Clearing your mind?

[MotoGirl]

Pen and paper beside the bed....when shit pops in your head, write it down, then it's not just swimming round....works for some

I agree. This will help you reflect on what you're losing sleep over and approach it when you're a bit calmer.

If you're desperate for sleep, read a heavy textbook and it'll send you to sleep!

[Steam]

Think your way out of the situation.

Thinking the way out of the problem doesn't work for me, it just adds to all the stuff going around and around in my head keeping me awake.
I have to do something to stop the thinking, to interrupt the chain of thoughts so I go for a walk and concentrate on not thinking, just walking.
Or I just read a book, if the thoughts /worries are not too overpowering.
Being a buddhist vego nutbag, I also meditate, and I have found that's best for me for stopping endless cycling of thoughts. But people will look at you funny if you tell them you meditate.
Good luck!

[Stirts]

If you're desperate for sleep, read a heavy textbook and it'll send you to sleep!

Good call....employment relations text book is REALLY good for that! I can send it to you Colapop....worked wonders for me.

[RantyDave]

I wake up at some ungodly hour (2, 3 in the morning) and can't go back to sleep, or if I do sleep it's just dozing for 20 minutes at a time.

I do exactly this when stressed.

Get up. Get completely up, get dressed, fuck off somewhere else in the house and do something - in my case usually netsurfing. Usually it takes at least an hour but afterwards you'll be completely knackered and will drop off like a log. Getting up in the (real) morning can be an issue though.

Dave

[Zuki Bandit]

Mate, your sleep pattern sounds very similar to mine. I wake up around 3.30 or so a then lie there in a state that I can only describe as not awake but quite asleep. I now this is caused by stress and I cant seem to shut these thoughts off. One thing that sometimes helps is to read a book. I have also tried writing down the things that are stressing me out and then writing possible solutions. I guess it settles the mind a little.
Now this sounds relly weird but the most effective way that helps me relax and get some shut eye is to imagine looking down at myself sleeping. I picture myself in the perfect sleep snoring my arse off.
But I really sympathise with you Cola, it can get really draining.

Good luck mate!

[Usarka]

the writing thing is a good idea. try this approach:

15 mins before bed get a clean pad and start writing. just write whatever shit pops into your head dont worry if it makes sense or what. The point of the exercise is to get the random thoughts out of your head onto the paper. your mind seems to know it's been 'dealt' with and stops thinking about it. throw the paper in the bin when your done. i'm sure with a name like colapop you dont want the cleaner reading your inner thoughts bahahaha.

works a treat.

[janno]

Now this sounds relly weird but the most effective way that helps me relax and get some shut eye is to imagine looking down at myself sleeping. I picture myself in the perfect sleep snoring my arse off.

Oooh, I like that! That sounds very appealing, I'm going to try that one next time I have the midnight horrors . . . imagining myself of course, not you

[Maha]

I've been stressed .. I have stuff that seems to go round and round in my head.

I was in the same situation about 7 years ago...had so much going on, marriage beark up/lost the family home/lost my contracting business/eye sight was fading (cataracts) owed a bit money here and there. One day while at work...i found myself in in a very scary place...for some reason, i didnt know what to do (work wise) and had been floor laying for 20 years at that stage...but my mind was telling me...this aint what you do, couldn't deal with that emotion at all...wont go into what happened next but what i ended up doing was writting down everything that attending too, and one stiuation at a time i went about and got it sorted, still paying (to this day) for one of those things but it will go away, i know that for sure....one thing at a time Col....

[Zuki Bandit]

Now janno, it will not work unless you think of me! lol

[Flatcap]

I usually try one of two techniques to bring about sleep:

1. Exercise until I feel like puking, or
2. Drink until I feel like puking

I am more alert in the morning after option one, however both negatively effect my mobility.

[sinned]

You probably know what is causing the stress. It is likely to be the job - am I right? If what is causing you to wake up is a situation you don't like and can't control getting out is one answer. The best thing I did was get out of management in Telecom and go contracting. All the stress of trying to meet unreasonable demands, back stabbing, politics and power play gone. Now I control where and when I work and the stress has gone; even though I don't have guaranteed work from day to day.

And, I am now back on a bike and don't give a shit what others think about that.

[peasea]

I'm known round these parts as being pretty flippant and off-hand about most things. A joker if you will. That's great - thanks for the accolade... but in every life a little rain must fall...
I've been stressed (for reasons that I won't go into here) and have had trouble sleeping. I wake up at some ungodly hour (2, 3 in the morning) and can't go back to sleep, or if I do sleep it's just dozing for 20 minutes at a time. I have stuff that seems to go round and round in my head.

My question is this: What do you do to clear your mind? I need to clear my head so I can get some sleep. No, I do not want to take drugs. If I can't clear my mind by myself it's a pointless exercise.

Seriously?
I like loud music, not deafening, just loud enough to hear it all. Good headphones aren't that expensive these days and I get a great release from listening to my fave tunes when I'm down. If that's at 2.00am, use the headphones. I guess it would depend on what kind of music you're into but I find a heap of Supertramp to be soothing (try the title track from 'Even in the quietest moments'), Satriani's 'Rubina's blue sky happiness', 'Cryin' and some Led Zep like 'Goin to California', 'That's the way' and other acoustic stuff.

You can play it in the dark, on your own, reflect and either sup a bourbon or a cup of tea. It really doesn't matter; what matters is having that time to yourself to let the weight grow wings.

All the best dude.

[peasea]

I usually try one of two techniques to bring about sleep:

1. Exercise until I feel like puking, or
2. Drink until I feel like puking

I am more alert in the morning after option one, however both negatively effect my mobility.

The thought of option 1) makes me feel like puking, so option 2) is where it's at.

[Grub]

Been there.

Reading myself to sleep worked. At 2am just picking the book up and reading myself to sleep again. I agree with the idea too of getting up and doing something else can work but it's a 2 hour thing for me and that doesn't leave much of the night remaining.

The reading thing breaks the roundy-roundy thought process - which as you know, goes nowhere. The mind gets diverted by the story. It works for me, it may work for you.

You want to know the truth though? The only thing that really works completely is elapsed time. Whilst the issues are happening, every day adds to the vicious cycle. After it stops happening every day, then time is the healer. Maybe it helps to read the experiences of the others in this thread to see that as shitty as it is, there is eventually resolution and it gets better.

[Grub]

The thought of option 1) makes me feel like puking, so option 2) is where it's at.

Even though this is a serious thread - I really do hope that you're joking.