To ask what you do when you can't sleep?

[gchali]

I'm usually asleep by half 12 latest but I'm absolutely wide awake tonight! I suspect it's something to do with the medication that I've started taking last week.

I need to get to sleep soon as I know DS will be up at half 6 like usual.

What do you do when you can't sleep? 😭

Masturbate. Sorry fr TMI but it's the only thing that works

White noise helps a lot too, although my husband isn't so keen. I've been known to keep the room fan going all winter on the lowest setting as the sound helps me sleep. I'm also post menopausal and always hot, so that's an added bonus.

@JesusInTheCabbageVan

Wind myself up having increasingly elaborate and heated imaginary arguments with people. Catastrophize. Remember past embarrassments.

God, this is me

@Cottagepieandpeas

I listen to things on my phone. I bought a sleep mask with built in earphones because I find proper earphones too uncomfortable.

If I have a really good sleep (Saturday night), I can almost guarantee that the following night will be terrible. Depressing.

@Cottagepieandpeas ooh where did you buy it / any particular brand? Sounds just like what I need!

Going on a digital device is probably the worst thing for me to do, it wakes me up even more. What do I do? It depends on the situation:

At Home

• Lie still in the dark, thinking, day dreaming, etc.
• Read a book (not digital version)
• Masturbate

International Work Travel/Time Zone Changes

• If it's after 3AM, then I'd get up and start some work maybe
• Around 5AM go for a run (or hotel gym)
• 6AM go the office early

I imagine myself walking through familiar places from the past, sometimes my old school, or walks around places I used to live in. Usually works well though somtimes I have to "visit"more than one place before I fall asleep.

I watch ASMR hair play videos on Youtube. They send me to sleep within five minutes every time.

Read my kindle until sleepy then do a mindfullness exercise where you count your breathing.

@Astrid80 I bought it online. It’s a bit weird because I don’t need (or want) a total black out to sleep So I end up sort of perching it so I get the sound but also some light. It also looks like a bra (& I have tried it on as one, for mine and my partner’s amusement 😂).
Anyway it’s called Sleepmaskz. It is more comfortable for me than wearing earphones.

@namechangetheworld

I watch ASMR hair play videos on Youtube. They send me to sleep within five minutes every time.

Ahhhh, ASMR massage videos! I’ve fallen asleep in front of these several times. Usually on the sofa, mid-afternoon!

ASMR videos

Listen to "In Our Time" or "A Good Read" on BBC Sounds

If DH is in nights I read.

My best thing used to be to change beds and hop in the spare room as something about that seemed to be a reset, but my son sleeps in there now

Those ASMR vids give me the creeps. I end up straining my ears trying to hear WTF are they saying, too, although I soon realise it's nonsense muttering. Not relaxing. Soundtrack of sheep calling each other would be more relaxing.

@Cottagepieandpeas haha i don't mind if it looks like a bra, the black out would be good for me as I'm a bit obsessive about having no light and total darkness when I'm asleep! Thanks for the details I'll check them out xx

I was awake til about 2am, so was DH, both my team mates, the reception team, downstairs, everyone next door in funding... was there collective insomnia last night?

Anyway, op, I generally resort to drugs.

There's a great ASMR lady who goes into stores and tidies the shelves. Sounds bonkers but it's so relaxing to watch and makes me soo sleepy. I don't like the normal ASMR stuff.

I literally stay up watching TV or reading until I'm falling asleep, so it's never of a case of I'm in bed at 10 and tossing and turning for hours. If I'm not really, really tired I don't even get in bed. Because I hate not being able to sleep.

I have a podcast series that I'd like to be able to stay awake to listen to but the guy has a really boring voice so that sends me to sleep really quickly. Either that or read for a bit on a Kindle Paperwhite.

BasiliskStare mentioned weighted blankets - I have one and it's made such a difference. Even if I'm awake I don't care.
I bought a weighted, heatable sleep mask from Amazon. I cannot speak highly enough of this - it's a warm pressure on my eyes and I sleep very well.

Just popping in to thank @cottagepieandpeas for recommending sleepmaskz. I bought them and they're just the job, DH was so impressed he bought them too!

@xanthippe8 That’s brilliant! I was using mine last night.

I shake DH until he's awake and say. "Are you awake too?"

I read or listen to calming music. If I think he'll entertain it then I wake DH up to "help me relax"

@namechangetheworld

I watch ASMR hair play videos on Youtube. They send me to sleep within five minutes every time.

I've just googled ASMR and listened to about 30 seconds of a woman whispering in a video claiming to have the 9 best ASMR triggers for sleep - I am finding it extremely annoying, and is giving me an almost like "nails down a blackboard" and can't imagine it helping me to sleep. I assume it isn't supposed to be annoying?

I read before I go to sleep for about half an hour. If I wake and can't go back off I go down at about three thirty normally and make lunches, do a load of washing, tumble drying, washing up. Then by five crash on the couch watching shit til I have to get the kids up. What medication is it if you don't mind me asking?

I begin by having a shower and that often relaxes me to the extent that I fall asleep within half an hour. If Im still awake an hour later I get up and do something useful. I run an online business so it does not matter what time it is. There is always some job needs to be done. I work until I find myself falling asleep then I go quickly back to bed while the feeling is still on me.