What's your remedy for a good night's sleep?

[aussie girl]

It's exactly midnight, and I'm sitting here sipping my chamomile tea. I've never tried it before, but my Mum swears by it. I was surprised, I actually do like it?????

I've been an insomniac all my life, so grown accustomed to being a night owl. I'm also a firm believer in the old saying; "If you're tired, you'll sleep."

I've also busted the myth of 'no caffeine before bedtime'. I have taken a cup of coffee to bed with me in the past, and been asleep by 9:30pm.

So just curious. What works for you, what doesn't?

 

[crewsk]

Chamomile tea works wonders for me. I had trouble going to sleep for years but now I have trouble staying awake. Caffeine doesn't keep me awake either, sometimes a cup of coffee even puts me to sleep.

 

[urmaniac13]

Almost all my life I had been a bad case of insomniac, but since I have been with Cristiano, this problem magically disappeared and I have been sleeping mighty well!! I am pretty sure what cured it, but I don't think I am allowed to say it explicitly here If you know what I mean...

 

[Run_Out]

Clear conscious


Later

 

[PA Baker]

If I've had a bad night of sleep I try to stay as active as possible the following day so that I fall into bed dead tired and have no choice but to sleep!

Sometimes reading works for me, but it can't be anything too good--I've been known to stay up most of the night to finish an excellent book!

 

[jennyema]

I usually have no trouble sleeping but when I do, I usually take a melatonin tablet.

Like PA, I'd stay up all night reading if I could.

 

[licia]

Does melatonin affect prescription medication that I may be taking? I really have a problem sleeping. After a few nights of losing sleep, I will sleep well for a couple of nights then it all starts over. Also reports are out that people who don't sleep well tend to gain weight and that is another problem with me. I've taken tylenol pm and ambien - sometime they work and sometime they only make me foggy. I've had a sleep study done and they found no problem.

 

[jennyema]

I'm not sure about the possible effects of melatonin and prescriptions. I'm sure your doctor could tell you.

I use it because it's natural (sort of -- you should only take synthetic melatonin pills) and does not give me the groggy "hangover" thing that Tylenol PM does. I feel great with the melatonin.

But I probably only take it once every couple months or so.

Here's some info: Melatonin

 

[corazon]

I have a two year old to tire me out. Maybe just get one of those?! I'm a night owl too, but the thing that works for me is reading in bed every night until I get sleepy. I love reading in bed.

 

[Sandyj]

Sure would be nice if there was a magical cure for insomnia! My mom has had it all her life, and I have it occasionally. When I have a bad night, I often find myself finally "relaxing" at about 5am, and in the back of my mind I know I have to get up in an hour or two! If I cave in and let myself sleep late (like on a Saturday), it sets me up for an even worse night ahead. I agree - make yourself get up and tire yourself out physically if you can, before the next night. Insomnia - it's just a dag blammit shame!

 

[mrsmac]

I find a bath or shower before bed often relaxes me or the good old hot milk but I have to have milo in mine! I have tried this over the counter sleeping aid called Dozile and its quite good but you don't want to rely on drugs for ever.

 

[KAYLINDA]

I would just like to have insomnia! I can sleep anywhere...anyway...anytime. lol.

 

[SierraCook]

I have found that plenty of exercise during the day does wonders. I really don't have that problem most days with my job. I get plenty of exercise unless I get stuck in the office. A proper diet also is good. Don't overeat or eat things high in sugar or with caffeine. I try not to do any stressful or very active things an hour or two before bedtime. No watching scary movies before bedtime. I agree a nice soothing cup of non-caffeine tea is very relaxing.

 

[tweedee]

Ok, You Ready?. Try a nice warm bath with Johnsons sleepy time bath. After that rub on Johnsons sleepy time lotion. Then finally drink a cup of hot sleepy time tea (which ever flavor you prefer). Then go to bed about 8:00 pm

 

[jkath]

Set your alarm clock for 5:45am and really get up then! That's when I get up and I'm usually sleepy by 10:45. Today is really late for me (midnight here), but that's because I haven't finished my laundry.

 

[licia]

I slept better last night (with the help of 2 tylenol pm tablets). I awoke two or three times but went right back to sleep. It was about ten when I went to bed and I was fully awake at 6 this morning. I'm going to try the Johnson's sleepy time products with a warm bath before bedtime and see if that will get me thru the night without medication. I want to be fully asleep when I'm sleeping and fully awake when I'm not, and I haven't been able to master that.

 

[aussie girl]

Sometimes reading works for me, but it can't be anything too good--I've been known to stay up most of the night to finish an excellent book!

Im so with you on that one PA. I love the total silence and the ability to concentrate on the book, that is so enjoyable about reading in bed. Although, many times the book has fallen from my hands, its time to turn out the light. Ten minutes later I'm wide awake again. Grrrrrr.

The chamomile tea was relaxing, but didn't help me sleep. I was still awake at 3am.

mrsmac, a rich cup of milo often works when nothing else can.

tweedee, I've heard of the sleepy time bath, but not the sleepy time tea. Will look for that tomorrow at the supermarket.

Thanks all for your excellent advice, as usual.

 

[thumpershere2]

Hard work during the day makes me very tired by bed time.Reading and sex.

 

[Claire]

When I can't sleep, nothing on earth really helps. You can cut down on the resultant anxiety by simply NOT trying. Get up for a couple of hours, do something not stimulating (I find computer and TV make the problem worse, reading and writing and mild chores you don't hate are good), then try again later. I agree that feeling yourself ready to fall asleep an hour or less before you know you have to get up is horrid, and you wake up in a bad mood when the alarm goes off. I'd gotten in the past decade or two to work around it so that I didn't get stressed out about it and seemed to get enough sleep most of the time. Now I have a dog with kidney disease, and working around her schedule and my already-erratic one is wearing on me. Try it all ... regular exercise is the only thing that I've found help, and a fairly regular schedule. But it's minimal help.

 

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

Nyquil or Xanex. Yes they work. If I had a wife, then maybe my Rx would be different.