Tips for 8 hours of sleep each night?

[Poppies_92]

I always have a hard time getting 8 hours a sleep each night, usually when laying down I tend to overthink negative thoughts and use my tv/phone as a tool to help me forget. Then when I finally start to feel I can't just stay up, then I'm usually up where I only have 4 to 5 hours to sleep before work. Any tips to help with this. Thanks in advance

 

[Sharksheep]

I'm not getting good quality sleep either. Sometimes it feels like I had my eyes closed the whole night and my brain is wide awake. Some of the things that have helped me in the past that I'm trying to get back into is

Exercising regularly
Less screen time. I used to read before bed either a physical book or a paper white kindle. Pretty something without a glare
Routine and keeping a schedule. Trying to go to bed at the same time each day and wake up at the same time. Yes this includes weekends and day offs. Sleeping in occasionally is fine for me but it tends to throw off my day

Some other tips I heard work well for people is
Journaling or making a to do list for the next day to get rid of mental clutter or meditation.

 

[JellyBeans]

similar to above! I always read for about ~half an hour before bed just to get away from screens and sort of 'calm my mind' down. and if while trying to sleep I have the same few thoughts circling around, I just write it down! usually it is in the notes section of my phone which can be a slippery slope, but once you've got the thoughts out of your head it's a lot easier to stop thinking about them, at least for a while. I've also heard that doing the same thing every night to try and get you to sleep will eventually 'condition' you to do it, e.g. the same breathing pattern or something. and yes, a schedule is important where possible!

 

[ReeBear]

Lots of good tips already so I'm just gonna share some of my personal favourites
Myths and Legends podcast is so soothing and it's like having a story read to you. I keep my phone out of reach but with this on a sleep timer. Alternatively, music like Valtari by Sigur Ros is amazing for relaxing and half asleep synesthesia. I also use lavender oil - a few drops on my pillow always relaxes me

 

[Nunnafinga]

Here are a few tips:
-Breathing exercises such as the 4-7-8 method.
-Don't use your bed/bedroom for anything else but sleeping.
-Melatonin taken a a couple of hours before going to bed helps some people.
-Sometimes I use a natural supplement called Happy Camper.It has a proprietary blend of herbs that have calming properties but not recommended if you have any liver problems.
-See a doctor to find out if you have a medical condition that might be affecting your sleep.
-Take a hot bath or shower before going to sleep.
-Certain foods like almonds and poultry contain tryptophan which can cause drowsiness.

 

[deana]

Loving everyones suggestions so far

You might try examining your caffeine intake and see if that could possibly be causing you some issues. Different people are differently sensitive to caffeine and for some having coffee in the afternoon could keep you up at night. My partner is one of those caffeine sensitive people but I myself am not. Try to limit caffeine to just the morning time and maybe see if it provides any improvement.

 

[hakutaku]

If you have any music or videos that make you feel relaxed, you could try listening to them when you want to start settling down to go to sleep? I tend to sleep for 8+ hours and I usually do this.

Back when I was in sixth form I got a really bad period of insomnia and for me, if I took an antihistamine tablet a few hours before bed, I'd end up becoming drowsy and falling asleep. Not sure if you can get them so easily where you live, I'm the UK and you can buy them easily from the supermarket, I think there are two kinds you can get, drowsy and non-drowsy.

 

[xSuperMario64x]

here's what I can recommend based on my experience:
1. don't eat anything within 2-3 hours of going to sleep
2. make sure the room is completely dark (or maybe have a dim nightlight if you need it)
3. make sure your bed is really cozy, I personally sleep with 3 pillows, a giant comforter, and a bunch of stuffed animals and it makes my bed nice and comfortable
4. if you're like me and your mind won't shut off when you're lying in the dark in silence, then try turning on a podcast or youtube series that you really like on your phone, and lay the phone face down on the bed (or side table) so the light doesn't bother you. make sure the volume is loud enough that you can hear but low enough that it doesn't distract you from falling asleep.

hope this helps

 

[Kaiaa]

I’m going to sound like an essential oil Karen here, but my friend got me this sleep oil and it’s super relaxing. You wear it like a perfume and the smell is supposed to invoke feelings of relaxing. It’s helped me sleep much better these past few weeks. Loose fitted PJs are also amazing! Turn off your electronics at least an hour or two before you go to bed. The light from these devices are meant to keep your brain awake! Music is great, especially the lofi stuff you can find on YouTube, just find a way to block the light from your devices if you decide to try it.

Have you tried guided journaling? It might sound silly but it’s an awesome way to reflect and get those feelings you’re having out before bed. Be kind to yourself ❤

 

[Uffe]

What negative thoughts are you having? Ask yourself if these negative thoughts are really worth thinking about. Because if they're petty, then it's nothing you should be losing sleep over. If they're not petty, then you may need to resolve the situation or find a way to be at peace with whatever it is that's bothering you.
Stay off electronics and don't watch TV. Don't listen to upbeat music, either. This is only going to make it more difficult to sleep. Actually, maybe don't listen to any music before going to bed as you may end up having it play in your head.
Don't look at any clocks. It'll only cause frustration.
Avoid anything with caffeine or sugar after 3 pm.
Do not have fried or greasy food before going to bed.
Do not drink anything before going to bed.
Try reading a book before going to bed.
Melatonin helps, but don't become dependent on it.

 

[Mikaiah]

- don't try to read fiction novels before sleeping, but i'm sort of a binge reader so this is more of a personal hazard. non-fiction or generally something that doesn't keep the pages turning is best.
- music usually helps me sleep, but only the sort of lo-fi slower instrumental sort of music, so if you're not into that, try white noise or silence
- i also like listening to asmr sometimes to help me sleep, but if you don't like the sounds then it's probably not for you.
- if anything is bothering you, ie. cold feet or whatever, just fix the problem immediately and do things like keep socks or extra blankets nearby so that small bothers don't keep you from falling asleep.
- meditation also really helps, there's a lot of good guided meditations out there so give it a try c:

i should also mention that I have youtube premium so I can listen to stuff with my phone off, but you can just turn it over on the bed if you don't ^^

 

[mermaidshelf]

I had severe insomnia since I was in high school until my mid-twenties. I found that regardless of what I tried or my sleeping environment, my insomnia wouldn't get better. I think before you try different methods, you need to pin point the source of your anxiety. Why are you having negative thoughts? Have you considered therapy?

Here are some things that might help:

• Get a lot of sunlight: open the blinds, go outside, etc.
  Your body will naturally adjust to the cycles of the sun. Because we use lamps that emit UV rays and blue light, well after the sun has gone down, it makes it harder for our body to adjust our circadian rhythm.
• Make sure to set night shift or the equivalent for your phone AND computer or tablet. Basically anything that has a screen.
  This reduces the blue light thus disrupts your circadian rhythm less or not at all.
• When you're about to sleep, make sure your room is as dark and quiet as possible. This includes lights emitted by your windows (black-out shades are the best but thick wood panel shades or heavy curtains will work), power strips, etc. A sleeping eyemask might be beneficial if this is not possible for you. I moved my power strip to under my bed so the light wouldn't affect my sleep. If you live in a noisy area, earplugs or a white-noise machine will help somewhat.
• If you have to take naps, make sure they're 30 minutes or less. I know it sounds counter intuitive and difficult when you're tired from not sleeping at night, but when you reach REM sleep during naps, it'll make it harder to sleep at night. Don't take any naps 6 hours before your bedtime.
• Consistency is key. Try to sleep at the same time and wake up at the same time everyday, including weekends and holidays.
• Only use your bed for sleeping. If you feel like you're going to have a restless couple of hours, get up and do something else.
• Is your mattress the right hardness? Is it comfortable?
• Regular exercise is helpful. It doesn't have to be rigorous and don't do it too close to bedtime.
• Have a routine that signals to you and your body that it's time for bed soon like changing into pajamas, starting on your skincare and dental care routine, etc.
• Melatonin can help but I found it did very little for me when I had severe insomnia. Sleeping pills will be effective however I think in the long run, it's not healthy to be dependent on them. Some people can't sleep without sleeping pills though and I understand that that's the case for them.
• If it is legal in your area, I heard marijuana or CBD oil helps however I don't have any experience personally. Talk to your doctor about options.
• Do you have a partner who shifts in their sleep or snores? That can really affect the quality of your sleep even if you don't fully wake up when they do, so look into solutions to help both of you.
• Do you drink coffee? Try to quit or only drink it in the mornings.
• Heavy, greasy or spicy meals for dinner can also affect your sleep.

 

[RoyalTea]

A couple people have already said this, but i wanted to put a big emphasis on it.

Only use your bed for sleeping.

That means no reading, tv, phone, anything. I used to have this problem and sometimes still do because I’m awful at taking my own advice. But, when i obeyed this role religiously i was always able to fall asleep as soon as i got into bed. My body knew that the bed meant time for sleep.

 

[Poppies_92]

Thank You All!, for the tips, I'll make sure to read these when I have more time soon :]

 

[moo_nieu]

a weighted blanket really helps me to stay asleep

 

[amemome]

Hot shower before hand/ keeping warm. Also agree about the weighted blanket. I also like to turn on some kind of noise (usually men speaking) and it puts me right to sleep.

 

[Kattea]

I'm not the best person to be giving advice on this as I don't always get 8 hours, but here are some things that have helped me:

• No caffeine past 4pm. I'm really sensitive to caffeine so if I have it too late in the day, my heart is still racing by the time I'm in bed.
• Daily exercise to wear the body out.
• Having a bedtime routine helps your body recognize it's time for bed and triggers you to get tired naturally. I like to do some journaling or meditation to wind down 30 min before my bedtime.
• I don't get in bed unless I'm tired because tossing and turning seems to make me anxious and keep me up longer. If I'm not tired, I'll read a couple chapters of a book until my eyes feel heavy.
• I can't sleep when I'm cold, so making a warm cup of tea and wearing warm cozy socks to bed.

 

[SmoochsPLH]

despite me having insomnia and a non existent sleep cycle, here's a couple tips

-count backwards from 99 to 0. when you reach 0 restart at 99. this is one my mom taught me and it helps sometimes.
-do things that don't engage your brain. read a book you've read a hundred times, repeat a mantra in your head, etc. pretty much bore your brain to sleep.

 

[princess.looking.for.frog]

I have at least 8 hours of sleep a night and sometimes 10 despite me going to bed at only 9 or 10pm, and i follow a few general rules.

-I really recommend eating healthier for improving your sleep. Like less oily or greasy food though look into a good diet for you! Following a low carb diet has been proven to make you tired the entire day and puts you in survival mode, so it is not healthy.
-Like said earlier exercising often helps! Even a short jog a day will help.
-Try to keep your sleeping time consistant. It will help your brain adapt to your new routine.
-Unwind! Read or listen to an audiobook. Even play some relaxing games an hour or so before bed : )
-Dont eat too much before bed and avoid late night snacks.
-Maybe even have some warm milk like the good old days! It releases some sort of hormone or something like that and it will help you relax.
-Even thinking of something relaxing like an ocean or gentle snow helps me just full on glide myself to sleep if that makes sense haha.
- Last but not least let yourself relax before bed. I try not to play any video games that make me anxious or raise my blood level. It really helps me!

Hope this helps!

 

[jenikinz]

There are a lot of good recommendations here, I am a thinker so it is hard for me to turn my brain off.
I also tend to wake up 5-6 hours like clockwork after going to bed.
A few suggestions I have is to keep the room a bit cooler. You don't want to be cold, but you don't want to be warm either. I sleep with a fan going, the noise helps drown out background noises, and cools the room just enough to be comfortable.
Also it helps to think about things that make you tired, like envisioning yourself some place soothing and drifting off to sleep. I have found that when I envision being tired or napping somewhere that I find relaxing it helps to relax me in the present.