My go to is counting backwards from 100. I typically time the counting with my breathing, and I try to slow my breathing. Most nights I’m usually out by the time I hit 80. If you find your mind wandering, try to bring your thoughts back to your Breathing. I started doing this after I had been meditating for a while, so it felt fairly natural. If you’re new to meditation, do some basic meditation training to get the idea. Most meditation trainings start with learning how to focus on your breathing.
I like counting my breathing as well, but I find that remembering what number I’m on keeps me awake. So I count my breaths from 10 to 0 and then back to 10 again.
Lately, I’ve been taking melatonin gummies about an hour before I want to go to bed. They don’t really make me sleepy, but they make falling asleep easier (something I’ve always struggled with). I’ll usually take another one when I actually go to bed (unless they’re time time-release kind which I can’t always find).
I try to go easy on those, as I vaguely recall reading that frequently taking melatonin for long periods of time can have some unpleasant effects, but yeah, I finally picked some up, and I’ve used them on rare occasions when I absolutely cannot get to sleep or when my sleep cycle is way out of whack, and they definitely do have an impact.
I try to keep the room dark. Don’t drink caffine near bedtime. I have one of those blackout masks to really get rid of any light if necessary. Avoid thinking about anything interesting or with emotional impact. Get some exercise prior to going to sleep. I’ve rarely had problems with sounds keeping me awake, but I have some silicone ear plugs for the very rare times that that comes up.
Don’t.
No screens for two hours before bedtime.
Read a book or listen to music.
Melatonin works for me.
Hot shower.
Working out helps a bunch.
Medication:
Diphenhydramine 50mg.
Then diphenhydramine + Melatonin (20mg) (if I want to be dead asleep but will be groggy in the morning. Only used as last resort).
Melatonin (20mg)
That’s a lot of melatonin for one dose.
kagis
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/melatonin/melatonin-dosage-how-much-should-you-take
Melatonin Dosage: How Much Should You Take
Key Takeaways
- Most people take 1 to 5 milligrams of melatonin 30 minutes before bed.
- Experts recommend taking no more than 10 milligrams at a time.
- Melatonin overdose is on the rise. Consult a doctor before giving melatonin to children.
Yeah, it works for me. That was after trial and error. I used to take it daily when I had really bad sleep issues. Now it’s only if I want 100% sure thing to be dead asleep. Probably why I get groggy from it the next day.
