I can't sleep, anyone else in the same boat?

[currob]

I have an important day tomorrow and cannot sleep. I've tried wine, relaxing music, a hot bath and have candles lit instead of electric lights. Still I sit here feeling wide awake in anticipation of the days upcoming events. Any ideas on inducing sleep would be gratefully received!!

[legend006]

im always the same

perhaps a short walk might help?

[pastafreak]

Have a browse in Law or Business...that may help.......or just accept that the day may be a difficult one,and try to put it to the back of your mind. Then ther is always hot milk.

[canasta]

I have heard that eating lettuce leaves helps.

The main thing is not to worry about it. Try sitting up in bed reading untilyou feel sleepy (maybe not a thriller)

I always feel overstimulated when I've been on the computer.

Hope you have a good day tomorrow and all goes well.

[currob]

thanks, i'll try it with a torch as i'm in the country. anything i can do to get some sleep will help, i keep looking at the clock and working out how many hours sleep i have left!!! :-(

[currob]

Hi canasta,

Thank you so much for your reply and kind words.

I will try reading and see how it goes.

[Lysistrata]

I know this problem - thinking about what you have to do or have done recently can keep you awake for hours! Try thinking about something completely unrelated to your daily life if possible - maybe plan your ideal holiday, or what you'd do if you won the lottery. I find planning what I'm going to wear sometimes helps, but probably wouldn't if you're anxious about tomorrow (or if you're a man, in which case it's less likely you're going to care that much).
Doing mental arithmetic/times tables or something like that sometimes works too (wonder why ;-)).

[Katie~77]

Please blow out the candles though, just in case you do fall asleep.x

[China Doll]

Sometimes what works for me is actually getting up, changing rooms and trying to read a paper or something with quite small print in dubious lighting... Although this has on occasion also resulted in a headache.... but generally it has helped and I think I did read somewhere once that lying in bed tossing and turning won't help.

[jno]

I find doing sudokus helps - I'm fine with them during daytime but they make my eyes glaze over in the evening - I think this is the same as CD is suggesting, small type and dim light.

[currob]

Katie, I've blown out the candles!!

Lysistrata, I am a man but think like a woman (if you know what I mean?!) I do enjoy planning my outfits and my holidays and maybe that's the way I should go with this: if I'm going to be awake all night then I should use the time effectively!!!!

[Katie~77]

Thank you.x :-)

[currob]

I'm still awake, my cat is now confused as he normaly sleeps on the foot of my bed! He is looking at me as if to say "what the hell is going on?" !!! I will have to phone and cancel my interview tomorrow as it is has gone past 1am; I'm normally asleep by 10pm. Thanks all for your replies!

[Aprilis]

I have to read to get to sleep at night but if I still can't sleep I do the following and it really does work. Well it does for me anyway....

Take yourself off to bed and try to relax your muscles all over. Then, starting with your feet only, tense up, hold it for a few seconds and then let go. Move on to your ankles only and do the same then on to your calves, knees, thighs... Keep doing this. slowly moving up your body a bit at a time, all the way up to your head and then down your upper arms, elbows, lower arms, then hands and finish with your fingers.

Someone told me about doing this years ago and, despite being very cynical about it, I gave it a go and was surprised that within a few minutes of doing it I did actually fall asleep. It seems to work for me every time. It's got to be worth a try for you. I did have to do it twice the first time I tried it though.

[Aprilis]

If you do decide to give it a try currob, I'd be interested to know if it worked for you.

[currob]

thanks aprilis, i'll give anything a try, getting desperate now!

[Aprilis]

You're very welcome currob. However, I do find that tearing myself away from AB is a good first move as far as getting some sleep is concerned, lol! I've been telling myself 'Just 10 more minutes...' since midnight!