Submitted by SecretSnorlax t3_11qzfx4 in LifeProTips
Every time I have an early-morning activity I simply cannot be late for - such as a flight or an important meeting - I wake up repeatedly throughout the night as though my body is subconsciously afraid of oversleeping, even though I'll have set multiple alarms on different devices. How can I trick myself into getting a good night's sleep?
Good idea. I'm going to try it.
Be sure and set your alarm just in case this method ends up working.
That's like the opposite of CBT-i. Or maybe it's exactly it. I'm not sure. You're definitely hacking your sleep environment.
What ‘worked’ for me was making sure I had a great night’s sleep the night before the early start night and then just accepting a poor night’s sleep the following night. I always find that one night of poorer sleep doesn’t adversely affect me much, so just stopped stressing or worrying about it..
The side benefit may then be that once you accept it you may then even sleep a bit better!?
Not a bad idea considering it's all clearly psychological!
I will say though I get really mad on no sleep. Like you know how some people get hangry? I get...tangry.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy removed my need for prescription sleeping pills. It breaks exactly the night time panic spiral you're describing.
try taking a magnesium supplement at night before bed.
This sounds like an anxiety issue, not a sleep issue, so I don't think melatonin is indicated here. I'd try kava at bedtime, it has similar effects to prescription benzodiazepines and might help curb your situational anxiety.
Have you tried Melatonin?
I use these, (two 10mg gummies does the trick).
They are drug & narcotic-free, and you wake up feeling refreshed. I figure it's at least worth a shot.
Ooh yes, I buy them whenever I am in the US and use them all the time. I should have mentioned it in my post but they have zero effect on these early wake-up days though.
> I should have mentioned it in my post but they have zero effect on these early wake-up days though.
I almost hesitate to mention this, as it should be only used in extreme circumstances. If you really must sleep, and you have time for a full nights sleep to rest, you might try taking a Benadryl allergy pill. They knock me out cold, however you might find that you will wake up a tad bit groggy.
I realize this is not their intended purpose, which is why I say this would only be for extreme situations.
I've never heard of that one. I'm heading to the US for work next week so I'll pick some up but use them sparingly as they sound pretty savage.
What happens to the people who just take them for allergies though?! Most people take allergy tabs in the morning.
They either have to be careful when operating machinery, or they need to take pills that specifically state "Non-drowsy".
It is one of the intended used, actually, you're not wrong. The active ingredient in Tylenol PM or zzzquil and even some types of Unisom are all diphenhydramine, or Benadryl.
Sounds like a really high dose. You may have a high tolerance or your body may find it difficult to utilize but I would try to cut that back a bit.
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20mg? Dang, 2mg knocks me out cold. 5 and I have really odd dreams.
Yea you're not supposed to take more than a few mg‘s.
> Yea you're not supposed to take more than a few mg‘s.
Maybe it's a little different for the tablets, but the dosage on the jar of gummies says two 5 mg gummies per serving.
> 20mg? Dang,
Yea, I realized my mistake in dosage after a few people commented. My actual dosage has be two 5 mg gummies.
I have tried just one and it doesn't seem to work for me.
I bought this tincture called zzzzz, it is a mixture of herbs, the first one is fresh milky oat seed, fresh St. John's Wort, skullcap, Passion flower, hops...
It works pretty good. Straight hops tincture works pretty good too.
I'm not knocking the validity of this method, but wanted to point out for anyone interested in trying this that St. John's Wort reduces the effectiveness of oral contraceptives.
As a long-time insomnia sufferer, the anxiety of not being able to get to sleep is always something that keeps me up.
Get up. If you wake up and feel anxious or too alert to go back to sleep, don't try to stay in bed. Get up, take a shower, dry off, do some stretching, and then give it another try.
I don;t know what state you live in, but some cannabis gummies are great for sleeping.
I don't usually recommend an antihistamine because of the hangover, but taking a half or quarter dose of liquid nyquil (Not zzzquil) and go to bed several hours early.
Thank you! I live in the UK but I travel to the US often so may see if I'm okay to bring back some cannabis gummies.
Just go to bed wayyy to early, like 6 or 7pm. Even if you don't fall asleep right away, your body will still be getting rest.
By the time morning comes, you'll be so bored and overslept you can't wait to start your day.
It's so mad it might be worth a punt!
Do some yin yoga then take Tylenol PM or similar before bed.
>my body is subconsciously afraid of oversleeping
What you need is CBT-i.
Specifically for flights... simply do not book early flights and consider the day as a 'travel' day.
I feel too to old to sacrifice my sleep for travel nowadays lol, I'd just plan to arrive a little later.
What can help is to wake up at the same time of the "important day" for a day or two beforehand. This way you can confirm to yourself that you'll be able to be awake, AND you will be less tired the day of.
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Here are some tips that can help you sleep soundly before an important early start:
Stick to a consistent sleep schedule: Try to go to bed and wake up at around the same time every day, even on weekends. This helps regulate your body's internal clock which makes it easier to fall asleep and wake up.
Avoid caffeine and alcohol: It's best to avoid caffeine and alcohol before going to bed as they can interfere with your sleep. Caffeine can keep you awake, while alcohol can disrupt your REM sleep, leaving you feeling groggy in the morning.
Reduce exposure to electronics: The blue light emitted by electronic devices such as smartphones, laptops, and tablets can disrupt the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep. Try to avoid using these devices at least an hour before bedtime.
Create a relaxing environment: Make sure your sleep environment is quiet, dark, and cool. Use earplugs or a white noise machine to block out noise, draw the curtains or wear an eye mask to block out light, and set your thermostat to around 65°F to 70°F.
Take a warm bath or shower: Taking a warm bath or shower before bedtime can help relax your body and ease any tension you may have.
Try relaxation techniques: You can try relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation to help calm your mind and promote relaxation.
Avoid late-night snacking: Eating heavy meals or spicy foods before bedtime can interfere with your sleep. Try to avoid eating anything heavy at least two hours before going to bed.
Reduce stress: Stress can interfere with your sleep, so try to reduce your stress levels by practicing relaxation techniques, exercise, or talking to a friend or therapist.
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Train yourself by testing different food or sleep aid pills to see how your body reacts to them. For example, a glass of warm milk, chamomile tea, melatonin, valerian tea, or, a glass of wine before going to sleep.
lifeaintsocool t1_jc5w6ls wrote
Struggled with this my whole life. Melatonin, sleep meds, you name it, don't work.
One thing that has worked for me though is to trick my mind into thinking I'm taking a nap. Like I'll get off work, and then I'll go hit the bed with my lights still on immediately. No shower, no teeth brushing, no food. Kind of trick my mind into believing that I'm not "sleeping" but rather just taking a short nap. Usually get about 6 hours of sleep this way. Gives me a chance to clean up in the AM and eat a bunch/hydrated etc.