Ask Lemmy

Apps that generate soft sounds of rain or waves.

Focus on your breathing, and how the air feels in the back of your throat.

Repeat a mdeditative mantra in your head.

Do the thing where you tense up your whole. Ody and then slowly release it from the fingers and toes inwards. I think this is what US marines use to get to sleep in adverse conditions.

Play an audiobook on speaker quietly under your pillow. The more boring the story, the better. They have non-story podcasts just for this too.

If I cant watch/listen to content I try to “render” a pov trip of like a rollercoaster or some sort of “on rails” vehicle going through some sort of landscape whether its a realistic cityscape, abstract and colorful shapes, a tunnel underground or though an ocean. I let my brain sorta just decide what it wants to do like if the landscape changes I dont try to go back to the previous one or try to “customize” it. Its a bit hard to explain what I mean without me sounding like im talking about my brain as a completely separate entity from myself but it really is like it has a mind of its own and im just letting it do its thing as long as the topic is “strictly” to generate a scene of going through a tube or riding a “pre determined” path. If it starts to get “bored” and even very slightly veer back into normal thoughts or something else I sorta quickly but gently nudge it into another scene or to increase the detail which is hard for maybe the first minute or two but with this method im asleep really quickly. At the start ill probably switch “scenes” a couple times a second.

It feels like im letting the brain sorta tire itself out with a method that can be described as gently guiding a boat downstream

Previously I used the 4-7-8 method (take a deep breath for a 4-count, hold it for a 7-count, exhale for an 8-count). I did that until I fell asleep.

Recently I started deep breathing/exhaling (no counting) and it works just as well.

History documentaries with good narrator and minimal loud music

As some others have mentioned, regular workout will help a lot. Another thing you can do is cardio for 10 minutes before sleep and ending with a few minutes stretch to tire and loosen up your body. Also try to sleep at the same time daily. Your circadian rhythm will aid you too.

Drugs hard core prescription sleeping pills. I'm sorry but if you're as desperate as I was and have tried everything then hard sleeping drugs typically with a benzodiazapine in it

What I usually do is think about all the time today when I wanted to be left alone. To be uninterrupted. To just get five minutes to myself.

Because now, I have it. I have all the time in the world. I can do nothing. I can let my mind wander. No one will interrupt, no one will dump bullshit on me. Countless times today I just wanted a pause button for five minutes and now I have hours to just do nothing.

Then I wake up and realize "nope, all that time is now gone". Can't catch a fuckin break.

Still awake op?

I turn the brightness on my phone as low as it goes, turn on night shift to get rid of blues, and read (white text on black background / dark mode).

Don’t read in continuous scroll; find a way to turn the page with minimum animation.

Read something you don’t find so compelling as to keep turning pages but enough that you’re happy to read.

I find history books most successful at the moment since there is often no desire by the author to build tension, suspense, etc that keeps you alert.

Following the breath works for me regularly. Meditation makes me sleep.

Don't try to fall asleep.

The effort is what's keeping you awake. Sleep when you feel tired.

If you don't feel tired at night, then you may not be doing enough mental or physically engaging activities during the day.

Whenever thoughts are too much for me, I try to focus my focus my eyes on the black presented whilst they're closed. Don't think about all the stuff that's bothering you, just focus on that bit of black, right there in front of you. keep focusing long enough, and it always sends me to sleep.

Course, I also take a muscle relaxer (or couple benedryl if I'm out) before bedtime and that shit helps immensely lol

Close your eyes. It's impossible to stay awake with your eyes closed. True fact. They're hardwaired right to your brain eventually your brain is like "aight, I'ma head out."

A lil weed before bed has been a game changer for me

Achieve alot during the day