How to fall asleep

[Heatherjayne1972]

Just that really. How do you fall asleep when your brain won’t switch off. ?

I can be sleepy on the sofa but by the time I’m in bed I’m wide awake.( normally I go to bed at 10.30ish)
Eventually I might get 2-3 hours then typically I’m awake at 3am/4am and always by 5.30am. My alarm goes off everyday at 6am
im exhausted. Any tips to actually go to sleep at a decent time

What have you tried so far?

I find a digital detox an hour before bed works for me. I read or take a shower instead.

I do alphabets in my head - A-Z of books or animals or songs. They usually manage to slow my brain down.

I have an audible book on all night. But it must be something VERY familiar so it isn’t too stimulating but takes my mind off other things. Not too loud, but loud enough not to have to strain to hear, and no weird voices or loud sequences

This is exactly what I do too! I recommend children's books (Enid Blyton's school stories!) or, if I'm having a really sleepless night I will switch to a non-fiction, so I might be awake but at least I'm learning something.

Try the military sleep method! You do have to practice the technique for a couple of weeks before it kicks in though. https://www.dreams.co.uk/sleep-matters-club/what-is-the-military-sleep-method

Yes i also like to listen to an audible book to send me to sleep.
Or, I listen to a really familiar classical music CD . If I play the same one for weeks and week I'm usually asleep 5 minutes or so after it starts. And my cd player switches itself off automatically after the disc has finished. After a few weeks i 'll pick a different disc and restart the process.

Audio book of a book you have already read and some Magnesium an hour before you want to sleep has helped me loads

I used to use audible but disliked "needing it" so went back to reading an actual book till I felt sleepy, then lie down, get comfy and either think about what I've just read, what might happen in the book etc or I do word or maths puzzles in my head! Name a river beginning with every letter of the alphabet for example. For me I need a mental task to stop thoughts racing.

Sleep podcasts, my favourites are Nothing Much Happens and Get Sleepy. They probably won't work immediately but if you stick with them you will essentially become sleep trained.

@Davros I do the same. I make sure the narrator has a nice calm voice.

Same! Audio books and podcasts just make me even more awake as my brain is constantly focusing on what’s being said and it’s impossible to tune out.

I tend to listen to stories I already know so my brain doesn't focus too much.

I can't do this, I have to stop and take a deep breath after 2 rounds!

OP - try going to bed a little earlier. Sometimes I'm ready to drop by half 8 but my teens like to hang out and chat and don't leave me alone until gone 10 and I am overtired and can't sleep!

I like sleep podcasts or white noise.

Try a magnesium supplement, it helped me with night waking.

The game I play to distract my brain is to think of a (short) word, then come up with a longer word beginning with each letter of the short word. I do this a few times and I start to tune out.

Somebody said to me 'to fall asleep you just have to pretend to be asleep' and it always makes me laugh when I think about it!

On MN a long while ago I read a poster saying "I think of a pink polar bear floating on a piece of ice" and it stuck with me and I do it now! 2 melatonin (10mg) when I go upstairs, faff around for 20 mins then get into bed. I also listen to rain sounds or thunder sounds or sea sounds, depending on my mood.

I’m a terrible sleeper or I can be, the melatonin + rain sounds + pink polar bear really helps.

Are you at Peri age? HRT helped my insomnia. If I'd had a few bad nights and needed a proper sleep, sleeping tablets (OTC Phenergan was recommended by my doctor). They do make you groggy in the morning but are great for full knock out all night. Only use these every now and again.

At bedtime I do an LED mask whilst listening to a podcast for 10 mins then use my electric eye mask massager (tiktok shop) for 15 mins to help get me in sleepy mood, helps my brain switch off.

Loads to try above, also there's a theory that you get a window of sleepiness, and you need to work with it. So if you notice you're feeling sleepy at 10pm and by the time you get yourself upstairs and showered and whatever and into bed at 10.30, you've 'missed' the window. You'll then need to wait until the next one comes along and catch that one. Try pulling your bedtime forward so the time you usually find yourself getting sleepy on the sofa, you're getting sleepy in bed ready for lights off.

My hormones wreaked havoc on my sleep with 3/4am wakings every night and that's been sorted completely with HRT. Magnesium also plays a part.

I wish this worked for me but my brain just can’t tune out sounds like that. I have to wear Loops to bed so that I’m not kept awake by normal life noise!

Oh interesting. Are they comfortable/can you lie on them? I've never found any ear plugs I get on with yet.

I find them really comfortable! I wear them every night and they're an absolute game changer. I don't hear a thing.

I do a combination of magnesium glycinate, and ashwagandha supplements and I either listen to a meditation app (I’m normally asleep after doing the body scan bit!) or read a few pages of a book until my eyes get tired. Failing that count back from 900 as your brain has to actually focus on the order of the numbers. Good luck!!

Arnica 30c tablets are the only thing that works for me. 2 one hour before bed, 2 at bedtime and 2 if I wake up during the night.

Magnesium or Ashwaghanda can help....although my stomach couldn't tolerate either.

Work on dealing with stress. Think about exercise, cutting out caffeine and too much sugar. Try yoga or Tai chi.

Write down the things whirring about in your brain. Read before ved. Try white noise or nature sounds. Change pillows, duvet etc

Oh wow my specialist subject. I think I've always been a poor sleeper but menopause really did a number on me (sleep quality and number of hours). I have tried loads of things but but what is really working for me consistently is firstly an Options hot chocolate drink plus magnesium gummies before bed, then using a Snoozeband sleep headphones headband in bed. I'm a side sleeper and they are so comfortable and also block out the light. I use Spotify to play a dedicated "deep sleep" playlist which genuinely does work.

Ooh I'm not sure what was so contentious about my previous reply - never mind!