# How do you get to sleep faster?



## Dina (Sep 2, 2008)

Over the past 7 weeks, I've been exercising around 7:30 p.m. then feel sleepy and ready for bed about 10:30.  Thing is I'm tossing and turning until midnight or longer.  I'm able to get 5 1/2 to 6 hours daily.  Argh!  I thought exercise was suppose to help sleep better.  I may be exercising too late in the day but it's the only time I have to work out with DH.  What do you do to go to sleep faster/earlier?


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## suziquzie (Sep 2, 2008)

working out in the evening caused the same trouble for me. Gotta do it in the morning.... so I get up really early (4am) so by 9pm I am completely exhausted and dont have a problem sleeping thru. 
It's nice to do it with someone but it makes more sense to do it on my time.


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## Chico Buller (Sep 2, 2008)

I hit the gym earlier in the day. Then I work in the afternoon, and slow down before dinner. I do something like feed the pups or catch the TV news until we eat. Minor chores. Yesterday I re-oiled my cutting board and saddle soaped a pair of boots.

I have one of those cordless AM/FM headphones so I can listen to music or Coast-To-Coast in bed. Perhaps a 1/2 shot of 100% agave tequila on the weekends. I favor Don Julio and Patron.

If you follow that line of thought you'll see that all of the stressful commotion is earlier in the day. A nice ride on the Trek or the Harley doesn't hurt to just get lost in my own thoughts.

Overall, I believe it's the 'mind' not the 'muscles.' Be good to yourself and you do get into sync.


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## expatgirl (Sep 2, 2008)

try and work out earlier in the day and see if that helps.......for myself I really don't work out after 2pm if I can avoid it......then when I'm restless I play all sorts of mind games.......start with the alphabet and list all the fruits and veggies, animals, sports, flowers, animals, etc.....sorta like counting sheep......your mind usually gets so tired you fall asleep......I used to ask my DH how an oil rig worked but he caught onto me.......that definitely put me to sleep.......


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## GrillingFool (Sep 2, 2008)

Since what keeps me awake is my mind ruminating and worrying....
I keep it occupied by telling myself a story. It's quite an involved thing
with me as the hero of course, fighting dragons and wizards.....
For some reason it works like a charm. If I advance the story a "page"
a night, I'm lucky. A few minutes before I go to bed I sit and review the
last night's event(s), then contemplate what happens next. Then off to bed
to think it throo.. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz


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## In the Kitchen (Sep 2, 2008)

On nights when I can't sleep, I t oo listen to Coast to Coast .  People are sure far out sometimes.  There are times where program content keeps me awake like having outer space visitors, come through walls? However, I have never been able to exercise with partner.  I don't want to get hung up on whether or not they feel like exercising.  Has to be individual decision.  I know my pups are always willing and ready except for the older dog that puts guilt trip on me because he loved to work out with me.  Little dog Shih Ztu but he could trek 3 miles in heat and cold.  When I think about him being left out sincere heartache.  He is hold ing his own with the acupuncture.  Has been sure inspiration to me to keep moving.  I think doing in beginning of day is best.  Your body feels like you have t aken care of it afterwards.  What a shame I had to find out after 25 years of rotten marriage.  

Take care of your body and it will take care of you.  If you go with you hubby all the better.  I am thankful he wants to exercise too.  Be grateful.


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## Dina (Sep 2, 2008)

Chico Buller said:


> I have one of those cordless AM/FM headphones so I can listen to music or Coast-To-Coast in bed. Perhaps a 1/2 shot of 100% agave tequila on the weekends. I favor Don Julio and Patron.
> 
> Overall, I believe it's the 'mind' not the 'muscles.' Be good to yourself and you do get into sync.


I thought about listening to soft music too.  I'll try that tonight.

DH is a strong believer that it's my MIND playing tricks on me.  I stay there thinking TOO much of the stuff I have to do the next day.


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## Chico Buller (Sep 2, 2008)

GrillingFool said:


> me as the hero of course, fighting dragons and wizards.....


 
I am so glad that you wrote that!

From this moment forward I am no longer the craziest member of DC.

Oh, BTW, I also remember one thing my Dad told me.  Beds are for sleeping.  If you are tossing and turning, get up.  Read, do a simple project until you're tired.  If the bed becomes a torture chamber instead of a welcoming place the problem may persist.


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## Constance (Sep 2, 2008)

A small glass of brandy helps.


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## Dina (Sep 2, 2008)

In the Kitchen said:


> Take care of your body and it will take care of you. If you go with you hubby all the better. I am thankful he wants to exercise too. Be grateful.


Don't get me wrong.  I'm grateful that DH works out with me.  He too is losing weight and feeling healthier.  Lately, we've been playing volleyball for 2 hours with our kids in the backyard.  We all get the exercise and better yet, spend time together.  Funny how we don't crave junk/fatty foods anymore.  We are sticking to good, healthy eating and we feel great.


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## Dina (Sep 2, 2008)

Chico Buller said:


> I am so glad that you wrote that!
> 
> From this moment forward I am no longer the craziest member of DC.
> 
> Oh, BTW, I also remember one thing my Dad told me. Beds are for sleeping. If you are tossing and turning, get up. Read, do a simple project until you're tired. If the bed becomes a torture chamber instead of a welcoming place the problem may persist.


 
Hey, you're not the only crazy one here.  I too envision myself being the hero and slaying the dragon!

Have you seen my midnight posts lately?  Those are from the times I can't sleep and get out of bed to stay busy and eventually, tired.  Thanks for your suggestions.


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## expatgirl (Sep 2, 2008)

Hey, I AM the dragon........

if you have nagging worrisome thoughts I try and do what I read about several years ago and it really helps me........if you're worried about this or that and it's keeping you up at nights.....first of all realize that worrying the night over the problem is not going to help you one whit, you need your rest to cope with getting thru the next day.....then imagine yourself putting the specific worry in a tightly sealed jar......give yourself permission to worry over it for a certain amount of time each day (no more than 5 minutes) and then you're done with it.......every time your brain starts to dwell on it imagine yourself corking the jar and placing it on a high shelf...tell yourself that you've already worried over it and it's time to put the problem out of your mind....I'll worry about this at 3pm tomorrow and go on about your business......you'd be surprised at how much this mental image works at easing the mind.......when DH is out of town I fall asleep on the couch listening to some Russian station with classical music which generally comes on at night........


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## Chico Buller (Sep 2, 2008)

Dina said:


> Have you seen my midnight posts lately?


 
  I was telling a member a few days ago that I ought to start a pool for when the mods pitch me out into the street--if one hasn't been started already.  (And if there is one going, tell me where I can send fifty bucks...)

One of things I try not to do is post late into the evening.  Oh, I lurk and read, but if my mouth gets ahead of me, I start to speak the unvarnished truth.  It's part of my coat-of-arms:

In biker, veritas.

When my niece stayed with us last week we watched a lot of "Hannah Montana."  That show should be bottled for chronic insomniacs.


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## expatgirl (Sep 2, 2008)

Now, now, Chico........you really need to watch your sugar intake..........  The only reason that I've caught Hannah Montana Pollyanna is due to my 5 year old granddaughter........veritas!!!!!!  You want to talk about buttoning it up??????


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## Chico Buller (Sep 2, 2008)

expatgirl said:


> Now, now, Chico........you really need to watch your sugar intake..........


 
Is that even possible watching this Disney Channel?  If I could I'd send my pancreas out for detox.  What an insipid show.


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## Dina (Sep 2, 2008)

It truly is a vapid show. Not even my 12 year old daughter watches it.  They stick to SpongeBob!


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## jkath (Sep 2, 2008)

Last week on "Food Detectives" they dispelled the myth about triptophan being the reason we all get tired after thanksgiving. Turns out it's the full tummy!
Try having a little more in your stomach before going to bed. And, that could be a nice glass of warm milk or one with ovaltine (since it doesn't have caffeine).

Sweet dreams!


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## In the Kitchen (Sep 2, 2008)

Dina said:


> Don't get me wrong.  I'm grateful that DH works out with me.  He too is losing weight and feeling healthier.  Lately, we've been playing volleyball for 2 hours with our kids in the backyard.  We all get the exercise and better yet, spend time together.  Funny how we don't crave junk/fatty foods anymore.  We are sticking to good, healthy eating and we feel great.



Sounds like y ou got the BEST  going for you if the kids are involved.  Even better than without them.  That is what I would strive to impress on them that exercise can be fun and good for a person.  I am proud of you for including them in your efforts.  I don't really see that enough.  Keep it up, they need it too!


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## expatgirl (Sep 2, 2008)

isn't there a disease called "diabetes insipidus"?  Believe me it's alive and well at my house.........I have had to watch Hannah Montana and her father cavort across my TV along with the laugh track (there's a reason) and also the sugary twins.........more is better, I guess..........as I commented before, I just have to button it up........


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## Chico Buller (Sep 2, 2008)

The overriding idea I'm hearing is that you should be relaxed before you lay down to sleep.  I agree.

If you're taking the problems of a day/a life to bed with you, no wonder you toss and turn.

One of my buddies used to comment on problems in a unique way.  His view was that all of the problems we face were simply part of the human experience that has recreated itself many times over the millenia.  And as such, there is nothing you are facing that has not been conquered successfully before you came along.  Quite astute for your average resident throttle jockey.

He used a wry smile and stated, "There is no problem that cannot be solved without a few pounds of high explosives."

As macho as it sounds, he was right.  All of the problems facing you now will someday be the dust in someone's attic.  That promotion, those missed deadlines, a scratch on your best 1,000 dollar sashimi, your lost earring--all will someday fade away.

When I retired, I took off my wrist watch and threw it up onto our living room credenza.  There it sits in a pile of dust so thick it looks like a Halloween prop.  I wish I could take credit for the idea, but it's the opening scene from "Easy Rider."

The issue here is I waited for too many decades.  I was the guy who always arrived to everything ten minutes early.  So what did it get me?  Do you see a CMoH pinned to my chest?  I worried for nothing.  And I took much of that worry to bed.

My high school poetry teacher opined that 85% of the things we worry about never happen.  I think he set the bar way too low.  In my life, fully 95% of the problems that ruined my sleep never came to pass.


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## Fisher's Mom (Sep 2, 2008)

Dina, I have the same problem if I do any cardio type exercise in the evening. But, if I do some weight or resistance training at night, I have no problem sleeping.

I also have white noise in my bedroom. It can be a fan, an air filter, or a white noise machine. The fan can be a problem if you suffer from dry eye, but any background noise can help.

As others have mentioned, it's better not to lay in bed awake. If you don't fall asleep right away, get up and read or some other quiet activity. The bed is for sleeping or whoopie _only_.

Melatonin can help you establish a new sleeping pattern, too. 1 mg. taken an hour before bedtime can be very helpful. You only need to take it for a week at most. I find that alcohol will help me fall asleep quickly but then I wake up 2-4 hours later so it's not good for me as a sleep aid.

Good luck with this. Insomnia is very frustrating and tricky to address. I had it after each of my babies finally gave up night time feedings. _They_ slept through but _I_ found myself waking up all night long!


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## smoke king (Sep 2, 2008)

In the Kitchen said:


> On nights when I can't sleep, I too listen to Coast to Coast .



I've been listening to Coast to Coast since the mid 90's-The Art Bell era. Between alien abduction and shadow people and the threat of chupacabra, its a wonder I get any sleep at all!!!


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## luvs (Sep 2, 2008)

valerian & melatonin & prescriptions. i cannot sleep.


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## In the Kitchen (Sep 2, 2008)

smoke king said:


> I've been listening to Coast to Coast since the mid 90's-The Art Bell era. Between alien abduction and shadow people and the threat of chupacabra, its a wonder I get any sleep at all!!!



Thanks for admitting it.  I am happy to hear I am not alone.  It surely does make me wonder why I do these things but just too interesting.  I oft en wonder what these people look like!  Good thing they can't see me either.  Maybe they would wonder about my life too.  I just like that show.  My brother complains that he wants to sleep all day just so he can stay up and listen to the show.  He is retired and  not married can do that if he wants.


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## Chico Buller (Sep 2, 2008)

Did you catch Coast-To-Coast last night?  Yikes.  They had a woman on who took reincarnation, Christianity, UFOs, Kharma, and governments on other worlds and mish-mashed them into a belief system that works with the dead and their "negative energy."

Heck, I fell asleep after 20 minutes.  Considering her diatribe, I figured I was the smartest man on three planets, and with that smug realization I dosed off immmediately...

Are they booking guests from bus stations again?


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## babetoo (Sep 2, 2008)

have had trouble falling and staying asleep all my life. i have tried all the tricks and none of them work. so there it is. guess i have learned to live with it.                                                                                              babe


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## Chico Buller (Sep 2, 2008)

Babe, talk to your GNP or a good cognitive therapist (I have several, it's a team effort) for a med called "seroquel."  It's a very 'clean' med, and there's no need for follow-up on your liver or heart.

A teeny little 25 milligram tab will put you out faster than my Cousin Bobbie at any event using multi-syllables.

And it doesn't leave that "morning after bruise" like those tranquilizer darts, trust me.


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## luvs (Sep 2, 2008)

also, try a snack before sleepy-bye. like & half a turkey sammich & milk. i'm usually kinda drowsy with thier tryptophan!!


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## suziquzie (Sep 2, 2008)

Constance said:


> A small glass of brandy helps.


 
I'll second this motion....
'cept biggie size mine please!


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## In the Kitchen (Sep 2, 2008)

Chico Buller said:


> Did you catch Coast-To-Coast last night?  Yikes.  They had a woman on who took reincarnation, Christianity, UFOs, Kharma, and governments on other worlds and mish-mashed them into a belief system that works with the dead and their "negative energy."
> 
> 
> Heck, I fell asleep after 20 minutes.  Considering her diatribe, I figured I was the smartest man on three planets, and with that smug realization I dosed off immmediately...
> ...



my brother must have list ened to it till the end because if he isn't up by noon I know he was up listening.  I just don't know how he can stand those commercials.  Don't they seem like they are getting more each month?  If only I could just fast forward past  them.


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## jpmcgrew (Sep 2, 2008)

I used to never be able to fall asleep either with all the ruminating thoughts melatonin works great for me and when I got on Paxil I really quit having these worries. A little Canadian Mist doesn't hurt either. For me the bottom line was I would tell myself I can think or worry all night and it will not solve one thing and tell yourself don't worry about it now because it will be the first thing you think of when you wake up and you can deal with it then. Another good trick is to never ever check the clock to see how much more time you have left to sleep it will only make it harder to sleep because now you are worried about getting to sleep with the time you have left. Again DO NOT check the clock it just makes it worse. Make sure you bed is as cozy as possible and try the to keep bedroom cooler rather than too hot or warm an open or cracked window allowing some fresh air is also helpful unless it's hot outside, I like a totally dark room no lights from clocks etc. I also like a fan but it may not be for you.


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## Alix (Sep 2, 2008)

Dina, go check out this site and find the relaxation run. It will settle you well for bed. Give yourself an hour.


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## Dina (Sep 2, 2008)

Alix said:


> Dina, go check out this site and find the relaxation run. It will settle you well for bed. Give yourself an hour.


Thanks Alix. Mom reiterates that yoga is the way to relax and sleep. She's done it many times when she can't sleep. (Thanks for passing on the insomnia down to me, mom...I love her for that.) I will do the yoga, listen to my soundscapes and if need be, take a warm bath beginning tonight.


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## babetoo (Sep 2, 2008)

Chico Buller said:


> Babe, talk to your GNP or a good cognitive therapist (I have several, it's a team effort) for a med called "seroquel." It's a very 'clean' med, and there's no need for follow-up on your liver or heart.
> 
> A teeny little 25 milligram tab will put you out faster than my Cousin Bobbie at any event using multi-syllables.
> 
> And it doesn't leave that "morning after bruise" like those tranquilizer darts, trust me.


 
thanks , but am already on it and take three 100 mg along with two other psyco drugs for panic attacks. and pstd. i am doomed to be awake half of the night. i checked and they are 150 m each and i take three, along with two other meds.


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## Dave Hutchins (Sep 3, 2008)

I am kinda strange I normaly do not go to bed before 3 am and most nights I have a tomato and onion salad befor bed and sleep very well.  I am also retired so I can do what I want to


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## expatgirl (Sep 3, 2008)

Well, Dave, I will be the last person to change your routine......I find myself up late at nights, too, though it's mornings for most of you, .......then I find myself getting used to the routines again......now I'm dealing with jetlag again...........not complaining.....had a great time in the UK


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## Dina (Sep 3, 2008)

No cardio exercise for me yesterday afternoon so I was able to fall asleep before 11:00.  Woohoo!  Did some stretching exercises before and got so relaxed there was no time for soundscapes.  Walked 75 minutes with a friend this morning and I'm on NO coffee!  Haven't had a need for it.  Green tea will do just fine in a little while.


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## Lynd (Sep 4, 2008)

I have such weird sleep patterns too. Weird thing is on weekdays when I have to work I can't get to sleep but on Fridays and weekends I'm asleep as soon as I hit the pillow


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## luvs (Sep 4, 2008)

skipping your coffee was a great plan of action, dina. caffiene's half-life is many hours.


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## Dina (Sep 4, 2008)

My last cup of coffee was at 11:00 this morning until DH decided to serve me some Energy Crystal Lite with caffeine.  Argh!  The poor guy meant well and didn't check the label obviously.  I feel the tightness on my neck and shoulders.  It will be a while until I can get to bed again.


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## LadyCook61 (Sep 5, 2008)

I read a boring book to help fall asleep.  If I am tense , I take a hot shower which usually helps relax me enough to get to sleep.


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## Uncle Bob (Sep 5, 2008)

I also read a bo.....


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## expatgirl (Sep 6, 2008)

for years I kept the most boring book ever....... an Entomology text......just looking at some grasshopper's insides was enough to do me in for the night.........


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## smoke king (Sep 6, 2008)

In the Kitchen said:


> my brother must have list ened to it till the end because if he isn't up by noon I know he was up listening.  I just don't know how he can stand those commercials.  Don't they seem like they are getting more each month?  If only I could just fast forward past  them.



Thank you ITK-the commercials *are* a complete buzzkill on C to C-and you are right-they seem to be getting longer and longer.........


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## Dina (Sep 6, 2008)

Cool!  You guys really took off on this thread.  Exercising in the morning has made a drastic change in my sleep pattern.  On my way to go find some boring books at my library.


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## linguini (Sep 6, 2008)

Personally, I exercise during the day so I would be really tired before I go to bed.  But I think its best to have a routine, so you can set yourself to bed at a certain time.


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