how can i sleep better?

Question

for the past couple of months i havnt been able to sleep normally. i feel tired and sleepy and i WANT to sleep...but its as if my mind doesnt "shut off"....i start thinking about so many things....from serious stuff to utterly stupid. i try really hard to clear my mind ...but it keeps wandering...i end up sleeping at 4 am...even though i lay down to sleep at 11 or 12. i dont want to take sleep aids.....could someone please give me some advise on how to sleep better.

Answer 1

hmm.
* Don't watch television before you go to sleep -,it won't help you 'drift off' to sleep at all, and it makes it even harder for you to go to sleep, also can make you exhausted and depressed
* Have a warm, soapy bath [not too hot] with plenty of bubbles and get some cucumbers and put them on your eyes, and relax. This also helps if you suffer from period pain or cramps.
* Have a nice mug of hot chocolate [not too hot] or Ovaltine
* .Go to sleep in some comfy pyjamas, and a dressing gown, and make sure you have the radiators on in your room, so you're nice and snug.
* Keep some lavender beside your bed, or put them on your duvets and pillows. Lavender generally helps you go to sleep, - and is clinically proven
* Put some calming, sensible but relaxing music on in the background.
* Don't eat ANYTHING after 8pm, definetely not food. Have hot cocoa instead, or hot chocolate or Ovaltine, maybe Horlicks.
* Close your eyes, rest your body, think of black velvet and concentrate on peaceful thoughts.


Hope this helped! But if you are having serious doubts about sleeping then you should see your GP [general practioner] or Doctor and get some sleeping pills. You will also be tested for depression

Answer 2

I understand you don't want to take sleep aids but sometimes when all else fails you might have to for 7-10 days to get you body and mind back in to the sleep routine. I have tried just about everything every answer in here for you has! I have always had a sleeping problem but if this is new to you try some of the non-prescription remedies or try an over the counter sleep aid. Even Benadryl can help some people. Sweet Dreams

Answer 3

I used to have this problem too, but I have found that listening to soft music (like Starbuck's music) really helps. I wouldn't recommend sleeping aids as those don't really work and you run the risk of becoming dependent on them. They also sometimes have side-effects (I got a 104 fever and started hallucinating). You could also try nature sounds or pick up a sleep CD from Target. Or if all else fails, concentrate on your breathing. This way you will stop thinking about all the others things and start getting tired. Hope this helps!

Answer 4

First, make sure you leave your bedroom for two activities sleeping and we all know the other one. Second, if you are laying in bed for more then 15-20mins and still can not go to sleep, get out of bed. Go write what ever is on your mind in a journal, read a book, just get out of bed until you start to feel sleepy again. Try not to exercise too late in the evening, as well as watch caffeine intact.

Answer 5

ok. so first of all 1 hour before bed you should relax. dont read or sit in a very lighted room. ( it will signal your brain to keep up) then, when you go to bed, make sure it is dark. it should be quiet and you should have no distractions. if after 20 minutes u still cannot sleep , go into another room and sit for 20 mins in total silence w/o turning any lights on. then try sleeping. ALso , b4 ppl meditate they do a special trick 2 clear their mind and think about nothing. idk wat ur religion is but if u r willing 2 try it here it is:
1. colse ur eyes
2. imagine everything in ur head is being put into ahuge metal trash can
3. then imagine u r placing a lock on the top o f the trash can so they cant get out. then try to sleep. i hope you help. also try to destress your life bec. u might be having a too stressful time and that coulkd be preventing you from sleeping. and always plan a girls day out to get yourself fixed up . u will feel better/.

Answer 6

First get comfortable. Clean sheets, nightie and a shower before bed. Half cup warm milk. Focus, focus, focus. Picture yourself in a sand chair and the ocean's edge soaking up the warm sun and listening to the sounds and smell of nature. Focus on that and you will shut out the world and relax your mind. It is a dicipline and it works if you keep trying...keep bringing yourself back if your mind wanders. Just practice that. It's a stress reliever and it always works for me. Sweet dreams.

Answer 7

The same exact thing has been happening to me! I figured out if you get to bed early and read for about an hour it makes you really sleepy so pick up a good book. Also, I don't know if you have been watching t.v. or AIMing or anything before bed beacuse looking at a bright screen messes up your internal clock and makes your body want to stay up. Try to finish up your computer/t.v. at least an hour before you go to sleep. If you can try not to drink or eat anything with sugar or caffene any time after 8 or 9 it may help you too. Also, here are some foods that may help you sleep better.

Top 10 Foods for a Good Night's Sleep

"What is the secret to getting a solid 7 to 8 hours of sleep? Head for the kitchen and enjoy one or two of these 10 foods. They relax tense muscles, quiet buzzing minds, and/or get calming, sleep-inducing hormones - serotonin and melatonin - flowing. Yawning yet?



Bananas. They're practically a sleeping pill in a peel. In addition to a bit of soothing melatonin and serotonin, bananas contain magnesium, a muscle relaxant.

Chamomile tea. The reason chamomile is such a staple of bedtime tea blends is its mild sedating effect - it's the perfect natural antidote for restless minds/bodies. (Also try sleepy time tea)

Warm milk. It's not a myth. Milk has some tryptophan - an amino acid that has a sedative - like effect - and calcium, which helps the brain use tryptophan. Plus there's the psychological throw-back to infancy, when a warm bottle meant "relax, everything's fine."

Honey. Drizzle a little in your warm milk or herb tea. Lots of sugar is stimulating, but a little glucose tells your brain to turn off orexin, a recently discovered neurotransmitter that's linked to alertness.

Potatoes. A small baked spud won't overwhelm your GI tract, and it clears away acids that can interfere with yawn-inducing tryptophan. To up the soothing effects, mash it with warm milk.

Oatmeal. Oats are a rich source of sleep - inviting melatonin, and a small bowl of warm cereal with a splash of maple syrup is cozy - plus if you've got the munchies, it's filling too.

Almonds. A handful of these heart-healthy nuts can be snooze-inducing, as they contain both tryptophan and a nice dose of muscle-relaxing magnesium.

Flaxseeds. When life goes awry and feeling down is keeping you up, try sprinkling 2 tablespoons of these healthy little seeds on your bedtime oatmeal. They're rich in omega-3 fatty acids, a natural mood lifter.

Whole-wheat bread. A slice of toast with your tea and honey will release insulin, which helps tryptophan get to your brain, where it's converted to serotonin and quietly murmurs "time to sleep."

Turkey. It's the most famous source of tryptophan, credited with all those Thanksgiving naps. But that's actually modern folklore. Tryptophan works when your stomach's basically empty, not overstuffed, and when there are some carbs around, not tons of protein. But put a lean slice or two on some whole-wheat bread mid-evening, and you've got one of the best sleep inducers in your kitchen.

What if none of these foods help you get your zzz's? Take a look at

http://www.diavad.com


Good luck with your zzz's

Answer 8

After staring for too long at the ceiling, waiting for sleep to kick in, try a simple, quick fix: Head to the bathroom, soak a washcloth in cold water; then lie down and put the compress over your abdomen. Some naturopaths and Asian medicine healers believe taht the cold compress pulls energy from the head to the torso, relieving much of the pent-up stress responsible for keeping you awake.

Answer 9

Good! Since you don't want sleeping pills, you can try the following:

Taking a warm bath before going to bed, pref. with some aromatherapy stuff added or rubbed in after the bath.

Kali Phos a Tissue Remedy (like Homeopathy) - try 6X tablets a few tablets (they are basically milk sugar tablets with the medicine in it) at night time will help.

Bach Flower Essences to help you calm your mind - go to
http://floweressencesintro.onlinecourse.com
a free, online course.

Answer 10

hmmm. You might want to try this, although it doesn't really answer your question. If you take twenty minute naps throughout the day for a total of about three hours then you can go without sleep. You will be cranky at first, but after awhile you'll be fine