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Trouble Sleeping? 25 Tips For A Better Nights Rest

sleepybed.com — For some lucky individuals getting to sleep is taken for granted, you go to bed and go to sleep. Unfortunately getting to sleep is not so easy for many people. Here are 25 tips that will help you fall asleep faster and have a better nights rest.

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  • kenvsryu, on 10/12/2007, -3/+119The most important one that they missed, "Rub one out."
    • quomen, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6026. Sleep Naked
    • converge, on 10/12/2007, -2/+35Or have sex?
    • dominasian, on 10/12/2007, -1/+32they told you to get rid of the bedroom tv but what about the computer that has digg as a homepage
    • nixonrichard, on 10/12/2007, -2/+25They forgot Codeine too.
    • FireMoth, on 10/12/2007, -15/+7I call BS on this post. It's an enitre domain with nothing but a blog, a blog with nothing but one post and that post just -happens- to get dugg so quickly as to make it onto the front page in 20 minutes?

      Bury this trash!
    • simplenation, on 10/12/2007, -7/+19i've had trouble sleeping for a few years now. i've had plenty of late nights browsing through digg.com because nobody else i know is awake and there is nothing else to do. it's horrible when the sun comes up and you can hear your neighbors leave for work. sometimes i wish i never knew digg.com existed so then maybe i could be more productive in life. it's depressing.
    • nightlovergirls, on 10/12/2007, -7/+0or visit http://www.yahoocollege.com for hot girls chat and do well.
    • maiku00, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5eat two or three gigantic plates of spaghetti with a loaf of garlic bread and drain a cup of milk. You'll slip into a coma-like state from the massive amount of food you have just consumed, and sleep will come easy.
    • jjaacckk, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4Have a good hard wank, always does the trick ;-)

      Especially with my rubber bondage gear on.
    • illt, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2#27
      pzizz

      greatest guided sleep ever.
    • attention, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2melatonin

      puts you right to sleep, and its pretty safe
    • zielewicki, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I'm surprised that the article did not suggest taking melatonin pills; I prefer them to OTC sleeping pills such as diphenhydramine HCL. Nothing feels more natural than melatonin. If nothing else works, I would highly suggest going to the Vitamin Shoppe and picking some up.

      Melatonin also does wonders for sleep after tripping on a PEA; it makes the impossible (sleep) very possible :)
  • KnightMareInc, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6I've been doing the opposite of alteast half of the things on that list.
  • tidu, on 10/12/2007, -1/+38Hmm, the "Sleep when sleepy" tip kinda contradicts the "keep a sleeping schedule" tip.
    • mcduckov, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Absolutely. Naps are especially destructive to a sleeping routine. If I take a nap I am screwed up for DAYS.

      For people having trouble sleeping please do bear in mind that caffeine has a 1/2 life of 7 hours. That means that even if you have a cup at 9am there is still a significant amount of caffeine in your system by the time you hit the sheets.

      Turn down not only the lights but also dim your TV and computer monitor.

      Melatonin can help for some people but it can also screw up your body clock. Only use it if you need it.

      Don't suffer in silence. See your doctor if your insomnia persists. If you're healthy then see a psychiatrist for evaluation and sleep meds (if needed). Granted that the natural way is best (and try all the stuff in the article, they are GOOD suggestions) but there are hardcore insomniacs, we know who we are, who periodically need some pharmacological assistance.
  • spatznick, on 10/12/2007, -9/+4Just have great sex, that's all!
    • scotticus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+14I've found bad sex works too.
    • diversionmary, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9Wow just easy as that? Sweet! What ports should I open on the firewall?
  • wingnut21, on 10/12/2007, -2/+23"Late night television is typically very poor quality and isn't fit for consumption anyway."

    Did he just badmouth Conan?!
    • drizek, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4No mention of earplugs? Ive recently started wearing them, heaven on earth.

      Edit: oops, replied to wrong post. Anyway, just wanted to mention, Don't dis Jon Stewart!
    • missflibbles, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Earplugs are nice because they block the noise, but they hurt my ears and my head. It makes me feel like I'm on a plane.
    • etement, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8poor quality? what if you have an HDTV!
  • arpnuke, on 10/12/2007, -6/+24Smoke a bowl.
    • robbiedo, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6That just keeps me awake. How about Lunesta? Ambien? TV tells me that I need these to sleep soundly. Television can't possibly be wrong as Robert Schuller is my witness.
    • nthitz, on 10/12/2007, -1/+12Weed works wonders... But just try to fall asleep without it after weeks of use. Nigh impossible.
    • msodrew, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3@ nthiz

      You're absolutely right.
    • drake89, on 10/12/2007, -5/+1ive token up before bed every night for the last three months and it seems to work fine. prolly cuz i smoke CHRONIC. haha if you smoke mid or schwag and you build up tolerance, then you prolly would have to smoke a lot to make you tired.
    • elnerdo, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5Watch out for Ambien. The commercial says that it's not Narcotic. Unfortunately, narcotic means sleep-inducing.
    • missflibbles, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2ambien is probably more expensive than you're willing to pay, unless you have good prescription insurance.

      And good luck getting your doctor to write for it unless you've completely exhausted all your other options.
    • turrican, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Nah.. because then if I just go to sleep, I feel like I'm wasting the buzz!
    • scotticus, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7Ambien is NOT a narcotic. Narcotics are opiate derivatives and are chemically addictive. That is, your body chemistry generates a craving for more of the chemical.

      You can get a behavioral ambien dependence, in that you think you "need" it to sleep, but you won't become addicted. If you can't tell the difference, do a line of coke and call me in the morning.
    • mcduckov, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Lunesta is pretty much a super-strong (but short acting) benzo. You can get the same effect with 15mg of valium but the 1/2 life of valium is ~50 hours compared to ~6 for lunesta. Ambien is even shorter (I think it was like a 3 hr 1/2 life).

      Hardcore insomniacs will probably have tried them all. I'm currently wondering about that new drug that works on the melatonin receptors (of course I forget the name). It looks like a really expensive version of what you can get in a health food store but it may be that it binds more tightly to the relevant receptors and does so more quickly. I need to look into it.
  • zotzed, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9The best sleep method (from my yoga teacher wife): regulate your breathing so that every exhale take twice as long as every inhale. One way to do this is to count to six for every exhale and count to three for every inhale. Whenever I do this for about 5 minutes, I will be asleep.
    • DaFunk, on 10/12/2007, -2/+13It takes some practice but something else you can do is non-exhale sleep breathing. Take a deep breath and hold it for ten minutes. I guarantee you'll be pleasantly unconscious by the end of that period. Give it a shot tonight!!!

      If you do develop a circadian rhythm sleep disorder, give melatonin a shot.
    • Utopian, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8@dafunk

      Not everybody can hold their breath as long as Guybrush Threepwood.
  • charmaniac, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Heh, just take Ambien.
    • gert2, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8Yeah, and when you're supposed to eat, but not hungry, take another pill. When you want energy, take another. Sounds like a utopia book.
    • mcduckov, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Awful advice. The pharmacological route is tempting but ambien will quit working eventually if you rely on it for a long period. Drugs like lunesta or ambien are a good "last resort" tool to have in your bag but shouldn't be considered a solution. Sleep hygiene can go a long way toward addressing insomnia issues. People will have their TV blasting, all the lights in the house on, drink a cup of coffee and then turn off the lights and wonder why they can't sleep. That is not the time to call on drugs to help. Get the sleep hygiene in order first, work on some meditation exercises, develop a routine, etc. Read The Promise of Sleep if you want to really get up to speed on sleep research and theory.

      Lots of times sleep hygiene will work. Hopefully you'll be left with a much smaller number of days a month when you need to turn to a sleep aid. Again, ambien and lunesta DO lose their effectiveness if they are taken on a regular basis and then you are really truly fu@|(ed---be careful.
  • weister42, on 10/12/2007, -1/+28I don't have problems sleeping, I just have problems getting up in the morning from my warm comfort.
    • dacheetah, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11Tell me about it.
      I was late for work today, by about 2 hours because I slept in. This wouldn't sound too bad, but I was supposed to start at 11am.
  • IllBeBack, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2226. Stay off http://digg.com
  • CompIsMyRx, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Best tip: Read a book. It doesn't have to be very interesting, in fact, the more boring it is the better. There's nothing like trying to get through a few chapters of Ulysses to drain your will to live.
    • hattable, on 10/12/2007, -5/+4Growing up catholic my father always said that too. "Read a boring book." He usual recommendation was the bible.
  • skyfire1, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3I find it helps a lot if you develop good workout habits. Do 150 pushups with a lot of weight on your back and you should be exhausted.
    • dementia, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Self-call
    • GoatMonkey2112, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8This is Digg. Try for 1 pushup with no weight on your back.
  • BlackCow, on 10/12/2007, -6/+6"One great tip is to fire up iTunes and hit up one of the many streaming radio stations in the ambient music category."
    Except iTunes is evil so ill fire up pandora.

    Couldn't help it, iTunes piss' me off, digg down :-(
    • Ocelot13, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5im sure shoutcast has some, which can be on the tv youre should get rid which is connected to a modded xbox running xbmc. and tah-dah, no itunes for you.
  • TheFoundry, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3I'm trying out Valerian root, seems to work great. Very good to take before presentations too, it calms you down immensely.
    • ebcreasoner, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7I'd rather just start a Fight Club!
    • mcduckov, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1A beta-blocker will turn you into a steely-eyed presentation master. Yes, it really works (yanno, if you have rehearsed and all that).
  • mikev, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5Kinda off topic, but ever since I read that "sleep naked" article on digg, I've found myself waking up a lot earlier than usual...

    ...but also going to be a lot later. :X
  • Falldog, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I have issues where I’ll wake up anywhere between 1 and 30 minutes before my alarm goes off. Will this solve my problem?

    Also, anyone know where I could get some soothing sounds (aka a rain mp3 that I could put on repeat)?
    • missflibbles, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2You cannot fix that. Your body does that on purpose because it's used to waking up at a certain time.
  • ATLien, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2400+ thread Egyptian Cotton sheets! I just bought these and I have never slept so well. Multiple nights in a row, I have gone to sleep right away.
  • txjda, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3I learned this tip from The TAD Principle (www.thetadprinciple.com), and it really does work. Try it:

    "This is almost always a direct result of an overactive mind.

    Your mind is focused so intently on one or many subjects – be it the day’s events, problems you are trying to solve, anticipation of something in the future, or worries that we all have about life. You find yourself going over different scenarios, or your mind is bouncing around from subject to subject, thought to thought at a rapid pace.

    You need to "settle" your mind to fall asleep...

    Close your eyes, and imagine yourself at a blackboard. Picture yourself writing numbers, starting with 100 and going backwards. You see yourself writing 100, 99, 98, 97, 96…actually picture your hand writing the numbers...95, 94, 93, 92, 91...

    If you find that your thoughts drift to something else, simply start over at 100. This may happen several times. But if you are persistent, you should eventually be able to focus on yourself at the blackboard, writing the numbers.

    Based on our research, most people find themselves drifting off by the time they get to the 70’s. If you drift off and quickly awaken, simply start over..."
  • badbox, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4Want better sleep?

    Sleep for 20 minutes every 4 hours.

    After 2 weeks and your body adjusts to it, you'll get 2 hours of REM sleep a day compared to the 1.5 that everyone else gets. Plus you get more awake time to get ***** done.

    Also, never go on a sleep schedule. The last tip is the most important: sleep when sleepy. If you are set to sleep at 11 PM and wake at 7 AM, what happens if you aren't sleepy at 11 PM? You lay in bed awake thinking about ***** which... as previously mentioned, stimulates your brain and keeps you awake.

    Play games or watch tv until you start getting drowsy, then head off to bed. If it's 2 or 3 hours past your bedtime, so be it. Never ever sleep unless you're tired.
    • kathode, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Didn't I see that first part on Seinfeld?
    • badbox, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3I believe he did a different method, not sure. Haven't seen that episode in ages.

      However, the one I stated DOES work although it's a bitch to adjust to for the first week or so. I did this my last two semesters in college after a friend of mine who majored in Neurology suggested that I give it a try during winter break (although with the warning that the effects have been known to vary).

      It works great, but you HAVE to sleep for 20 mins every 2 hours or you go into some weird form of sleep shock. It's hard to explain, but it feels like you got hit by a train if you miss a nap. The method behind it is your body learns to immediately go into REM sleep, and 20 minutes is all you need to get a small burst of regenerative rest for the next 2 hours.

      I stopped eventually, mainly because I only needed it to get a few hours of clear minded study per day where I would normally be sleeping.
  • Raian, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3What would be nice is an itunes radio station that just played crickets chirping at night, or waves, or whatever
  • Cherubim, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0Drink some malt. That will put you to sleep.
  • RobototoboR, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3I use pzziz
  • RpgActioN, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6Caught up with school, my cycle is generally something along the lines of:

    Monday-Friday: Get home at 3pm-ish, sleep until 10pm-ish, wake up and do homework until 6am-ish
    Saturday-Sunday: In a half-asleep stupor, wander the apartment and accomplish nothing, never aware of the exact time or even day

    Probably not the most healthy schedule.
  • lifeat24fps, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Melatonin did it for me. Very effective, and it gives you extremely vivid dreams as well. And modal sheets, too. Softest, most comfortable sheets I've ever owned.
  • onlygb, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5While I truly appreciate all the advice to have sex in order to achieve better sleep, there are some problems with that "solution."

    First, if you are a guy on the bottom/ woman on top (cowgirl or reverse cowgirl) you run a real chance of finding yourself in the wet spot after you're both done.
    If you are a woman, and the end product winds up inside you, doctors suggest you immediately go to the bathroom to urinate in order to ensure that you don't wind up with yeast infections or other such stuff.
    If you have kids in the house, you'll need to get dressed after the act since the last thing you want is your child walking in and seeing you and the Mrs. all naked and sticky.

    Once a guy going after sex, whether to put dry sheets on the bed, throw a towel over the wet spot, or change into some sleepwear, it's very challenging to fall back asleep.

    I promise I have attempted to decrease the graphicness of the language. Feel free to dig me down if you must.
  • MrTea, on 10/12/2007, -1/+526. Learn to meditate

    Seriously, it works.
    • gamechic, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2A nice yoga session with a good 15 mins of child-like pose and deep meditation.
  • archlich, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2"Snack on foods rich in tryptophan
    Tryptophan is an amino acid that assists the brain in the production of serotonin, which helps you calm down and relax. Foods rich in tryptophan include milk, eggs, chicken and turkey among others."

    Stop perpetuating this myth... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tryptophan#Tryptophan_and_turkey
  • dacheetah, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3> 9. Turn off mobile phone
    > If someone wants to get in touch with you, they can do it during business hours. Keeping your phone (and / or pager) switched off means that
    > work stays at work and you can unwind at home.

    Hell no, my phone stays on 24/7, but then, I never get work calls out of buisness hours, only friends.

    > 16. Avoid large meals
    > Make sure you eat your dinner a few hours before you go to bed and try to avoid liquids. A large meal shortly before bedtime may cause
    > indigestion while too many beers will have you running to the bathroom all night.

    Don't get indigestion. For me a large meal makes me good and sleepy. The bigger the meal the more I feel the urge to sleep a while.

    > 18. Avoid caffeinated products like the plague!
    > You all know the score here. Caffeinated products such as coffee and tea are the antithesis of what you should consume before bed.

    I'm not a caffeine person, never really noticed an effect from it, but my Dad can't sleep without a coffee before bed. Caffeine has different effects on different people.

    Anyway, I think the best way to get a good nights sleep is to stay up all night playing the LotR Online Beta for a few nights in a row, then first time you get a chance to sleep, you'll be out like a light, and won't want to get up again. (And if you play it too much might get a seriously disturbing side effect of having some of your dreams through the games interface. At that point you know you have played way too much.)
  • fixedcoma, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0All i need is a pair of earplugs and "BAM" im down and out with beautiful sleep. You always get the best wtih earplugs and a completely balck room!!!
  • k3nt, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2low lights, check.
    comfortable clothing, check.
    DJ Shadow, check.

    No beer, ... well

    whoops =)

    Seriously though, I find low, ambient lighting before sleep is very effective.
    • ezkiel, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1can I get a show of diggs who find shadow perfect for going to sleep to?

      I reccomend Midnight in a perfect World. (the 12 minute one)
    • Antitheft, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Endtroducing is one of the greatest albums ever. Sleepworthy to the max.
  • sleeptech81, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8I joined Digg.com just so that I could comment on this.... it's in my field of work :).

    After reading the 25 things on the link, I have to say that I agree with every single one of them. Working as a sleep professional, I've come to the realization that people don't realize how important sleep is, and how many people have their own way to "get a better night's sleep", but have no idea that they're doing the exact opposite of what they should be doing.

    Alcohol: While this can be a sedative and relax you, even make some people get very sleepy, it's not the best thing to do right before bed. 1-2 drinks *might* be okay, but you should consult your doctor first to make sure you don't have sleep apnea or something along those lines, because alcohol can worsen the effects caused by this disorder.

    Caffeine: Caffeine is a stimulant. I know that people will argue with me and say "It doesn't affect me" or "I can't sleep unless I have my coffee", but what you realize is that it affects you more than you know. It increases how long it takes you to GET to sleep, and it can cause you to wake up earlier and often throughout the night. Plus, it can fragment your sleep, therefore keeping you out of the deep, restful sleep that your body needs, un-interrupted, to feel better in the morning. The usual rule is to cut out caffeine 6-8 hours prior to going to sleep.

    Nicotine: Nicotine is also a powerful stimulant that keeps the mind racing, so that last cigarette before bed might just be keeping you awake and interrupting your sleep just as much as caffeine. In addition to the horrible, horrible things you're putting your body through while smoking :).

    And sleeping 20 minutes every 4 hours isn't the right way to go either. Your body wants to consolidate it's sleep to the night time (or daytime, if you're a night worker). Naps are productive, but not as a rule.
  • modernjazz, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Checking the time... 5:10 a.m. I'd say actually going to bed would be a good tip for me about now. Hard to sleep while surfing the web.
  • dgblackout, on 10/12/2007, -3/+11000th digg
  • imrankarim, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0opposite of #16 for me.

    imran karim
  • ripstuntz, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2One word: Marijuana

    now was the list even necessary?
  • YvesKlein, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Bullet to the brain
  • TrevorBradley, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Stop playing Battlefield 2142 until 2 in the morning.... :|
  •  

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