I have recently had a problem with going to sleep at night, I am a college student, I'm not a big partier, I don't drink, so those aren't reasons, I was going to bed at like 12-1am, I get up at 8 somedays, and 9 others, depending on when my first class is. Lately I lay in bed for hours before going to sleep. Like tonight, it's 345 and i'm not a bit tired. Are there any tricks I can use or that ya'll use to go to sleep, anything at all I can do to get to sleep earlier? I'm thinking of getting sleeping pills, but i dunno if I wanna go that route or not. Thanks ya'll.

 

well at least i'm not the only one manning the keyboards when all is silent. i used to work nights while going to college and it definently will screw you up. infact i have a test this morning at 8 and am studying for it right now. mabey you should try to stay up for over 24 hours. i always find that it is eaiser to get to sleep at a decent hour, 9-11 p.m., when i stay up all night the day before and then go to sleep early the next day. the real key to maintaining a good sleep patter, or at lest for me, is to try to wake up at the same time each and every day. for some reason i found it real easy to do when i went to bed around 8:30 or 9 and woke up at 4:30 in the morning. (no i'm not a old person i just lived 20 miles from work). shoot, just sleep during the day and get a night job j/k. good luck with the insomniea

 

Try going out after classes and help pour about 50 yards of concrete or hand shovel 5 ton of rock in to someones foundation for them. Be suprised how that will help you go to sleep at night .

 

Had a huge problem with this when I was in school, sometimes, I still do, as it happens to be about 2:30 in the morning. The thing that worked the best for me is Melatonin, it's a natural hormone that your body produces, supposedly it's what makes you tired when it gets dark. As a supplement, it does help tho, gives you some weird dreams sometimes. I've also tried staying up for days on end, as there would occasionally be multiple days when I wouldn't feel like sleeping. So I've tried staying up, working myself out to the point of exhaustion, hot showers. Pretty much, anything you've ever heard of that's supposed to help you sleep (warm milk is kinda nasty by the way) I've tried it.
The thing that worked best for me tho, was taking Melatonin when I felt like I needed it, and getting myself on a regular sleep pattern. You can get Melatonin at most any pharmacy/supermarket

Just for the record, the most days I stayed awake before it wasn't physically possible was 13. didn't really help to stabilize my sleep pattern.

 

Being a lifelong insomniac, I feel your pain. I have tried many things over the years. I do have a script for sleeping pills, they sometimes help. The problem with them is they will not put you to sleep unless you are ready. If I take one and stay up with the TV on, nothing. I have to go lay down and settle myself down.

I find that my mind racing is what keeps me up. Mental stimulation also keeps us awake. It took a lot of practice but clearing your thoughts helps but is hard.

Most nights I lay in bed, close my eyes and picture a long street with a street lamp at the end. Focus on the lamp, when your mind wanders go back to the lamp. Sounds funny but it works for me (most of the time).

I have fought this for years. I can and do live with one or two hours of sleep.

If you go the sleeping pill route, just remember, they are sleep aids not solutions.

 

Beware of your diet. A friend couldn't sleep and the reason was grapes believe it or not. Something in the grapes kept him up.
Are you excersing before bed time that is also a no no.

 

I don't have a problem going to sleep...it's staying asleep that nails me.

I typically sleep 4 - 5 hours. On a good night I get 6 hours sleep. Just the way I am.

Napoleon once said, in regards to sleep, "5 for man, 6 for a woman, and 7 for a fool".

 

Had a big problem with this for a while. I would try and stay away from sleeping pills until its the only option. Its very easy to get addicted, trust me.
As stated earlier "clear your mind" is the best thing you can do. This includes getting worked up mentally about not sleeping. Your body will eventually sleep when it needs to (of course this could occur at a bad time). Also I used to lay in bed for quite a while before sleeping, I found that this only taught my body to lay in bed and stay awake. In other words if your not tired get up and watch TV or something dont teach your body that laying down is thinking time not sleeping. Also if it just started happening it could be another medical problem thats causing it, or stress.

 

Are you having any trouble in school or anything else in your life for that matter? For the past 2 months I'd been having the same problem I couldn't go to sleep easily and I would wake up 3 or 4 times a night and wouldn't be able to sleep anywhere past 8 in the morning. I was having trouble with school and worrying about a girl for some retarded reason. I think I was also extremely homesick as I'm a thousand miles away from home in a big city.

I grew up in a town of 1500 people and went home on the weekend. I talked about everything with my parents and decided that it was best if I withdrew from school this year and thought about it all at home until next year. The night after I made the decision I slept the best I've ever slept and was over the girl in the morning. I just had to much stress and I'm looking forward to the next 10 months of not reallly worrying about anything except some work around the house. I also don't think my choice of major's really suited me as the courses bored me intensely, now I'll have plenty of time without having anything forced on me. My decision about the courses was pretty hasty as I had to decide which school I was going go to for baseball and made the decision in about 10 minutes, it was all to fast and I wasn't ready for it all. The only thing I've lost from the two months of school is the girl which is probably better for me.

 

Sorry for the essay I just wrote, but maybe school isn't right for you right now, don't force it cause you won't be happy. Now I have a nice winter of stress free ice fishing with my buddy ahead of me.

 

i had the same problem so i started to take simply sleep an overthecounter sleep aide for about a month and it reset my internal clock to go to bed by 1030pm
simply sleep is made by the same company that makes tylenol pm but it dose not contane any acetaminophen just diphenhydramine and it is not habbit forming because i was able to get to sleep with out it after a month i still take everyonce in a while when i have to get up super early like 3am so i can get to sleep earlier

 

I have somewhat the same problem. I've had it for over 5 years now. No matter how tired I am (unless I'm about to fall asleep while standing up...), it will take me about an hour from the time I lay down in bed, until the time I fall alseep.

And another wierd thing...I have to lay on my right side, back, left side, and finally my stomach...in that order...before I will get to sleep. If I skip one of these 'steps', I will never get to sleep.

 

Self hypnosis works for me.. I had the same problem where no matter what I tried I couldn't sleep.. Then a friend jokingly mentioned it.. I looked inot it and bout a book about it and since I have been doing it I have never slept better