problems sleeping

Oh I'm so so sorry you are having trouble. I know what's that's like. For nearly two years I barely slept and when I did it was with nightmares. I'll be praying for you.

Yeah, Derrick's right...reading Psalms before I went to bed was the only thing that helped me.

Wish I had more helpful tips, but everyone's already said them, and I tried them all and they didn't work for me.

Reading the bible...it seems to work for me.

Milk and cherries are helpful.

stephanieamber said:

tonight i can't sleep because i just keep watching videos of baby animals on youtube. baby animals i want as pets. like chinchillas and raccoons....

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I never knew baby raccoons were so cool.

Buy an eyemask and sleep with it on. It works like a charm for me.

Or invest in a new mattress. Most people can't do this but it changed my sleeping habits around for LIFE! I thought I was a restless or bad sleeper but then I got a new mattress and now every single night I have no issues.

I watch TV, drink Coca-Cola or coffee right before bed (like literally 5 minutes before turning off the lights) and those things don't effect my sleep.

I'm prone to bad nights as well. My body (darn thing) is uber-sensitive to just about every factor under the sun, and it's taken me a lot of years to figure out ways to get a decent night's sleep.

So.

1. No caffeine after lunchtime. If you have to have a coffee or soda, do it in the morning.
2. Try not to eat anything for at least 3-4 hours before bed. If you're so hungry you feel like you're gonna die, have a glass of milk.
3. Don't exercise within 2-3 hours of going to bed. Exercise is a stimulant, it also increases your body temperature, and that affect can last for several hours; sleeping is more difficult if you're too warm. DO exercise though, because exercise will help relieve stress, do all kinds of good things for your brain, and make it easier to sleep (just leave enough time between the exercise and bedtime).
4. Avoid too much stimulation for at least an hour before bed. This could include TV, music, movies, etc, that contain a lot of drama, violence, noise. Try reading a book, listening to quiet music, keeping the lights low. One thing that works better than any drug for me, is nature sounds. One of those tracks with the sound of rain, and some birds in the background, and I'm fighting to keep my eyes open.
5. Try sleeping with/without white noise (fans, etc). I can't sleep in absolute silence, I HAVE to have a fan on. Other people can't sleep with ANY noise at all. See what works for you.
6. Keep your bedroom cool at night. Being too warm will interrupt sleep AND is proven to cause nightmares. Experiment until you find what works for you. I sleep with nothing but a sheet for most of the year, cause I'm naturally warm when I sleep. Even one light blanket will make me wake up sweating and shivering and having bad dreams. And I keep my thermostat down to about 65-68 degrees at night, all year long.
7. Do you have allergies? If so, elevate your head with an extra pillow or two. I can't sleep flat, my head will stuff up like a corked bottle and I won't be able to breathe.

Hope some of this helps, Steph!!

Stephanie, I drank some chamomile tea last night just a few minutes after posting my recommendations. I had a horrible night's sleep. Wonder what went wrong.

Amber.ly said:

I watch TV, drink Coca-Cola or coffee right before bed (like literally 5 minutes before turning off the lights) and those things don't effect my sleep.

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You should submit yourself to medical research.

kaatieed said:

Here are a few things that have helped me:
-doing yoga or listening to relaxing music before bed
-no caffeine, sugar, meals, or bright computer screens right before bed
-work out or go for a walk a few hours before bed
-get ready for bed an hour before you sleep. Wind down, read a book, turn out the lights, turn off the computer and cell phone, and relax.
-keep the same sleep schedule every day, at least on weekdays.

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These things help me a lot, but I can't believe no one mentioned melatonin. You'll find it in the vitamin aisle of your store, but check with your doctor first if you're taking other medications. It's safe and non habit forming. My 2 year old daughter even gets a dose every night before bedtime and it's been the only thing that has helped her sleep well through the night.