Tips to help you sleep

OK, recently I've noticed there's been an outcry of people complaining about not being able to sleep, and, having searched the place, I can't find a definitive guide here that could help you to sleep better. However, if there is, please don't lynch me.

OK, firstly, are you getting enough sleep?
Ask yourself these questions and if you answer yes to them you need to think about increasing the amount of hours you sleep (obviously in school/work time this isn't possible).

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Do you need to set an alarm clock in order to wake up in the morning?

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If so, do you usually press the snooze button?

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Do you feel like you need a nap during the day?

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Do you fall asleep while watching TV?

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Does reading a book make you feel sleepy?

Causes of Insomnia

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Psychological: Stress; anxiety about not being able to sleep, relationship problems etc.etc.

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Pyschiatric: depression; dementia.

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Physiological: noise, light, snoring, jet lag, etc.

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Pharmacological: alcohol, antidepressants, decongestants (eg. piriton).

So, I've compiled a list of helpful tips you can do to improve your sleep. These come from various sources, most of which have been approved by a doctor.

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Establish a regular sleep schedule. This involves setting a regular bedtime and wake-up time and making every attempt to stick to it, including on the weekends. This will help to set the body's clock in a way that will make nighttime sleep deeper and more consistent.

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Avoid taking naps, especially in the afternoon.

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Exercise regularly during the day. This needn't be a marathon every day, just walking the dog to get fresh air will be sufficient.

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Use the bed only for sleep and sex, not reading or watching television. This is largely so you don't associate your bed with anything else other than sleeping.

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If you do not fall asleep fairly quickly, get out of bed. Do not return until you are feeling drowsy. Again, this is for similar reasons as above.

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Do not over-focus on falling asleep by watching the clock.

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Set up a regular bedtime routine that revolves around an activity that helps you unwind.

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Avoid caffeine, and other stimulants, especially late in the day.

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Avoid alcohol. Even if it helps you fall asleep quicker, it actually worsens insomnia by causing shallow, unrefreshing sleep.

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Don’t eat a big meal or spicy foods just before bedtime. A small snack that contains tryptophan (a natural sleep-promoting amino acid) may help, such as turkey, banana and fish. A warm drink of milk before bedtime may help too.

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Make sure you have a comfortable mattress, a pillow you like, and adequate bed covers for the time of year e.g. quilt for winter.

If these don't work, or you think you need some medicine, then sleeping tablets may be considered:

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if your symptoms are particularly severe;

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to ease short-term insomnia, or

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if the non-drug treatments mentioned above have failed to have an effect.

If you experience long-term insomnia, sleeping tablets are unlikely to help and your doctor may consider referring you to a clinical psychologist to discuss other approaches to treatment.

If a doctor feels it's necessary to prescribe you something, the drug is likely to be short-acting benzodiazepines or the newer hypnotic 'Z medicines' which are the current preferred medicines for insomnia and are only available on prescription.

There are various over the counter drugs you can buy which you may feel might help if you don't want to go to the doctor because you don't feel it's particularly bad, such as Night nurse etc.

There you have it. I hope this has been helpful. However this is not everything by a long strech, so there are some links below which contain lots of this information, but also go into depth about what drugs are available and further treatment that can be done.

Links for further help of information: http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/articles/article.aspx?articleId=216&sectionId=18192
http://www.ehealthmd.com/library/insomnia/INS_whatis.html
http://www.sleepnet.com/depriv.htm
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=102738- The TSR Insomniac Society- a place to chat about sleep worries :smile:

Reply 1

User69701

10

Been a chronic insomniac for 5 years now.

Reply 2

Spiral Architect

1

To save people reading all of that i'll give the shortened version:

Lie down and close your eyes.

Reply 3

sexysax

14

Thanks cielo :smile:

.

Reply 4

KPeh

9

Helpful post! Especially with the avoiding caffine/alcohol, though I'll have to disagree on a point. There've been a few news articles from the BBC suggesting that an afternoon nap could be useful, eg:

Researchers at Loughborough University's Sleep Research Laboratory have found that people are designed for two sleeps a day - the main one at night, and a nap in the afternoon. This suggests that an afternoon siesta, as people in warmer parts of the world have, may be a physiologically good idea.
....
Those of us who don't have the luxury of an afternoon nap still tend to get sleepy at about this time. Interestingly, people who increase their night-time sleep find that this afternoon 'dip' disappears. A ten-minute nap at lunchtime is just as effective.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/mental_health/coping_sleep.shtml

Another article said that due to chemicals in the brain one tends to be more tired/less alert after eating. So after lunch. That doesn't happen after breakfasts though as the circadian rhythm is on an upswing. So afternoon naps can be viewed as benefitial - though only in moderation. From what I've read up to 30minutes is optimal.

:sleep:

Reply 5

slk999

OP

15

Yeah, a nap in the afternoon can be good if you're in a regular sleep pattern I'd say, and you're at work so you're getting tired. If I slept in the afternoon during the holidays it'd be lethal as I wouldn't be able to sleep later.

Reply 6

generalebriety

16

cielo

Yeah, a nap in the afternoon can be good if you're in a regular sleep pattern I'd say, and you're at work so you're getting tired. If I slept in the afternoon during the holidays it'd be lethal as I wouldn't be able to sleep later.

Very good post, thanks. :smile:

Might be nice if you outlined some of the causes of insomnia (and hypersomnia) though.

Reply 7

User69701

10

Stress. Followed by over stimulation. Then drugs. I cant remember any of the others.

Reply 8

slk999

OP

15

generalebriety

Very good post, thanks. :smile:

Might be nice if you outlined some of the causes of insomnia (and hypersomnia) though.

OK. I'll do some research :smile:

Reply 9

slk999

OP

15

Spiral Architect

To save people reading all of that i'll give the shortened version:

Lie down and close your eyes.

But what if you can't :p:

.

Reply 10

Don Vito Corleone

2

Thanks a lot for posting that.

I have been having some problems sleeping, I think it's probably just something to do with it being the summer and with not having to get up for school, having no daily routine.

I was the same last summer, but with only a few weeks left I'll be back to normal soon.

Helpful post though!

Reply 11

slk999

OP

15

Twisted Reality

Thanks a lot for posting that.

I have been having some problems sleeping, I think it's probably just something to do with it being the summer and with not having to get up for school, having no daily routine.

I was the same last summer, but with only a few weeks left I'll be back to normal soon.

Helpful post though!

i'm exactly the same. i just think it's wise to be sensible. i mean, no one expects you to go to bed at 10pm. however, 5am is pushing it. i aim to be in beed by 1am methinks. and get up about 11. that's a happy medium in the holidays. i never really have a problem in school time.

Reply 12

Melana

14

This ALWAYS works for me when I'm worrying about something and can't sleep. But you've really got to try.

Imagine you're in a lift on the 100th floor, but REALLY imagine it. Imagine exactly what it looks like, who's in it, and picture the numbers above the door, and count down slowly in your head, as if they lift is going down the floors. Usually about a floor every second works for me. But as soon as you think you're just counting and not vividly picturing the numbers going down, you've gotta slow down.

I've never made it past 50, and rarely even get into the 60s. I wake up in the morning and go 'oh, it worked!'

Reply 13

Don Vito Corleone

2

I try to get up before 12 each day, I don't like sleeping in until the afternoon because most of the day has been wasted then!

Reply 14

RogueTrader

15

Melana

This ALWAYS works for me when I'm worrying about something and can't sleep. But you've really got to try.

Imagine you're in a lift on the 100th floor, but REALLY imagine it. Imagine exactly what it looks like, who's in it, and picture the numbers above the door, and count down slowly in your head, as if they lift is going down the floors. Usually about a floor every second works for me. But as soon as you think you're just counting and not vividly picturing the numbers going down, you've gotta slow down.

I've never made it past 50, and rarely even get into the 60s. I wake up in the morning and go 'oh, it worked!'

Im going to try that. Ive tried the 'queue of beutiful women method' but i just end up messing up my bedsheets........nah only jokin.

Reply 15

Zlatan

1

I find that having a five knuckle shuffle knocks me out like a light.

Reply 16

RogueTrader

15

Falco

I find that having a five knuckle shuffle knocks me out like a light.

So Im not the only one... thank god. i thought i was weird

Reply 17

Jenski

9

Try Horlicks. Yummy and functional :smile:

Reply 18

tbm

13

I was prescribed sleeping tablets once and they were awful, Id never take them again. I only took them for 2 nights in a row and I felt out of it for at least a week after that. They didnt even make me sleep any better either!

I always find that reading before going to bed helps me fall asleep easily.

Reply 19

lilac!!

15

also another waking tip is to eat apples in the morning instead of caffeine as it wakes you up more

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