Asking this for no particular reason, other than I'm exhausted, I have to be up in 5 hours, and thus far I'm switching between staring at the ceiling and watching episodes of Elimidate.
(edited by Leroy on 14.6.06 0128) "Those of you who think you know everything are annoying to those of us who do." David Brent, The Office
"Oedipus ruined a great sex life by asking too many questions." Stephen Colbert, The Colbert Report
"Transported to a surreal landscape, a young girl kills the first woman she meets and then teams up with three complete strangers to kill again." Unknown, Marin County newspaper's TV listing for "The Wizard of Oz"
Doesn't happen often but I try to simply relax and clear my head and try not to think about it. The more you "stare at the ceiling" the worse it gets. After a time, if you can't sleep, get up and do something else. Occassionally, though it's not for everyone, a good tall glass of Gentleman Jack has helped.
If I'm lying in bed for more than 30 minutes or so and not sleeping, I get up and do something else for a while.
Sometimes I'll internet surf or watch a TV show on DVD. What often works better, though, is to do something with pen and paper -- write up a to-do list, sketch out website plans, stuff like that. It's kind of busy work, but it gives me a feeling of satisfaction and takes my mind off whatever was keeping me awake.
--K
Last 5 movies seen: Down Argentine Way - 16 Blocks - Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - X-Men: The Last Stand - Twelfth Night (1910)
Back when I was a teen, they just didn't prescribe many drugs for stuff - no Ritalin and so on - and in my sophomore year in HS, I got insomnia - bad. I was sleeping like an hour a day or less, and sometimes I couldn't sleep for 2-3 days. Of course, once I got to sleep, I slept like the dead.
So Mom and Dad sent me to some school-sponsored shrink of some sort. And we talked about sleep. We tried stuff, but it didn't work for me. Some of it (music or TV on, walking around, warm milk, and the rest), I had already tried.
Here's what he suggested: Pick something you'd like to dream about. We talked about some stuff I liked, for example, being in the Army (my post-HS goal), star trek and submarines. And he said something like "Lay there, and imagine that you're, like the captain of the sub attacking a Japanese convoy and go through what might happen in your mind while you lie there still.
That night, that's what I tried, and I woke up when Mom came in the next morning. I don't recall falling asleep, but I did. I did it the next night too, and I fell asleep again. When I just laid there, I didn't fall asleep for a long time, if at all, but as soon as I used the technique, I fell asleep (usually) quickly.
God help me, I still use it quite often. I have sunk a lot of Jap Destroyers just before dozing off.
Ok, this is embarrassing. I feel like I just told you guys I still wet the bed. (I DON'T - well, not often, anyway)
(edited by AWArulz on 14.6.06 1109)
We'll be back right after order has been restored here in the Omni Center.
Originally posted by too-old-nowWe all love a good hummer now and then before dozing off.
I don't think there is a way I can respond to this without having to ban myself...
I have gotten a prescription for Ambien, which usually knocks me out within a few minutes. They also have over-the-counter stuff to help. I only suggest these methods because I used them a lot when I worked the graveyard shift and was in bed around noon.
Lately I'll grab a sudoku puzzle with a difficult-rating and force myself to stare at that until my mind is exhausted. I work on it right on the mattress so I can toss it on the floor instead of standing up and walking to the bed when I'm ready.
1. Drink 2. Play Poker 3. Drink 4. I honest to God used to keep a taped 25 minute HHH interview from his feud with Scott Steiner (or someone). Hell if I know, but it was before he started bringing the goods again.
I usually mess around on the internet if I'm in no rush to go to sleep. I use to surf the Web, checking out tons of stuff, but now I really only visit like five sites...over. and. over.
If I do need to get to sleep, I usually just turn on either Adult Swin or ESPN, turn the volume down to really low and am out not too long after.
Originally posted by Dexley's Midnight JoggerI have gotten a prescription for Ambien, which usually knocks me out within a few minutes.
I experienced a brief-but-intense addiction to Ambien about six months ago. I couldn't sleep without it. It wa a tough habit to kick, and my sleep habits still haven't really recovered.
Originally posted by AngryJohnnyI honest to God used to keep a taped 25 minute HHH interview from his feud with Scott Steiner (or someone). Hell if I know, but it was before he started bringing the goods again.
If you're being serious, that is one of the funniest things I've read on the board.
If reading doesn't work, I try to clear my mind and try to lie as still as I can. Pretty soon I can't seem to feel my legs, the rest of my body soon follows. It feels like I am just a head on a pillow and I go right out.
I usually either get on the web and read random Wikipedia articles, play a mindless video game on my PC or PS2, or start reading a random textbook from the bookshelf.
If I'm reeeeally not tired I'll put on a yoga tape or something to tire myself out without getting the heartrate up.
I also have a bottle of generic brand sleep aid pills that I use when I can't sleep, but I don't have time to screw around and do something else. They usually put me out in about 20 minutes or so as long as I'm lying in bed.
Ken Kennedy debuted a new finisher: Jeff Hardy fans will insist on calling it the Swanton Bomb, but it looks WAY more devastating when not performed by a 180-pound fruitcake. -Rick Scaia 06.12.2006
Originally posted by WhitebaconBenadryl, baby. Occaisonally with a beer chaser.
So weird how I was about to write this almost same EXACT thing. I don't recommend mixing drugs with alcohol, but I'd be a liar to deny that I take 2 Benadryl with a beer once in a while. Hell, even the 2 Benadryl is quite enough. Take 2, wait 45 minutes, and it's lights out. I can be wide awake, walking....once that Benadryl kicks in, there's nothing that can stop it. I'm going down for the count. It especially works this time of year, because allergies sometime make it hard to go to sleep. Killing two birds with one stone, I suppose. The pre-Dryl beer is usually just a coincidence, as I have one with my meals on occasion. (I use the term "on occasion" a lot to make myself seem less of a lush).
I know nobody wants to bring this up, but another thing I've found works....if you're up late and are sorta tired but can't quite get that last push to get you to sleep, try uh...."taking care of yourself". You'd be suprised how that can give you that extra relaxation needed to finally pass out. Too much information, shit.
As a former overnight worker, I have a few techniques.
1. Fan. Moving air can be a good tonic, with the plus of the low-grade white noise.
2. Making sure the room as as dark as you can get it.
3. Positioning yourself where you can breathe the easiest.
4. Music. Classical works well, or if you have a beautiful music station or smooth jazz in your area. Bluegrass puts me out like a light.
5. Mental games. One of my favorites is coming up with lineups and rosters. Example...a roster of baseball players from 1960 to 1975 who played for both the Cubs and Twins...or a football team that all have the last name beginning with G.
6. and 7. I also have a noise machine and a police scanner.
As of 2/28/05: 101 pounds since December 7, 2004 OFFICIAL THREE-MONTH COUNT: 112 pounds on March 9, 2005 OFFICIAL SIX-MONTH COUNT: 142 pounds on June 8, 2005 OFFICIAL ONE YEAR COUNT: 187 pounds on December 7, 2005 As of 2/27/06: 202 pounds "I've lost a heavyweight" As of 5/24/06: 216 pounds
Turn the Weather Channel on really low, and if that doesn't work, a bowl or two of cereal usually does the trick. If that doens't work, time to break out the Natty Light. ;-)
The trick I've found, as far as using television to put yourself to sleep, is that it has to be just interesting enough that you don't mind watching it, but not so intersting that it thoroughly engages you and you wind up watching the whole thing because you want to see how it turns out. For me, it's the History Channel, but if you're a real history buff you might want to avoid that.
Anyhting you can pay for on LJ is for free on Greatestjournals.com - I have a journal on it (http://www.greatestjournals.com/~steviekay) and it's AWESOME! (The site, not my journal. I haven't updated in a while) -S