help with sleep problems

[Jonty77]

I have no trouble getting to sleep, I’m so knackered by the end of the day! But I always wake several times in the night, often finding it really hard to get back to sleep and certainly of any quality.

I recently came across a suggestion that is helping. It’s not a golden ticket and doesn’t work every time but I’ve been pleasantly surprised so thought I’d share here in case it helps others.

so when you are lying awake at night unable to sleep, pick a subject - say, animals, plants, food for example; then going through the alphabet, list something for each letter. Ape, bison, cat, dog, elephant - you get the idea. Apparently it is supposed to mimic the way the brain works during rem sleep?

Anyway, I’ve been trying it out and it definitely calms me down, it feels a bit like meditating, and on occasion I go to sleep or at least into deep rest during it.

It would be fascinating for some of you to try it and to hear if it helps anyone else. As I said, it hasn’t solved my problems, I still wake several times, but I think I’m getting back to sleep more often.

Reply with your experience and we’ll see if it helps.

Take care everyone.

[Alibongo60]

Hi Jonty, I wake several times a night and at times do struggle to get back to sleep, so I will try this if I can remember it at the time, thank you love Alice xx

[DTBI]

Hi Jonny, I always close my eyes and start counting very deep breaths, which works for me👍🏻

[Painting-girl]

My insomnia is more about not being sleepy till about 1:30 or so, not ideal! I think the Headspace sleep meditation used to be to get comfortable, and take three slow breaths in and out, and then count backwards slowly from 1000 breathing in on even numbers and out again on odd numbers. I certainly never got to zero!

[skydivesurvivor]

been there!! Amazed I would wake almost to the Minuit every night!! Coffee n fag at 3am the norm for many years!! Good news is finally learnt to sleep a whole 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep sleep!! As brain rewires it will amaze you!! Good luck

[WonderingWanda]

I will give that a go. Last night I was designing high intensity workouts from 2am until 4.30!

I reassure myself that it still getting deep non sleep rest that is still restorative and when you don’t stress about it you feel less panic.

[Catperson18]

My therapist suggesting breathing in and out for sequences of 4 seconds, then 5 seconds, then 6. Works quite well. I also paid for the calm app which has some great noises to fall back to sleep waves/city rain/forest etc 2£8 j work well