… I just wanna sleep
Noise canceling headphones plus Brownian noise.
https://archive.org/details/brownnoise_202103
In my case Sennheiser hd450bt.
Turn off phone data, so only regular texts from VIP can break through DND.
Solitaire, crosswords or codewords app to sleep. Voyager with pagination on if you really want to read but have an end page.
Exercise will control your circadian rhythm, set your metabolism on a more consistent routine, and help you sleep better. Endurance based exercises are best; cycling, swimming, running, rowing, etc. You need 1 hour every 3 days at a minimum in my experience. Don’t think in terms of a week, just do it somewhere between daily and every 3 days no matter what. Even someone like me that has major chronic health problems from a broken neck and back manages to pull off this one. In fact, I fall apart and turn into a sleepless zombie if I fail to maintain my exercise routine. I’m likely one of the most sleep deprived people here. This works when nothing else does or is possible.
Don’t use your phone at night. If you absolutely have to, enable adaptive warm light (if there’s such a feature on your phone), which gradually turns the white balance to warm in the evening. This is because staring at the screen will send the signals to your brain to wake up, especially the blue-ish spectrum of light, plus whatever content you’re engaging with (news, social media, texts from friends) will make your mind occupied.
But again, best is to not use your phone at all.
Read a book. Pick a topic you’re interested in, buy a book and just read before you sleep. Yes, I see the contradiction - an interesting book will make your mind occupied too. Yet I find that a book relaxes me in my own world, while on your phone you’ll meet many different topics, lots of quick stimuli, maybe that’s why. I don’t know.
These strategies work for me.
Don’t use blue lights. That includes most lights. Use red or orange lights after dark. Blue light wakes you up. (I mean do this in addition to some of the other suggestions.)
Stop thinking about falling asleep. With your inner voice tell yourself you’re going to stay up all night. Close your eyes, relax, lie still, and tell yourself that you’re going to stay up all night; you’ll pass out after a while.
Also invest in a high quality white noise generator or weighted blanket.
I was searching for the same thing recently, and found someone who suggested choosing a category, e.g. city names, and going through the alphabet thinking of one for each letter. I find it works pretty well to sort of occupy my mind and help me drift off.
This, but I personally find it important to emphasize that you should incorporate slow methodical breathing (box breathing). On the inhale, I focus on the next letter (just the letter, e.g.: “A”). Then on the exhale, I think of the thing (e.g.: “Artichoke”).
If I can’t think of anything I try again on the same letter a few times and eventually skip if I can’t. I’m trying to sleep, not stress myself out 😅
Seriously though, this is a fantastic method if you struggle with racing thoughts at night.
Cheap version: listen to the sounds of your breathing. Relax all your muscles from head to toe, then just try and isolate the sounds of air coming and going as you breathe. Focus on it long enough and hopefully you pass out.
Expensive version: https://www.moonbird.life/products/moonbird - set it for 4 seconds in, 6 seconds out and just bring it under the covers and get cozy.
This is similar to the meditation technique of anapanasati (mindfulness of the breath). I couple that with repeating in my head “rising” on inhale, “falling” on exhale and focusing on the tickling sensation on the tip of your nose with each breath. Next thing I know I’m waking up in the morning.
Your cheap version is my top recommendation. Basically, learn to practice mindfulness and use that when you go to bed. Focus on your body sinking into the bed, feeling cozy.
- If you’re the kind of person to keep yourself busy all day, then when you’re trying to go to sleep might be the first time all day you’ve allowed your mind to wander! You need to find some other time in the day to allow yourself to daydream. Some tips are to not read anything while in the bathroom or turn the radio off in your car if you have a commute. Maybe even schedule some time to sit and think about things if you can.
- Only use your bed for sleep and sex. Reading, eating, browsing on your phone, watching TV, or any other activity should be done elsewhere. This way you train yourself that it’s sleeptime when you’re in bed.
- This is probably something that can’t be done if you have a rotating shift, but go to sleep on a regular schedule. Go to sleep at the same time every day. Staying up late should a rare occurrence. Your body will become tired at the same time each day and it’s much easier to fall asleep when you keep a schedule.
but how do i summon wondering at my own volition when i want it to instead of descending upon us when i’m trying to focus
If you have the “eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee” like me, get a fan.
I turn the brightness on my phone as low as it goes, turn on night shift to get rid of blues, and read (white text on black background / dark mode).
Don’t read in continuous scroll; find a way to turn the page with minimum animation.
Read something you don’t find so compelling as to keep turning pages but enough that you’re happy to read.
I find history books most successful at the moment since there is often no desire by the author to build tension, suspense, etc that keeps you alert.
People have said to relax your face and jaw. Take it a step further and relax your tongue from the roof of your mouth. It sounds silly, but I found it works for me.
That was a tip from the other site I saw years ago, and now if I’m tired and have 15 minutes I can usually grab a power nap by keeping this in mind.
This sounds very much like what I read about how pilots on the front line rest. They would spend a lot of time in the air, and anytime there was downtime you took it. Some kind of research went into it and they came up with an entire process that would involve relaxing your body from head to toe, and then visualizing yourself somewhere else, like a boat in a lake or relaxing on a hillside. If you fail, you do the whole thing over. With enough training your mind becomes very adaptive and you can fall asleep faster and in highly disruptive environments. I believe it also had roots in meditation, where the more you do it the easier it gets.
cuddle with big dog
I listen to video game retrospectives. I don’t game anymore but these guys yapping on and on about morrow wind or whatever for 3 hours puts me to sleep immediately. I never played these games which is why I choose them. If I choose games I’m familiar with I’ll watch it instead of zoning out.
Check out down the rabbit hole’s 6 hour video about Eve for pure audio Xanax.
I like to think of nostalgic memories.
wear yourself out during the day. easier to fall asleep if you’re exhausted
