How I beat insomnia

[[Buddie]]

Here is how I did it.

In month 1 I didn't sleep at all. It bothered me because I knew that while we sleep, our brain heals. So, I tried to come up with a way to sleep. It didn't get me 8 hours at first, but it did help later.

Step 1: Vow that you will not leave the bed for 8 hours. Unless you gotta go to the bathroom or something.
Step 2: Do not worry about not sleeping.
Step 3: Think of a movie, book, game or something...and go through it from start to finish. This is to help distract you from worrying or thinking about not sleeping.

Since I started this, I never made it to the end of what I was thinking about. At first it bought me a few hours, then I started doing it when I woke up to get back to sleep. It helped immensely! Now I get 8-9 hours a [...] of sound sleep. Took 3 months to get there. Hope this helps even just one person.

[[Buddie]]

Great suggestions. Thanks or sharing. 

[[Buddie]]

Orion, Thank You very much for your suggestions 

[[Buddie]]

Yeah, the worry of not sleeping is the worst. Especially when you have to go to work the next day. I know that from experience. I would not recommend any supplements at all, instead i can not agree with you more. I haven't tried remembering a movie, instead i've listened for some youtube hypnosis sessions for some nights. I don't know if they really helped but they definitely helped me not to think about not being able to fall asleep, therefore i was falling asleep. The need to sleep is very powerful and sleep will come if not too anxious about not sleeping. If someone is interested in hypnosis, well it's not really hypnosis so don't be afraid of it, it's more like a guided meditation, search youtube for Michael Sealey - sleep hypnosis. There are a couple of really good sessions made by him that really helped me.

[[Buddie]]

I also found when I relaxed and accepted each [...] I might not sleep I fell asleep more often than not.  It is truly partly the anxiety.

[[Buddie]]

 I like to play entire baseball games, batter by batter, inning by inning in my head. I put together the batting order and go through each at bat.
My team is the Cleveland Guardians 😃
[...]

[[Buddie]]

I remodel my house, room by room.  I usually don't get past the first room these days, thank goodness.  I guess we all have our 'thing'.   

[[Buddie]]

I recite the alphabet using themes....   food,  animals, cities,  etc.   It takes my mind off of roaming my universe which can get exhausting.     Alligator, blowfish,  cougar,  dalmatian,  you get my drift....

[[Buddie]]

Orion, thanks for the suggestions. I find that what works in the beginning will stop, so any new ideas are welcome.
I used to listen to Michael Sealey a couple or three years ago, so will go back to him again.  He has a soothing voice.

My biggest insomnia problem is a racing brain. I will also see, with my eyes closed but I am awake, something I can only describe as a movie reel on super fast forward. I cannot describe what I see, as it is moving too fast. When this starts, I open my eyes and it stops.  It does not happen often, but perhaps a few times a week/month. 

I never leave my bed except for bathroom breaks and I do stress about being awake for hours.  I try not to, but it isn't easy. 
I'll go back to thinking of something pulling grass from around the base of the rose bushes. Well, whatever works. ha

Take care,
NG