Black out curtains and 45min of an audiobook while I snuggle the wife.
4 hours of 30 second videos viewed on a screen held 4 inches away from my face, it never fails 👍
Having a partner who loves me
got myself a sleep apnea mouth guard. It’s amazing to actually be able to sleep just 7 hours and actually be refreshed instead of even more tired than the evening before.
Monitored the change with an app that records your snoring. and it’s insane what a different it makes
Similar boat, but I had to go full CPAP loooordy it makes a difference, I feel human again with it!
White noise. I bought a white noise machine years ago when I lived near a large emergency room that had ambulances going by all day every day. It really helped with the sirens, and when I moved away I kept using the machine. My brain now interprets the white noise as profound silence, and I sleep so deeply that I don’t know how I ever got by without it.
A lot of this was already covered but here’s what I have:
- Lights/screens:
- Switching to light sources/bulbs with lower brightness/warmer light temperature (lower Kelvin/K-value) 3 hours before bed. (Light affects our sleep-wake cycle, aka the circadian rhythm. Our brain processes bright light as “the sun is still up so it’s not time to sleep yet”)
- Gradually dimming electronic screens until bedtime. (Computer: using a program like F.lux and lowering the brightness gradually in the graphics card’s control panel. Phone: with a built-in Night/Dark Mode option that you can schedule or by using an app like Twilight). // Don’t take your devices to the bedroom, or keep them far away from the bed and set them on silent/shut them off.
- Use a face mask (or tie some other cloth around your eyes), or sleep in a dark room (closed door, covered windows, covered LED lights on electronics, etc.) (note: if you sleep in a closed room make sure to keep it well-ventilated in all other hours)
- Try not to sleep for more than 8 hours, so you’ll always be tired enough the next night.
- Masking noise:
- Use something that makes a white noise - a loud fan/air purifier, a plugged-in radio that’s not tuned to a working station, a white noise device, etc. (put it next to a window if it’s noisy outside to mask the noise better)
- Additionally (or alternatively) you can use foam earplugs. Just make sure to roll&squeeze them before putting them in and don’t push them too far, otherwise you might get impacted earwax and have difficulty getting them out.
- Food: Have a light meal 3-3.5 hours before bed and light snacks (like crackers) 1.5-2 hours before bed, to not go to sleep hungry and get distracted by that and to not put the body into overdrive by having to digest a heavy meal, or cause heartburn/indigestion.
- If you sleep on your stomach with your head to the side, you can use a thin and narrow side pillow (but firm) along your torso to support your shoulder on the side that your head is pointing to. (you can also use a thin pillow for your head to not strain your neck/spine - there are ones made for kids if needed)
Cool.
Room temperature too.If it’s hot AC or good fans.
Or opening windows( if possible) or changing rooms(or sleeping on the bed to sleeping on the floor with a blanket/cloth below)
- Lights/screens:
Ear plugs. They are also very effective at keeping the alarm from waking me up though…
A pint of stout and earbuds with rain noise.
A pint is great at helping me fall asleep. Unfortunately, it also prevents me from sleeping restfully.
not moving
(advice for falling asleep if you are not tired coming from someone who worked rotating shifts for a decade) like this is not a joke but nothing helps me fall asleep faster than not moving as soon as i lie down.
“oh i can’t fall asleep, i rotate onto my other side” no!
“oh i know turning on my belly might help” no!
“oh i know…” just stop it.
stay put, try to calm your thoughts but do - not - move - any - limps - at - all! no little arm movement, no turning around and very soon that little tingly feel will start to appear letting you know that you’ll soon be fast asleep.
Melatonin and a podcast very quietly, just enough to focus on over the tinnitus
listening to asmr
Asmr bakery is my absolute favorite!
Clearly weed, but the job doesn’t permit it.
Working way too much until exhaustion takes over.
This specific brown noise makes my brain shut down fast. Jason Lewis is a genius.
Masturbation to get things started. CPAP machine to make sure I don’t suffocate in the middle of the night. Ear plugs to muffle out all the little noises.