How to Find Sleep When It Escapes You

1. Ever have those nights when you just cannot seem to fall asleep? You’re tired, you had a full day, and you need your rest in order to tackle the next day, but no matter what you do, you cannot seem to fall asleep! It is incredibly frustrating, but you can overcome it.
   
   Photo by To S Studio

   If you experience this too from time to time, then here is what I recommend that you try:

   Relax & realize that this too shall pass. The more you get anxious about it, the more alert your mind and body and the less you will be able to sleep and you don’t want that.
   Don’t look to over-the-counter for help. Listen, you may suffer only 1 or 2 nights the all natural way, but if you start taking sleep aids, you may be in for a more serious ride. I’d rather work my body back into a regular sleep mode by tiring it out, then induce it to a sleep mode.

   Take a warm bath and dim those lights! This will relax your body and help your mind to go into relaxation mode.
   
   Photo by Framewhore

   Read before you go to bed. And not a “can’t put it down” kind of read…

   Sex. It helps… tires you out is my reasoning. But if you want scientific backing on this, there are studies out there that support this. Check out "Is Sleep the New Sex" on msnbc.com.

   Don’t go to sleep hungry. I don’t advocate eating right before hitting the sack, but if you happen to be hungy and you also happen to be having problems going to sleep, then you should probably eat something. Nothing too heavy. Maybe soup?
   
   Photo by edestlin

   A glass of wine or a warm cup of milk. Depending on your mood and taste, a nice glass of wine or a warm cup of milk will help you unwind and relax.
   
   Photo by Nec

   Let it all go. Relax your mind, your body and relax those jaws… tension in your jaws will keep you awake. Stop thinking… let it go. If you can’t stop your thoughts, then write them down and then let it go from your mind for the night.

   Please share your tips and remedies on finding sleep~!

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   cat
   

   Reputation:45

   Posted 6 months ago

   
   

2. My 3 hours of sleep each night are very easy to acheive. =)

   
   

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   howtogeek
   

   Reputation:175

   Posted 6 months ago

   
   

3. I never have a problem falling asleep, but then I stay up so late...

   
   

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   jj128
   

   Reputation:39

   Posted 6 months ago

   
   

4. Haha, me too. It's 4:27am EST. Going to be a rough morning.

   
   

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   vtzete0
   

   Reputation:26

   Posted 6 months ago

   
   

5. I have problems sleeping. Maybe it's the caffeine.

   
   

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   caffeinejunkie
   

   Reputation:3

   Posted 6 months ago

   
   

6. Making a conscious effort to clear my head and think about absolutely nothing helps me from time to time.
   Other than that a healthy dose of booze helps.... just not so much on the feeling refreshed in the morning.

   
   

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   tedblock
   

   Reputation:3

   Posted 6 months ago

   
   

7. If you want to try listening to something to help you drift off, I personally find Placebo's Sleep Tracks very helpful.

   
   

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   AtomFury
   

   Reputation:4

   Posted 6 months ago

   
   

8. sometimes i youtube hypnosis deep sleep. some of those tracks are like a sleeping pill, they knock me right out.

   
   

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   tjstalcup
   

   Reputation:4

   Posted 6 months ago

   
   

9. I find that I sleep much better on days that I have exercised.

   
   

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   gmrple
   

   Reputation:6

   Posted 6 months ago

   
   

10. I find that I sleep much better on days that I have exercised.

    Nothing works better then working yourself into exhaustion :D

    
    

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    Cybotron
    

    Reputation:3

    Posted 6 months ago

    
    

11. Take Melatonin about 30 minutes before going to bed.

    
    

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    jackkirby
    

    Reputation:6

    Posted 6 months ago

    
    

12. I got a wifi streaming radio alarm clock as a gift a few months ago. Now when I wake up and can't get back to sleep I slip on the headphones and listen to either some oldie radio shows on Antioch or some mellow tunes on Groove Salad. Either shuts my brain back off within 20 minutes or so and I can go back to sleep.

    
    

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    Jason
    

    Reputation:7

    Posted 6 months ago

    
    

13. I also have problems sleeping some nights. No matter how hard i try to sleep different memories keep coming and depriving me from sleep. I recently found a good way to put my mind to rest in night that i can't go to sleep easily yet have to wake the next morning to go for a full days work. It's a sound of raining and thunder and birds chirping compilation i found from the internet. I Just put the lights off and play the sound and pretty soon I would be fast sleeping.

    
    

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    bubs353
    

    Reputation:10

    Posted 5 months ago

    
    

14. LifeHacker had a really good post about this a few weeks ago, they mention a site called 'RainyMood', all it does is play the sound of a rainstorm on loop, put it as a bookmark on my Media Centre and play it every night. Whilst its not cured me of my insomnia, it certainly makes it easier to drop off. Now only takes an hour or two instead of five or six.

    http://lifehacker.com/5458197/rainymood-brings-rainstorm-ambience-to-your-office

    
    

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    alexward1981
    

    Reputation:101

    Posted 5 months ago

    
    

15. just a few beers works great for me.
    only 1 or two and then 10mins later im out.

    
    

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    elliotstan
    

    Reputation:14

    Posted 5 months ago

    
    

16. I've found that going through your inbox, clearing it out, setting up a todo list to get it all off your mind, helps with being able to relax and sleep.

    
    

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    androider
    

    Reputation:7

    Posted 5 months ago