One of the following depending on my mood:

-think calming thoughts that give me joy until my eyelids grow heavy

-if hunger is involved, I eat something whole grain & fiber rich because it has sedative effects on me

-take out my bible and have a good read over one of the chapters/topics I've studied in depth before

-chit chat with friends and family in the US, the time difference makes middle of the night calls ideal

- if it's really early in the night, turn on some tea lights & have a glass of red wine

I'm not an insomniac but I do stay up all night very often though I sleep in the daytime, I'm what you call nocturnal....and if I have too much mental stress from a situation, I get hypersomniac.

Self-help. Not in a Dr. Phil way.

Adult Swim.

Read comic books.

Paint characters on articles of clothing I don't wear anymore, which prompts me to start wearing them again.

I've never had insomnia really. Usually I lay my head on the pillow and fall asleep instantaneous.

Recent events have made me lose sleep. In fact, I went for three whole days without being able to sleep a wink. Finally I was so physically/emotionally exhausted that I found a bottle of oxycodone from back when I had a kidney stone and took one. I realize it's playing with fire, but it worked, it dulled the pain and I managed a full night's sleep. I only did that one other time (the following night I think).

The other night I suffered another bout of despair. So bad I wound up puking. Fortunately I have a bottle of Grey Goose and some cranberry juice in the fridge. I dulled the pain with booze and (after posting crap on the Org) I managed to fall asleep.

This is, of course, NOT the way to go. I certainly recognize the dangers of relying on alcohol or drugs. I subsequently went out and had long discussions with family & friends (even cyberfriends here on the Org). It helped me get to a better state of mind.

I think that a clear mind is essential for a good night's sleep. So, go out and resolve whatever conflicts may be troubling you. You might not even realize that there's angst within you. Talk to someone, or better yet talk to MANY people. Vent. Cry. Scream. Pray.

Whatever works for you to reach that calmness that will allow you to fall asleep.

Ambien+ Vodka (this is not a recommendation)

But before I actually fall to sleep I will most likely end up on here posting some non-sensical crazy bullshit.

Whenever possible, I start preparing for sleep a good hour before I want to be asleep. I turn off what lights I don't need and make sure anything I have to do that might "wind me up" is done. Basically, I start letting my brain shut off.

Sometimes I can't do that (like if I'm rehearsing until 10), so I'll come home and take my magnesium supplement with a glass of milk (magnesium and calcium are calming minerals, so taking them before bed is a good idea). If I'm really having trouble, I might take half of a 10-mg Zyrtec (if I take the whole 10, I won't be able to wake up in the morning).

And I always keep this around. It's the best thing I've found for getting rid of repetitive thoughts...

[img:$uid]http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31MLm-x3DoL._SL500_AA300_.jpg[/img:$uid]

Once I'm in bed, I count backwards from 100 or say the rosary on my fingers. Both are good meditations that don't require a lot of mental effort.

johnart said:

Ambien+ Vodka (this is not a recommendation)

But before I actually fall to sleep I will most likely end up on here posting some non-sensical crazy bullshit.

PurpleJedi said:

johnart said:

Ambien+ Vodka (this is not a recommendation)

But before I actually fall to sleep I will most likely end up on here posting some non-sensical crazy bullshit.

It's been a while, and I can't remember if I've actually done it on this site (I think I have), but a couple of orgers have witnessed this.

I take pills for my insomnia (suffering with it for 20 years). Talk to a doctor. A piece of advice: Avoid Ambian! That stuff had me feeling and doing some crazy shyt! My best friend is on it and he turned from a happy-go-luckey guy into a monster! Ambian is very powerful and strongly effects the brain. It should be taken using extreme caution.

Insomnia and I are VERY intimate frenemies. I find this stuff helps....

* No hyped up activity/music/TV near bedtime.

* No greasy foods.

* A soak in a hot bath before bed. I ruminate on all those biting thoughts in there, not bed.

* Read... something vaguely interesting, but not downright arresting.

* No light in the room. I need pitch black to sleep.

* No visible clock. I go ahead and set an alarm if I need to be up by a certain time, but I turn the face of the clock away from myself as I don't need to stress from knowing how late it's getting.

* No TV, computer, stereo, etc., in the bedroom. I'm not into Feng Shui, but I do think turning the bedroom into a place where you do things other than sleep, dream and have sex screws up the "energy" of the room.

* A small glass of water or something warm and soothing. Nothing sugary, nothing with caffeine, nothing that'll have me running to the toilet all night.

* Either utter silence or http://simplynoise.com/ (I swear by brown. )

And if I MUST get to sleep fast...

* Seroquel. Only under a doctor's supervision, only in small doses, and never too late (because it'll make your mind total quicksand the following morning). It's a very powerful drug -- usually prescribed for various psychoses. -- but I've never experienced a sedative quite like this stuff. I heard a comedian once say it was like having a bath towel suddenly stuffed inside your brain. That's about right.

[Edited 1/31/11 10:12am]

physco185 said:

every night...i just cant sleep....its been like this for years..... i have to b exhausted to fall asleep, otherwise i just lay there and think about shit...

any other insomnia sufferers out there????

Not that I can't sleep, it's just I'm restless. I've made it a habit of staying up until past 3.

XxAxX sings me a lullaby or two. don't tell her, but she sings off key.

Turn on Fox News. That always puts me to sleep.

i sing lullabies. i figure, the louder the better just in case someone down the block having trouble sleeping too.

i never sleep. i'll finally crash after a few days. i watch movies or lurk the internet

I have insomnia too.

i usually watch TV....or a DVD...read the newspaper...eat (i know...NOT good)

organize my closet.

Its hard to stop my mind from over-thinking......think i will look for that "rescue sleep" stuff.

Porn, get off, then I'll relax enough to fall asleep.

JustErin said:

Porn, get off, then I'll relax enough to fall asleep.

Alej said:

JustErin said:

Porn, get off, then I'll relax enough to fall asleep.

Hey, hi!

I sing

JustErin said:

Alej said:

Hey, hi!

Hi <3

Music mostly which defeats the purpose as I usually listen to songs that are more on the invigorating side rather than stuff that would be relaxing.

Random internet surfing. A good deal of it is here, which I guess isn't random at all.

Video games.

I read a book that isn't too exciting

get up

disturb me partner

look out the window

gently kick stuff around

do some ebay checks

have a cup of tea

look out the window

go back to bed

think aloud for a bit

play with my phone

go to sleep..............hopefully.

Rub one out.

Lammastide said:

* Seroquel. I heard a comedian once say it was like having a bath towel suddenly stuffed inside your brain. That's about right.

I've tried 4 different prescription sleep meds and they all made me feel like that.

I get very angry, that works wonders!!

PurpleJedi said:

I've never had insomnia really. Usually I lay my head on the pillow and fall asleep instantaneous.

Recent events have made me lose sleep. In fact, I went for three whole days without being able to sleep a wink. Finally I was so physically/emotionally exhausted that I found a bottle of oxycodone from back when I had a kidney stone and took one. I realize it's playing with fire, but it worked, it dulled the pain and I managed a full night's sleep. I only did that one other time (the following night I think).

The other night I suffered another bout of despair. So bad I wound up puking. Fortunately I have a bottle of Grey Goose and some cranberry juice in the fridge. I dulled the pain with booze and (after posting crap on the Org) I managed to fall asleep.

This is, of course, NOT the way to go. I certainly recognize the dangers of relying on alcohol or drugs. I subsequently went out and had long discussions with family & friends (even cyberfriends here on the Org). It helped me get to a better state of mind.

I think that a clear mind is essential for a good night's sleep. So, go out and resolve whatever conflicts may be troubling you. You might not even realize that there's angst within you. Talk to someone, or better yet talk to MANY people. Vent. Cry. Scream. Pray.

Whatever works for you to reach that calmness that will allow you to fall asleep.

Hang in there...you're in my thoughts,

I used to take Valerian Root for my insomnia. You can get it from the health food store. Now since I have the vertigo I've been taking Meclizine which makes me sleepy.

One pill and a book does it for me.