Do you have trouble falling asleep? If the usual methods don't work for you anymore, like taking a warm bath or drinking warm milk, check out some of the more unconventional methods below, like drinking melatonin-rich cherry juice or listening to a sleep hypnosis video before bedtime.
You can also train yourself to get acquainted to a ritual you employ specifically before going to bed, so after a few weeks of doing the same activity over and over, you acquire an instant Pavlovian response to get sleepy after, say, listening to Beethoven or rubbing your nose. Or you can try curling and uncurling your toes, or simply rubbing your belly in a relaxing circular motion until you start feeling sleepy. If it works for small furry animals, then why shouldn't it work for you?
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Got your own weird or not-so-weird tips for easing yourself into dreamland? Share with us by commenting below.
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22 Comments
Thanks for the tips, as a person having problems to fall asleep because I really appreciate it and will try some (hopefully not all of them) next time I have problems to fall asleep.
Would it be ok for you if I translate the article into German and post it on my blog if I link back to your original article?
Yes, go for it. Good luck falling asleep!
I slashes wondered why I have not found these tips before, most of them have worked for me... Until I got out of practice. Learned new ones too! Thanks!
Cool! Glad to hear it.
I'm using the COMPLETELY BLOCK OUT ALL LIGHT AND SOUND when something distract in the morning. After all day&night on the computer I see the sun is going up and hurry to block the light, lock my door, mute my phone, put sleep mask, ear plugs. Else if I go to bed normal (heavy day, hang out, bed games, boring day), I always play movie to fall asleep. It's like addiction because i do it almost every day since don't remember when and if I'm still awake after the first movie I get up and play new one. :| I'm trying to start going to bed without characters talking to me but nothing happens. I move around in the bed and wondering what to do. Tonight when i watch a movie in the bed i'll try the crazy one tricks. thnx 10x
Let me know how it works! Good luck.
once read that counting backwards from 100 (maybe 500 if 100 doesn't work) while also visualizing the numbers in your mind's eye occupies both sides of your brain; will relax and put you out in no time - i start at 100 and don't even recall making it to <50 whenever i've used this method.
That's a really great tip. Thanks for sharing!
Listen to podcasts. This american life and selected shorts are perfect.
Good one! I can see how a soothing, familiar voice can help you knock out at night.
Cultivatng a Pavlovian Response is REALLY effective!
Also, I've been using a fan for "White Noise"; but I think this also helps because I get more oxygen instead of only breathing the same dead-air around me all night.
Mind you, I also got Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in the past (but survived obviously) and that alone made me want the fan on with the window open at least a bit - and more oxygen means better sleep too. :)
The fan saved my life because I thought it would be helpful - but I didn't know Carbon Monoxide was leaking into my bedroom when I first used it.So -I suppose - Make sure you have GOOD AIR to breathe. There may be an invisible reason that makes your sleep bad . That can even be something as simple as breathing in ""Dust Mite residue" when you're allergic. So check for simple things too you may not have considered before
Good tips. Thank you. :)
the thing that works for me the best is breathing in your belly
and the only thing you think about is:breathing in....breathing out.
please note:you adapt the thougt to your breathing speed do not breath as fast as your thought then you get dizzy.
later i found out it is the same as meditating to clear your thougts
this is going to sound weird but when i watch magic tv shows like magic's biggest secrets revealed or something like that i get relaxed and almost about to fall asleep.i don't know why but it just relaxes me when i watch tv shows like that.am i the only one?
That's awesome! I haven't seen that show in ages...
hahaha, ya weeeeirdo! Don't worry I'm exactly the same. magic shows relax me too... and it's funny coz 'magics biggest secrets revealed' is the show i put on youtube to watch, and always fall asleep to. I think it's his 'deep voice' that rambles off and sends you into a trance like state. idk
Don't do it
I felt sleepy reading this article alone! Thanks :)
What works consistently for me either to fall asleep or if i awaken in the night... revisit any of the dreams I've had that I can remember. This doesn't tend to make me start thinking about problems (u know how the mind can race...) but somehow gets me back to the sleep world.
Great stuff. Can't wait to try toe curling and belly rubbing tonight
Thanks for the tips I can nerver fall asleep
Nice ideas. I didn't know that cherry juice can help you sleep. My mom used to give me a glass of cherry juice every morning whenever I slept over her house. I will try curling the toes later tonight and see if it works. I also heard that camomile tea and lavender oil can help you relax and sleep peacefully at night.
Yea that's so true lavender oil is a really good product especially for jet lags
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