I’m a worrier and an overthinker. When it’s time for bed, I stress about the past, present, and future. Even when I’m dog-tired and sleep-deprived, my mind races, and it can take anywhere from 1-3 hours of lying in bed with my eyes closed to fall asleep. Any tips on smoothing that transition? What do you do to help you fall asleep other than medication?
Write down everything you’re thinking about. Keep writing until there’s nothing left. Try to go to bed around the same time each night with a routine (like calming tea, a hot bath, and reading a laid-back book). Then, deep breathing and meditation can help. Only sleep in bed—no phones, no TV, just sleep. Also, keep the space cool, calm, and comfortable.
@Uma
Doesn’t tea make sleep harder?
Chamomile tea or other non-caffeinated calming teas help calm your body and mind down.
Try a brain dump before bed. Write down all your worries and thoughts like you’re storing them for safekeeping. Pair this with healthy sleep hygiene, relaxation before bed, and a regular sleep schedule. Get plenty of daylight early, then use low-light before bed. If you stick to this, you’ll train your body to sleep better.
I listen to boring sleep stories. They don’t always work, but sometimes they help me fall asleep in 30 minutes.
Marlow said:
I listen to boring sleep stories. They don’t always work, but sometimes they help me fall asleep in 30 minutes.
r/amItheAhole has some great stories for this!
Similar to a brain dump, try a task dump list. Write down everything you need to do the next day, pinpoint priorities. This helps clear your mind so you can relax.
Macon said:
Similar to a brain dump, try a task dump list. Write down everything you need to do the next day, pinpoint priorities. This helps clear your mind so you can relax.
This is a nice tip!
Try slow breathing: in slowly, out slowly. Focus on relaxing your whole body with each breath in and out, and don’t worry about the thoughts in your head.
Here’s a different approach: replay your day in reverse. Start from getting into bed and work your way backward to when you woke up. Don’t analyze it, just observe. It keeps your mind occupied but prevents worrying about the future.
I listen to something interesting enough to distract me from my thoughts but boring enough to fall asleep with my eyes closed.
Focus on relaxing your mind and body. Avoid blue light from screens before bed.
Play an association game—think of an object and come up with similar things. For example, ‘building’ could lead to skyscraper, barn, bungalow, etc. It helps distract from negative thoughts.
Try controlling the speed of the narrative in your head. Speed it up, then slow it down to help your mind relax.
Try the ‘tongue trick’ for relaxation.
Ezra said:
Try the ‘tongue trick’ for relaxation.
What’s the tongue trick?
I use the 4-7-8 breathing technique for a couple of minutes to calm my heart and mind.
I have a pillow speaker that plays audiobooks. The app stops after 10 minutes if I haven’t moved.
I use a red light for my bedroom, and keep a ritual of laying on my back, breathing, and rotating sides until I feel relaxed.