Insomniacs, congregate!

So like, who out there has insomnia (like me) and what do you guys do to aid in going to sleep?

I use over the counter sleep aids such as Melatonin and sometimes Advil PM. Anyone have better products to use?

I used to have bad chronic insomnia, and still do occasionally. I don't like sleep aids since I sleep poorly using them, and end up completely tired and unmotivated the following day which causes me to procrastinate which increases stress which contributes to my insomnia. If I have to take something, a bit of benedryl seems to sit best with me.

Anyways, the things I've found that work best for me are exercising regularly (lowers resting heart rate = easier time relaxing/sleeping), and avoiding tasks before bed that overstimulate me including photo editing or other creative projects that I would otherwise tend to dwell on after I put them down.

Also if I can't get to sleep right away and I feel I've been laying there for 20-30 minutes, I'll get up and do something. Otherwise I just lay there and get frustrated that I can't sleep, and then its all over. My last bout of insomnia led me to about an hour of dishes and laundry, and then I slept like a baby after feeling I had accomplished something.

PhotoBrandon wrote in post #14317767
I used to have bad chronic insomnia, and still do occasionally. I don't like sleep aids since I sleep poorly using them, and end up completely tired and unmotivated the following day which causes me to procrastinate which increases stress which contributes to my insomnia. If I have to take something, a bit of benedryl seems to sit best with me.

Anyways, the things I've found that work best for me are exercising regularly (lowers resting heart rate = easier time relaxing/sleeping), and avoiding tasks before bed that overstimulate me including photo editing or other creative projects that I would otherwise tend to dwell on after I put them down.

Also if I can't get to sleep right away and I feel I've been laying there for 20-30 minutes, I'll get up and do something. Otherwise I just lay there and get frustrated that I can't sleep, and then its all over. My last bout of insomnia led me to about an hour of dishes and laundry, and then I slept like a baby after feeling I had accomplished something.

Thanks for the AWESOME response. I was actually on Lunesta for about 6 months then I saw that it could KILL you so I'd rather not sleep than die. Now I mostly use melatonin.

I did notice that when I was biking everyday I slept a lot better... maybe I should get back to biking eh?

LOL I know how that feels, some nights it will be like 3AM and I'll just suddenly start cleaning my room and when I'm done I feel good and ready to sleep. The weird things insomniacs to

wide awake at 3am this morning contemplating a difficult network migration at a client site. Got up & browsed POTN for awhile, then went back to bed. At 4:30 (ish) my 3-year-old woke me up complaining he couldn't find his teddy. Search ensued - teddy located, back to bed. Bliss..

joeseph wrote in post #14317876
wide awake at 3am this morning contemplating a difficult network migration at a client site. Got up & browsed POTN for awhile, then went back to bed. At 4:30 (ish) my 3-year-old woke me up complaining he couldn't find his teddy. Search ensued - teddy located, back to bed. Bliss..

Ohh mann that must have sucked! At least you found the teddy bear eh?

Hard liquor. Kidding but not really...

I rarely use it but sleepy allergy meds do it for me

Jericobot wrote in post #14317933
Hard liquor. Kidding but not really...

I rarely use it but sleepy allergy meds do it for me

ROFL!!!

I'm way past sleepy allergy medicine now though

try exercise, you get tired enough you'll sleep.

I find a couple generic Gravol will help put me to sleep at times.

--Evan

rick_reno wrote in post #14319039
try exercise, you get tired enough you'll sleep.

Yeah I need to start doing my 30mi rounds on my bike everyday again.

Evan Idler wrote in post #14320299
I find a couple generic Gravol will help put me to sleep at times.

--Evan

Gravol? What's that?

What's the matter with just alcohol like the rest of the planet uses......or do you come out in a rash or something?

fotoworx wrote in post #14322497
What's the matter with just alcohol like the rest of the planet uses......or do you come out in a rash or something?

Under 21...

bikeboynate wrote in post #14322520
Under 21...

18 in Australia......no wonder we're a nation of alco's, but hey we sleep well

I don't condone this but I have been known to take 2 Benadryl before bed. It helps with my sinuses but most importantly they knock me out!

Seriously though if you do enough excersise through the day and physically exhaust yourself, do you find that helps?

If its totally chronic, it would be a great time to have a small macro studio setup in the corner of your bedroom. Or become more proficient at say PS......put those wake full hours to good use.