so i haven’t had much sleep over the past few nights. it’s currently 7:20am and i haven’t had a drop of sleep at all, it’s really fucking infuriating. i feel like i’ve googled for all of the answers to this problem but perhaps the users of 555-5555 will have some unique tips, experiences or perspectives to share.
Dealing with Insomnia
bths80
#3
yeah i get off all screens for an hour before bedtime - have the flux thingy enabled too. not doing as much exercise atm which could help although it seems to me to be a performance anxiety thing - i’ve read a lot into sleep lately and how important it is so i decided to course correct and make good decisions around it but it’s backfired from me making it a priority. now it doesn’t matter what perspective i use i can’t seem to shut down. “try not to try too hard” or “there will be nights where you wont get much sleep and that’s ok, keep truckin on” aren’t working. it’s been 4 days without sleep and i’m in the midst of it so maybe things will turn. just need some hope lol i feel dead
criminiminal
#4
right, I’m assuming you reach a point that, you’re so exhausted, adhering to any routine whatsoever is a challenge.
my advice is excessive sun exposure and strenuous exercise. works for me every time 
deprecate
#5
Do you fall asleep but can’t stay asleep or just can’t sleep at all? The former is what I have, exercise and meditation helps somewhat.
bths80
#6
I haven’t been able to sleep at all. i’ll be in bed before midnight and lay there until morning. it’s been 4 days like this although i did have sporadic bursts of sleep on the first two nights. in pretty rough shape atm seeing a doctor tomorrow
whammy
#8
I’ve personally found reading in bed to be a great way to put myself to sleep. Having an exhausting 9-to-5 job helps too.
Hope you get it sorted!
last night
POLITICALCAREER
#10
Are you OK now? That level of sleep deprivation could induce psychosis…
My experience is that doing everything right: exercise; no smoking or booze; reading a book with herbal tea at 20:30; only one coffee in AM hours; all that, end up awake forever. But then, it could be the choice of book, you know…
bths80
#11
@POLITICALCAREER still feel terrible, i’ll see how i go tonight. i think it may come down to not letting the reflex of falling asleep kick in as i got into a cycle of checking if i was falling asleep and then trying to stop checking if i was checking yada yada. classic anxiety/overthinking it. it all started with making sure getting good sleep was a #1 priority therefor putting pressure on myself to sleep like a champion. i’d tell myself “it’s all good and whatever sleep i get is good enough” during those nights but it was already too late, already too much in my head. last night as i slept well, i made sure to not get into any overthinking state or think too much about sleep to begin with because once you’re in there it’s an unrelenting spiral…
noaa
#14
I read Why We Sleep by Matt Walker because I’m obsessed with getting quality sleep. At the back of the book he has a lot of useful tips on how to sleep better. A few unintuitive ones I learned:
- If you can’t sleep after 30mins or so, just stop trying. Go do an activity to relax your mind: Read a boring book. Take a cold shower (lowering body temp can help). Something without a screen that gets your mind out of the insomnia loop.
- Consistent bedtimes and wake-up times are essential; setting an alarm for both can be very helpful.
I also find that smoking weed helps, but I try to avoid that approach, as it feels like crutch.
bths80
#15
i have my mind back now. slept well last night without overthinking it and i’m feeling much better. thanks to everyone who contributed here and contacted by PM, it helped me get through that rough patch.
here’s to 
's
PiLhed
#16
valerian tea. steep it for longer than recommended. drink a good amount (but not so much you are woken by piss urgency) and leave it by the bedside to glug should you wake up midnight.