The art, science and practices of Good Sleep

[thelerner]

Good sleep is so important.  One that I don't take for granted being a lifelong insomniac.  Lately I've been doing better, though like alcoholism one is never totally free from it.

 

I assume what's been helping me lately is getting up early in the morning, while it dark, then getting outside and watching the sunrise.  This is good, not just metaphysically, but a little activity and bright light early in the morning might be the ticket to properly setting up the biorhythms.

 

You know what else.  Laying immediately on my right side (heart up) to clear the right nostril, then flipping to left side (stomach up, better digestion) to clear the left nostril, then lying flat and or flipping around, has helped.  That, and earlier to bed, by 11 pm, less to worry about lately,  even a new pillow have all been helping me fall asleep. 

 

What do you guys do to help fall asleep?  Any particular rituals?

[Aetherous]

Having enough physical activity throughout the day to be tired.
Having no electronics and lights (besides candles) after it gets dark out.

[gatito]

Some people might find f.lux helpful.

 

Links:

 

justgetflux.com

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F.lux

[thelerner]

Some people might find f.lux helpful.

 

Links:

 

justgetflux.com

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F.lux

Thanks for the suggestion.  I had flux or something like it on my last computer but somehow it didn't make it on this one. 

[idquest]

Once I received some advice that if you wake up in the middle of the night and can't go to sleep for more than 20 min (everybody puts in their own time) - stand up and do sitting meditation for 30-60 min.

 

There are interesting consequences from this rule. First - you don't just toss around trying to fall asleep but do something useful. Second - deep night meditation is really something. It is deep yin time - the best for meditation. Third - if you do meditation at night, you can skip it during daytime and go to bed earlier. THis gives some sort of flexibility for the duration of the time you normally allow for sleep.

[Vajra Fist]

Bed before 10pm, up around 5am. Exercise every day. Magnesium before bed.

[Kar3n]

Waking up early (usually before 5) is something that I have gotten in the habit of in the past couple of years. I go to bed when I feel tired (about 9), if I wait too long, I get a 'second wind', and it can be hours before I am able to fall asleep, if at all.

 

Being on and sticking to (as life permits) a sleep schedule has helped me tremendously in the quality of sleep I get.

[cheya]

Couple things have been a big help to me.

Years ago, I was waking up in the middle the night and couldn't go back to sleep.

If you turn a light on, you screw up your melatonin/circadian cycle... so I started doing energy meditations in the dark. Mentally running energy in channels, activating acupoints. It was really good training, went on for a couple years. It was interesting and fun and didn't seem to leave me at all tired in the morning.

Not stressing about being awake is big.

 

Then there's melatonin. 3 mg seems to be about right. Sublingual, so your liver won't get rid of it before it has a chance to do it's thing... I like Natural Factors' version.

 

And there is a particular form of melatonin that has helped many people I know. (Oddly, this form also seems to help macular degeneration, if anyone has concerns there, this might be a good form to try just for that)  It's a formulation called Melatonin Zinc Selenium, or MZS.  Just saw Amazon carries it:  https://www.amazon.com/Melatonin-Disorder-Reversal-Macular-Degeneration/dp/B00F6EQ7SY?th=1

This version is not sublingual, but has also worked well for people.  This site has before/after pics of the macula if you are interested in that aspect: http://www.vita-stream.com/melatonin-mzs.html. MZS was one of the pivotal products in halting the progress of advanced mac degen for one of my friends.

 

Another sleep aid for some people has been diatomaceous earth. Weird, I know, but it really helps some people.  It is 85% silica and the rest minerals. 2-3 teaspoons per day, taken in water or smoothies. Be sure to get food grade DE, and be careful not to breathe it! That would be very bad for lungs.

 

My two cents. If any of it works for you, please let us know.    

 

 

[Empyrean]

I hope it is OK to ask for help with the opposite – sleeping less.

 

For quite some time I've been sleeping for 10-12 hours per night.

 

I usually set my alarm clock so that I will sleep for 8 hours.

When the alarm goes off I am often quite well rested, but somehow mentally I'm just not interested in getting out off bed.

In the evening I can be very determined to rise early the next morning, but when it's time to get up the next morning I almost always lack the willpower to follow through. 

 

Any thoughts or recommendations? 

Edited December 5, 2016 by Empyrean

[Kar3n]

Physical exercise will raise your energy levels, as will a clean, healthy diet.

 

You might set some goals for the following day, make plans for the following morning with a friend, go for an early morning hike or walk, etc.

 

Once you get in the habit of watching the sun rise, you will not want to miss it very often. It is a wonderful thing to watch the world around you wake up.

[z00se]

I have problem sleeping at times too. I try to stay off the computer after 5pm, dont read books at night. Works good. Few healing sounds and watching the breath meditation before bed all helps.

[Teddy]

I lie on my back with my hands folded over lower Dan tien until urge to fidget goes away, then i put my hands palm down by my sides until I start to dream, then turn on to my side and drift off.

[Andrei]

Reishi tea with goji berries works like a charm everytime.

[Everything]

As sleeping is easy, any effort will fail. The more you let go the more you FALL into sleep. The more you hold on to, the less you will fall asleep.

Edited December 6, 2016 by Everything

[z00se]

As sleeping is easy, any effort will fail. The more you let go the more you FALL into sleep. The more you hold on to, the less you will fall asleep.

I agree. Ive tried every which way to get myself to sleep and it doesn't work. Need to fall into it.

 

Also i rekon not eating much meat for dinner or fried foods helps too. Also caffeine in the morning can make me more tired at night. But can do energizing qigong in the morning with the same result.

[Everything]

I agree. Ive tried every which way to get myself to sleep and it doesn't work. Need to fall into it.

 

Also i rekon not eating much meat for dinner or fried foods helps too. Also caffeine in the morning can make me more tired at night. But can do energizing qigong in the morning with the same result.

Most often sleep problems maybe be because you simply have a temporary change in sleep rhythm. In which case, I would rather want the people around you to take note of it if they whish and it if happens regurlarly, then they may feel free to expect that as it comes. Although, if you're really enjoy the regular schedule of sleep at night and awake at day, then ofcourse, you will for sure enjoy the challenge or easy habbit of maintaining a good regular night sleep, I guess,

[Stosh]

As a person who has no trouble falling asleep , I wouldn't have much advice, but there is one thing I do ,,, the one thing I could suggest might be , whats already been suggested.. you basically have to put everything on hold till tomorrow. No thinking about trying to sleep , no planning for the next day , no considering the one which has just past, no counting sheep, no meditating no checking to see if one is getting sleepy yet,  etc, Any and all considerations which involve mental words is a no-no.

You can appreciate your comfort by feeling it , and sinking into it , sinking into the ease of not working at thinking for a bit.. (if you need a subject while developing the habit of just shutting down when the day is done, make that be it)

I hope that helps , I imagine it sucks to just keep chugging along unrested. 

[Rocky Lionmouth]

I've been having difficulty falling asleep during long stretches for as far back as i can remember.

I get meds for that. Melatonin and some "fall asleep" prescription pill. If i dont i'll easily be awake until 6-7 in the morning.

 

Exercise, setting a time for when you call it a day and stop doing stuff is useful, and also honoring the "unwinding phase" before bedtime.

None of these work like a charm but if i manage to knock myself out before 23-00 a few days in a row it builds some kind of momentum... but yeah, if i need to fall asleep and get up at a certain time its pills or bust.

[Aetherous]

Another idea... Cultivate being cozy before bed. You know when you curl up under your blankets, and it feels so comfortable? You feel yourself just melting or sinking onto your bed, with the day drifting away. It feels good to close your eyes.

It's a certain blissful state of being.

[Rocky Lionmouth]

Aetherous points to the moon, an offline friend adviced me similarly and it's not done the trick completely but i've seen improvement!

 

Another this is: pay attention to your circadian rythm, what times does the "trsin leave the station?" This is more to also have an easier time to recognize when last train left. Next one is in 1.5-2 hours right?

Use the frustration to do something creative.

 

Mrs Lionmouth and I were discussing the recent "humans have always slept 8 hours a night"-myth and found out that back in the oldschool argicultural days pelple had first and second sleep. First was from mid-evening to the small hours when people would wake up to do their creative things or prayer or had sex with their partner or something. Then back to bed, sleep another four hours and get up to deal with the everyday farm chores and stuff.

Blew my mind a bit

[SeekerOfHealing]

I suggest Gui Pi Wan.

[thelerner]

Another idea... Cultivate being cozy before bed. You know when you curl up under your blankets, and it feels so comfortable? You feel yourself just melting or sinking onto your bed, with the day drifting away. It feels good to close your eyes.

 

It's a certain blissful state of being.

Wish I could.  I only get that feeling in the morning, before I have to get up.  For me, too often the night is full of itch and ideas..

[Aetherous]

Wish I could.  I only get that feeling in the morning, before I have to get up.  For me, too often the night is full of itch and ideas..

 

Well, you know what it feels like...so all that's required is recalling that feeling. Doesn't always work, but it's another thing that helps.

[Rara]

Another insomnia thread

 

Contrary to Aetherous (and lots of people's advice including the chinese medicine clinic) what works for me is watching TV in bed. Something that I actually enjoy too.

 

Reasons being that I am in my most calm state then because I'm enjoying what I'm watching, and the reverse psychology of "I gotta stay awake for this" has the adverse effect!

 

Switching off to technology etc just made me fidgety and irritable. I tried too hard with herbs and breathing exercises but the method that worked was so simple.

 

I don't get up in the middle of the night anymore either. No longer needing the toilet at 3am etc...my job role change seems to have taken all these subconscious anxieties away.

[Rara]

Another idea... Cultivate being cozy before bed. You know when you curl up under your blankets, and it feels so comfortable? You feel yourself just melting or sinking onto your bed, with the day drifting away. It feels good to close your eyes.

 

It's a certain blissful state of being.

 

This is cool though. It's hibernation season after all (If you live in a country with a colder climate in December that is)