If you caN't fall asleep what do you do?

[LikesToTrip]

I'm curious what methods everyone uses when you need to fall asleep, but are having trouble doing so. I've used the generic counting sheep, and breath\relaxation meditation, but neither of those seem to be successful all of the time. What do you all do to make yourself fall asleep quickly?

[Polarity]

I watch television or read a book until my eyes start to hurt or want to close anyways.

[GrizzlyClaws]

reading or meditation works for me! XD

[Arra]

A few weeks ago I started trying to let my thoughts wander. It hasn't failed yet. I let my thoughts wander to whatever they want. This happens naturally, so I don't have to force it. If I can't sleep it's usually because I'm thinking too much about trying to fall asleep, or I'm thinking about something too actively, too consciously. So if I find myself thinking about falling asleep, or thinking about a stressful issue, or just thinking too consciously about something, I just stop thinking about it and let my thoughts go again on some other track.

[ElsiaStar]

I use a really effective method that I discovered on my own. It was originally meant to be a method of relaxation/hypnosis but I found that when I did it before going to bed it would instantly put me to sleep. I know this might seem somewhat annoying to do, but if you force yourself to do it and really try to clear your mind and focus, it might help you fall alseep. This method has NEVER failed me. But then again, it could be different for everyone. I usually only make it on the first round to steps 4 or 5 before falling asleep.. Here are the steps: 1. Stare at someting for 30seconds-1min and clear your mine. Repeat 2 more times, each time staring at different objects 2. Close your eyes. Focus on a sound for 30 sec-1min. Repeat 2 more times with different sounds(if you can hear any) 3. Focus on something you feel(ex-feeling the sensation of your hand touching the pillow) for 30sec-1min. Repeat 2 more times with different senses. 4. Focus on a feeling(ex-tiredness, calmness) for 30sec-1min. Repeat 2 more times with different feelings. 5. Focus on an image in your head like a beach, each scene with a different sound(beach with sound of the waves or breeze) and repeat with a new scene and sound 2 more times, each for 30sec-1min. 6. If you aren't asleep by now, repeat steps 1-5. Once again, this works every time for me, but it may be different for other people.

[Armistice]

I'll get up and watch TV. Something is usually on

[Kunal19]

think about having sex

[Hyl3rid]

well 1 hr before i fall asleep i listen music for 30 mins or so, then read a book while drinking some tea. when done i review my day and "meditate". i fall asleep quickly after that...

[Raspberry]

Visualisation. Imagine stuff. Best way to sleep ever I'm surprised that I haven't heard of many people doing this. It's another reason I love sleeping. But if I'm really mentally restless I'll read for a bit and try and clear my head, then try to sleep again.

[Hyu]

Visualisation. Imagine stuff. Best way to sleep ever I'm surprised that I haven't heard of many people doing this. It's another reason I love sleeping. But if I'm really mentally restless I'll read for a bit and try and clear my head, then try to sleep again. ^ this exactly. Works every time unless I have to go to sleep after being awake for only like 8 hours.

[riverboy]

I agree with most of the above. For me, relaxation techniques don't do a thing, I stay waaay to focused. My failed attempts at WILD have made me realise that it's all about thinking of anything as long as it's not the current state of your body.

[Supernova]

If it's temporary insomnia you're talking about, the solution is to clear your mind - so meditation. If I breathe deep and slowly, nose in mouth out, and count my breath, and try to narrow my thoughts to the counting alone, that usually does it for me. Highest I've ever gotten to was 60-something, but it usually works by 25-35.

[Arra]

Meditation has never worked for me because when I try to think about nothing, I'm trying to think about nothing, focusing on thinking about nothing, paying attention to the fact that I'm thinking about nothing. This is a very conscious process for me, so it doesn't help me fall asleep.

[omidh]

I had this problem too! Eat your diner 2 hours before you go to sleep. Go to bed when you're body tell you, you can't sleep when you are'nt asleepy! Do some sports to use your energy instead counting sheeps You can't go to sleep when your Stomach is fully empty eat some yoghurt just before going to bed.

[MischiefManaged]

Visualisation. Imagine stuff. Same for me. I usually just make up a story. I imagine the scene, characters, dialogues, actions, think about details and coherently continue the story. It's not that much of the method of falling asleep to me, just something I like to do. I never get to the end of the story, always asleep in the middle In spite of having mad visualization skills, I never dream about whatever I've been imagining, don't know why.

[Hyl3rid]

In spite of having mad visualization skills, I never dream about whatever I've been imagining, don't know why. thats like dream incubations isn't it?

[MischiefManaged]

thats like dream incubations isn't it? Yeah, I guess... Except, it doesn't work for me X) Maybe only sometimes during WBTB.

[Evolventity]

I use imagination/visualization too; Creating elements like MischiefManaged mentioned, a few posts above. After a couple of minutes I lose my effort and it comes natural. Sometimes I'll experience hypnagogia senses and/or odd thought processes, but I usually fall asleep unknowingly. I end up dreaming about something other than what I was imagining though. Also, no need to worry if you don't have a vivid imagination, I don't and it still works!

[astraalipaska]

I just let my mind wander. Because If Im thinking "Will I start to see HH now or enter SP or when am I going to fall asleep" I cant fall asleep....

[Raspberry]

I also make up a story. Mostly it's along the lines of a book I'm reading or a movie, except I'm the main character and change things up a bit. I've always done this, and it's a reason I don't do MILD often, because I can't think "I will lucid dream" and visualise at the same time. It puts me off, because to me, getting to sleep is fun Except last night. It took me 6 hours to get to sleep and I have no idea why. I was almost crying with frustration. In the end I thought "Fuck it, all nighter on a school night!" But managed to sleep in the end. School was not fun today. I'm a sick child!

[apsinvo]

I have had bouts of terrible insomnia in the past. Often lying in bed for 3 to 4 hours, too exhausted to even move, but mind racing and awake. Regarding your "allnighter on a school night", the only nights I ever can't sleep are those I know I have to be up at a particular time to do something. The later it's getting, the more stressed and fed up I'm getting. There are two solutions that have worked very well for me. 1. It's stress and anxiety. Spend time each day meditating, even 2 lots of 10-15 minutes will make a HUGE, and DRAMATIC (and I mean this) effect on your sleep, and life in general. 2. That aside, when suffering from insomnia, I found the RB (Reverse Blinking) method to be very helpful. Still doesn't get you to sleep? Get out of bed and lie directly on the uncomfortable carpet/floor in a reasonably uncomfortable position. No matter how tired or uncomfortable you get, force yourself to lie there for 15 minutes. When done just get back in to bed. Your body will be so eternally grateful for that bed, that you'll fall asleep very very quickly Added: Also, read something, why not read about OBEs/LDs in a book. Do not use PC or watch TV, it makes it worse!

[Raspberry]

I used to be great at sleeping. As soon as my head hit the pillow I'd pretty much be out of it, but last year my parents broke up, which fucked up my sleep. I was going to school like a zombie everyday, and I didn't want to take sleeping pills incase I started to rely on them. My sleep got better, but It's not how it used to be. I still get nights where I get very little sleep. But I find that when I'm in bed I think "Shit, that's 1am. If I sleep now, that'll be 6 hours." An hour later "Shit, that's 2am, 5 hours." and that alone can make me tired the next day. So I cover up my clock now. I'm mostly alright now though. As long as I spend a good 30 minutes reading before bed, it usually calms me down enough so my thoughts aren't all over the place. Then I just get comfy and visualise until I drift off.

[Nilabimini]

I use a really effective method that I discovered on my own. It was originally meant to be a method of relaxation/hypnosis but I found that when I did it before going to bed it would instantly put me to sleep. I know this might seem somewhat annoying to do, but if you force yourself to do it and really try to clear your mind and focus, it might help you fall alseep. This method has NEVER failed me. But then again, it could be different for everyone. I usually only make it on the first round to steps 4 or 5 before falling asleep.. Here are the steps: 1. Stare at someting for 30seconds-1min and clear your mine. Repeat 2 more times, each time staring at different objects 2. Close your eyes. Focus on a sound for 30 sec-1min. Repeat 2 more times with different sounds(if you can hear any) 3. Focus on something you feel(ex-feeling the sensation of your hand touching the pillow) for 30sec-1min. Repeat 2 more times with different senses. 4. Focus on a feeling(ex-tiredness, calmness) for 30sec-1min. Repeat 2 more times with different feelings. 5. Focus on an image in your head like a beach, each scene with a different sound(beach with sound of the waves or breeze) and repeat with a new scene and sound 2 more times, each for 30sec-1min. 6. If you aren't asleep by now, repeat steps 1-5. Once again, this works every time for me, but it may be different for other people. Thanks so much for posting this, and to LikesToTrip for the topic, this is exactly what I was looking for! Every Sunday night I can not fall asleep because of having too much anxiety about going back to work after the weekend and not knowing what sort of crap I am going to be thrown at (or have thrown at me). No matter what time I attempt to go to sleep at, it usually takes me anywhere from 1-2 hours after to actually fall asleep, and the more I toss around, the more frustrating it becomes. I'll lay my head against the pillow and I can hear the racing thump of my heart which makes it worse. So this is a technique I will surely have to try. Because taking pills or anything man-made is not an option for me.

[MischiefManaged]

Get out of bed and lie directly on the uncomfortable carpet/floor in a reasonably uncomfortable position. No matter how tired or uncomfortable you get, force yourself to lie there for 15 minutes. When done just get back in to bed. Your body will be so eternally grateful for that bed, that you'll fall asleep very very quickly I have no idea why, but it's so much easier for me to fall asleep in uncomfortable place and position. Much harder to do that in bed

[LikesToTrip]

Thanks so much for posting this, and to LikesToTrip for the topic, this is exactly what I was looking for! Every Sunday night I can not fall asleep because of having too much anxiety about going back to work after the weekend and not knowing what sort of crap I am going to be thrown at (or have thrown at me). No matter what time I attempt to go to sleep at, it usually takes me anywhere from 1-2 hours after to actually fall asleep, and the more I toss around, the more frustrating it becomes. I'll lay my head against the pillow and I can hear the racing thump of my heart which makes it worse. So this is a technique I will surely have to try. Because taking pills or anything man-made is not an option for me. Haha, no problem. I normally fall asleep alright, but I hate those nights where I get more and more frustrated that I can't fall asleep and it just makes it worse. I hoping somebody would have a method that would prevent that. But really I've found the only easy way to pass out when I can't is benadryl lol. I was also hoping I could maybe use some of the techniques people posted to help me fall asleep faster while WILDing, but none of them have seemed to speed up the process any.