What do you do when you can't sleep?

[Handcarthell]

Other than mooch about on here of course...

I can't concentrate on reading, it's too cold to sit downstairs and I'm restless and awake.

Lying thinking is a slippery slope.

How do you pass the time?

[ZaraCarmichaelshighheels]

I pop a Nytol, I then put an Agatha Christie on tv with subtitles (I love a cosy murder) normally within 30 minutes I’m ready to drop off.

[Staffy1]

Listen to music on headphones, read.

[Anotherlovelybitofsquirrel]

I ruminate on every stupid thing I ever did or said over the years and blush in the dark. Going back to 1995 ffs. Earlier actually. Faffing on here reading shite

That's totally me. Haunting myself with years of crap. Right now. I'm ok getting to sleep it once woken I struggle to fall back to sleep.

[Handcarthell]

@FlatteredRhubardFool

I ruminate on every stupid thing I ever did or said over the years and blush in the dark. Going back to 1995 ffs. Earlier actually. Faffing on here reading shite. The thing that I find works once I consciously stop the ruminating and reading is lie comfortably and do some slow, deep breathing and imagine myself somewhere I love or write myself a script of being rescued from near-death by a handsome stranger like a lame mills and boon novel. Imagining myself unconscious and gravely injured, whilst being slim and beautiful and ever-so-mysterious as he scoops me up into his arms and takes me back to his cosy yet spacious cottage in the woods with a fire lit in the grate and possibly a dog dozing on the heart does the trick somehow

This made me smile and will def try it tonight

[eatthepineapple]

Audiobooks, podcasts and sometimes music. Especially things that you can either dip in and out of (like a book you already know - I like Harry Potter!) or a panel show on bbc sounds, because then if you miss a bit and then wake up a bit you don't necessarily notice. I also use a timer as usually asleep in about 10-15 mins!

[TwoZeroTwoZero]

Play the alphabet game. I never normally get past m.

Imagine my millionaire's house and lifestyle.

Tense up every muscle I possibly can and then slowly, one by one starting at my feet and moving upwards to my head, relax them.

I listen to a thunderstorm or to wind and rain on a window on YouTube through a Bluetooth sleeping mask.

[CrazyBaubles]

I deal with this quite often. I make sure I'm not too hot or too cold as that doesn't help. Then look at Christmas cottage pictures on Pinterest and add to my 'dream life' board or pop headphones in, listen to relaxing music and do a jigsaw puzzle online. Usually works unless I'm really really stressed - then I put something on to watch that takes a tiny bit of concentration and accessor that I'm not going to sleep much.

[Haggertyjane]

BBC sounds on my iPad. I listen to boring stories like Agatha Christie (I do like them but they are not exciting) I set a timer for 15 minutes on the app and I'm asleep before it stops normally. If it's really bad I get up and make tea and toast, read and eventually go off again. I have got a self hypnosis technique I do sometimes. I also have a large weighted blanket which is really good for quality sleep.

[MilkMoon]

I either read or tell myself the plots of 19thc novels. I’ve never got more than about a quarter of the way through Middlemarch.

[Yutes]

Generally I get more and more ragin that I can’t sleep.

But some toast, warm milk and something mildly entertaining on the tv in a dimly lit room give me a reset.