How to stop ruminating and get some sleep?

[WellAlwaysHaveParis]

Would be really grateful for some advice please (if anyone's up and about at this time!)

I'm finding it hard to get to sleep. I'm in bed trying to get some sleep, and have been thinking over things for the last couple of hours. Random things, and just can't seem to relax or empty my mind enough to be able to drift off.

Any advice on how I can get to sleep please?

Thanks!

Nice milky drink? Does music help?

Trojans wow, you have good visualisation skills. So where is your witch?

Reading for a bit often helps me as it "changes the subject" in my mind.

Or a radio or audiobook playing really quietly can be helpful.

I’ve been using Insight Timer, a free app with loads of guided meditations for sleep & rest. I’ve found it so helpful. Trick is to find a teacher / voice that to you is believable & soothing (as opposed to thinking this is clap trap & you are irritating me )

Hopefully you are asleep no 1. Place the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth, right behind your front teeth.
2. Breathe in through your nose for a count of 4.
3. Hold your breath for a count of 7.
4. Release your breath from your mouth with a whooshing sound for a count of 8.
5. Without a break, breathe in again for a count of 4, repeating the entire technique 3-4 times in a row, then resume normal breathing and activity.

I was going to post the in 4, hold 7 out 8 like Mcakes
Or visualise colours - work your way through the rainbow.

Dang! Posted before I was ready!
Meant to say:

Hopefully you are asleep by now but if not, you could try the 4-7-8 breathing technique:

1.	Place the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth, right behind your front teeth.
2.	Breathe in through your nose for a count of 4.
3.	Hold your breath for a count of 7.
4.	Release your breath from your mouth for a count of 8.
5.	Without a break, breathe in again for a count of 4.

1. Repeat the entire technique until you feel sleepy/fall asleep.

It feels odd at first and takes a few cycles to get into the rhythm, especially the holding breath part, but I find it almost always eventually calms my mind and I drift off.
A very helpful tool in the insomniacs toolbox!

Wishing you (and myself) sleep too Penguin!

I tend to count backwards in 3's from 300. Challenging enough to keep my focus but easy enough that it won't keep me up

I use guided meditation too, or if that's not available I use this:

1.Starting with your toes and working up, contract each muscle for a few seconds, relax and repeat a couple of times.

1. When you've covered your whole body, imagine your breath flowing into and soothing each part of the body in turn. I try to picture the breath going in and out, so my mind is occupied with something calming and rhythmical. Breathe slowly and deeply.

I find hot milk helpful as well. Couldn't sleep with a witch in the room!

To do this ^ practice, you should lie flat on your back with your arms by your sides and your head and neck comfortably supported.

I find working your way through alphabets can help. A is for apple, b is for banana etc. Needs enough concentration to take your mind off the other thoughts, but isn't stressful or very interesting.

Listen to a boring podcast.

Audio book works every time for me.

Keep a pad of paper and a pen by the bed. When you can't stop thinking about things write them down and tell yourself you will sort them out tomorrow. Put the radio on very low and try to listen to it, the effort of concentration should take your mind off what you were thinking about and send you off to sleep.

I agree with pp about writing it all down before bed/when you can't sleep. My husband has always done that and it always works for him. It's like giving your brain permission to forget it all for a while, because you will be coming back to it later.

Watch blue planet. I find it so so interesting but can never last longer that about 5 mins without falling asleep

Don’t look at screens a couple of hours before bed. The light is terrible for messing with your sleep patterns (I put my phone on night mode now from 7pm).

How much exercise do you get? Is your bedroom cool?

Audiobook works wonders for me. Plays quietly under my pillow (WiFi off!), has to be something with no long storyline so I can listen in from wherever it is playing. Bill Bryson works wonders for me because it's all small snatches of info. I listen to the words and my brain stops thinking. I'm asleep in moments these days. I've played the same 2 books for years now!