Going to sleep with an active mind.

[Kurmudgeon]

I often have trouble when I go to sleep because my mind is really active at the time.
For example, tonight (it's 11:30pm) I have been creating a whole lot of functions in a database, and have a lot more to create. Yet I'm tired and am about to go to bed, but I just know that I'll lie there, tossing and turning, while I think of these functions (ways to improve them, etc.).

Does this sort of thing happen to anyone else (maybe not with database functions....)? What do you do about it (if anything)?

I'm thinking I'll try to clear my mind when I get into bed, although I don't think I've ever been able to do that. There's a recent invention that is like a pair of glasses with some sort of blue lights in place of lenses that is meant to help one sleep.... if I can find where to get them I'm gonna give them a try.

[shewolf]

Kurmy, I get that too... I go to bed and think about my PhD and get all sorts of ideas that really should have come to me hours before... I guess as we stop thinking about everything else these things can clamour the loudest. I have no hints, sorry! Sometimes I just give up and run with it until it's satisfied, or other times I force myself to think of other things, and when I half catch myself thinking something really bizarre I know it's beaten as I was half dreaming. Or you could try meditating, that ALWAYS sends me to sleep! ;)

[CharityAJO]

Ah yes. I know this syndrome well. I've found that keeping a regular sleeping schedule helps. I impose a rule on myself: after ten o'clock, no more work. No studying, no writing letters. Even if I still have things pressing, I force myself to just relax, read a book, watch the news. Then by 11-11:30, my mind is cleared and I'm ready to go to bed.

[Strix]

When I can't sleep because my mind is running, I just resign myself to staying awake. I get up and do something like read which helps my eyes tire and gets my miind focused on something else. I usually fall asleep faster this way.

A couple other things that help are a warm bath before bed and herbs. I like melatonin to knock me out and valerian to keep me asleep. Kava works too. I don't take these often though, only when I have to be up early and really need rest but can't get to sleep.

When I was in school and working fulltime, I was a cocktail waitress and would "wait" in my sleep all freaking night! I think anyone who has waited tables/cocktailed at night has experienced this. It sucks because you get home at 2:00-3:00 o'clock in the morning, can't sleep, and then you end up waiting tables in stressed out situations all night! Then you wake up exhausted. For that, there is no solution! I wish I had known about melatonin in those days!

[kraftykraft]

This has been happening to me a lot lately since I am moving in June and there is a lot I have to do to get ready. I have found that I can't just fall into bed and go to sleep - I have to do something to buffer myself. I usually read or listen to music to get myself tired enough to fall asleep. I also found that writing in my journal helps a lot.

[Gruntled Sheep]

Yeah. I'll ususally get up and go do something else to distract myself for awhile, and try again :)

[dk_art]

Geez, I have the opposite problem. I have an active foot. Man I just can't get to sleep , that damn foot is moving and twitching and kicking up the blankets! It's hell! ... ok sorry :)


Actually , I would suggest making sure there's a buffer zone of like an hour or 2 between your working and going to bed.

[jenangelcat]

I have the same problem. My mind continues to babble keeping me up all night. The only thing that works for me besides the obvious (medication) is meditation. I just count and breathe and eventually it bores me to sleep. ;)

[Sasami]

Okay, somebody has to say it. Masturbate. :D :naughty: :D

[ForestGlade34]

No, no, no, masturbation actually kills a person!!! :vebo: :hump:
as opposed to sending asleep! ;) :whack: :drool: but :vebo: just keeps on going!!!

[Thalia]

Charity and Strix, those are both things my doctor has told me. Have pre-sleep rituals, only use your bed for sleeping, and if you can't fall asleep in 20 minutes, get up, leave the room and try again in another 20. Repeat as necessary. It is in order to avoid associating the stress of insomnia with your bed.

I too think of computer problems, I also think about conversations on message boards, and things I could invent around the house to fix some problem.

[V3gan]

dude i have the every single night. literally. but i have medicine to help me with it so i take that.

[ForestGlade34]

Oh hang about I've gotten "vebo" to stop now, that must a done him a treat Thalia!... Such good advice took out his batteries!!!!! hahahah.
On an extraneous note, I'd also like to add that Gyrating X-rated Vebo ought to be co-endorsed by the "gyrating banana" at www.veganrepresent.com. Yes Vebo has a cousin!!! :D

[ForestGlade34]

*whew* now maybe i can go back to make more dancing veggies.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The underlined is a RecEnt PRESENT quote from the new vegan represent!... I just stumbled upon it whence checking out the update!...Very Appropiate!!! :D Vebo is now nackered at the hands of his/her creative master!!! :D

[Meo]

It always takes me forever to get to sleep, just because I think about the oddest things. One night a while ago I was thinking about how weird it'd be to have male and female reproductive parts (we were studying earthworms that day), and last night I was thinking about a new Halloween costume already. Yeah, I have issues.

[4EverGrounded]

I have those problems, too. Being a natural night owl, my brain is more active in night than in daytime and I really "hit my energy" at around 10p, when everyone else is dropping dead for sleep. When something is whirring in my brain (like puter probs, posts, or whatever), I tell myself that I'm giving this to my sub-consious to work on and my consious and physical body is going to sleep. More often than not, I'll get the solution (or whatever) in a dream while my body gets rested and in the next morning, I have the things I need while getting the rest I have to have.

Maybe that's your prob, Kurm. You need to say to yourself "I'm working on this code/function in the physical but I'm giving it to you, sub concious, to work on it while I rest. Physical being and body, you go to bed. Sub consious, I want you to work on this and tell me in the morning what you've come to and how my question/solution can be reached." I bet in doing that, you'll sleep like a baby and won't toss and turn all night while your brain whirrs around writing code/making functions/solving script troubles and all that.

[Kurmudgeon]

Well I ended up staying up until 3am, then when I went to bed I was awake for a few hours as my mind raced. Then up at again at 8am. Fun.
I might get some valerian (probably tea, not tablets)..... I think that has worked before.

[shewolf]

Actually, sasami's idea is pretty good too... ;)

[Kurmudgeon]

Originally posted by shewolf
Actually, sasami's idea is pretty good too... ;)

Who says I haven't tried it? ;)

[epski]

Kurm, I tend to do a lot of my best creative work in the wee hours. I tend to just go until I'm literally exhausted in front of my computer and ready to fall asleep on my keyboard. That usually does it. However, I also let myself sleep in the next morning.

[bethanie]

I used to be a terrible insomniac because of this until I learned how to go to sleep WITH my active mind. Because I used to think it was all about getting my mind to stop, I would just lay there...or once I hit my twenties I drank myself to sleep...by my late twenties I realized just two beers would do the trick...now I realize I can do it all on my own without the alcohol ;).

I just close my eyes and brrreeaathe regularly as a person does when sleeping. I allow my mind to drift freely without trying to fight my thoughts. And generally I drift off to sleep doing this within about twenty minutes.

Also I always go to sleep at the same time...I don't read, watch tv, eat..or do anything else in bed except for sleeping. And I do yoga within an hour before bed.

Good luck.

B

[Chook]

I have this problem after choir practice - the music just goes round and round in my head. I find valerian works well and as a bonus I get incredibly intense dreams.:D

[Kat New]

i hate to say it, but a couple of drinks works for me!

i've tried not doing this (i must stress that a couple really is just a couple, and i make sure it's vegan alcohol!)... and i am just too restless.

many people curse alcohol, but a couple of sensible drinks is a nice way top wind down at the end of the day. a teacher of mine once told me that he stopped drinking alcohol because it stopped him remembering his dreams. I have found the opposite... if i have my couple then i have great dreams and they help me in my everyday life... really resonate...

if i deprive myself then no sleep gets done and i don't enjoy the land of dreams!

so here's to sensible drinking i say!

[epski]

Darn. Took a nap this evening 'cause I was so tired, but now I'm feeling fairly awake here at 11pm...

Will have to try deep breathing, etc.

[mosquito]

I do Trazadone and chakra excercises. I've also noticed that the more excercise I get during the day the easier it is for me to fall asleep at night. Alcohol really does it for me too.

Last February my husband and I were visiting San Francisco. We got up at 9 am and walked around all day long, then went to a club, drank and danced, then walked back to our motel. I never slept so well as that night.