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[Tschumi]

I wanna take a moment to edit in a suggestion that if you are suffering from racing thoughts come bed time it's possibly because you're drinking too much caffeine. It's not always just about when you drink it, it can accumulate, a single red bull a day will keep the sleep fairy away. Just a thought.

Happily, at the moment, i sleep fine. A few weeks ago i had like 4 coffees in one day and i couldn't sleep until 5am, but generally for the last few years I've pretty much dropped off as I'm supposed to.

That wasn't always the case. For most of my 20s I would toss and turn until around 3am before finally sleeping.

These things changed:
- I avoided caffeine after about 3pm
- I reduced how often i tried to sleep shortly after playing late night sports
- I put my mobile phone in the next room when it was time to sleep, so i wouldn't stare at the screen all night
- i changed the colour balance on my phone to remove all blue light
- Actually, and this is the fun part, I started hugging a giant pillow when i went to bed.

... I don't know why it worked, but having the extra support holding up my torso really had me conking out the moment i laid down. I felt like it was a scaffold. Maybe my back was strained by near daily futsal games (in my case) but I've never tossed and turned since the day i started hugging a big pillow.

I stopped hugging pillows years ago (didn't want to hurt bae's feelings lol) but i still drop off quickly, probably because of caffeine intake, but i also think I've trained my body on how to drop off and maybe with less futsal to play my back is less tense now.

Anyway, that was a bit of a PSA to my mind.

So, anyone else got similar stories/advice? Can we help our GAFers who have trouble sleeping?

 

[belmarduk]

Ambien.
Every night.
Its not perfect and I rarely get eight hours of sleep but I'd get none without it.

 

[BennyBlanco]

Melatonin gummies do the trick for me

 

[Tschumi]

Ambien.
Every night.
Its not perfect and I rarely get eight hours of sleep but I'd get none without it.

I'm glad that works for you, have you ever considered seeing a sleep doctor to try and get some natural Zs?

 

[Ownage]

25mg of CBD will do the trick. I use the mouthspray that melts on your tongue. Takes about 30 min to kick in. Has no THC.

 

[Nobody_Important]

I have horrible insomnia. I usually take sleeping pills, but even then I wake up at 3 or 4 usually.

 

[Celcius]

I wake up multiple times throughout the night and then turn over and try to go back to sleep. When I lay down to go to bed, it's like I just lay there board and don't fall asleep for a while. Plus I'm a light sleeper so it's easy to wake me up.

 

[Tschumi]

I have horrible insomnia. I usually take sleeping pills, but even then I wake up at 3 or 4 usually.

i'm really sorry to hear that bro, i don't wanna seem like a dick but pretty much... literally everyone who has replied to this thread seems to be on some form of medication or struggling with sleeping issues... i wonder if there's some kinda hidden epidemic here... maybe peeps better turn down their blue screens and cut out the energy drinks loll... i dunno clearly i don't know the full story but yeah, feel sorry to hear this

 

[Nobody_Important]

i'm really sorry to hear that bro, i don't wanna seem like a dick but pretty much... literally everyone who has replied to this thread seems to be on some form of medication or struggling with sleeping issues... i wonder if there's some kinda hidden epidemic here... maybe peeps better turn down their blue screens and cut out the energy drinks loll... i dunno clearly i don't know the full story but yeah, feel sorry to hear this

It's fine. I've lived with it since I was 15. I am used to it. I just nap here and there.

 

[Tschumi]

It's fine. I've lived with it since I was 15. I am used to it. I just nap here and there.

aite i'm glad to know mate

 

[nush]

Have a wank.

 

[MaestroMike]

rice with pasta sauce before bed or a nap helps me fall asleep. lot of leafy greens during the day, some fruit, moderate fat/fiber, moderate-to-low protein (like only 30 gram of animal protein) and some exercise. make sure your not deficient in the essential fatty acids omega 3s (chia/flax seeds/fish oil) and vitamin D. winter is coming and there's going to be less sunlight so its easier to be deficient in vitamin D at least so you can supplement with tablets and also receive a little from seafood/egg yolks which are natural sources. i still consume some dark chocolate/cocoa powder throughout the day even tho it has caffeine good source of magnesium/copper/iron/antioxidants. making sure ur meeting ur macro- and micro-nutrient needs per day helps when its time to go to sleep its hard to sleep on an empty stomach the fiber ensures you have energy and nutrients/minerals still in ur system to pull from while you go to sleep. its just way easier to consume most of the greens/fruit/fats in smoothie form so I'm sipping on a green smoothie throughout the day everyday. I also like to sleep with a fan/sleep machine and my windows blocked so no light creeps in the mourning while I'm sleeping. here are my smoothie recipes that I e-mailed some peeps:

Spinach/bean smoothie

3 whole, peeled lemons (I cut the peels off with a knife)
Around 14 oz of orange juice
One 10 mg zinc tablet
10 oz of organic spinach
One can of low sodium black beans
2 scoops of Vital Proteins collagen powder
4 tablespoons of Hershey’s cocoa powder
One bar of dark baking unsweetened chocolate 100% cocoa (I like the guittard brand each one contains like almost 400 calories and 30 grams of fat)
3 to 6 oz of raw hazelnuts (usually from Trader Joe’s)
3 to 5 oz of frozen blackberries or blueberries
3 to 5 oz of frozen raspberries
3 bananas

Kale/bean smoothie

2 to 3 whole, peeled lemons (3 if the lemons are small) (I cut the peels off with a knife)
16 oz of orange juice
Four 25 mcg vitamin D tablets (4,000 IU)
One 10 mg zinc tablet
10 oz bag of organic kale
8 tablespoons of ground chia seeds (I grind whole chia seeds in a coffee grinder beforehand)

I like to blend all of this first and wait at least a few hours and blend everything again before I start adding in the other ingredients.

4 egg yolks
1 scoop of Vital Proteins collagen powder
Half a can of low sodium black beans
3 to 6 oz of almonds (depends how hungry I am for them)
Two bars of dark baking unsweetened chocolate 100% cocoa (I like the guittard brand each one contains like almost 400 calories and 30 grams of fat)
3 to 5 oz of frozen blackberries or blueberries
3 to 5 oz of frozen raspberries
2 bananas

Kale smoothie without beans

2 to 3 whole, peeled lemons (3 if the lemons are small) (I cut the peels off with a knife)
20 to 24 oz of orange juice
Four 25 mcg vitamin D tablets (4,000 IU)
Vitamin B12 tablet
10 oz bag of organic kale

I like to blend all of this first and wait at least a few hours and blend everything again before I start adding in the other ingredients.

12 tablespoons of ground flaxseeds (I grind whole flaxseeds in a coffee grinder beforehand)
2 to 4 egg yolks
One bar of dark baking unsweetened chocolate 100% cocoa (I like the guittard brand each one contains like almost 400 calories and 30 grams of fat)
3 to 6 oz of walnuts
3 to 6 oz of raw hazelnuts (usually from Trader Joe’s)
5 to 10 oz of frozen strawberries
1 banana

Spinach smoothie without beans (Don’t really drink this one too much I don’t remember how much of each ingredient I use too well)

4 whole, peeled lemons (I cut the peels off with a knife)
Around 20 to 24 oz of orange juice
Vitamin B12 tablet
10 oz of organic spinach
8 to 10 oz of baby carrots
One bar of dark baking unsweetened chocolate 100% cocoa (I like the guittard brand each one contains like almost 400 calories and 30 grams of fat)
3 to 6 oz of raw hazelnuts (usually from Trader Joe’s)
5 to 10 oz of frozen strawberries
2 bananas

I do multiple blends as I put in ingredients. I usually add water to each container to make it less thick. I try to blend everything the day before I consume the smoothie. I do one more blend on the day that I will start consuming the smoothie.

I use a Ninja blender with a 72 oz container for this. I have another container so I can make two smoothies at the same time as well. I usually rotate with the kale and spinach bean smoothies. Like maybe I have two spinach smoothies in a row and then rotate to two kale smoothies in a row. Sometimes I do maybe 3 kale smoothies in a row. I just do it based on how I feel. Not sure how healthy these smoothies are I read a lot of stuff from Dr. Fuhrmans books and idiots guide to plant-based nutrition and read a lot from a basic college nutrition textbook and just mixed/experimented with different ingredients based on what I read. I still like to eat a lot of carbs but all the fiber in these smoothies slow down how fast I absorb the carbs. Like I eat pieces of toast during the day and at night I have some rice with pasta sauce and/or steamed sweet/regular potatoes with steamed carrots. If you’re not used to eating a lot of fiber, you might have to go slow and steady with this, but over time your stomach muscles should get stronger and it should be easier to digest a lot of fiber.

 

[Tschumi]

Have a wank.

That was my wake up method for the longest time lol

 

[rbanke]

I'm now 44 and have had problems sleeping my whole life. Whether feeling like I'm missing out on something fun/interesting or gears turning about things I need to do or whatever, for years I couldn't fall asleep easily. Several years ago I started forcing myself to get up at 6 and either run or exercise. I wasn't trying to fix my sleep but soon found that by the time 10 or so rolled around I was beat and haven't had much issue falling asleep since. Sometimes I'll still wake up after sleeping a few hours and my mind starts keeping me awake but no where near what it used to be.

Exercise really brings a ton of benefits side from health.... I'm going to bed.

 

[Vyse]

I get up at 5am, head to CrossFit then work for the next 9-10 hours. After dinner, go for a walk with the Mrs. No caffeine after 3pm and got rid of all lights (chagers, computers, etc) in my bedroom. I am so tired I normly sleep like a baby.

 

[Tschumi]

I get up at 5am, head to CrossFit then work for the next 9-10 hours. After dinner, go for a walk with the Mrs. No caffeine after 3pm and got rid of all lights (chagers, computers, etc) in my bedroom. I am so tired I normly sleep like a baby.

I'm now 44 and have had problems sleeping my whole life. Whether feeling like I'm missing out on something fun/interesting or gears turning about things I need to do or whatever, for years I couldn't fall asleep easily. Several years ago I started forcing myself to get up at 6 and either run or exercise. I wasn't trying to fix my sleep but soon found that by the time 10 or so rolled around I was beat and haven't had much issue falling asleep since. Sometimes I'll still wake up after sleeping a few hours and my mind starts keeping me awake but no where near what it used to be.

Exercise really brings a ton of benefits side from health.... I'm going to bed.

I have a feeling that if a few more did this kind of stuff it'd make big differences

 

[Nobody_Important]

Have a wank.

Juvenile jokes aside this is legit something I have done before when I am desperate to get some sleep. I don't know if it is the short spurt of physical exertion or the chemicals that are released as a result, but it works in certain situations.


The jerk does work I guess.

 

[Kev Kev]

-Have a set bed time and stick to it
-Always get up on the first alarm
-Routine routine routine
-Healthy diet (have a solid routine here too)
-If you work that day, that’s good as it’ll help you get tired, if it’s a day off, try to stay busy. You gotta keep burning that energy all day so you’re tired enough by bedtime
-1-2 hours of exercise per day (jog/run twice a day if you can, morning and night preferably…. and stay in a good workout routine!)
-Have a stress reliever thing to do like video games or Netflix or playing music at the end of every night (and hour or two before bed time).
-Sleep in darkness with no lights and no sound (or with a sleep sound if you prefer, which I certainly do)
-Maybe even try eye cover and pushing some earplugs halfway in if you want more sensory deprivation
-Natural supplements like melatonin or some tea.
-Zzzzquill is not a bad idea to help you get into a good sleep routine. After a few days you’re body might start to adjust and get used to its new bedtime, if all goes well

In general you just want to as worn out and tired as possible. You gotta start burning that energy early and keep it up all day, so by the time your bed time approaches your too damn exhausted to stay up, so you just zonk right out. Oh and no alcohol. At least not until your internal clock is adjusted. If you can’t keep a routine then I don’t know what to tel you. Our bodies and minds are meant to sleep every night at about the same time. If your job or something keeps you from doing that, then you’re going to have a hard time getting into a good sleep pattern

I used to have horrible sleep patterns. Borderline insomniac some weeks. All of the above plus quitting drinking cured me of all my sleep problems.

good luck whatever you decide to do!

 

[Ikutachi]

I have a feeling that if a few more did this kind of stuff it'd make big differences

Yeah. If anyone wants to change their wake up time to 6 am without doing it abruptly, do a 16 hour fast. Stop eating after 2 pm then help yourself to a big breakfast at 6 am to establish the new wake up time.

 

[JimmyRustler]

Have/had horrible insomnia for the past 1,5 years and thanks to reading "The sleep solution" from Chris Winters am on the brink of completely solving it. I think that everyone with sleeping problems should read this book.

The best points I took from the book are:

1. Insomnia does not mean you're not sleeping but how you good you're sleeping and how you perceive your sleep.
2. Learn the difference between being sleepy and being fatigued.
3. Going to bed early the next day after a bad night is not a good idea.
4. Sleep hygiene is very imprortant.
5. Blullshit advice over the net on how much sleep you need is exactly that: Bullshit.

 

[GeekyDad]

I try to only have a single cup of joe before I go to work, water the rest of the day. Stop eating at least three hours before bed. Used to work like a charm. Now, I fall right to sleep, but usually end up waking about five hours later, unable to fall back asleep. I'm pretty sure it's due to the medications I have to take. On my days off, I'll usually nap during the day. On works days, oh well...

 

[Ballthyrm]

• Buy a good large bed where your feet don't come out. Change it if it's too old ffs.
• Buy your mattress and your slatted base together so they age together.
• Change your linens often.
• Buy good linens with high thread count, they are way more comfortable.
• Find the pillow that's right for you. Test a couple different.
• No alcohol at least 2 hours before bed.
• Keep Water on your night stand.
• Make a routine a go to bed (and wake up*) at the same time as much as you can.

 

[JimmyRustler]

• Buy a good large bed where your feet don't come out. Change it if it's too old ffs.
• Buy your mattress and your slatted base together so they age together.
• Change your linens often.
• Buy good linens with high thread count, they are way more comfortable.
• Find the pillow that's right for you. Test a couple different.
• No alcohol at least 2 hours before bed.
• Keep Water on your night stand.
• Make a routine a go to bed at the same time as much as you can.

A consistent wake up time (no sleeping in on weekends) is much more important though. Going to bed time pales in comparrision. Do not go to bed if you're not sleepy. If it takes you too long to fall asleep, go to bed later the next day.

 

[haxan7]

- Actually, and this is the fun part, I started hugging a giant pillow when i went to bed.

... I don't know why it worked, but having the extra support holding up my torso really had me conking out the moment i laid down. I felt like it was a scaffold. Maybe my back was strained by near daily futsal games (in my case) but I've never tossed and turned since the day i started hugging a big pillow.

do you find holding a person when you’re falling asleep works the same as your pillow method? Just curious

 

[Tschumi]

do you find holding a person when you’re falling asleep works the same as your pillow method? Just curious

actually no because every little move they do snaps me awake... ALSO their hair gets up my nose or tickles my lip

Unless it's daytime, i don't really understand it but when the sun's up and cars are buzzing past and all that jazz i can nap with the best 'of em regardless of what knobbly joint i'm curled up against

 

[haxan7]

actually no because every little move they do snaps me awake...

Same here. I hate anyone near me when I’m trying to sleep

 

[Tschumi]

Same here. I hate anyone near me when I’m trying to sleep

i've actually discovered that it's okay if our butts are touching lol so i say 'butt-touch!' when it's time to stop cuddling and start sleeping rofl

 

[haxan7]

i've actually discovered that it's okay if our butts are touching lol so i say 'butt-touch!' when it's time to stop cuddling and start sleeping rofl

That actually gives me back pain. Can’t have the pressure on my lower back. I’m basically the worst person in the world to sleep with (according to my gf at least)

 

[Tschumi]

That actually gives me back pain. Can’t have the pressure on my lower back. I’m basically the worst person in the world to sleep with.

poor dude that's ur power tho man i reskept that

must be something in the water in beijing

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

I need to fall asleep listening to something. I play a podcast every night.

 

[Bernd Lauert]

Wake up early...

1. View sunlight/daylight for a couple minutes after awakening (you have to actually go outside)
2. Do some early workout (10 minutes is enough if you don't want more)

This sets your internal clock so that you can fall asleep before 10 PM. Number 1 is really important.

3. No caffeine after noon.
4. No screens after 8 PM (blue light at night really fucks your sleep up. Just read a book)
5. This varies but for me it helps if I don't eat anything after say 6 PM. Others fall asleep better if they had a small carb meal before sleep.

I sleep like a baby when I follow these rules. When I don't follow them, my sleep becomes worse.

 

[GymWolf]

I tried almost everything but i think that my internal bio clock is hopeless after so many years.

 

[Armorian]

I work on one shift (8-16) for a few months now and i don't have any problems at all. Working on 3 before... It was painful.

 

[Raphael]

I had terrible falling asleep problems whole my life - usually it took me several hours. It was exhausting. It suddenly went away one day after 30 years when I got on keto. Im no longer on keto but still fall asleep in decent time. Weird but happy!

 

[thefool]

When I was a kid, I had sleeping issues. I felt like a human dynamo, the more I moved the more energy i got lol. I was an extremely active kid, my body somehow never really wanted to rest and when I went to bed I had no idea what to do in there, making me restless (and anxious). As I got a bit older, I ended up learning I could send my mind anywhere, imagining about anything and everything which started to give me comfort in staying in bed until I shut off. To this day, I still use a similar technique to help me sleep.

As an adult, there's two paths for me. If I'm busy, physically and especially mentally, I'll get exhausted by the end of the day and have no trouble sleeping. It's not really working out, it's putting my brain working for long periods of time that really tires me. On the other hand, if my days get to be more sedentary and passive, the harder it is and that's where routines help me a lot, namely waking up/going to bed at certain hours, having a regular routine after dinner, not using the laptop past certain hours, etc.

I really need silence to sleep and that's an issue especially when someone sleeps with me, even some heavy breathing can put me off.

 

[GymWolf]

Wake up early...

1. View sunlight/daylight for a couple minutes after awakening (you have to actually go outside)
2. Do some early workout (10 minutes is enough if you don't want more)

This sets your internal clock so that you can fall asleep before 10 PM. Number 1 is really important.

3. No caffeine after noon.
4. No screens after 8 PM (blue light at night really fucks your sleep up. Just read a book)
5. This varies but for me it helps if I don't eat anything after say 6 PM. Others fall asleep better if they had a small carb meal before sleep.

I sleep like a baby when I follow these rules. When I don't follow them, my sleep becomes worse.

The screen part\not eating sound like hell...

I onestly prefer suffering some insomnia and not have those hard limits in the evening...

Shit at 8 i didn't even prepared dinner yet lol...

 

[Little Mac]

I wear a sleep mask to block out all light. I use an app on my iPad that simulates rain sounds while I sleep. I use those blue light blocking apps and settings on my electronic devices. I go to bed at the same time every night. I’ll supplement with 3grams (low dose) of melatonin an hour before bed. Outside of a small 12oz cup of coffee in the morning, preworkout, I try to avoid anything with caffeine.

 

[GymWolf]

Lol melatonin made me sleep even worse if anything...

 

[Tschumi]

The screen part\not eating sound like hell...

I onestly prefer suffering some insomnia and not have those hard limits in the evening...

Shit at 8 i didn't even prepared dinner yet lol...

tbh bro i think eating late isn't such a deal breaker but it's pretty easy to change colour balance on screens and like ease off on caffeine after lunch or something, should give it a try!

ps. i never take supplements, scared i'd get dependant on them to sleep

---

A general thing, I'd say anyone having trouble with thinking too much when they're on the pillow even if they're sleepy are having too much caffeine..

 

[Soodanim]

I rarely have trouble getting to sleep, but I find that if you're struggling to drift off, listening to something at a low volume (earbuds, not speaker) can help. Some ASMR stuff, while it does nothing for me for the most part, is both distracting from thought trains which keep you awake when you want to sleep and calm enough to stop you being kept awake. If you find a few that fit what you're looking for, just save them and go back to them. I'm guessing it's a similar thing to sleep sounds that people use, but those do nothing for me.

 

[JimmyRustler]

Lol melatonin made me sleep even worse if anything...

Yeah, didn't do anything for me as well.

Another tipp I can give my brethren here is to actually limit your sleep for starters. I used to go to bed around 10 pm for a long time to get my 7 hours and then struggling to fall asleep and not getting any in the end (or at least not feeling like I get any). I still tend to get very drowsy around 10 pm and struggle to do anything at this point (be it playing games or watching TV) but I literally force myself to not go to bed until like 11:30 pm. Effect of this has been pretty daunting because the past two nights I was out cold in below 5 minutes at that point and sleeping through until my alarm at 5 am.

 

[p_xavier]

I usually do auto-erotic asphixiation, you just need to do it right enough to not die.

 

[Tschumi]

I usually do auto-erotic asphixation, you just need to do it right enough to not die.

mods know what's up rofl

 

[Physiognomonics]

rice with pasta sauce before bed or a nap helps me fall asleep. lot of leafy greens during the day, some fruit, moderate fat/fiber, moderate-to-low protein (like only 30 gram of animal protein) and some exercise. make sure your not deficient in the essential fatty acids omega 3s (chia/flax seeds/fish oil) and vitamin D. winter is coming and there's going to be less sunlight so its easier to be deficient in vitamin D at least so you can supplement with tablets and also receive a little from seafood/egg yolks which are natural sources. i still consume some dark chocolate/cocoa powder throughout the day even tho it has caffeine good source of magnesium/copper/iron/antioxidants. making sure ur meeting ur macro- and micro-nutrient needs per day helps when its time to go to sleep its hard to sleep on an empty stomach the fiber ensures you have energy and nutrients/minerals still in ur system to pull from while you go to sleep. its just way easier to consume most of the greens/fruit/fats in smoothie form so I'm sipping on a green smoothie throughout the day everyday. I also like to sleep with a fan/sleep machine and my windows blocked so no light creeps in the mourning while I'm sleeping. here are my smoothie recipes that I e-mailed some peeps:

One shouldn't eat (that much) just before going to sleep. It can work for you for some reasons but it shouldn't work as well on others (like for instance raises high blood sugar for the whole night which will lower natural production of growth hormone). The rest of your regimen looks good.

 

[Skyfox]

My nasal passageways would swell and I'd end up breathing through my mouth so I got a humidifier and a seawater nasal spray.

I also use a hepa filter thing and got rid of my pillow in case it was some sort of allergy. Now I use a tshirt as a "pillow" and rest my head on my arm.

Been sleeping great for about a year with this regimen.

 

[Kilau]

I have sleeping problems for sure. One of them is 5 and the other is 2 years old. No solution in sight.

 

[GymWolf]

tbh bro i think eating late isn't such a deal breaker but it's pretty easy to change colour balance on screens and like ease off on caffeine after lunch or something, should give it a try!

ps. i never take supplements, scared i'd get dependant on them to sleep

---

A general thing, I'd say anyone having trouble with thinking too much when they're on the pillow even if they're sleepy are having too much caffeine..

I don't drink coffee so...

My problem is that i don't have a turn off switch for my brain, if i try to go to sleep before 1:30\2 am i just move in the bed without sleeping.

Thankfully after that i have my 4-5 hours of solid sleep, they are enough.

 

[Maiden Voyage]

I get 8-9 hours a night. I go to bed at the same time roughly. I avoid turning lights on so the sun determines darkness. I avoid phone/screens when possible and use blue light filters when I do use them.

Only exception really is when I travel for work.

I should add too, since I work from home I haven't used an alarm. I almost always wake up at roughly the same time naturally. It's pretty cool.

 

[nush]

Yeah. If anyone wants to change their wake up time to 6 am without doing it abruptly

Get a dog that wakes you up at 5:30 am that just wants a tap on the head and then comes back 30 minutes later.

 

[Tschumi]

I get 8-9 hours a night. I go to bed at the same time roughly. I avoid turning lights on so the sun determines darkness. I avoid phone/screens when possible and use blue light filters when I do use them.

Only exception really is when I travel for work.

and that is why your avatar is a captain, because you are the captain of the night. i salute ye, captain.