Who here sleeps well? And do you know why that is?

[loveyouradvice]

I would really love to hear from people who sleep well, and why they think it is.

At the moment, I think there are three groups:

• Those who learnt to sleep well as a child: it is just a habit
• Those who do lots of physical work or exercise and are so tired they just go to sleep
• Those who've learnt to sleep well later in life - probably using relaxation/meditation or similar

I used to be in the first group, but for various family reasons life has been tough, my sleep went to pot and I'm now "relearning" and yes, meditation surprisingly is helping me.

And if you've learnt to sleep well - how have you done it?

As a longtime insomnia sufferer, the most important thing is to get up at a similar time every morning (going to bed at a similar time every day is less important). The act of getting up is what sets your circadian rhythm - if you can get that consistent it helps a lot.

A routine. Lots of physical activity during the day so you are properly physically tired when you get into bed. No caffeine late on (or early if you are sensitive to it). If that doesn’t help, magnesium.

I don't always sleep well but I think going to the gym definitely improves my sleep. I'm not working myself mega hard there or anything but I think it's an overall positive for my sleep pattern.

Having a good bedtime routine is key for me. Avoiding scrolling on my phone just before bedtime, and no phone or TV in the bedroom. Reading a book for a few minutes and having a relaxing scent in my bedroom wax warmer also helps.

I have found that self talk is hugely important. When asked, I have always said "I sleep like a log, nothing wakes me up". Lo and behold, I sleep like a log and nothing wakes me up.

Many others I know say "I am always waking up and struggle to drop off". Lo and behold, they are always waking up and struggle to drop off.

I know this sounds simplistic, but the subconscious mind can be programmed by the conscious mind.

Honestly, I think a lot of it is just genetic and/or hormonal. Sorry!

I've always slept well despite breaking all the sleep rules. DH has always struggled despite working hard on sleep hygiene etc.

The only times I've struggled were when pregnant and uncomfortable and before starting HRT.

I've started to take magnesium and now get off to sleep and sleep through the night better than I have in years. It's much more effective than sleeping tablets!

Amitriptaline every night before bed. I'm prescribed it for crippling headaches, but a pleasant side effect is it makes me sleepy and stay asleep throughout the night. Prior to this I would wake in the night then lay there unable to get back to sleep.

Do you struggle to fall asleep or wake up in the middle of the night. I fall asleep easily despite being sedentary but wake up for 2 hrs in the night.. I think it's just my normal and as long as I total 6hours , I can normally function

My sister swears by it, but it’s never made any difference for me, even taking the same dose of the same brand. I think some of it is just unchangeable — I was a high-needs, irritable baby who never slept much, became a child who found it hard to go to sleep, and spent hours telling myself stories in my head, and grew up into an adult who still does this. I think it’s why I became a novelist, purely because I needed stories to fill the gap between turning off the light and sleep.

I didn't used to, but I do now.

For me, the main things are getting enough exercise, no caffeine in the evenings and a good sleeping environment (for me, that means it's dark and cold). Also, not checking my phone or the time if I wake in the night, just assuming it's the middle of the night and going back to sleep.

If I wake up and look at the time I can almost guarantee I won't get back to sleep!

I sleep well, always have - it's rare for me to have a bad night, although I do have occasionally and more so since the menopause.
My dad sleeps well, my mum was an insomniac, so I clearly follow my dad. Additionally, since birth, I've been a sloth - my mind is busy but my body is not so rest has always been my favourite thing. I had to be woken for feeds as a newborn myself and my husband had to wake me to feed DD when she was a newborn as I never heard her.

99% of the time I get 8-9 hours a night. But I have a mentally challenging job and I do a tonne of exercise (2-3 hrs a day minimum). The combination of both means I usually fall into bed and am asleep within minutes. I went to bed a 21:30 last night and woke up at 06:30. Woke up once during the night because the dog pushed me out of bed…got back in and must have dropped right off again.

Everyone I know who always complains about bad sleep/struggling to sleep is either not mentally challenging themselves (my dad) or not physically challenging themselves (my friends).

Weighted duvet, putting on a podcast (narrative documentary) and sometimes taking melatonin.

Same for lots of other; no caffeine after 12ish, similar timings, no phone, don’t look at clock if I wake in the night.

no more than 3 glasses of wine, no caffeine after lunchtime, gym 5 times a week, take magnesium before bed, don't use your car and walk everywhere or do 10,000 steps each day

Sleep brilliantly- sorry.
Head on pillow, and wake up 8 hours later. Always have.
Routine helps I think, but I reckon that it's just how we are made.

Always used to be a heavy sleeper and sleep a lot, and at the drop of a hat.

Bit more of a light sleeper now and wake up on a hair trigger when partner snores.

Find a sleep mask and ear plugs don’t just help me get to sleep but also help me stay asleep and the sleep I have is deeper and more refreshing.

Also reading before bed (a book, not a phone) and do not ever look at phone if I wake up in night (again, a book helps me nod back off).

Also used to find sleep hypnosis videos on youtube useful.

Everyone I know who struggles to sleep has decades of 12 hr + shift work and 50% nights in ICU behind them.

I assure you it’s mentally and physically challenging.

I do but only since I started taking melatonin tablets.

I think I'm just lucky tbh.

I worked nights a lot earlier in my career and also a lot of on call from home. You learn to just go to sleep when you need to. But I do also keep a consistent routine, I only use my bedroom for sleeping in, don't have caffeine after late morning, am pretty active and don't drink much. So my lifestyle factors probably contribute, I just didn't specifically modify them for sleeping. My husband is bemused at how easily I got to sleep, but all his lifestyle choices work against good sleep

I do everything I'm not supposed to do before going to sleep amd I sleep well. I have periods of insomnia but by the time I'm really tired I get a full nights sleep. I don't worry about sleep though, I ve always thought just lying down resting recharges the batteries though, so I'm in the first group.

I sleep well. Close my eyes and off I go for 8 hours. I put this down to natural aptitude, having few if any worries, a relaxed lifestyle so I don't struggle to go from high energy to sleep mode, with no alcohol, a good whole food diet, that includes lots of good sleep inducing carbs, some excercise every day, and (probably) HRT. The things that keep me awake on the rare occasion this happens are over stimulation of the mind or being too hot/cold. I used to suffer from peri menopausal early waking, but that's gone now.

No alcohol. It really messes up your sleep cycles.