Natural Ways to Treat and Cure Insomnia



Jess — November 23, 2008 @ 10:08 am

Meditation is definately the key. I’ve suffered insomnia (or bursts of it) rather chronically for many years. I began using meditation (creative visualisation) to assist me and others in sleeping and it does work. For the most part. You will find if you are overly anxious, you need to try the meditative breathing technique.

The first thing you need to do before trying anything meditative is ensuring your environment is suited to your sleeping needs.

For example, I require all of this:
– As little outside noise as possible, unless it is music or a fan (I use a fan as music keeps my brain too active) to drown out other noises such as the dog moving around in his basket or the wind moving a door.
– No light in the room. Pitch black. Thick curtains, lights off, led lights covered, or something to cover your eyes.
– Water by my bed. I’m OCD about this.
– Use the toilet before bed or you’ll wake up needing to pee.
– Clean bedding. Sheets, pillow case etc.
– Make sure your mattress is turned over regularly so you don’t suffer a sore back. I suffer back pain quite a bit.
– Make sure your room temperature suits you. Not too hot or cold.
– Shower or a bath before bed can work.
– Eating no more or less than an hour before bed. Perhaps a cup of chamomile tea before bed, banana or warm milk (but 30 min before bed. Not just before).

The list goes on I’m afraid. I’m dreadfully OCD about this stuff.

Once you’ve got all that down, you can use hypnagogia to get to sleep with your meditation. Close your eyes and either make up stories in your head…fantasy tales or whatever you like, but I don’t recommend anything scary or erotic or you won’t be able to sleep.

To see visions, make out the black space in your eyes when you close them. A black void. You may see swirls, colours, patterns etc, sometimes the odd fleeting image. Try and focus on these images as they transform into others. Form landscapes in your mind, make it as fantastical as you like. Trying too hard to make them will keep your brain too active however, so make an attempt to just follow the images’ natural courses. Eventually you may be flying through landscapes and such.

Eventually you may slip into a fragmented REM phase…but it should get you to sleep providing you are comfortable and nothing outside is going to jerk you out of your sleep. This sort of meditation is very fun for the most part as long as the images are not scary.

If they become scary, open your eyes and get out of bed. There may be other issues in your life causing you to see frightening things.

——-

This does work for me on some occasions. Not all, but it is certainly a method I encourage people to try, even if it is just making stories up in your mind’s eye.

You do need to sort out your sleeping patterns (circadian rhythm) and waking problems that cause your anxieties however or you will forever be struggling with sleep. I’ve found that occasionally using these techniques I can get a few nights’ good sleep, even if it is just 5 hours.

I could go on for hours about my experiences and hope they help everyone here, but I think this will do for now. Good luck and sweet dreams!

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113 Responses to “Natural Ways to Treat and Cure Insomnia”

  • Jorge Edmond:

    > As far as my knowledge is concerned its only because
    > of anxiousness about sleep i am unable to sleep .Will
    > meditation solve my problem i have great will to
    > meditate come out of this problem .

  • Samuel Flores:

    This technique will draw out the energy from your head and help
    it relax. Just try!

  • Laurence Talarico:

    It’ll take some time to reprogram your internal clock (as
    it’s been a long time) but it’ll definitely happen.
    Trust me.

  • Edna Hunter:

    You do need to sort out your sleeping patterns (circadian
    rhythm) and waking problems that cause your anxieties however or
    you will forever be struggling with sleep. I’ve found that
    occasionally using these techniques I can get a few nights’
    good sleep, even if it is just 5 hours.

  • Dorothy Craig:

    Meditation will definitely help you a lot. But don’t use
    it as a tool to cure your problem. Instead, appreciate and enjoy
    meditation for the bliss and peace it brings to you. Your problems
    will only dissolve when you stop thinking about them. As long as
    you think about them and resist them, they’ll continue to
    exist.

  • Bill Testa:

    RSS feed for
    comments on this post. TrackBack URI

  • Dora Gill:

    The key here is to RELAX and slow down your mind.

  • Margaret Martin:

    Thank you sooo much for these tips! I do believe that I am
    suffereing from insomnia (and anxiety), but my mother does not
    believe me, so she does not feel worried enough to take me to a
    doctor. I am hoping that following these tips will actually help.
    thanks again!

  • Barry Dupras:

    Meditation before bedtime is also excellent but it should not be
    a substitute to your regular practice. The reason is you
    can’t sit for long to meditate when you are drowsy. You will
    fall asleep pretty soon.

  • Theodore Trombley:

    Mail (will not be published)
    (required)

  • Deneen Mcwhorter:

    so please don’t waste your precious time,
    energy, hope and money (books) doing yoga or meditation.

  • James Hellman:

    To see visions, make out the black space in your eyes when you
    close them. A black void. You may see swirls, colours, patterns
    etc, sometimes the odd fleeting image. Try and focus on these
    images as they transform into others. Form landscapes in your mind,
    make it as fantastical as you like. Trying too hard to make them
    will keep your brain too active however, so make an attempt to just
    follow the images’ natural courses. Eventually you may be
    flying through landscapes and such.

  • Kathleen Nielson:

    hey so anyway im 18, and i think ive tried some of these tips
    but nothings working! i cant even get and hour or 2 of sleep a
    night. my only help is to take pills but even those kick in maybe 4
    hours after i take them and the second the time-span it says it
    will work for is up, im awake again! sometimes i’ve gone even
    52 hours without sleep and i think its starting to get bad for my
    health if i refuse to take pills… any ideas?

  • Robert Copeland:

    I could go on for hours about my experiences and hope they help
    everyone here, but I think this will do for now. Good luck and
    sweet dreams!

  • Tony Jacobson:

    Kier Mitchel E. Pitogo — December 5, 2009 @ 11:12 pm

  • James Hellman:

    Well I am 16 and Currently Suffering Insomnia…It is my
    fault for taking a psychoactive drug called
    “Ecstacy”..Maybe this will teach me a lesson,but It
    would be nice to talk to someone unlike mom’s who dont
    understand…farewell insomniacs!

  • Jamie Shiner:

    Also check out these videos, especially Awarefulness. Please register at the site, login and
    then watch the videos. Else, you’ll be provided with only
    excerpts and not full version.

  • John Crawford:

    I have been having a sleeping problem for the past two days?
    Never before have I had any problems sleeping. I just started
    yesterday..layed down at 12:00 pm and was very restless and ended
    up sleeping at 4:00 am/ To night no luck in falling
    asleep…for the past 2 hrs…in bed moving around..Whats
    wrong with me making me very scared???

  • Ruby Rodriguez:

    Hi,
    I am 20 yrs old and I am suffering from insomnia I been through
    some of these tips but not are working… Its 8:50am and still
    no sleep…drinking sleeping pills and nothing been through 4
    diff sleeping medications already, its been happening for a month
    already…. its also runs in my family….ima have to
    keep trying different meds till I find the right one for
    me…

  • Howard Thomas:

    I am only 11 years of aage and have been suffering from insomnia
    for awile I find my self not able to sleep until 5am and not tired
    at all even during the day but instead I felt extreme bouts of
    hunger that I satisfyed with many small midnight snacks but for my
    age I am fairly thin then I discovered meditation but still
    can’t sleep so for the past week I have meditated when most
    people in my household were sleeping soundly yet I was aware of all
    that was around me now during the day the energy I usualy felt was
    intencifyed(sp?) but i have heard it is unheathy to go without
    sleep but It has worked wonders on me exept I eat more than most
    girls my size and age and I still fing the energy to ractice
    martial arts can anyone explain how this Is possible! or am I just
    an extreme yet energy filled insomniac with a high
    metabolism!??

  • Jennifer Bryan:

    Thank you for this advice, I’m getting hard to sleep
    early, so the outcome is, i always wake up noon in weekends and
    late in school days, i am only 14..and i suffer this kind of
    illnes..
    the average time i sleep is about 1:30 a.m.
    it is that normal for me?

  • Maria Brown:

    After 5-10 minutes, when your mind is fully relaxed, just let go
    and watch your breath around the rim of your nostrils. Don’t
    try to do anything. Don’t concentrate or struggle. Just watch
    - incoming, outgoing, incoming, outgoing.

  • Jesse Woods:

    Scientific researches keep on changing! You have to use your
    wisdom. Teenagers are more alert not only during night time but
    also during day time as their brain is more active than the adults.
    We must understand that we are not night animals. Our biological
    clock and circadian rhythm is programmed according to the sun. If
    you observe your body, it automatically gives you a signal of
    drowsiness between 9-10 pm, letting you know it’s time to
    wind up. But the present generation lifestyle (late night parties,
    discos, television) simply ignores the call and goes on. The result
    is heightened activity after the drowsiness wears off. Prolonged
    abuse eventually puts the circadian rhythm out of rhythm. So how
    can you expect to wake up early when you can’t sleep early at
    night?

  • Bill Lawrence:

    I am 13 years old and ahve been having a hard time with sleep
    for the past year or so, i thank you for the tips i will try them.
    yes i took pills but when i stopped it got worse… Sleeping
    has become a scary thing to me i sleep so little

  • Glenda Chin:

    I can’t go to sleep witout music, but even with music it
    takes me until about 5 am to fall asleep. Then I wake up (myself,
    no alarmclock) at 8-9am. I wake up fine, but am totally spent by
    the end of the day.

  • Normand Dunham:

    It does have advantages though, I get most of my homework done
    at night, and other things I have to do.

  • Almeta Palmer:

    If you eat more (stuff) than what your appetite is, you’ll
    only be stressing your digestive system and creating toxins in your
    body. Insomnia may be just one of the symptoms.

  • Audrey Hazel:

    Eventually you may slip into a fragmented REM phase…but
    it should get you to sleep providing you are comfortable and
    nothing outside is going to jerk you out of your sleep. This sort
    of meditation is very fun for the most part as long as the images
    are not scary.

  • Kathleen Underwood:

    hey I’m kara and I’m 14 years old i have problems
    with sleeping but when i tried medittating it worked thanks

  • Joseph Camp:

    So it’s not just exposing to sunlight in the morning but
    also listening to your body and winding down early at night.

  • Samuel Christensen:

    i also have to eat heavy meals everyday (even in dinner)
    because i’m too skinny.

  • Pansy Horowitz:

    On how much time does it take to restore your sleeping patterns,
    it depends on how conditioned you have become to your present
    problem. The more conditioned you have become, the more time
    it’ll take. Or in other words, the more easily you can stop
    thinking about your sleep problems, the faster your recovery.

  • Lawrence Watanabe:

    I am 43years old and i am suffering from insomnia since age of
    10 and still cant sleep at all.I gets headach,tired,look older than
    my age.I have tried everything but no success.Living without any
    energy and motivation.Could not found any permanant cure for my
    chronic insomnia.

  • Shayla Yates:

    i have been suffering from insomnia all summer and i don’t
    know how much longer but i am 12 and i am really excited to use
    these tips and more!!!!! my mom thinks it is all in my head but she
    bought me pills but i ran out a long time a go and things just went
    back to bad thanks for hearing my comment!!!

  • Roma Jarosz:

    Well, I’m 18… I’ve been having sleeping
    problems for about 3 years now… It runs in my family, but
    they wont give me any useful advice (I don’t think they know
    any useful advice themselves) I’ve tried melontonin or w.e,
    seroquil, and other pills… none of the which help.. I have
    problems both getting to sleep and staying asleep… I will
    try harder to clear my mind before sleep!

  • Joann Batchelor:

    Okay so I really haven’t slept well this entire year. I
    think it may be the stress of the semester because I am a College
    student. I just bought ear plugs, and a face mask to cover the
    light. I can get through seven hours, but I always allow myself 8
    and always end up wasting an hour of sleep. What do I do?

  • Alexis Bradshaw:

    I am 15 years old and i really barely sleep at all. At night, I
    seem to never be tired, but I get really tired during the day time,
    but when night comes again, I’m not tired. Its not so bad now
    because its summer and I don’t do much, but when its during
    school I have trouble staying awake during school plus I have
    soccer practice until 8:00pm which takes a lot of energy. My
    grandma says to drink warm milk before bed, but I have digestive
    problems so I can’t really do that. So, I will try meditating
    and hopefully I can sleep.

  • Maritza Smith:

    Meditation is definately the key. I’ve suffered insomnia
    (or bursts of it) rather chronically for many years. I began using
    meditation (creative visualisation) to assist me and others in
    sleeping and it does work. For the most part. You will find if you
    are overly anxious, you need to try the meditative breathing
    technique.

  • Mindy Shaw:

    oh well i think ill be fine, im on 5 new prescriptions that are
    suposed to cure it all

  • Anthony Valerio:

    my good heaven best thing is to meditate or read any holy chants
    before goin to bed or while rersting it gives soothing effect
    aswell as induces sound sleep hopefully

  • Joseph Henderson:

    I’m only 16 years old and I’m currently suffering
    from insomnia. Thank you for sharing these tips (: Hope that it
    will help me in getting me to sleep, especially when I took
    sleeping pills that doesn’t help at all.

  • Roger Steele:

    I suggest you read the book “Awareness – The Key to Living
    in Balance” by Osho to help deepen your thirst for
    meditation.

  • Thelma Wotring:

    It could be possible that since you have stopped playing soccer,
    your body is not getting sufficient exercise that it used to get
    earlier. Try going for long walks instead and see if you can notice
    any difference.

  • Jose Colmenero:

    Hi – I wonder what is wrong with me? Ever since Sept 2008, I
    have very interruptive sleep. I fall asleep very quickly but then
    awake 2 hours later, and from then on, I fall back asleep and then
    wake again every 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Some nights, I wake up every
    hour. I don’t know what it is like anymore to sleep for 4 or
    5 hours straight. Melatonin and seriphos don’t seem to help
    me. Actually, nothing so far seems to help me. Any ideas? Has
    anyone ever experienced this?

  • Louise Mcfadden:

    I find it hard to sleep and when i finally get to bed at 12.30,
    i wake up at 2am. i will try these alternative remedies as i have
    heard they work better.

  • Shannon Pruitt:

    I don’t know what to say Jaclyn. I’m amazed at the
    responsibilities you are shouldering at this age! I’m sure
    it’s the anxiety and stress that’s taking a toll on
    you. Please practice meditation and do some breathing exercises like Kapalbhati to clear the backlog of stress.

  • Wm Ladd:

    Meditation helps me falling asleep, and the basic steps to
    meditation are
    1- Let go of your thoughts, emotions, mind activities
    2- Concentrate on the breath closely as it comes and leaves your
    body
    3- Forget who you are, your history, when and where you come from.
    Note any thoughts that come up and watch it goes.

  • Delores Emmons:

    My daughter is 13 y/o and is suffering from insomnia for the
    past month or so. She’s barely been able to assist school
    because she’s so tired. Doctors ran lab tests thinking it was
    hyperthyroid, but they came back normal. I’ll definitely try
    some of these remedies. I’ve also heard that eating bananas
    before bedtime is good because the potassium levels help in
    clearing the mind and making you sleepy.

  • Crystal Reyna:

    HI, I’m 13 and I think I might have insomnia. It’s
    1:02am as I write this and even though I know what my problem is, I
    still can’t get to sleep. For the past three days I have had
    maybe 4hours of sleep. I have to babysit every night for my
    autistic brother and he wakes up at the oddest of times. When
    school is in session, I have to get up at 5:30 every morning to get
    dressed then wake my lil sister and brother up. After getting them
    fed, dressed and on the bus. I have about 10minutes before I have
    to wake my older sister. After I try and get her to wake up after
    about 20minutes, my mom comes home and I leave the job to her.
    During that time, I brush my hair, teeth and shower. I am usually
    up until about midnight each night dealing with my brother and
    sometimes sister. I am awake until about 5am now and sleep until
    about 10am, if that.
    If anyone has any tips on how to deal with my brother, this stress,
    and my nonsleepiness. I would greatly appreciate it.

  • Gerald Clark:

    hey thanks so much! i’m 15, but i’ve been dealing
    with insomnia basically my hole life, my mom said even as a baby
    shed hear me tosing and turning and wide awake in my crib even at
    4am…my sleep patern is always way off, like i wont sleep
    till 5am, and then i sleep till 2pm..so i’m hopeing this
    advise will work.i’ve tried pills, and they just make me
    really drowsy and then i over sleep and end up feeling more tired
    than to begin with.and of corse, i’ve reserched other adise,
    but most stuff doesnt work..i hope this does.

  • Shelley Wood:

    I am 15 years old, and i have been suffering from insomnia, on
    and off, for about a year now. thanks for
    the tips, i hope they help.

  • Robert Weir:

    I tried meditation and while it did help me relax, it
    didn’t help me sleep!

  • Peggy Cox:

    * Forget about sleep. Yes forget about it. Don’t think
    about sleep at all.
    * Don’t do any mental work after 8 pm. Just relax. If you
    feel energetic, go for a short walk. Let the pace be relaxed and
    not brisk.
    * Have dinner by 8 pm. Walking after that is double beneficial.
    * Sit for meditation when you feel little drowsy. But don’t
    think about sleep.

  • Joe Soto:

    Don’t stop meditating Kara. It’s not a cure.
    It’s a way of life.

  • Mary Batten:

    I am 12 years old and I suffer from severe insomnia. I usually
    get 2-3 hours a sleep a night. I’ll try these tips and
    hopefully they’ll help.

  • Valencia Marston:

    I’ve been suffering insomnia for as long as I can
    remember, and I’m only 16 :/

  • Evelyn Miller:

    I keep telling my mind to sleep but no luck…I lay in bed
    a feel wiered and i feel like Im going to bed but as I open my eyes
    no luck???

  • Catherine Banfield:

    Thanks for stopping Catherine. Meditation is indeed one of the
    most effective ways in dealing with insomnia. The reason it
    doesn’t appeal to the masses is because the results are not
    instant. We are used to quick fixes now and hence sleeping pills
    are so popular.

  • Mark Mccarty:

    vishal.. need your help.. how can I contact you?

  • Mary Corona:

    Bananas may help, but if your daughter’s digestive system
    is weak, then it may cause heaviness and disrupt sleep. Our body
    stores all the minerals and vitamins it requires, so having a
    balanced and nutritious meals throughout the day helps more than
    eating a very nutritious meal only at night. Meditation is the best
    way to get peaceful sleep and health.

  • Rodney Jackman:

    Hi. I’m 13. I have been under a great deal of stress and
    ive been sad alot. This has been resulting in me not sleeping..
    These tips work. Because i cant take sleeping pills because im too
    young, But i definately use these tips all the time.
    THANK-YOU.

  • Thomas Jones:

    I am but 14 years of age and have insomnia..I guess I’ve
    had it for a while, probably since I was 6 or 7. However, and those
    times, it wasn’t to bad, I’d stay up for about an hour
    tops, but then again, for a little 7 year old, an hour trying to
    sleep feels like a lifetime! Anyways, I will try these cures, what
    troubles me however, how do people meditate? How can you think of
    nothing? I know what it is to meditate, but to do it,
    it’s hard? To not think of nothing, when ever I
    try, I just picture a pitch black endless hole but somehow, that
    will remind me of something and eventually I will be thinking of
    that!, its to much! If anyone, ANYONE can give me tips to meditate
    or something else, thank you. The nights I go through are too much,
    torture. Before I use to be able to sleep at least 4-5 hours a
    night, but now its 2-3 hours, and then there are the sleepless
    nights that occur every now and then. And the nights I am able to
    sleep for 7-8 hours, when I wake up, it’s as if
    I slept nothing, I don’t feel recuperated at
    all, I have no energy. I will try these tips and hope they work,
    and again, please someone tell me some tips on how to meditate.
    Thank you my fellow insomniacs.

  • Elaine Hill:

    Thank you so much im only 12 and i have real trouble getting to
    sleep i may be up till 4 am still trying to get to sleep and i
    think all theses tips will help!!

  • Sierra Roland:

    You can try one technique that works exceptionally well for me.
    Through out your day (as much as you can and whenever you
    remember), try to be headless – just imagine that you have no head
    and be aware of your body from your chest and down. Practice this
    as much as you can and especially before going to sleep. Also feel
    the weight of your body. It’s as if your body is sinking
    down. Do this sitting only as you won’t be able to do it
    lying down. Whenever you get up at night, just sit and forget your
    head and feel your body sinking down.

  • Eric Morales:

    Once you’ve got all that down, you can use hypnagogia to
    get to sleep with your meditation. Close your eyes and either make
    up stories in your head…fantasy tales or whatever you like,
    but I don’t recommend anything scary or erotic or you
    won’t be able to sleep.

  • Naomi Jones:

    You are absolutely right Jayanth. Anxiousness is the root cause
    of sleeplesness in majority of cases. Just forget that you have
    sleep problems. Read books or listen to music (no televsion,
    computers, talking on telephone or chatting) before retiring till
    you feel drowsy.

  • Kimberly Livingstone:

    The moment you get up to the time you sleep, you have to make a
    persistent effort to be aware and conscious. And don’t expect
    anything out of it. The moment you expect, it’s not
    meditation. Meditation is just being what you are, how you are.

  • Lula Staples:

    Don’t every do that and think that way. I absolutely
    created a wreck of my system with this mentality.

  • Gertrude Erickson:

    Hi all…i am a medical doctor cum scientist..
    from my personal experience with my patients, there is no way
    meditation can cure insomnia..
    so please don’t waste your precious time, energy, hope and
    money (books) doing yoga or meditation.
    What i suggest is to sleep by 10.30pm everyday, dont drink
    coffee/tea, make sure your room is not too cold or too warm, room
    is properly ventilated, quiet environment and proper clothes (for
    sleeping).
    Another important thing is also that your room should be dark, so
    that that your body will produce melatonin hormone which enable you
    to sleep better.

  • Edward Giancola:

    For example, I require all of this:
    - As little outside noise as possible, unless it is music or a fan
    (I use a fan as music keeps my brain too active) to drown out other
    noises such as the dog moving around in his basket or the wind
    moving a door.
    - No light in the room. Pitch black. Thick curtains, lights off,
    led lights covered, or something to cover your eyes.
    - Water by my bed. I’m OCD about this.
    - Use the toilet before bed or you’ll wake up needing to
    pee.
    - Clean bedding. Sheets, pillow case etc.
    - Make sure your mattress is turned over regularly so you
    don’t suffer a sore back. I suffer back pain quite a bit.
    - Make sure your room temperature suits you. Not too hot or
    cold.
    - Shower or a bath before bed can work.
    - Eating no more or less than an hour before bed. Perhaps a cup of
    chamomile tea before bed, banana or warm milk (but 30 min before
    bed. Not just before).

  • Gabriel Cape:

    P.S..Our body system is the best system in the universe..please
    understand its value by not smoking, consuming alcohols, drugs
    (including paracetamol a.k.a panadol).

  • Willie Downs:

    To gain weight, the recipe is simple – just forget everything,
    stay relaxed and be happy. Trust me. I have gone through what you
    are going through.

  • Curtis Bauman:

    Thoughts will arrive, but be watchful. Don’t identify with
    them. Just make a note that you were thinking. The moment you watch
    your thoughts, they’ll disappear. And then again bring your
    awareness back to your breath.

  • Angela Harris:

    You have to sit as long as you can without much discomfort.
    Preferably half an hour both in the mornings and in the
    evening.

  • Deborah Messer:

    i’m 14 years old and i don’t know if im suffereing
    insomnia nowadays, i cant sleep (due to the activities i have to
    think) but i tried letting them go before sleeping but still, it
    doesnt work. i also have to eat heavy meals everyday (even in
    dinner) because i’m too skinny. i’ll try to eat bananas
    and see what can it do for me to go to sleep. thanks for the
    advices

  • Cindy Harris:

    I can’t believe how many young people suffer from
    insomnia!! it makes you realise what stress they must be going
    through at school. anyway i’m 35 and don’t get to sleep
    until about 4am and then have to get up at 6.30 for my kids. think
    too much, worry too much, am used to getting up all night for
    babies in the past. will try the castor oil & meditation and
    see what happens!

  • Justin Harris:

    Also important fact, I have clinical depression (have pills for)
    acid reflex, post traumatic stress, really bad seperation anxiety,
    and social anxiety. Any tips would help

  • Bradley Booth:

    But- I notice my quality of work steadily decline along with my
    amount of sleep. Like right now it’s 12:22, I’ve been
    up since 6, and I’m dead tired. But I can’t go to sleep
    :/

  • Joel Cory:

    Ethan: Who told you need 8 hours of sleep? The amount of sleep
    one needs varies from person to person. Don’t count the
    hours. Evaluate your sleep by the degree of freshness and energetic
    you feel when you wake up. If you fell energetic and lively in the
    morning, then you have had a good sleep. On other hand, if you
    regularly feel tired and groggy in the morning, then you need to
    evaluate your sleep patterns.

  • Kelsey Morris:

    I agree with Jess. Try to refrain from any mental activity at
    least 1 hour before bed time. Just relax.

  • Connie Call:

    Once you are drowsy, just lie down and relax. Relax and feel
    different parts of your body. Your legs, arms, stomach and so
    on… Be at total peace. Then just think about all the things
    that you are grateful for in your life. Express heart-felt
    gratitude to god for them. Practice this exercise every time you go
    to sleep.

  • Glenda Stewart:

    Im 15 and i have had insomnia for 7 years. It wasnt that bad
    when i was little. but now i cant sleep at all. i get about 3 hours
    of sleep in total the entire week. I will try these and hopefully
    they will help

  • Gretchen Doherty:

    I’m 17 years old and i suffer massively from depression
    and insomnia. I seem to sit in bed and just do nothing for 2-4
    hours. I wake up, and i usually sit in bed for another 2-3 hours
    because my body aches. I don’t work out extremely hard, or
    really at all but i do feel pain and exhaustion anyways. any
    comments would help

  • Melvin Betts:

    Ashleigh, I’m glad these tips are working for you. No
    matter what age you are, it’s never advisable to take
    sleeping pills, unless it’s absolutely necessary, for a short
    duration of time. The dangers of sleeping pills far outweigh their
    benefits (if any at all).

  • Stanley Morris:

    Also for anyone who has a disturbed circadian rhythm (or
    internal body clock), due to irregular lifestyle, and find it hard
    to go to sleep and wake up when you should; I recommend exposing
    yourself to bright sun light in the morning. That helps reset your
    body clock.

  • Joyce Rogers:

    One of the easiest ways to meditate it to be aware of your
    breath. Sit in a comfortable position and for first 5-10 minutes,
    take deep breaths. Take in deep breaths and exhale slowly, about
    the same time (or more) as inhaling. Imagine you are inhaling
    positive energy and happiness and exhaling stress and negative
    energy. With each breath, you are becoming more and more calm and
    relaxed.

  • Lane Henderson:

    Thank you Vishal. I will be sure to try these. I am going to be
    babysitting once again today but will have help from my sister,
    which is good because my younger sister is back from my dads. Maybe
    the breathing exercises will help me from yelling at them. THnak
    you once again

  • Leola Thomas:

    hey,im 20 years old.thanx for the sharing.i cant sleep very well
    lately.its been 2 weeks i cant sleep before 4 a.m.i will try my
    best.thank you. . .

  • Gerald Roybal:

    Man, I’m 15 and I’ve tried it all. None of it works
    for me, Earliest I go to bed is around 3am, and even then im awake
    for half an hour to two hours before i sleep. Pills don’t
    work on me either.

  • Jeanne Schaefer:

    scientist: From which planet are you?

  • Richard Johnson:

    I cannot tell you how much mono sucks. It’s twelve at
    night right now and i have the energy that i should be feeling at
    twelve in the afternoon. . . i practically feel nocturnal lol.
    thanks for the tips. i’ll be sure to try them.

  • Gabriel Murphy:

    My internal clock’s forever broken..

  • Mark Smith:

    i read all these things and they seem to be very posotive. ive
    had sleeping problems on and off agian my whole life and im only
    15. I feel when i go to sleep im thinking about sleep and getting
    distressed when i cant fall asleep. I will try this tonight and i
    hope it will work because exhuastion is not a great thing to deal
    with. I also dont want to take medication because i think it will
    be harmful to my body and i dont want to become dependent on it.. i
    want sleep to come natural.
    thank you agian

  • Douglas Tarr:

    If they become scary, open your eyes and get out of bed. There
    may be other issues in your life causing you to see frightening
    things.

  • Gale Johnson:

    i have been suffering from horrible sleep patterns , i will fall
    asleep quick but once i wake for a pee or a drink of water thats it
    for sleep , my mind kicks in and takes over for all the rest of the
    nite toss and turn and jewels im 45 aswell and sleep pills dont
    work either its a viscious circle i want to end with the help of
    this forum and practicing new methods of falling asleep , and as
    they say the older a person gets less sleep it requires lol i dont
    beleive that so gl all and ill try my best with a new approach,
    mike

  • Clara Hostetler:

    Morgan – exercising and doing homework just before bed is likely
    a cause. Stimulating your mind like that is going to keep it
    extremely active. Try having a bath with some aromatherapy
    (something nice smelling in the bath, or just a warm bubbly bath)
    after the homework – it’ll take 30 minutes of the time
    you’d spend lying awake anyway (since you obviously
    can’t quit cross country or homework). See if that helps!
    Better to get 4-5 hours sleep than none, even though at your age
    you need a lot more.

  • Michael Jackson:

    How much you eat has nothing to do with how much you gain
    weight. Don’t ever believe all the rubbish that says you have
    to eat more to gain weight. You gain weight through your mentality.
    A thinking/worrying mind will never gain weight no matter how much
    you eat. Whereas a calm, relaxed and cheerful mind will always have
    a tendency to gain weight regardless of how much they eat. You must
    have noticed this yourself why some people always tend to gain
    weight even if they eat less.

  • Sherry Gros:

    thank you so much for these tips. i am going to try all of them.
    i am an insomniac. the latest i have stayed up is 12:00PM in the
    afternoon. i kno, pretty bad. i an going to try EVERY SINGLE TIP
    till i fall asleep ^.^

  • Nancy Shelley:

    Another important point to keep in mind is that your meditation
    practice is not just limited to these sitting practices. They are
    just preparatory exercises to make you more and more aware in your
    day to day activities. The goal of meditation is to be aware and to
    be conscious of whatever you do, each and every moment. Walking,
    bathing, brushing, eating. Just watch and be aware. Whatever you
    do, do it consciously and with complete awareness.

  • Carmelo Estes:

    I’m a little shocked by the age of most of the kids that
    have replied. I am 45 and I have horrible insomnia. When I was a
    teenager I slept like a baby. Now I’m completely addicted to
    sleeping medications. Ambien, prosom, alternating every month or so
    from one to the other due to the fact that I build up tolerance.
    Before any of you start medications, please read what they do to
    your body. Ambien can cause pain in your joints, muscles, not to
    mention all the other side effects. I am on this page because I am
    hoping to be able to come off the medications somehow. I am going
    to try the suggestions from this page and I hope some of the
    younger ones searching will really give some of these ideas a try
    and never go to the medication. It may not seem like it now, but
    you will regret it when you are my age and can barely walk!
    Sincerely….Jewels

  • Gertrude Erickson:

    The list goes on I’m afraid. I’m dreadfully OCD
    about this stuff.

  • Gemma Perreault:

    Dear,
    Sir,
    Inititally i had depression i could not control my thoughts so i
    went to a physciatrist his therapy is like he induces energy .But
    once after going to him i lost my natural ability to sleep.It is
    now 1year since i am facing this problem.
    I tried homeopathy medicnices and allopathy medicines but they were
    of no use .As homepathy being the best way to cure the problems am
    still using them .
    My idea is to take homeopathy medicines so that i dont worry about
    sleep .Because i know i will get sleep.once i start sleeping i will
    parallely start meditation will that really help.
    As far as my knowledge is concerned its only because of anxiousness
    about sleep i am unable to sleep .Will meditation solve my problem
    i have great will to meditate come out of this problem .
    How much time does it take to restore normal sleeping pattern ?
    please suggest me.
    Will meditation help me?

  • Patricia Mccain:

    This does work for me on some occasions. Not all, but it is
    certainly a method I encourage people to try, even if it is just
    making stories up in your mind’s eye.

  • Patricia Coleman:

    hi, I have a problem with my sleep, it seems no matter how early
    i go to bed, I wake up unrefreshed in the morning, often I start to
    fall asleep around 10 am at my desk in work and also later in the
    afternoon, I often sleep for a good 8 – 10 hours but am always
    tired, i do wake several times in the night but not always and not
    usually for long. I am feeling more and more depressed as it is
    very hard work just to get through the day at the moment, Do you
    have any suggestions?

  • Victoria Harris:

    Hello i am 11 years of age i i have both sleep anxiety and
    insomnia disorder. it’s sucks to have this i have tried
    everything that doesn’t cost or having to go to a
    psychiatrist or what ever thir called anyways plz help me.

  • Walter Williams:

    I think you can never be sure whether there are actually more
    young people visiting the site, more young people leaving a message
    or actually lots of young people suffering from insomnia!

  • Kevin Lewis:

    Aaron, the goal of meditation is indeed to relax. And the
    quality of sleep improves once you are relaxed. However, using
    meditation with a desire, like need to fall asleep, defeats the
    entire purpose. Here’s my sincere suggestion:

  • Carrie Hilliard:

    And if you can’t sleep at night and you wake
    early in the morning and your weight fluctuates, or you feel tire
    all the time and you not really interested in any activities, then
    you may have depression.

  • Kimberly Fernandez:

    The first thing you need to do before trying anything meditative
    is ensuring your environment is suited to your sleeping needs.

  • Daisy Heiss:

    i am 16 years old and i suffer from insomnia. i have cross
    country practice every day until about six, and then i come home
    and do homework until about 11 at night. then, when i lay down to
    go to bed, i lay there for at least 3 hours. i go through breathing
    techniques, meditation, music, and reading, but nothing helps. and,
    once i fall asleep, i usually wake up at least twice a night. then
    it is school again at 5:30. i dont have time to get a full night
    sleep, but the little time i do have between 11 and 5:30 is wasted
    laying awake in bed. i cannot take sleeping pills, so i need a
    natural solution. please help me. i cannot even function anymore,
    im too tired.

  • Loretta Back:

    hey thanx for the advise i am 15 years old and i dont want to
    take pills or anything like that cause it could be harmfull to me
    and thanx i will try these escersizes for better sleep and i need
    it

  • Elva Taylor:

    Just relax and sleep! You are just fine!

  • Esther Robinson:

    Hi. I’m taylor. I’m 15, and since about 5 years ago,
    my sleeping patterns have been changing drastically. Some nights I
    can sleep for 10 or more hours and feel even more tired than
    before. But then there’s nghts like these when it takes hours
    to go to sleep. Then I’ll go to sleep for a good forty five
    minutes. Now I’ve been up for two and a half hours.
    I’ve tried so many different things to help, and none work.
    Some things to know: I go to physical therapy for my knee injury
    twice a week, I can’t play soccer anymore, which used to be
    the thing that calmed me down. Could that possibly be why I
    can’t sleep? Thanks so much.

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