Issues with sleeping

[Pedra]

Where do you buy the Greek tea?

amazon or Greek Mountain Tea - (Mount Othrys)

 

[Antoni]

Where do you buy the Greek tea?

I buy it online from Amazon. I find that is the easiest way in the States.

I would add only a little bit of honey if you are taking it before bed. Too much honey, and it may make getting to sleep more difficult! lol

 

[A_Thinker]

Also I didn't address the overthinking. I've heard it can be good to write it down. Like a log of your worries, concerns and plans.

That sounds good ... like setting your thoughts aside ... writing them down ... so that you can pick back up on them tomorrow ...

 

[A_Thinker]

I am having problems to sleep, I usually start to think about the past, problems, and the Future. I have been trying to read in my laptop or phone to make me tired and refrain me from thinking but sometimes it makes me sleep late. I tried taking sleeping pills but my parents took them off and I think it can make me dependent on them. Is this an spiritual problem?

Try praying for everyone you can think of ....

 

[Kenny'sID]

I just wen from all messed up sleeping hours, along with sometimes no sleep up yo just a few hours, to nearly 12 hrs a night for the last 3 days, so you got me on the whys of it all.

I'll be watching here for a solution for it all.

 

[AlexDTX]

I am having problems to sleep, I usually start to think about the past, problems, and the Future. I have been trying to read in my laptop or phone to make me tired and refrain me from thinking but sometimes it makes me sleep late. I tried taking sleeping pills but my parents took them off and I think it can make me dependent on them. Is this an spiritual problem?

This is a discipleship problem.

2Co 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
2Co 10:6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.​

The heart of our Christian discipleship is controlling our thoughts. Our worries, concerns for tomorrow have to be given to the Lord.

1Pe_5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.​

You want your conscience thoughts to drift into your subconscious thoughts. If you have a habit of stopping thoughts that are ungodly, you will also be able to stop all other thoughts.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

I am having problems to sleep, I usually start to think about the past, problems, and the Future. I have been trying to read in my laptop or phone to make me tired and refrain me from thinking but sometimes it makes me sleep late. I tried taking sleeping pills but my parents took them off and I think it can make me dependent on them. Is this an spiritual problem?

I would sometimes have trouble sleeping at a descent hour before. Mind racing ideas involving God's Word and doing good for Him, etc. But my new schedule is pretty work intensive now so it really tires me out at the end of the day.

 

[mothcorrupteth]

I am having problems to sleep, I usually start to think about the past, problems, and the Future. I have been trying to read in my laptop or phone to make me tired and refrain me from thinking but sometimes it makes me sleep late. I tried taking sleeping pills but my parents took them off and I think it can make me dependent on them. Is this an spiritual problem?

Well, if you're not more hyper than usual these past few weeks, then you at least aren't manic.

I do several things. First, I only drink one cup of coffee a day, always before noon. Actually, to be more accurate, I don't drink coffee at all. The caffeine makes me too jittery. Green tea contains L-theanine in addition to caffeine, and that helps with my focus and my nerves.

Second, I have a strict rule of only allowing myself to watch YouTube before bed. No reading, because that sets my mind ruminating on the great problems of the universe. No commenting on social media or forum debate posts, because that just gets me either laughing at memes or blood boiling over dumb people. (I'm calling them "dumb" ironically; I'm the one who's stupid for getting my temper up over them.) No playing video games or watching action movies.

Third, I leave on some sort of background noise to fall asleep to. In the past it's been rainfall, Alan Watts lectures, EO chants, and paleontology videos, but I've gotten to where just about anything on YouTube works for me. The trick is to set the volume just below what I can understand without straining.

Fourth, I always drink chamomile tea 1.5 hours before lights-out.

Fifth, I take 5 mg of melatonin with the chamomile tea.

Works really well just so long as I have something I need to do in the morning. If I don't, it's like my brain knows it, and it won't go to sleep for me on time.

 

[A_Thinker]

Well, if you're not more hyper than usual these past few weeks, then you at least aren't manic.

I do several things. First, I only drink one cup of coffee a day, always before noon. Actually, to be more accurate, I don't drink coffee at all. The caffeine makes me too jittery. Green tea contains L-theanine in addition to caffeine, and that helps with my focus and my nerves.

Second, I have a strict rule of only allowing myself to watch YouTube before bed. No reading, because that sets my mind ruminating on the great problems of the universe. No commenting on social media or forum debate posts, because that just gets me either laughing at memes or blood boiling over dumb people. (I'm calling them "dumb" ironically; I'm the one who's stupid for getting my temper up over them.) No playing video games or watching action movies.

Third, I leave on some sort of background noise to fall asleep to. In the past it's been rainfall, Alan Watts lectures, EO chants, and paleontology videos, but I've gotten to where just about anything on YouTube works for me. The trick is to set the volume just below what I can understand without straining.

Fourth, I always drink chamomile tea 1.5 hours before lights-out.

Fifth, I take 5 mg of melatonin with the chamomile tea.

Works really well just so long as I have something I need to do in the morning. If I don't, it's like my brain knows it, and it won't go to sleep for me on time.

Trying to listen to YouTube really does it for me too ...

 

[Sam91]

I listen to audiobible and fall asleep to that. I choose books that are less than an hour long.. only so many times I can listen to the short ones. If the book is too long there is a chance it will wake me up further into the sleep cycle.

For the last few years I used to recite in my head the alphabet song or 'twinkle twinkle in my head while gently moving one of my fingers a millimetre for each syllable to stop myself thinking. I'd go through a few cycles of the song and be asleep. As my mind stopped interrupting me with thoughts I'd concentrate less on the activity and drop off. It used to take me 5-10 minutes to fall asleep that way.

The quickest way I used to fall asleep was to breath in a slow circular motion, 3-7 mins possibly. However, that is harder to do when the mind is active.

If you haven't already, cut out stimulants in the afternoon and evening. No Coca-Cola, energy drinks, coffee, tea unless decaff. (And decaff still has some caffeine)

 

[-Sasha-]

Sometimes I have the same problem with racing thoughts when I try to fall asleep. Here's something that has helped me:

"The person who belongs to Christ turns everything into prayer. He makes both difficulties and tribulations into prayer. Whatever happens to him, he begins, 'Lord Jesus Christ...'. Prayer is beneficial for everything, even the simplest of things. For example, if you are suffering from insomnia, don't think about sleep. Get up and leave your bedroom, and then come back and lie down on your bed as if for the first time, without thinking about whether you will sleep or not. Then concentrate your mind, recite the doxology and then repeat the prayer, 'Lord Jesus Christ...' three times over, that way you will fall asleep.
All matters are sorted out with prayer."
-Saint Porphyrios

Sometimes the "three times over" turns into "however many until I drift off to sleep" or, at random times throughout the day if I am frustrated or anxious, until my mind is calm.

 

[archer75]

I can try reading a book but hopefully I will be back to the US for college and I will be living with a roommate in the same room so I don't know if I will get the chance to read a book.

Why would a roommate keep you from reading?

 

[Not David]

Why would a roommate keep you from reading?

Maybe he wants to sleep. We will share the same room.

 

[Nick1000]

So my wife got Melatonin 1mg vitamin for me. So it is not a prescription. It's just a vitamin.

Just to be a little technical for a minute, melatonin is actually a hormone and not a vitamin.

Humans produce melatonin at night and it stops when exposed to light in the morning or from too much artificial light at night. A 1mg dose mimics the level that healthy humans produce, more or less. or puts you to at least a base line. The higher dosages on the market, 10, 20 mg. etc take you into abnormally high levels so there is some controversy there.

I suppose it is obvious but if not, I will state it: Melatonin should not be taken during the day. It should be taken maybe an hour before bedtime because you are trying to mimic your bodies natural rise and fall of melatonin. No major harm if taken during the day by mistake or anything. Just that it might make you sluggish because it induces sleep and also it will have burned off by bedtime which is when you need it. You know, sleep is all about cycles and you want to work with them.


methinks.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Just to be a little technical for a minute, melatonin is actually a hormone and not a vitamin.

Humans produce melatonin at night and it stops when exposed to light in the morning or from too much artificial light at night. A 1mg dose mimics the level that healthy humans produce, more or less. or puts you to at least a base line. The higher dosages on the market, 10, 20 mg. etc take you into abnormally high levels so there is some controversy there.

I suppose it is obvious but if not, I will state it: Melatonin should not be taken during the day. It should be taken maybe an hour before bedtime because you are trying to mimic your bodies natural rise and fall of melatonin. No major harm if taken during the day by mistake or anything. Just that it might make you sluggish because it induces sleep and also it will have burned off by bedtime which is when you need it. You know, sleep is all about cycles and you want to work with them.


methinks.

I understand, but we did get in the vitamin aisle. If you do a search on Google for "Melatonin vitamins" it will come up in the search results. Anyways, it should not be taken forever. There are warnings that it was meant to only help temporarily.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Here are some natural ways to help with sleep.

How to Relieve Insomnia Without Medication: Part 1

 

[JohnTh]

Greek Mountain tea before bed (very widely drunk on Mount Athos by the monks)

Hmmm.... I really don't think so.
However, that kind of tea will help indeed.

Good advice in the thread. Just to add: electronics emit a lot of blue light which is an "awake" signal for our brain. That's why the OP should read a book, exercise, pray softly (recommended) or something else electronic-less.

 

[Antoni]

Hmmm.... I really don't think so.
However, that kind of tea will help indeed.

Maybe it was just my experience on pilgrimage there. But I only stayed for a few days and only had a chance to visit a handful of monasteries.

 

[peregrinus2017]

I would suggest that if you don't have a prayer rope, get one, and pray the Jesus prayer at night until you fall asleep. A prayer rope is definitely an aid in staying focused even when falling asleep, and waking up in the morning with your prayer rope still in your hands is a great way to start the day.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I would suggest that if you don't have a prayer rope, get one, and pray the Jesus prayer at night until you fall asleep. A prayer rope is definitely an aid in staying focused even when falling asleep, and waking up in the morning with your prayer rope still in your hands is a great way to start the day.

I started to write a reply to this thread last night and got pulled away before I could post, and now it's gone. But I wanted to let you know @David Cabrera that I'm praying for you. This was going to my suggestion as well, but peregrine said it better than I would have.