Sleeping

**Kittyhawk** · 2nd July 2007, 03:19

What do you do to wind down to get a good nights sleep?

**Gremlin** · 2nd July 2007, 03:21

get into bed, pull the covers up... start feeling warm...

Then I hear the alarm ring

**bugjuice** · 2nd July 2007, 03:42

sleep...??
can't tonight for some reason

**Kittyhawk** · 2nd July 2007, 03:48

Yea this is the 2nd night in a row I've been up till 4am....not liking it coz I snooze the day away lol.

**RantyDave** · 2nd July 2007, 03:50

With me it's staying asleep that's proving to be the problem. I might go back to bed and have another crack though.

Oh, and DAMN! The one night I can't sleep there's no sailing on.

Dave

**NZsarge** · 2nd July 2007, 04:02

Originally Posted by Kittyhawk

What do you do to wind down to get a good nights sleep?

Have sex

**vifferman** · 2nd July 2007, 08:57

Strangely, the thing that gets me off to sleep is lying on my back. For some reason, that makes your brain work more (makes you think a lot). Invariably, it's about bikes. After a while, it makes me feel dozy, and I roll over on my side, as I can't get to sleep on my back (because it makes me think!)

I also avoid caffeine, and especially anything with chocolate in it after 7 PM, as chocolate REALLY cranks up you brain.

If I really can't sleep, I get up and take a couple of aspirin, as they make me dozier. What's also good is "Relaxing Sleep" tablets, which have 5-HTP in them, which is a natural sedative, but you ideally need to take those an hour before bed. (They're a precursor to serotonin, so they're good for depression, and milder than antidepressants).

**jrandom** · 2nd July 2007, 09:01

Exercise. Not late at night, but during the day. Train hard. Get to the gym and lift. There's nothing quite like dropping into bed like a stone at 9pm, barely able to move, and sleeping for 10 hours.

You'll wake up wanting breakfast like you've never wanted it before.

**Albino** · 2nd July 2007, 09:14

Just asked some one who's somewhat of an expert on the subject......

No caffeine after 2pm - caffeine has a long half life.
Get plenty of sunlight during the day. Hard in winter so make an effort to go outside during the day (without sunglasses).
Don;t clock watch. Turn your alarm clock away so you cant see it.
If you can't get to sleep within about 40 minutes, get out of bed for 30 minutes. Repeat.
Use your bed for two things only - rooting and sleeping. Get your mind used to the fact that bed-time = sleeptime.
If your having trouble getting to sleep because of thinking too much, try free-writing half an hour before going to bed. Get a pad and just write whatever comes to mind for a few minutes, and get those thoughts out of your head and onto paper.
Horlics - heated milk promotes sleep somehow (google it).
Exercise morning or afternoon.
Write a plan for work tomorrow, again get it out of your head.
Don't go to be earlier the next night if you don't sleep.

It sounds like there are plenty more things if its more serious......

**Spuds1234** · 2nd July 2007, 09:15

Sleep? Its a poor substitute for coffee!

**deanohit** · 2nd July 2007, 09:16

I used to have trouble sleeping more than an hour a night for weeks. I always find a really hot shower, some milo, then hoping into a really warm bed works for me. Some things to look out for are dont watch tv or read in bed as the body will come to associate those things with the bed, and you wont be able to sleep unless you've done those things. Another thing is it could be the bed, but if you're having trouble sleeping in the bed you've had for 5 years or something, it's probably something else. Dont have a clock you can see by the bed, you'll only make your self anxious worrying how late your staying up.

**Joni** · 2nd July 2007, 09:18

Originally Posted by jrandom

Exercise. Not late at night, but during the day. Train hard. Get to the gym and lift. There's nothing quite like dropping into bed like a stone at 9pm, barely able to move, and sleeping for 10 hours.

You'll wake up wanting breakfast like you've never wanted it before.

I hope you are right JR (welcome back btw)... I slept stuff all last night. Have my usual 1.5hour Kung Fu session this evening, I hope I pass out like a drunk tonight... need it

**Disco Dan** · 2nd July 2007, 09:23

Originally Posted by Kittyhawk

What do you do to wind down to get a good nights sleep?

Zoliclone or more commonly known as Imovane. Perks of working in mental health.....

Once a week I do the night shift, finish at 7am in the morning then start again at 3pm that same day... need something to help 'reset' ye olde body clock

**Blackbird** · 2nd July 2007, 09:29

Interesting comment that Vifferman makes about sleeping on your back – hadn’t heard that one before and I sleep on my back. It normally takes me quite a while to drift off because with a lack of visual stimulus, the “skull cinema” switches on and I think about all sorts of things. Weekdays are usually worse as I’m usually in work overload and have problems switching work off which is really sad!

As JRandom says, physical exercise is good and going to the company gym at lunchtime definitely helps. On really bad nights (which are admittedly rare), I take a couple of Panadol just to help relax.