I haven’t slept through the night, for ages. Help!

[Anonymous]

I use a podcast to focus my mind. It has to be something I’m interested in but won’t get invested in and keep me up. Typically science based. I put it on a sleep timer. My mind focuses on that instead of racing thoughts. If/when I wake up at 2:25 I turn the podcast back on and typically asleep within 5-10 minutes again. Works every time for me.

[Anonymous]

Another vote for edibles. Coupled with 10 mg of melatonin. Now I only wake up once instead of 4 times.

[Anonymous]

Start a short meditation practice, even of ten minutes.

Bedtime magnesium.

Only read calming things before bed.

Earplugs if there are even minor noises in your bedtime environment at night.

[Anonymous]

CBT-I (cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia)

[Anonymous]

During the pandemic I started falling asleep listening to podcasts, not on purpose. I've kept it up though since then. I prefer BBC podcasts, bc their accent is very soothing. I still sometimes wake up during the night, but falling asleep to podcasts generally has helped with my racing thoughts and I look forward to picking out a podcast at night to fall asleep to.

[Anonymous]

Stop caffeine at 1. Take 1 mg of melatonin at 4:45 if still awake.

[Anonymous]

estrogen and progesterone.

[Anonymous]

Look into the gut biome. Lots being learned about how bacteria in the gut affect the mind including sleep.

[Anonymous]

OP, lots of effort, and even worry, could be put into the idea that you are unusual. But you are not. And it will keep happening.

[Anonymous]

Trazadone. Changed my life.

[Anonymous]

Melatonin
No coffee after 10 am.

Check all your meds to see if they are stimulants. Claritin, for example, keeps some people awake.

[Anonymous]

Melatonin, guided meditation and trazodone all work well for me.

[Anonymous]

HRT.

[Anonymous]

I have GAD and PTSD. Stop all caffeine. Sorry!!!!! Caffeine has an 8 hour half life, even if you have only 1 cup first thing in the morning, that is still equivalent to drinking 1/4 right before bed

I also use medical marijuana nightly and zopiclone as needed

[Anonymous]

Designated boring book. For years, I used The History of Civilization. Never got past page 150 or so. But that doesn’t work so well with a bedmate.

Seriously, though, no caffeine. at. all. Exercise, earlier in the day. No or very limited napping. And no tossing, turning. If you wake up and can’t go back to sleep after ~20 minutes, get up. Hand write down those racing thoughts. You’ll eventually tire of them….or have a worthy tome.

Good luck and I mean that sincerely. It’s frustrating and often self-fulfilling. I am jealous of my spouse and one child who routinely fall asleep within minutes of their heads hitting a pillow. The other is like me…..and suffers. 😕