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How can i get back to normal sleeping pattern?


BanksC

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I don't get to sleep until 6am the past couple of weeks, I am WIDE AWAKE. I lie tossing and turning, get up for some water, walk about the house and go back to try see if that helps but nothing.

 

Does anybody know of any home remedies that will help me get to sleep? I have tried the stay awake for the whole day, but i am exhausted and just simply could not!

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The only thing that works for me is to NOT sleep during the day if I am awake all night.

 

It really does suck, it's hard to stay awake when you so desperately want to sleep...but if you keep awake and finally go to sleep about 8-9 at night, then you will wake up at a more normal time.

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First a couple of questions: What's on your mind? How's life? Life stresses tend to hinder us from getting a good night's sleep at times,

 

What helps me:

- Sleeping or chamomile tea.

- Mynoise.net is a great resource for white noises, some which are brilliant at aiding you sleep. I use that lovely site when I need to.

- I try to focus on uplifting and relaxing things and avoid anything that is too heavy to handle.

 

Having said that I honestly suggest you seek a professional therapist or doctor as they can assess what is really going on in your case.

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Some tips that have helped me:

 

1. Not looking at the internet/phone while in bed;

2. A bath before bed (honestly, this is so relaxing!). I forgot how relaxing baths could be until recently. This is my go-to when I can’t sleep. My whole body relaxes instantly;

3. As greendots mentioned, chamomile tea;

4. As SherrySher mentioned, not sleeping during the day. SherrySher’s right, there’s no easy way around this. Sleeping during the day is a surefire way to prevent a good, quality sleep at night.

5. Meditation;

6. Making a deliberate effort to quiet your mind before bed and not worry or over-think;

7. If you’re procrastinating about something, which is causing you to lose sleep at night, just work on it as soon as you can and get it done.

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First a couple of questions: What's on your mind? How's life? Life stresses tend to hinder us from getting a good night's sleep at times,

 

What helps me:

- Sleeping or chamomile tea.

- Mynoise.net is a great resource for white noises, some which are brilliant at aiding you sleep. I use that lovely site when I need to.

- I try to focus on uplifting and relaxing things and avoid anything that is too heavy to handle.

 

Having said that I honestly suggest you seek a professional therapist or doctor as they can assess what is really going on in your case.[/quote

 

It’s definitely down to stress, there’s a good few things going on at the minute like looking for a job and money worries but, i usually can sleep right through.. my pattern is just completely flipped!

 

I am going to try that website tonight and get some chamomile tea tomorrow! thank you!

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I tried the bath abd mediating one night and it did help a little, although i got woken up and couldnt get back to sleep!

I am going to get me some of this chamomile tea!

I try my hardest not to sleep in when i finally do get to sleep, but it is so hard to stay awake or even function :( but il give these efforts a go! thank you!

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I only go from experience. I did all the same things, relaxation tapes, baths, etc...nothing worked.

 

I even laid in bed all night but only tossed and turned.

 

The only thing that got my hours turned was to stay awake. Yes, it's very hard and not nice. But I've not found an easier way.

 

If something else works, please let me know. My sleep has never been an easy go.

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thank you all for your replies!

 

i tried the white noise, thunder and rain.. it definitely helped me to relax. I massaged some moisturiser into my head and temples, this helped with feeling tense etc.

But this is still at about 5:30.. so some progress! I am awake early, hopefully going to stay awake all day, i already get anxious about it.. the cycle ☹️

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Do you have access to therapy? If you think it's stress related that may help. Also get a checkup from a doctor if the insomnia persists. It it environmental? Too hot or cold? Too light or noisy? Too many people in the house? What is the household and bedroom situation regarding other people? What time are you going to bed? What time do you want to wake up? Don't lay in bed staring at your phone screen. If you are waking up at 6 am, go to bed at 10 pm.

 

First of all get some exercise. Physical activity helps. Secondly make sure your sleep environment/bedroom is comfortable and conducive to sleep. Also make sure your caffeine intake stops at least 6 hours before sleep. Also make sure you are not using stimulants in diet or OTC preparations. Do not eat a lot at night or eat a heavy late dinner. Make your largest meal lunch and eat an earlier lighter dinner. Avoid alcohol. It can make you drowsy at first but interferes with sleep cycles often resulting in restless sleep and very early morning awakening..

 

Once you start going to the gym and taking some fitness classes and some relaxation classes such as yoga, tai chi etc that will help. It will also help when you start working and need to get up and have an active busy day. If you wake up at 6am just get up, get some coffee and do some physical activity. Why do you need to sleep in so long? Reset your home environment and health habits to something healthier in general.

i got woken up and couldnt get back to sleep! It’s definitely down to stress, there’s a good few things going on at the minute like looking for a job and money worries but, i usually can sleep right through.
last March, I moved out of a student house and in with my partner.
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It’s definitely down to stress, there’s a good few things going on at the minute like looking for a job and money worries but, i usually can sleep right through.. my pattern is just completely flipped!

 

I am going to try that website tonight and get some chamomile tea tomorrow! thank you!

 

You're welcome and glad to read that the white noises helped you relax!

 

 

By the way, go for a walk if you can as that's an easy way to exercise and prevent the body from falling asleep. Also, Wiseman posed some detailed questions and suggestions you need to consider so you obtain a good night's sleep.

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Wow thank you everyone!!

 

I went to sleep at 5, woke at 9 and been awake all day but back to struggling.. so it’s definitely stress.

 

I am going to do all thatWiseman2 said, Starting with exercise, even just light exercise! I’ve always been tempted to do Yoga, so il definitely be trying that.

 

I really appreciate all of your advice!!

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Do you have access to therapy? If you think it's stress related that may help. Also get a checkup from a doctor if the insomnia persists. It it environmental? Too hot or cold? Too light or noisy? Too many people in the house? What is the household and bedroom situation regarding other people? What time are you going to bed? What time do you want to wake up? Don't lay in bed staring at your phone screen. If you are waking up at 6 am, go to bed at 10 pm.

 

First of all get some exercise. Physical activity helps. Secondly make sure your sleep environment/bedroom is comfortable and conducive to sleep. Also make sure your caffeine intake stops at least 6 hours before sleep. Also make sure you are not using stimulants in diet or OTC preparations. Do not eat a lot at night or eat a heavy late dinner. Make your largest meal lunch and eat an earlier lighter dinner. Avoid alcohol. It can make you drowsy at first but interferes with sleep cycles often resulting in restless sleep and very early morning awakening..

 

Once you start going to the gym and taking some fitness classes and some relaxation classes such as yoga, tai chi etc that will help. It will also help when you start working and need to get up and have an active busy day. If you wake up at 6am just get up, get some coffee and do some physical activity. Why do you need to sleep in so long? Reset your home environment and health habits to something healthier in general.

 

One thing I will say is my partner isn’t the best of help as he falls asleep watching something, on his phone with earphones in, which are by my request.. he has bad tinnitus (i think that’s it) and can only cancel it out by listening to a movie. But then he falls asleep and the light of the phone is left on.. if i turn it off too quick he wakes up etc! Some nights im completely fine, i just wish he could sleep in a pitch black, silent room :(

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Tell your bf to be more considerate. Or suggest he sleep in another room/the couch if he persists in ruining your health by being this inconsiderate. Stand up for yourself and don't let someone's lazy or selfish behavior make you think you are suffering from medical problems. Do not suffer silently. Why is your sleep less important than his late night phone activity/amusement? Just put an end to it and tell him to watch whatever in another room and come to the bedroom when he's ready to sleep.

my partner isn’t the best of help as he falls asleep watching something. he falls asleep and the light of the phone is left on. i just wish he could sleep in a pitch black, silent room :(
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One thing I will say is my partner isn’t the best of help as he falls asleep watching something, on his phone with earphones in, which are by my request.. he has bad tinnitus (i think that’s it) and can only cancel it out by listening to a movie. But then he falls asleep and the light of the phone is left on.. if i turn it off too quick he wakes up etc! Some nights im completely fine, i just wish he could sleep in a pitch black, silent room :(

 

There's nothing worse than tossing and turning in a bed all night while trying not to awaken a partner. Until you can resolve the insomnia, consider sleeping in another room so that if you're awake you can get up to fix some herbal tea and read until sleepy, then try again.

 

Other tips: Don't read fiction, the story can keep you absorbed with a desire to stay with it. Just read some passages from an uplifting self help book that can coax you into relaxation.

 

Keep a cheap spiral notebook and pen by your bedside. Write your concerns down, write a TO DO list, a grocery list--any kinds of writing that can empty your mind and free you from trying not to forget something.

 

Instruct your mind before dozing off that your body needs rest, so while you appreciate it's help to keep you plugged in, you need for it to operate in 'background processing mode' to allow your body to relax and your 'frontal' mind to rest.

 

Assure your mind that if it generates anything you should know or remember, you'll write it down on the notebook as soon as you wake up. This prevents the mind from trying to hold onto ideas that keep you awake. If you awaken to use the bathroom at any point, allow yourself to jot down any sentences you find yourself repeating during this time before lying back down.

 

Good luck, and I hope you'll let us know how things go.

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Don't read fiction, the story can keep you absorbed with a desire to stay with it. Just read some passages from an uplifting self help book that can coax you into relaxation.

 

Just wanted to note that I'm actually the opposite of this: nonfiction and self-help type books actually make me hyperactive. It's hard for me to sit still even while trying to read them because my mind starts racing. So Banks, if you try this and it doesn't work, consider doing the opposite.

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What time of day do you have to get up? For work, school, etc.?

 

Asking because let's say, 7:00 is your absolute latest time you have to get up. Get up at that time, no snooze allowed, simply pop out of bed, shower, brush teeth, etc. Force yourself to have an active, busy day. Be fully alert and present at work. Go to an exercise class after work. Go get dinner with some friends after that.

 

Just keep yourself on a nice track for that day. Do not allow yourself to take a nap. If you feel yourself dozing, get up and walk around.

For one week:

No caffeine at all.

No alcohol at all.

Finish dinner before 7:00 pm. Finish, not start. Zero food or drinks after, other than water.

Lower the lights in your home, and use the dim feature on your phone and laptop.

First thing in the morning, expose yourself to natural sunlight, outdoors.

 

You should tire yourself out enough that you will naturally fall asleep. Force yourself to get up, physically, out of bed, at that time every day, even weekends.

 

Once you adjust, you can add back in your caffeine, your alcohol, all your other factors, so you can isolate what is causing you to stay awake.

 

Your natural cortisol/melatonin cycles are off, and this can be caused by many things, including fake light, alcohol, caffeine, processed foods, sugar, stress. Isolate these things to get your cycle back on track. Do this without taking melatonin pills, which only mimic your natural melatonin cycles.

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Everything they said and I'll add these tips. Eye mask preferably tempurpedic material. If you're in bed more than 20 minutes without sleeping get up and either remake the bed- sheets and all -same bedding just remake it - or take a blanket and pillow (and sleep mask) and go to another room (not sure if this was mentioned before)

And 4-7-8 breathing -Weill method -google it and practice it when you're feeling fine so you get good at the technique.

 

I also heard the sleepwithme podcast is good at putting people to sleep but have not tried it myself.

 

Good luck!!

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Recently I started using melatonin capsules. I didn't expect them to work but they do. They made it easier to fall asleep and improved the quality of sleep too. At least for me.

 

Yes, I've used these too, and they really do help. It doesn't need to be a 'forever' supplement, but it did help me to stay asleep instead of popping awake at 2 or 3 and not being able to return to sleep.

 

Research melatonin, because it's not a 'drug,' it's a natural substance in the body.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I don't have a long answer for this but what I have learned is that our body is nothing but a equilibrium. If u sleep at 10 pm and wake at 6:30 for 10 days your body will resist it initially but it will take that habit eventually. So easiest way is to start sleeping at time you wanna sleep and wake up at time you want to.

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