Food for sleep/other sleeping tips for insomnia

Davidj

Cathlete
Two weeks ago someone asked about help to counter insomnia. I let the string go without commenting, but here goes:

A good article on what foods to eat before sleeping:
yrealage/12/top-10-foods-for-a-good-night-s-sleep

My view is that some insomnia is caused by bringing to bed serious worries people have. So one should confront these worries and take concrete steps to reduce them. A common worry, these days, is financial problems.

If one can set worries aside, then one should set the atmostsphere for sleeping. For me, this is putting on a escapist DVD movie, a movie that is a light comedy (not tense or violent). For other people, this could mean soothing music (Mozart?).

Once the setting is right, for me, what I do is have a systematic daydream planned. Each person's daydream differs, but one should train oneself to escape from the day's worries and reality, and firmly stay in the daydream, and not retrun to the day's problems. Other people call this "counting sheep", but for me the daydream is what works.

Become more spiritual, so one can discipline the mind.

Finally, I recommend exercising before dinner, and lazing around after dinner before bed. From what I can read, and for me, if one exercizes say 1 hour before dinner, this actually helps one sleep. Those who skip exercizing, or who do not exercize, this can bring on insomnia.

Finally, cut back on caffeine where pssible.

I hope all of this helps!
-- Davidj
 
I'll throw another thing out there: Stay off the computer (and video games) at least an hour before bedtime. I don't know if this happens to anyone else, but something about doing either of these things at night sort of over stimulates my brain and definitely inhibits sleep.
 
David great, great advice, . .really, . .esp about working out before dinner.

Gayle, . . totally agree even reading a book sometimes prevents me from sleeping because I can't stop thinking about what I just read.

As a person that has suffered from insomnia since my teen years everything that was just said is really fantastic advice.

Trying to shut off your brain before sleep is really, really hard for a type A personality like me. I'm always thinking of something, not finacial necessarily but it can be anything like something someone said, . . . .or a sewing project or something I want to design or make.

Also I've tried everything out there. I've seen Dr's and tried medication but nothing has worked as well as exercise and getting my puppy. No I don't suggest everyone go out and get a dog, . . . it is a huge responsibility after all and sometimes Georgie makes me want to pull all my hair out but having him has been better than any pill or classical music CD out there. He forces me to walk several times a day. He forces me to wake up at the crack of dawn, and most importantly he provides me with a friendship that is irreplaceable, . .by the time night comes I'm exhausted. I knit or sew for a while and I'm out till about 2 am.
 
I usually sleep pretty soundly (so grateful about that), but on a night that i can't I find that doing one of Cathe's stretch routines or pilates/yoga abs dvds helps me settle down and relax. Then i can usually doze off.
 
So, I fall asleep very nicely and sleep soundly until 3am or so and then I have a hard time falling back to sleep. Any suggestions for shutting my brain off at that aweful hour? Sometimes there isn't anything in particular bugging me, I just get thinking, ya know?
 
my insomnia has been on going now for 4 years. it literally started when i started grad school for physica therapy. i stressed about exams, practicals, etc. all night long i would think about all the info i had to remember and regurgitate. I really thought it was all going to change after i graduated but here i am one year later still not sleeping. now it has become a habit and i talk myself out of sleep by saying "well i guess i'm going to be up all night again" I think all night and most of it isn't even important things, my mind is just always "on". I have tried EVERYTHING from seeing psychologist, taking meds both natural and prescribed, ive done all the tips recommended by all the healthy professionals, i've tried certain foods, writing down things before bed. You name it i've done it. I've now just accepted that most nights i'm going to get a mere 5 hrs of sleep. Do i feel like crap? of course but i don't know what else to do. I'm sooooo jealous of my hubby as he sleeps great! I guess its good practice when i finally have children LOL
 
I'm so sorry kariev! I understand. Last year I went through a time where I could only sleep for two hours a night and was wired the rest of the time. There was a four day period where I didn't sleep at all. It was bizarre.

I used to give out the normal advice, but I honestly don't know what actually works because the brain and sleep are both mysterious things that even science barely understands.

I did hear about these sleep dvds from Gaiam that are supposed to help, I don't know yet, I haven't tried them, I saw them on a tweet from Rodney Yee.
 
I have read that Vitamin D before bedtime helps. It has worked for me. Also eating just a tad bit of carbs, ie crackers helps as well.
 

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