What do you do when you can't sleep?

[user1477282676]

I'm in Oz...it's 4.30am here. I've been waking up at odd hours this week...v unusual for me and I don't know how to handle it at all!

I've been putting my laptop on and browsing for a bit then going back to sleep but of course, I'm waking up knackered!

I am suddenly starving! Do I get up and have something to eat? Put up with the feeling and try to go back? What's best?

[karalime]

I like to listen to something, I find it much more relaxing that watching or browsing the Internet.

Bbc radio iplayer has some good comedies, I also love the Alan Partridge audiobooks!

[harderandharder2breathe]

When I was really struggling last year I was advised no screens from an hour before bed onwards. If I can't sleep after half an hour, to get up and go to a different room and read for a bit. Cut down or cut out caffeine.

I mostly ignore the screen thing though I usually fall asleep to something on Netflix on my iPad (quiet) but if I can't sleep after a while I turn it off because I think it does sometimes stop me sleeping.

Getting up and going elsewhere is great because it stops the cycle of lying there sleepless.

And if I was starving I would get up and eat because I won't sleep if I'm lying there thinking about breakfast with my stomach grumbling.

[Emmerdalefan]

I never sleep longer than 1.5 hrs at a time. I go on my kindle or mumsnet on my phone till I drift back off

[Patriciathestripper1]

Invest in some audio books they always put me to sleep....

[user1477282676]

Thanks....I think I have to get up! It almost feels like morning anyway!

[toastymarshmallow]

I listen to asmr on youtube with in ear headphones, or beach sound type videos.

[Filibustering]

I plot my novels. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be a writer if I wasn't an insomniac...

[IvorHughJarrs]

I think it is the blue light from the screens that stimulates the brain so use a night-time filter or avoid devices from an hour before bedtime

Are you worrying about anything? Any ideas what is causing it?

I tend to just stay in bed and relax, try to think how nice it is to lie about and do nothing! If that fails I read a book, sip some water then try later

[DJBaggySmalls]

No screens, soothing music and a warm milky drink. Insomnias a bugger. It will pass when its good and ready.

[Strongmummy]

Toasty thank god ive found another asmr fan!!! My friends think I'm mad. Who's your fave whisperer? In answer to your question OP, Valium and half a bottle of wine works. Joke!!!

[TheNaze73]

Talk radio like LBC in London helps me

[Furrychesterhotel]

I spent 2hrs tossing and turning last night then gave up and went downstairs to sleep on the sofa. I fell asleep within half an hour of watching TV.

[Shoppingwithmother]

Pick a subject e.g. a book, TV series and think of a character from it beginning with each letter of the alphabet. You could also do pop stars, bands, people you know etc.

I rarely get past the letter K and I am a terrible sleeper.

[camtt]

when I had a long period of insomnia I found that getting out of bed and lying on the floor helped. After a short time on the floor I was sufficiently uncomfortable and cold that getting into the bed was a relief and I could fall asleep!

[operaha]

No screens. I read a proper book until I'm tired then use a sleep or meditation app such as Andrew Johnson. I quickly put it on paying no attention to my phone while I do it as I am very wary of the light on it affecting my sleep.

[BursarsFrogs]

I have lots of trouble sleeping. I know the general sleep hygiene advice is to get up after a while to do something, but to avoid screens. However, I'm often too tired to actually do anything, so lying in bed is about as much as I have energy for. If I don't do anything, my thoughts often go to bad places, so having my phone there to distract me is great. I tend to read old threads on Mumsnet Classics, or browse cute animal videos, or something else that doesn't really demand anything of me.

[wizardinthegarden]

I say the rosary....the nuns did a right job on me, effective though

[Girlsworld92]

Bit odd but when I am struggling to get to sleep my eye mask generally helps or lying on my back with one leg bent up to the knee on my other leg. Not sure why lying on my back helps but it seems to calm my breathing. If I'm on my tablet/phone before bed I can't sleep.

[FinallyHere]

Audiobook or bbc radio iPlayer work for me, mostly.

Other times, it's because I'm thinking about something, so i need to find a pad of paper and pen, and just write it all out. When i run out of things to write, i get back under the duvet and fall asleep. If i still don't fall asleep, there is probably more to write. Repeat writing followed by back to bed til its all down on paper. Usually when i read it back, its the same thing in different guises over and over again.

If I am just randomly worrying, then its time for desperate measures, which means getting the blood away from the brain soooo draw a bath full of old water, put on socks and a sweatshirt or something to keep your top and feet warm and, yes, sit down into the bath. Stay as long as you can, dry off quickly and get into bed. It has been known to work for me.

[steff13]

Sleeping is my worst thing. I can't sleep, so I read until 4 or 5 in the morning (I have to be up at 7 for work), then I'm exhausted all day, I go to bed at 10, fall asleep immediately, and then wake about 1 or two and can't fall back asleep. It's a vicious circle.

I know I'm supposed to get out of bed, and sometimes I do, but then I watch tv. Sometimes watching tv helps, because I can't turn my brain off when I'm in bed in the quiet.

[StarryIllusion]

I write fanfiction. Actually come to think of it, everything that has ever had really good reviews has been written at ffs o clock in the morning and completely unbetaed. Anything I actually try with during daylight hours gets ignored.

[ShotgunNotDoingThePans]

I listen to various sleep hypnosis/meditation apps/youtube audios for self-improvement, do Buteyko breathing exercises, count backwards from 300. I'm waking every two hours at the moment (I get aches and pains if I don't do enough exercise) so it starts to wear a bit thin by 5am but it usually does the trick and I'm not awake for long.

[Bluesrunthegame]

BBC World Service. I put this on my clock radio, set the sleep timer so it won't burble away all night and I'm usually asleep within 15 mins or so.

[Beewhisperer]

Shoppingwithmother I do that too.
Or I choose a book and name all of the characters in the order that they appear in the book. If I realise I've missed one I ha e to start again.
It stops my mind going into overdrive and me worrying.