Thread: Is this normal?

Whenever I try to sleep I lay awake in bed for 1 - 2 hours before I can fall asleep... anyone else have this problem? Is it a problem? Is there anything I can do? Could this be the reason I have trouble becomming lucid?

I often have the same problem. For me, at least, i think it's just the fact that i've got so much running through my head. My body is ready for sleep, but my mind isn't. Do you have the same problem when/if you wake up during the night? If so that may indicate there's something not quite right.

Some people have trouble getting relaxed enough to fall asleep, so they generally lay awake for longer before drifting off. Maybe try some relaxation techniques or breathing exercises. I find concentrating on breathing to have a sort of hypnotizing effect, therefore relaxing my mind.

Make sure you aren't having any caffienated products several hours before bed, and make sure you're getting enough sleep every night.

Originally posted by Ardent Lost
I often have the same problem. For me, at least, i think it's just the fact that i've got so much running through my head. My body is ready for sleep, but my mind isn't. Do you have the same problem when/if you wake up during the night? If so that may indicate there's something not quite right.

Yeah sometimes Ill wake up and cant get back to sleep becuase Im thinking too much. I try concentrating on my breathing but that becomes a distraction too.

Yes i have this problem my mind races way too much for me to fall asleep. I guess i need to learn how to not think.

Originally posted by Burns
Some people have trouble getting relaxed enough to fall asleep, so they generally lay awake for longer before drifting off. Maybe try some relaxation techniques or breathing exercises. I find concentrating on breathing to have a sort of hypnotizing effect, therefore relaxing my mind. *

Make sure you aren't having any caffienated products several hours before bed, and make sure you're getting enough sleep every night.

I drink a lot of caffien so I should stop that... I usually get an hour less than recommended sleep :-/

Getting up earlier in the morning and not watching tv or playing video games before bed are two things which have often been suggested to me.

(I think they may have a point too; my brother plays gamecube at night, sleeps all day, and is all the time complaining it takes him ages to fall asleep. He also has poor dream recall.)

I had the same problem for a while. My psychology teacher said to do the following:
- If you're really not tired, don't force yourself to lay in bed. Do something easy and light, like reading a book or listening to music. It will only make it worse if you lay there awake.
- If you go to bed and you're still awake 25-30 minutes after lying down, get up and do some light activities, as mentioned above.
- Don't eat heavily before bed or in the middle of the night; a light snack is okay.
- You should never do anything except sleep in your bed. That means don't read books there, do homework there, watch TV from bed... just sleep and nothing else. This is because if you do other things in bed, then when you lay down to go to sleep, your mind says, "time to read or watch TV" or whatever, and you won't be tired. By restricting the bed to simply sleeping, you're kind of training yourself to feel sleepy when you go to bed.

These things really helped me. Hope they work for you too! Good luck.

Originally posted by Theresa
I had the same problem for a while. My psychology teacher said to do the following:
- If you're really not tired, don't force yourself to lay in bed. Do something easy and light, like reading a book or listening to music. It will only make it worse if you lay there awake.
- If you go to bed and you're still awake 25-30 minutes after lying down, get up and do some light activities, as mentioned above. *
- Don't eat heavily before bed or in the middle of the night; a light snack is okay. *
- You should never do anything except sleep in your bed. That means don't read books there, do homework there, watch TV from bed... just sleep and nothing else. This is because if you do other things in bed, then when you lay down to go to sleep, your mind says, "time to read or watch TV" or whatever, and you won't be tired. By restricting the bed to simply sleeping, you're kind of training yourself to feel sleepy when you go to bed. *

These things really helped me. Hope they work for you too! Good luck.

The last one is a very good point because I do alot of that.... I in my bed typing right now! I need to stop that Also, I found my best way to get to sleep today... last night I drank gatorade and did 61 point relaxation... I still was technically "awake" for about the same time but it was in a semi-dream-like state

This happens to me sometimes. I try to sleep, but thoughts keep wanting my attention.

I have had this problem forever. I have found 2 things that I can do to fix the problem. the first is to watch a movie beofre i go to bed. I have no idea about you, but whenever I watch a movie I get soooo tierd and drowsey.( thats why i hate watching movies in school, i feel like a damed zombie afterwards) And the other thing would be for you to go out that night and just tire yoruslef out with friends or something. I know when I have a fun active night I can come home and fall asleep within 1/2 hour.

Originally posted by Theresa

- You should never do anything except sleep in your bed. That means don't read books there, do homework there, watch TV from bed... just sleep and nothing else. This is because if you do other things in bed, then when you lay down to go to sleep, your mind says, "time to read or watch TV" or whatever, and you won't be tired. By restricting the bed to simply sleeping, you're kind of training yourself to feel sleepy when you go to bed.

I always read in bed and haven't had much trouble sleeping.

It's probably because I've always read a book before going to sleep, and it's part of my going-to-sleep routine.

(That being; Pajamas, bed, book+hot chocolate+snack, sleep).

Having a routine is good.

--

If I wake up in the middle of the night and can't sleep, I either pick my book up again for a bit... or turn on BBC News 24. YAWN. Just thinking about it makes me tired.

I read every night in bed... it's the only peaceful reading time available. I read until drowsy - which usually takes fifteen minutes to a half hour... then out like a light.

The more tired I am, the more difficult it is for me to recall dreams. I've found it essential to be careful about getting adequate sleep if there is any hope for me to achieve lucidity.

A couple thoughts from times in my life when sleeping wasn't so easy.

Are you getting adequate physical exercise? Are you sleeping too much once you do fall asleep? Are you using any substances or meds that could be affecting you? Is your overall physical health good? Is your bed comfortable and in a peaceful place?

How's your mind? Are you troubled by circumstances in your life? Angry? Worried? What is your mind doing when you wish to sleep?

I've found that the quality of my life and how I'm living is directly reflected in how I sleep at night. I'm not saying this is the case with you, but it bears looking at. The more at peace I am, the better my sleep is. If something is bothering me, I need to address it as quickly as possible or risk my sleep.

The Serenity Prayer is useful to me in all cases. (Whether you believe in God or not isn't terribly important to the gist of the prayer. This comes out of Alcoholics Anonymous, not any particular religion

God grand me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change
Courage to change the things I can
And the wisdom to know the difference.

The abreviated version of this prayer, by the way, is "F&^k it."

Works for me. Good luck!

Originally posted by pj

Are you getting adequate physical exercise? *

i would say this is one of the most important things...if you are getting a good workout everyday falling asleep shouldn't be a problem.