What do you do when you can't sleep?

[Doclector]

So...I had some pretty wild nightmares last night. So wild I predict a sleepless night ahead for fear of having them again. Try to imagine a spider the size of your average shopping mall, surrounded by spiders the ranging from horse sized to hummer size. Yeah.

Anyways, thought I'd make a thread out of it. What do you do if you can't sleep for whatever reason? Do you have techniques to help you sleep, or do you accept sleeplessness, and if so, what do you do?

I don't usually have many plans. I haven't had major trouble sleeping for a while, if it's difficult, I just put in a DVD and lay in bed watching that until I just fall asleep semi-naturally. When I full on can't sleep, I usually go on the internet or play games. Yeah...I can see myself coming back here at about 2:00 am.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

When I'm not sleepy, I stop being not sleepy and be awesome instead.

True story.


If I'm having trouble sleeping, I'll just listen to some music, which usually does the trick.

If I still can't sleep, then there's no point wasting time lying in bed, so I'll get a cup of tea or something.

Because caffeine is the best thing to put you to sleep.

 

[Doclector]

When I'm sleepy, I stop being sleepy and be awesome instead.

True story.


If I'm having trouble sleeping, I'll just listen to some music, which usually does the trick.

If I still can't sleep, then there's no point wasting time lying in bed, so I'll get a cup of tea or something.

Because caffeine is the best thing to put you to sleep.

Y'know, it's funny, sometimes a cup of tea is just the thing. It calms me a little. Only something as miraculous as tea could be both a wake up and bedtime sleep.

 

[Mayhaps]

I put my pillow on the other side of the bed and look up on the sky through my window.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

When I'm sleepy, I stop being sleepy and be awesome instead.

True story.


If I'm having trouble sleeping, I'll just listen to some music, which usually does the trick.

If I still can't sleep, then there's no point wasting time lying in bed, so I'll get a cup of tea or something.

Because caffeine is the best thing to put you to sleep.

Y'know, it's funny, sometimes a cup of tea is just the thing. It calms me a little. Only something as miraculous as tea could be both a wake up and bedtime sleep.

That is the miracle that is tea

*sips tea*

Quite.

 

[Boris Goodenough]

Physically exhaust myself, one way or another.

Captcha: buffalo wing
Well it's a shame captcha that I can't get those here when I am sleepy

 

[Marter]

Turn on the television and watch a movie.

No need wasting time trying to sleep if sleep doesn't want to happen.

And people wonder how I find the time to watch so many movies.

 

[Relish in Chaos]

What do I do when I can?t sleep?

I lay in the dim light of my lamp, trying not to sleep in fear of falling back into my nightmares, but end up doing so anyway.

Alternatively, I get up and drink some milk.

 

[Rawne1980]

Supernatural.

The series that is.

No I don't dislike it, in fact it's one of my favourite shows .. however .. it's also my wifes favourite show and we own all box sets released so far. It is bedtime viewing and i'm saddened to admit that she's gone through them that many times they started sending me to sleep.

If that fails and I really can't sleep then it's back down stairs to slap on a film or dabble in a game until I either get tired or morning comes.

I don't sleep much as it is, can never stay in bed or have early nights I always feel like i'm missing out on the day if you will.

So those times I can't sleep it doesn't really bother me. Except that time my PC broke and I was stuck watching night time television .... it was horrible.

 

[Phasmal]

Watch movies.
Usually Disney movies. I don't know why but nostalgia helps. Sometimes I just know I wont be sleeping at all some nights, but I have a nice night by watching Disney movies.

Or V for Vendetta. I love that movie.

 

[aba1]

I go to bed when I am tired so it is rare I cannot sleep but when I can't I usually find myself getting ideas from the relaxation it isn't uncommon I find myself wiping out my sketchbook and drawing

 

[IndomitableSam]

Close your eyes and play out a story. It's what I used to do before I was asleep before I hit the pillow. Pick a setting, plop yourself in there, and see what happens. Mine often involve Chris Hemsworth, though. ... ... I will be weird and say I play through weird scenarios where, for example, you're trapped on an island with a bunch of people and what would you do, day to day? Kind of fun and if you don't fall asleep for a while, at least you're in bed and kinda half asleep anyway.

Just don't think about stuff you have to do or are angry about, then you get all riled up.

Or make up a happy place. At the park, on a blanket (don't think about food else you'll get hungry), watching the world/people/clouds go by. Meditation type stuff.

Captcha: "Ride the subway" ... you could do that, too...

 

[Artina89]

When I can't sleep I will often watch a movie or a TV show that I really enjoy, like Law and Order: Criminal intent or Lucy the daughter of the devil. I find that it relaxes me enough that I will fall asleep. Failing that, I will read a book.

 

[Doclector]

Masturbate.

What? Sorry for being honest guys. Jesus.

I mean, seriously. I cant believe no one has said "I work a little of the old wanking magic" yet.

So...I had some pretty wild nightmares last night. So wild I predict a sleepless night ahead for fear of having them again. Try to imagine a spider the size of your average shopping mall, surrounded by spiders the ranging from horse sized to hummer size. Yeah.

What if the spiders were just normal ones let loose on one of those model cities? There, you can go to sleep now.

Clearly, you do not understand the Extent to which I'm afraid of spiders.

 

[AdamxD]

I know it's boring, but I'll do a spot of reading. Reading anything, doesn't matter what.

 

[Doclector]

I know it's boring, but I'll do a spot of reading. Reading anything, doesn't matter what.

I read whenever I can...aside from when I'm going to sleep. For some reason, I just can't stop when I get started, no matter how tired I am.

That, and my taste for horror literature means it's rarely appropriate.

 

[DugMachine]

What usually keeps me awake are my thoughts so I take my mind off it by reading a few chapters of a book or playing some WoW until i'm on the brink. Then I flop down on the bed and fade out. Thats usually every night cause I never stop thinking about stuff... usually stupid crap

 

[smearyllama]

I play a handheld game or watch Netflix on my iTouch. It may sound weird, but watching things on a small screen helps my brain relax. I literally fell asleep playing Tales of the Abyss on my 3DS one afternoon. With watching movies, though, it can backfire. A good episode of whatever anime or show I'm watching can make me want even more and make me less sleepy.

 

[requisitename]

Music, usually. It doesn't exactly help me sleep, but it does relax me and take my mind off stuff/lets me veg out instead of being anxious.

Sometimes I read something really boring and try to bore myself to sleep. (I keep a couple of textbooks from classes I hated for this very purpose.)

If I'm very anxious and medication isn't helping it, sometimes I'll have a (single) drink - rum and Pepsi - to kind help me relax. Or warm milk. But, usually not warm milk because there's a 50/50 chance of it making me nauseous instead of relaxing me.

A long, hot bath can also be helpful. Just stretching out in hot water relaxes the muscles, which can in turn relax the mind.

But, mostly music.

Good luck!

EDIT: The biggest thing is not to worry about going to sleep. The more you focus on the fact that it's "X o'clock and I should be asleep" or "if I go to sleep *right now*, I'll get 3 hours and 23 minutes sleep before I have to get up".. the less likely you are to actually go to sleep anytime soon. Not thinking about going to sleep is the best way I've found TO go to sleep.