Insomnia

[Perfect7]

I hate it when I've gone to bed and I'm laying there wide awake, while everyone else is peacefully snoozing! Do you have a way you handle this situation? Generally I end up getting out my Palm or the netbook and playing a game or reading Facebook or message boards.

[Lynn]

This frequently happens to me. I think I just have too much on my mind and I can't relax right away. I generally try to avoid going for the computer at times like this because if I'm on the computer I'm working. Working leads to stress which leads to not being able to sleep. For me, anyway. My go-to solution is a little TV Land or Nick at Nite. Or if I'm into a good book, I'll grab that.

[QueenB]

Sounds like me last night. I was so tired, but so wide awake. I kept wishing I could find something to do but nothing sounded fun. I tried contacting my boss, but he wasn't online. I was so bored that I was hoping he had an assignment for me lol

[knchatty]

This is me a lot.  I am super tired and I head to bed and then I lay awake for hours.  Sometimes if I fall asleep on the couch when I'm watching TV, I can't sleep when I go to bed.

The thing that works the best for me is to read.  I will get up and grab a book and head to the living room.  I read until my eyes are feeling droopy and then I head to bed and go right to sleep.

I usually make myself lay in bed for at least 20-30 minutes before I get up.

[Monotoko]

Apparently computers are bad for sleep because they make your mind race as they are socializing. What I do is shut down the computer about an hour before I sleep, go get a hot chocolate and read a good book

I fall asleep almost instantly usually ^.^

[buddys]

I've done this for the last 4 nights. I am so tired tonight I want to go to bed but I'm also restless. I suspect in my case it's either medication or my blood pressure is spiking.

[pondcypresshollow]

I've lived with spouts of insomnia all my life. And for me, my body may be tired, but my mind decides it still wants to fire on all cylinders. My problem is I think a lot, all the time.

I've tried many things, sleeping aids work, for like 2 hours. (Gave up on them)

But what I've found that works for me is ambient music, and reading. Music with no lyrics, or complex melodies, or just some of those nature tracks, like rain or the ocean. Combine that with a good book and your mind will tend to calm itself.

Oh yes, and a nice hot bath or shower before you lie down has helped me as well.

[Narnian]

I used to have horrible insomnia; I wasn't sleeping at all for weeks on end, just lying awake with my mind racing. I had to learn to wind down at the end of each day rather than just jump in bed straight after work and expect my brain to turn right off for me. I try to stop thinking about anything work-related at least a couple hours before I go to bed, and spend time with my friends, family, pets, or even just myself.

I wound up changing my lifestyle when I couldn't handle the stress and time requirements of my job anymore. I'm a much happier, more well-rested person these days.

[buddys]

I usually will read a bit before I go to sleep. It seems to calm down my mind so I will continue to do so. As far as conditions which make the environment optimal for sleep I've found if I keep things very cool during the evening and night, I can go to bed and sleep covered up with a blanket and a quilt which is perfect for me.