Can't fall asleep fast, recommendations?

**Ghost** · 01-30-2012 08:49 PM

I've never been able to fall asleep fast. It always takes me a long time for my mind to stop thinking about everything in the world so I can go to bed. It usually take about an hour to fall asleep. I don't like taking naps because it takes me so long to fall asleep in the first place.

I'm looking for suggestions BUT not the usual "Don't use a computer; work out before bed" kind of thing.

I'm more looking for something I can take (i.e. Valerian root) that will help calm me down so I can fall asleep. Anyone tried Valerian? Your experiences?

I'm a night person. I stay up late, but two days a week I have to be up MUCH earlier than my normal sleep schedule and I can't get my mind to settle down at a decent time the nights before those days. Those days I'll try and go to bed at a decent hour but spend the next two hours falling asleep.

What say you?

**Inflik** · 01-30-2012 08:53 PM

I've taken valerian root pills, but I wouldn't consider it an option to use on a daily basis. I use it every once in a while if I need to wake up early or I can't sleep. I didn't have any side effects from it, took about 20-25min to kick in for me. Aside from valerian the only other recommendation I can give is the nights you need to go to bed try not to do any night time eating after dinner. Night time eating will end up giving you a burst of sugar rush into your bloodstream and it'll make it tougher to fall asleep.

**Csiko** · 01-30-2012 08:55 PM

Melatonin.

Will make you tired in about 20-30 minutes, not addicting. However, if you don't go to bed right when you're tired 20-30 minutes after taking it, you can get stuck on the other side of the cycle, and it'll actually keep you awake. So after taking it, go to bed as soon as you feel tired.

Also might give you weird dreams.

**Makatiel** · 01-30-2012 08:58 PM

Both Valerian and Melatonin were the two things I were going to recommend. Both are safe, natural and not habit forming.

**Richarddrmc** · 01-30-2012 08:59 PM

Benadryl. Cheap and effective at putting you to sleep. Safe too, as it is an actual drug evaluated by FDA as opposed to a supplement that does not need to be evaluated for safety and efficacy.

And yes, I know benadryl is an antihistamine meant for allergies...but you take 2 and tell me how easy it is to stay awake. Give it about 20-30 minutes and you'll be ready for sleep.

**Makatiel** · 01-30-2012 09:01 PM

The other two give natural sleep where Benadryl will give you drug induced sleep and a groggy wake up.

Just because the FDA doesn't give something it's blessing doesn't mean it isn't 100% more effective than the medical alternative. Don't even get me on the prescription drug company lobbyist debate.

**Meat** · 01-30-2012 09:02 PM

The body tries to create a natural alarm clock for you. If you wake yourself up at 6 AM every day for at least a week, your body wakes you up at 6 even with a disruption in your schedule without fail. In an evolutionary standpoint, I imagine this skill was developed in a way to cater your sleep schedule to the changes in sunrise.

If you have two days out of the week that require you to wake up earlier, you should revolve your schedule around those two days. Staying up late and then asking your body to sleep early twice a week is unhealthy and unnatural. I'm not sure what Valerian is, but if it's not natural, you're probably doing your body unnecessary harm.

Personally, when I'm reflecting in bed, my thoughts are general lucid and relevant to my day. It then starts flowing into unpredictable tangents. Follow this winding path, and you will fall asleep. If you acknowledge that you're thinking in a tangent, you're back to square one. The idea is to stop using your frontal lobe entirely. Let your thoughts drift wherever they go, without second guessing anything.

I think I learned in psychology that if you're in a dark room / your eyes are closed, your body produces a chemical called melatonin. This chemical is a natural chemical that makes you fall asleep. If you have lights shining in from your window, close your blinds. Also, close your eyes. It will help more than you think.

It is also scientifically proven that you produce a large quantity of this chemical after an orgasm. I'll stop there.

**Spybait** · 01-30-2012 09:04 PM

Originally Posted by Meat

It is also scientifically proven that you produce a large quantity of this chemical after an orgasm. I'll stop there.

Don't think much more needs to be said.

I've found that it helps to take a warm shower before bed (then again, I use shower time to "vent" all of my thoughts), and have a small cup of chamomile tea... Melatonin helps as well.

NOTE: I only say Melatonin because I was prescribed a small dose of it myself. Doesn't do much, but it does help.

**Makatiel** · 01-30-2012 09:05 PM

Not a whole lot out there more natural than Valerian.

Valerian (herb) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You brew the root into a tea. Tastes like $#@! but works great.

**Drakfire** · 01-30-2012 09:11 PM

I suffer from DSPS, this means I often can't get to sleep until 4am or later.

The first thing to realize is that you need to focus and have discipline in falling asleep. Such that you don't go back to the computer after just lying there for an hour or so or you keep yourself awake by staying at the computer. The first step is to get lumins. This means sunlight. And that means going outside. The more exposure you get to sunlight, the more tired your body will feel later in the day. If you're like me and sit at home in front of the computer in a dark room all day, you're not going to fall asleep very easily. So get outside and be active. Doing athletic also helps, but getting sunlight is what is important.

There is a program for your computer called f.lux F.lux: software to make your life better This will adjust the temperature of your monitor throughout the day so your brain is able to feel more tired at night, rather than being in front of the bright screen, which tricks your brain into thinking it's day time all the time. So you've had a big day and f.lux has decreased your monitor temperature. Now you want to fall asleep. Believe it or not, your circadian operates is rhythmic, so it is important that you pick a time that allows you to get enough sleep for the next day, this site helps with that sleepyti.me bedtime calculator

So you're looking at stuff to take to help you sleep? Well as mentioned, there is Valerian root extract and melatonin. But you need to be careful, melatonin does indeed give you weird and trippy dreams. The Valerian may also counteract and give you a night terror, or worse, a depersonalization / derealization. Depersonalization - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia If you are taking any sort of anxiety medication, as I do, the chances of these occurring as well as the severity of it can be heightened.

The bottom line however, is to disipline yourself into a set schedule that you know you can follow each night. Lastly, get a good book to read while falling asleep. Something that is easy-reading, but not to boring otherwise you'll get frustrated. Don't take any of what I said as fact though. If you have serious concerns, talk to your doctor.

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