h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Has anyone got a cure for insomnia? I never slept an awful lot (6 hours will do me fine), but now it's getting to the stage where I sleep 2 - 3 hours a night, or not at all. Last night I was at Tae kwon do and nearly blacked out from exhaustion. Help!

P.S. I'm not stressing over anything, or worried about stuff or anything, and I don't drink huge amounts of caffeine containing substances. What's the cure?

I'm also interested in a cure for insomnia, on my mother-in-law's behalf. She has a TV in her bedroom to give her something to do late at night, although most of the programs in the small hours are rubbish. She doesn't get much sleep at night and just has short naps during the day. The naps don't cause / add to her night-time insomnia, they are a result of it. Luckily she is retired, so napping is not a problem.

Give Melatonin a try. We ants know this.

About eight pints normally works for me!
ok it doesn't really as you keep getting to go to the bog.

Often, while waiting to fall asleep, we think about things. If our "thinking voice" is like our waking voice, somewhat alert and active, it can cause insomnia. Try thinking in a slow drowsy voice when you're trying to sleep.
It may also help to do nothing in your bed other than sleep. No reading, no watching tv, etc. This will help teach your mind what you expect it to do when you crawl into bed.

As odd as that sounds, it's true.

Also, try thinking dreamily of something you would really, really like but could never happen in real life. (See "How to influence your dreams" ... Is there such a book? )

Well, I suffer from insomnia, and have for a long time. Drugs don't work.
Filling your day so full that you keel over at the end of the day occasionally works.
I generally try the dream thing, but even that takes forever.
I suggest trying to blank your mind. Sleep by boredom.
If that doesn't get you, you might as well get up and do something useful,
since you're up anyway.....I do most of my baking at 4 am.....

I've just given up any hopes of having a true schedule. I sleep when I'm exhausted. It doesn't do much for having a life, and doesn't fit well with those that do have one of those gadgets.

I once read about a man who got to sleep by imagining that his mind was a blackboard. Every time a thought was 'written' on to it, he would wipe the board clean. He found that by keeping the board clean he was able to fall asleep.

I don't know whether this works as I don't usually have trouble falling asleep. Richard has even less trouble. He could 'sleep on a clothes line' as they say, even if the clothes line was across a motorway or next to an airport!

Hi! Thanx for the replies. I've tried several of the techniques mentioned - specifically 'sleep by boredom', i.e. keeping my mind blank. I find that the effort involved in keeping it blank just keeps me awake...
Like someone once said:"There may not be a lot of it, but it sure's hell's busy." Although I think he wa talking about something else...

But keep those posts coming! Something WILL turn up!
Goth!

I found the same as you when it comes to keeping my mind blank. I generally just let it wander, with a portion of my mind telling myself how heavy my eyelids are, and how tired my body feels.

Here's a little trick my mom used to use on me when I was little and couldn't sleep:

Try relaxing each part of your body, one at a time. (If you have a friend willing to help with this, that's a bonus.)

For example... try to relax the index finger on your right hand til your friend can move it around with no resistance from your muscles. Then proceed to your wrist, elbow, shoulder. Same with the left arm, then legs, etc.

I know it sounds silly, but often it's the stress left over in our muscles that keeps us awake. Besides... you should get so bored with the 'game' that you drift off to escape.

Thanks 'mouse! It sounds interesting. I'll definitely try it - I'd try witchcraft at this stage, if I thought it would help!
If it works - gratefully yours
Goth.

If not - just
Goth.

G'luck! Hope not to hear from you for a minimum of eight hours!

The relaxation thing used to work for me.
It helps if you try to think of someplace warm and comfortable
while you're doing it. A nice warm beach in the Carribean was
what was suggested to me. Unfortunately, I seem to be beyond that.
I've tried everything from that to every old wives tale out there.
If I come up with anything that actually works for me, I'll let you know!

*chuckles softly* ... I don't think a Carribean beach would help me in the slightest... Too many *ahem* .. things to look at.

Hmmm.. I seem to be suffering from insomnia quite a bit lately...

I've never been able to sleep; I'm mainly a night person to begin with... But, I should say that I LIKE sleeping, and I just can't understand it...

I've been told that it is stress, but I don't see how... I never have work, I do whatever I want whenever I want to do it.... Just don't get it.

For the past two years, it has escalated to a point where my metabolism has slowed down because of it. I've thrown up (I know, you wanted to hear that, right) almost every day, except of course, those days when I'm too exhausted to throw up, and thus I only suffer from acid reflux.

I am exhausted, can't fall to sleep. It is almost 1:40 am right now, I have classes in six hours, yet I can't sleep. I too have a nap during the day, usually while I'm doing my homework, sitting up at my computer... I have fallen asleep behind the wheel once, for about 5 seconds; I was scared to death... Still afraid to drive to this day...

Caffeine has almost no effect on me; the effect it does have on me is the reverse one- makes me very sleepy... Yet, when I go to bed, or try to sleep, it never seems to come easy...

I too wish there was a cure...

I'm like that, too. Unfortunately, there isn't much that I've found that can help. It was
brought to my attention today, though, that a rather good bout of sex could help, for
Those who have that option. Also, for those who are comfortable with the idea, a shrink could
probably help. Most cities also have sleep therapy clinics, and support groups.

Night Owls forced to be on Day Shift (and verse vicea) are probably the most prime candidates for insomnia. I, too, am a member of the first group.

Speaking of caffeine, this may sound preposterous, but often when I really need to sleep and can't... if I go get a nice, hot cuppa (for me that's usually coffee, but I'm sure tea will do as nicely) and sit quietly at the kitchen table with no one else around, sip it slowly and allow my mind to wander over the day and my eyes to close.. I find soon I'm relaxed enough, and warmed enough, to fall asleep.

(Oh, and decaf is not tolerated in this abode. )

Hmmm, not much of use to add but I would just like to say that I have trouble sleeping - always have - and so I am interested in what people have to say. Tried the relaxation one last night - seemed to help. Maybe I'll try the thinking of the beach tonight but as the beaches from my childhood were mainly in South Wales that generally meant rain rather than warming sunshine.

If it's of any use I heard that having regular getting up and going to bed times are supposed to help and somebody told me that there is some magic* substance in milk which helps you to sleep - warm milk esp. good.

*Magic by the way of some chemical the name of which exited my brain the moment it entered.

There is just too much to do in this life and I think It's a bugger that we need to spend a rough half of it sleeping.

A good way to get sleepy is to smoke marijuana or hash. The perfect, NATURAL cure for Insomnia that has been around for thousands of years. I'm suprised no one thought of it earlier.......