Insomnia

**O'nus** · 01-30-2007 11:26 PM

Hi all,

I thought I would share with everyone my theories for curing insomnia. Disregarding drugs, I will focus entirely on the psychological point of insomnia. These suggestions are completely uncited and spawned from my very own brain at the moment of typing - I am also no doctor... yet

Firstly, I speculate that most cases of insomnia are caused by a significant amount of stress or a recent traumatic event. Usually the person can not find a way to deal with this event and stays up all night as they struggle with a means to find a solution. However, it seems to me that the problem usually becomes buried and many other trivial issues replace the stress and act as a transfer of stress from the original problem. In this case, you really have to focus on the key issue - what is really bothering you. This is where you need to seek help (depending on the context of the problem) in order to rectify the issue. On a message board, one can not offer a universal algorithm to solve this issue. However, if you are reading this and would like help, please feel free to PM/email me.

Most importantly about the above - focus on the real issue and do not transfer your stress or thoughts onto other issues. For example: many people who have family issues lash out at work, with each other, friends, etc. I think a key theory to the cause of dysfunctional families is that emotions are properly attended to after divorces or other traumatic events.

Methods to induce sleep:

Keep in mind that these are temporary solutions as most cases of insomnia are either biological or traumatic psychological issues that need attention.

Ideal algorithm to get you to fall asleep:
- About an hour before bed, try working out. Personally, I do a tae bo video that is about 15 min long.
- Once done, lay in bed and read a book/study/write/do something idle to relax your body from the work out.
- Also, have something little to snack on. At least have some water.
When going to sleep, the trick here is to focus your mind. Here are somethings you can do:
- Think of the problems in life right now - try to imagine that they are not problems or that they have been solved - imagine how happy that would be. Focus on it. Depending on the issue, this could really help in itself.
- Simply fantasize. Pick something you would like to fantasize about. I like to imagine that I have all these amazing "powers" that make life easier. I imagine the day I just had but if I had these "powers" and ohh.. it makes me laugh at how fast dishes could be done.

I find that the fantasizing technique works very well for a lot of people. While I would never expect it to work for everyone, I think it is a definite method that is often overlooked.

I am sure there are many other methods, so I am curious what other people come up with.

Thoughts..?

~

**DeadDollKitty** · 01-31-2007 12:58 AM

Uhm... dont forcefully relax your body when trying to get to sleep.. doing that will take even longer to get to sleep, just drift your thoughts or follow some of O'nus's techniques.. think of a relaxing place, like the ocean, feel the breeze in your hair, the soft crash of the waves on the sand, the smell of honeydew and sweet fruits in the air.. jasmine.. salty
ocean
aaaaiirr...
..........
.................
zzzzzz...

**EagleEye** · 02-02-2007 05:03 AM

My experience has been that any kind of emotional or mental overstimulation can trigger insomnia...negative stress as O'nus has mentioned, excitement, or being involved in an unrelaxing or really involved thought process. Trying to figure out the solutions to life's inevitable problems while lying in bed generally does no good.

Taking hot baths or exercising are helpful as long as they're not too close to bedtime. If my body temperature hasn't returned to normal by the time I go to bed and I'm too warm, I can't sleep.

Visualization: Something I've used in the past to relax is to walk myself through the Roman Forum in my mind from beginning to end. It induces sleep like a charm lol.

Reading: Something easy but slightly dry like a nature field guide will make good bedtime reading. The key is to not get too involved in or upset by what you're reading.

Computer use: It's a good idea to give yourself a buffer of time between getting off the computer (which is stimulating) and going to bed. Easier said than done

A light snack never hurts!

Don't watch the alarm clock. Seeing how late it is really adds to your stress and makes it that much harder to fall to sleep.

**Armageddon_Heaven** · 02-03-2007 08:24 AM

Ooh, I constantly have a horrid case of insomnia...

What I do best is fantasize. I may just be the master of random awesome stories I make up right in my head before sleep.
What's weird is I barely remember them ever again, and all I do know is that they were actually pretty good!
Though fantasizing works like a charm, it can totally destroy your chances of getting a lucid dream, since you'd be falling asleep accepting and performing magic or whatever in a fantasy.

Like Eagleeye said, do NOT look at the clock!!
One night I was stupid and thought I should find out how long it is for me to start going to bed, and until I fall asleep.
RETARDED!

I kept looking at the clock....I said to myself "I should be asleep in like, 30 minutes." and after an eternity, 30 minutes have past and I'm no closer to sleep than before.
4 hours later...I finally fall asleep after a crazy, torturing struggle

**O'nus** · 02-03-2007 03:44 PM

Originally Posted by DeadDollKitty

Uhm... dont forcefully relax your body when trying to get to sleep.. doing that will take even longer to get to sleep, just drift your thoughts or follow some of O'nus's techniques..
[/b]

Just to clarify... did I say to forcefully relax your body..? I am curious where I am implied this as I concur that force only renders reactance and causes only more frustration.

If it was the exercise bit (the only bit I can see that could hint at that), I suggest it only as a means to reach a relaxed state of mind as it gives your body a work-out. I would also suggest simply meditating for a certain time, or many other things of similar content.

~

**Never** · 02-03-2007 04:02 PM

I usually just focus on HI when I get insomnia. Oddly, this is how I stumbled onto Wilds before I knew about lucid dreaming. Just simply let yourself be involved in the images passively (not trying to remain conscious) and you will fall asleep eventually if you keep focus. It is a good idea to do this every night anyway for good awareness of one's HI.

**regetsref** · 02-04-2007 03:55 PM

Good post, I need to get the worries out of my head, I can never fall asleep nowadays, just broke up with gf and thats whats causing my stress but I try to have resolved it but its always in my mind stopping me from sleeping, I like the fantasizing technique and thats always worked for me but I cant seem to control my train of thought these days. bah insomania

**O'nus** · 02-06-2007 02:07 AM

After reviewing this thread, I would like to note that I do not think my post is as nearly thorough as possible - there are many issues with insomnia which this thread does not cover. Please do not take what I said as a concrete algorithm - that was wrong for me to say.

If you would like personal help with insomnia, please feel free to PM me.

~

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