Suffered from frequent insomnia for many years and found a solution that works for me

General
1

I’ve had trouble falling asleep for 15+ years. Tried melatonin with limited success, but still struggled. About 10 years ago, I started counting prime numbers to help me fall asleep, but eventually, it became counterproductive since I would focus too much on the numbers. I stopped using that trick a few years ago. However, it did teach me that having a nightly habit can trigger a yawn and help me start getting sleepy (now saying ‘7, 14, 21’ in a fake Italian accent makes me yawn).

What eventually worked best was focusing on NOTHING. Before, I’d lie in bed for 1-3 hours thinking about random things, a bad habit I hadn’t realized I had, probably linked to generalized anxiety. Now I can usually fall asleep fairly quickly.

Edit: A commenter suggested focusing on breathing, which I also do. I make my breathing loud and focus on the sound of inhaling and exhaling. Whenever I catch myself thinking, I tell myself to stop.

2

Ok cool. But how do you do that? How do you think about nothing? Easier said than done.

3

Pax said:
Ok cool. But how do you do that? How do you think about nothing? Easier said than done.

Do you want the link to a video that teaches you how to clear your mind without meditating?

4

@River
Yes please.

5

Pax said:
@River
Yes please.

Here you go, good luck. If it helps and you think to, let me know. How to clear your mind without meditating

6

Pax said:
Ok cool. But how do you do that? How do you think about nothing? Easier said than done.

I have to kinda yell at myself in my head to stop thinking about things. I do this when I catch myself thinking about the day’s events.

7

I too have trouble sleeping, mostly from worrying about the next day or replaying the day in my head. Focusing on deep breathing helps me.

8

Yeah, I’d be interested too. What’s your method for focusing on nothing?

9

Zane said:
Yeah, I’d be interested too. What’s your method for focusing on nothing?

I just tell myself ‘stop’ when I start having specific thoughts. It takes repetition to break the habit of thinking while in bed.

10

@Yan
Thanks!

11

I agree with focusing on nothing! What I do is focus on what I ‘see’ (i.e., darkness because my eyes are closed, and I wear a sleep mask). When a thought pops up, I imagine pushing it out of my field of view with my hand and return to focusing on the darkness.

Another method that helped me is staying completely still for 15 minutes. No movement, not even a toe or scratching an itch. It’s a tough discipline exercise, but it works every time.

12

What helped me was focusing on supplements and compounds to aid sleep. Using things that help with inflammation and increase REM sleep have been very helpful for me. I don’t take everything at once, but here are some supplements I recommend:

  • Magnesium Glycinate: It helps with anxiety and greatly improves sleep quality.
  • Reishi Mushroom (10:1 extract): Lowers anxiety and improves REM sleep. It also helped reduce inflammation.
  • Valerian Root: A strong sedative, though it can make me groggy the next day.
  • CBD + CBN Deep Sleep Tincture: This has been a game-changer for me. It sedates me deeply and keeps me asleep all night. I feel incredibly rested when I wake up.
  • Lavender Essential Oil: I put a few drops on my pillow, and it makes it easier to fall asleep. It helps with anxiety and sleep because of the linalool terpene.