Over the years I've tried many different things to help with going to sleep. Since I suffer with sleep onset insomnia my tips are all related to getting to sleep
Things I've tried that work:
- Medication - either prescription or OTC.
- A sleep schedule - going to sleep and getting up at the same times every day. Right now my schedule is so far off I'm not sure I'll get back to it.
- A bowl of cold cereal. I think this is the old "warm milk" treatment. The thought of warm milk is fairly disgusting. The milk does the job cold, and the cereal is a bonus.
- A bed time snack
- Avoid naps during the day.
- Visualization. This is my mind starting to dream before I'm asleep
- Any variation of counting sheep. For me it is the Hail Mary over and over
- Keep the bed a place to sleep. No reading or watching TV in bed
Things that I've heard work but have not tried:
- Sleep with your head facing north
- White noise
- Back rub
- Taking a warm bath
- Drinking warm milk
- Drinking herbal tea
- Get up earlier in the morning. This just makes me over tired which causes me not to be able to sleep. Actually this insomnia bout I'm battling now started this way.
- Avoid caffeine, tobacco and alcohol. I don't smoke or drink (often) so this one doesn't apply. I have gone cold turkey off the caffeine for months at a time. It doesn't faze my insomnia.
- Getting (more) physical exercise during the day.
- Melatonin. I've got to be some kind of freak of nature because melatonin actually hypes me up.
