bed. I gave him the side back for a year and slept like crap (okay, it also was the first year of our DD's life, so that could have had something to do with it too). Since I demanded "my" side back I've slept so much better.

I am a horrible sleeper. Always have been. I always toss and turn for at least 1/2 an hour. I can't sleep in unfamiliar places. I never get out of bed if I really can't sleep because I figure at least my body is resting, even if my brain isn't.

[Sevilla]

When my DH has trouble falling asleep he has a glass of warm milk and honey (makes it in the microwave) and he also takes melatonin each night before bed and it really helps him sleep well.

[karlatta]

Usually reading does it for me.

Then my next thing to do (and I'm fully admitting my nerd-dom here) is to prime factorize the time on the clock. You know 12:04 = 2x602 = 2x2x301 = 2x2x7x43

After a while of that, if I still can't fall asleep, I usually have to go get in a different bed.

[KiKi'sMommy]

I usually don't have trouble falling asleep, but if I do I usually redecorate a room in my house in my head. I don't know why this calms me down, but I always fall asleep without finishing the room. I also watch HGTV sometimes, just because it is calming. If I know that I am not going to be able to sleep (to much caffeine, slept to late, etc.) I will just take a Tylenol PM before I even go to bed.

ETA: I also made my DH go to a sleep study and he now sleeps with a CPAP (sleep apnea) machine. This had done wonders for my sleeping! :)

[Adaya]

I usually read or take care of myself. ;)

[Dunja]

I listen to audiobooks on my PDA :) It's better when it's something I've read/listened to before, that way I "allow" my attention to slip. Stephen Fry's voice works wonders!

[Fenway]

Usually reading does it for me.

Then my next thing to do (and I'm fully admitting my nerd-dom here) is to prime factorize the time on the clock. You know 12:04 = 2x602 = 2x2x301 = 2x2x7x43

After a while of that, if I still can't fall asleep, I usually have to go get in a different bed.


LOL! That's impressive. I can't do math when I'm tired. Heck, I can hardly do math when I'm well rested!

[salysaturn]

Change positions or stare at the clock :)