How do you ensure a good night's sleep?

[TheUltimateFixx]

Obviously, a little opium haha. XD

...But since I haven't got unlimited supplies of that, what I like when I'm feeling a bit tense and anxious is a nice cup of hot chocolate with some kava, and then play the sound of rain on the sea.
(8 hrs blackscreen.)
That combination usually sends me off nicely inside of 20 mins.
And if I wake myself up with a panic attack, hearing the slow steady rhythm of the waves immediately helps calm me down and relax me as I try to breathe in time with it.

 

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

Three bottles of wine, Horse Ambien and an 8-ball of china white

 

[TheUltimateFixx]

Three bottles of wine, Horse Ambien and an 8-ball of china white

Well that should do the trick alright.
However the idea was ways to promote actual restful sleep rather than tanking yourself into oblivion

 

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

Well that should do the trick alright.
However the idea was ways to promote actual restful sleep rather than tanking yourself into oblivion

Oops! lol

I actually do have some useful advice!

1) Do not do anything in your bed besides sleep. Don't go on your phone or tablet, don't relax there, don't read there, nothing. Doing anything in your bed but sleeping stops your brain from seeing it only as a place to shut down and rest
2) NO SCREENS. An hour before you plan to sleep. Nothing with blue light. No phones, computers, tablets, ipads or TV.
3) Reading before bed *really* helps me sometimes. Just read physical books, though, as Kindles and similar e-readers have that blue light the prevents your brain from producing melatonin.
4) I have these tea bags that are 50% Camomile and 50% CBD and they make me SO relaxed. I leave the teabag in for at least 5 minutes before drinking to make sure it's strong.
5) Sedatives like alcohol ambien are actually a BAD idea and they decrease the quality of your sleep and while they certainly help you fall asleep, you usually wake up like 4 hours later and can't get back to sleep.

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

Regulate your breathing. Works for me every time - usually within ten minutes.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Regulate your breathing. Works for me every time - usually within ten minutes.

I do this. I basically just follow what I do with my meditation breathing. It also helps quell anxiety so you can get your heart rate down to sleep. I basically pseudo-meditate when I lay down, only thing that helps quiet my mind other than chemicals.

Also, having my cat snuggled up next to me also helps a lot :D

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

I do this. I basically just follow what I do with my meditation breathing. It also helps quell anxiety so you can get your heart rate down to sleep. I basically pseudo-meditate when I lay down, only thing that helps quiet my mind other than chemicals.

Also, having my cat snuggled up next to me also helps a lot :D

Yes. It's a powerful, easy, yet often overlooked technique which is very effective at inducing sleep and controlling anxiety.

I learnt it at an early age because I discovered that I could control my heart rate by concentrating on my breathing.

Biofeedback ftw...

 

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

Regulate your breathing. Works for me every time - usually within ten minutes.

But isn't our breathing always regulated? (unless you're really anxious, or been exercising or have asthma or COPD or something)

 

[Jabberwocky]

But isn't our breathing always regulated? (unless you're really anxious, or been exercising or have asthma or COPD or something)

it's one of those bodily functions that is instinctual but can be, in some part and in some situations, controlled by the mind

most of the time breathing is subconscious but our conscious mind can override it

breathing techniques have very real physiological and mental changes in real time

try it out, close your eyes and take deep but very slow and long breaths for 10 minutes, if your mind starts to wander simply refocus back on your breathing, think about nothing but breathing and then compare your heart rate/anxiety

I will be having an anxiety attack and 15 min of meditation and I feel calm as a button (that's after practice, it does take some practice)

 

[bingey]

I masturbate, works every time and when it doesn't I take some diazepam

Tried breathing techniques meditation etc.

 

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

it's one of those bodily functions that is instinctual but can be, in some part and in some situations, controlled by the mind

most of the time breathing is subconscious but our conscious mind can override it

breathing techniques have very real physiological and mental changes in real time

try it out, close your eyes and take deep but very slow and long breaths for 10 minutes, if your mind starts to wander simply refocus back on your breathing, think about nothing but breathing and then compare your heart rate/anxiety

I will be having an anxiety attack and 15 min of meditation and I feel calm as a button (that's after practice, it does take some practice)

I know what you mean. The problem I have is when I actively think about breathing, it stopped being automatic and I have to manually breathe until I forget again.

 

[Larimar]

Yes the breathing techniques works and I like sleeping apps , I like calm ocean waves and my fan . Delta 8 gummies are nice for sleep , great body and mind relaxation.
Not being out of my OxyContin helps of course if I’m out sleeping is super hard.

 

[Jabberwocky]

I know what you mean. The problem I have is when I actively think about breathing, it stopped being automatic and I have to manually breathe until I forget again.

oh? are you sure?

are you saying if you don't consciously breathe you will die? I'd doubt that. That's your brain thinking too much.

You would continue to breath even if you were completely unconscious! The body makes sure of that.

By controlling your breathing you can influence the O2/CO2 exchange and thus your heart rate and mind.

In meditation I often focus 100% on my breath. Stomach, naval, chest. Stomach, naval, chest. Over and over. My mind zones out. I enter this trippy state of minimal thought. My heart rate drops. My anxiety goes away. I stop thinking about that crazy tweaker next door who keeps fucking with me. I just.. exist, in the moment, and it's peaceful.

people think meditation is the absence of thought, but this is not true, meditation is just avoiding thoughts - but they can never truly be avoided, you just learn to minimize them and your mind becomes quiet and peaceful, in the moment

 

[G_Chem]

Zinc, small amounts magnesium, Vit D, small amounts of melatonin (.5mg), lavender oil, chamomile, valerian, exercise, banana.

-GC

 

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

oh? are you sure?

are you saying if you don't consciously breathe you will die? I'd doubt that. That's your brain thinking too much.

You would continue to breath even if you were completely unconscious! The body makes sure of that.

By controlling your breathing you can influence the O2/CO2 exchange and thus your heart rate and mind.

In meditation I often focus 100% on my breath. Stomach, naval, chest. Stomach, naval, chest. Over and over. My mind zones out. I enter this trippy state of minimal thought. My heart rate drops. My anxiety goes away. I stop thinking about that crazy tweaker next door who keeps fucking with me. I just.. exist, in the moment, and it's peaceful.

people think meditation is the absence of thought, but this is not true, meditation is just avoiding thoughts - but they can never truly be avoided, you just learn to minimize them and your mind becomes quiet and peaceful, in the moment

Nooo, I didn't mean anything near that deep. Just that it feels awkward and weird.
I'm talking about when I accidentally think about breathing and then it becomes something I think consciously about and it's weird for a minute. That's true of everybody, though and it's different to the type of controlled breathing/meditation you use.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Nooo, I didn't mean anything near that deep. Just that it feels awkward and weird.
I'm talking about when I accidentally think about breathing and then it becomes something I think consciously about and it's weird for a minute. That's true of everybody, though and it's different to the type of controlled breathing/meditation you use.

oh, haha, yeah

like when you're tripping balls and suddenly become hyper-aware of your breathing wondering if you need to continue to think about it or you'll stop breathing

it's even weird in meditation, thinking about nothing but your breath is weird, but it's just the path towards the mental state you want to be in

it feels very good to do nothing but breath, it brings you into the present moment

 

[PtahTek]

A good decent conscious helps but not enough ime as all the bs i been fed spins in my head in an effort to make "sense" out of the static. Sometimes it's all night or a copula day... depending on circumstances, of course. I get my "answers" and try to integrate.

OT:
Again; physically wear yaself down by whatever means (fapping is not enough phys act ime).
Stay out of the bedroom until ya ready to try to sleep. Do other shit anywhere other than bedroom. It is supposed to feel safe, cozy and welcome.
I got some stories on hating my bedroom and couldn't sleep in them but later, maybe?

 

[TheUltimateFixx]

2) NO SCREENS. An hour before you plan to sleep. Nothing with blue light. No phones, computers, tablets, ipads or TV.

Yep. Good point.

3) Reading before bed *really* helps me sometimes. Just read physical books,

Call me old - fashioned but I ONLY read physical books. I love the feel of a physical book and turning the pages. You can snuggle up with it like you can't with a device. I tend to read myself to sleep. Bed is my fave location for reading.

4) I have these tea bags that are 50% Camomile and 50% CBD and they make me SO relaxed.

'Erks. The mere smell of camomile makes me wanna vomit. Xd

5) Sedatives like alcohol ambien are actually a BAD idea and they decrease the quality of your sleep and while they certainly help you fall asleep, you usually wake up like 4 hours later and can't get back to sleep.

Yeah that's called 'the drinker' s false dawn'. I kick myself up the metaphorical arse everytime I wake up like that.

PS also I wanna add a nice hot shower. Really helps me wind down.