Sleeping

MrFun · January 12, 2004, 02:44

When I have a lot of things on my mind at night, and I go to bed, it can sometimes take me over two hours to go to sleep.

So other than the use of euthanasia for a permanent solution, what are healthy ways to get my required amount of sleep?

I'm wary of using any drugs (over counter or prescription) to help me -- I don't want to end up relying on them for the rest of my life.

It's quarter to 1:00 AM right now, and I need to get up at 7:30 AM.

And besides giving me any helpful advice, how well do you sleep? Are you an owl or a robin? I'm an owl.

Asher · January 12, 2004, 02:46

Warm Milk, Masturbation, Reading the Civ3 Stories stuff, Argue with Ben Kenobi/obiwan18, diphenhydramine hcl.

I'm a night owl.

monkspider · January 12, 2004, 02:47

How to get healthy amounts of sleep?

Easy.

Sleep.

I sleep for at least 10 hours a night for reasons that I cannot discuss.

MrFun · January 12, 2004, 02:48

Quote:

Originally posted by Asher
Warm Milk, Masturbation, Reading the Civ3 Stories stuff, Argue with Ben Kenobi/obiwan18, diphenhydramine hcl.

I'm a night owl.

I'm one of those weird people who does not masturbate when they're not horny, Asher.

Asher · January 12, 2004, 02:49

That's just becauser you're older than 25, the age of death for gay men.

The Mad Monk · January 12, 2004, 02:49

I work third shift, but sometimes I have to bounce between day and night to get things done.

Melatonin really helps in resetting my clock.

Shi Huangdi · January 12, 2004, 02:51

I used over the counter sleep aids, getting off of them was not a problem but they aren't very effective on me because I once used them on a regular basis. If, however, you use them once in awhile on nights when you particularly need to sleep and are having trouble doing it, sleep aids are good.

Getting into some type of particular pattern of some behavior you do before bed can help, just do something every night before you go to bed.

What works for me, I have noticed, is to keep the area you are sleeping in cool, put on a fan or fans, turn off the heat, and then insulate yourself with multiple blankets. Something about being insulated from a cold environment works for me.

MrFun · January 12, 2004, 02:51

Quote:

Originally posted by Asher
That's just becauser you're older than 25, the age of death for gay men.

monkspider · January 12, 2004, 02:53

The secret to sleeping you ask? Sleeping

The reason people like Fun can't sleep are purely spiritual in nature. They have gone too far pursuing the wrong things in life. When they get back on the right track, sleep will come.

Until that day arrives, they should expect little sleep.

MrFun · January 12, 2004, 02:53

Quote:

Originally posted by Shi Huangdi
I used over the counter sleep aids, getting off of them was not a problem but they aren't very effective on me because I once used them on a regular basis. If, however, you use them once in awhile on nights when you particularly need to sleep and are having trouble doing it, sleep aids are good.

Getting into some type of particular pattern of some behavior you do before bed can help, just do something every night before you go to bed.

What works for me, I have noticed, is to keep the area you are sleeping in cool, put on a fan or fans, turn off the heat, and then insulate yourself with multiple blankets. Something about being insulated from a cold environment works for me.

As long as over-counter sleep aids are not addictive or anything -- I MIGHT consider using them for an occasional, necessary fix.

I shower every night before I go to bed -- I don't know if that is affecting my sleep habits, or not.

MrFun · January 12, 2004, 03:00

This fvcking sucks -- I am going to get into bed again and try to get to sleep immediately.

I went to bed the first time four and a half hours ago.

Asher · January 12, 2004, 03:01

If I can't get to sleep after two hours, I stay up the whole night.

monkspider · January 12, 2004, 03:03

The reality of the situation is that showers have no bearing on your sleeping habits Fun.

You spend your life asleep, when you are awake, and awake when you are asleep. You have forgotten reality, and now spend your waking hours in a dreamworld. You focus on materialism, instead of love for your fellow man. You have divorced yourself from that which truly matters. You have forgotten everything that was ever worth remembering.

It would be best to wash away your bad habits, rather than taking a literal shower each night. It's a shame Fun, because you are such a waste of potential. I am hard on you because I know that you are capable of so much more.

MrFun · January 12, 2004, 03:03

Well Asher, I have weekly responsibilities that I have to attend to during the day usually.

Adults 25 and over would understand that.

MrFun · January 12, 2004, 03:04

Quote:

Originally posted by monkspider
The reality of the situation is that showers have no bearing on your sleeping habits Fun.

You spend your life asleep, when you are awake, and awake when you are asleep. You have forgotten reality, and now spend your waking hours in a dreamworld. You focus on materialism, instead of love for your fellow man. You have divorced yourself from that which truly matters. You have forgotten everything that was ever worth remembering.

It would be best to wash away your bad habits, rather than taking a literal shower each night. It's a shame Fun, because you are such a waste of potential. I am hard on you because I know that you are capable of so much more.

Ok, we will nominate you for the best drama queen of the year.

Asher · January 12, 2004, 03:04

monkspider, you need to come to the dark side. Join me.

Asher · January 12, 2004, 03:05

Quote:

Originally posted by MrFun
Well Asher, I have weekly responsibilities that I have to attend to during the day usually.

Adults 25 and over would understand that.

So do I. The idea is you stay up all night, and all day.

The next night you'll have no trouble sleeping. Problem solved.

As for "weekly responsibilities" -- for **** sake, you're a liberal arts graduate student.

monkspider · January 12, 2004, 03:12

Quote:

Originally posted by MrFun

Ok, we will nominate you for the best drama queen of the year.

Oh Fun, you can't smiley face your way through everything in life. You can't always laugh everything off. There will come a day where you will have to face everything, even that which you never wanted to. There is no smiley face that can stop the slow turn of the world.

I know that you had some hard times, but you have come so far. You have a degree, and a degree of autonomy. The days of the past are behind you.

Realize that peace will only come to you when you discover who you really are. There is no use living a lie, especially when you are aware that it is a lie.

monkspider · January 12, 2004, 03:13

Quote:

Originally posted by Asher
monkspider, you need to come to the dark side. Join me.

Sorry, I'm a Canucks fan.

monkspider · January 12, 2004, 03:44

Mr. Fun- I ask of you, what good is a college degree when it does not stand for anything? You have lost faith in many things you once believed in. Why is that? You have come to believe that such things are no longer needed. You have grown cold to the world. You have built an illusory world built around your material posessions.

When I look at you, I see a waste of so much potential. Someone who has suffered, but ending up becoming someone so much better for it. Someone who realized the quiet desperation that so many others are forced to live through.

Yet, foolishly, you abandoned that for a life of materialism, and sensualism. Why?! Like I said, I am hard on you because you are too old and too wise for this.

Allow me to remind you, as you seem to have forgotten, you are not remembered for your accomplishments in the work place, or education. The empires we build turn to dust. The only things that you will be remembered for are what usually are the more quiet moments. These things will be your legacy.

So, please pardon my being blunt, but get back to reality! You're losing it here, buddy. You can laugh me off, but you can't laugh off the world.

Flip McWho · January 12, 2004, 03:45

Try not to have a shower before you go to bed. I find a shower wakes me up again. Yeah. Count sheep

or something.

I'm a night owl really, although I got nothing against mornings either. It's just that more is going on at night then in the morning. I have no trouble falling asleep. I used to but haven't since about a year ago.

Monkspider

Anyway, question. Is six hours of sleep a night enough for say a person of around 19 years of age?

Asher · January 12, 2004, 03:47

Quote:

Originally posted by monkspider
So, please pardon my being blunt, but get back to reality! You're losing it here, buddy.

This is either a brilliant joke or a sad spectacle of the communist mind.

Spiffor · January 12, 2004, 03:50

Quote:

Originally posted by Asher
This is either a brilliant joke or a sad spectacle of the communist mind.

Now now now...
I'm a commie and I don't exactly understand what Monkspider is talking about too. I think it's the spiritual part of Monkspider that is talking right now. Blame the Christians

Sprayber · January 12, 2004, 03:55

Lets see, ive had two hours sleep out of the past 24. I may not be the best person to give advice in this thread. I only sleep when I crash every three days. My sleep patterns are so messed up that I can't even begin to get them back in check. The only time I sleep well is when someone is sleeping with me.

Gatekeeper · January 12, 2004, 03:56

I'm usually asleep between 3/4 a.m. and 10/11 a.m. ... seven hours of glorious slumber, and I usually conk out 10 to 15 minutes after I lay my head down on my soft, gentle pillow. No drugs needed, thank God.

Tips for you? I'm not sure. What works for me might not work for you (this thread is evidence of that). All I can recommend is falling asleep with the radio set low, perhaps to a New Age music station or something. Instrumentals are dreamy ...

Gatekeeper

Shi Huangdi · January 12, 2004, 03:57

A shower before bed is usually very effective for me. Maybe some other routine- perhaps prayer of some sort?

It'll also help if you have one spot that your body recognizes as soley for sleeping. Don't use your bed for studying, lounging, other stuff. If you always sleep when you are in your bed, it'll be easier to sleep there.

But again, in terms of short term getting to sleep one night when you need to, a couple of over the counter sleeping pills is very good.

Gatekeeper · January 12, 2004, 04:03

Yes, *routine* is very important ... people who don't have patterns usually end up paying the price for it. Eat at certain times during the day/evening/night, go to bed at roughly the same time, get up at roughly the same time. It may sound boring, but routines are quite important for healthy living.

Gatekeeper

Urban Ranger · January 12, 2004, 04:38

Sorry, can't help you. My problem is sleeping too much way too often, and I catnap everywhere too.

But routine is important, yes. Though people going through college tend to have none

Skanky Burns · January 12, 2004, 08:37

Try going through the alphabet naming a specific thing for each letter, such as Poly poster names. Skip letters if they are too hard and come back to them later. This method works quite well.

MrFun · January 12, 2004, 10:04

Quote:

Originally posted by Sprayber
Lets see, ive had two hours sleep out of the past 24. I may not be the best person to give advice in this thread. I only sleep when I crash every three days. My sleep patterns are so messed up that I can't even begin to get them back in check. The only time I sleep well is when someone is sleeping with me.

How the hell do you, Asher and other people like you function during the day??

For instance, when I do not get to sleep until midnight, and I get up at 6:30 in the morning, I find myself dozing off at my internship job by early afternoon.

Of course, I stay awake when I force myself to, at the moment I begin to doze off.