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We recently asked the BuzzFeed Community to share their best tips for battling insomnia. Here are some of their responses:
Note to readers: Please consult your doctor before taking any of the sleep supplements listed below.
1. "My husband bought me a weighted blanket last Christmas and that has definitely helped me fall asleep so much faster and stay asleep. I highly recommend a weighted blanket to anyone struggling with insomnia."
2. "I wear earplugs and make sure the room is dark as possible. I also make sure there's the constant noise of something in the background like a fan."
3. "Melatonin has literally saved my life. Same with Traditional Medicinal's 'Organic Nighty-Night' tea. It’s an amazing combo."
4. "I pick a movie, book, or TV show and explain it in my head as if I'm talking to someone who's never heard of it. I go into minute detail on characters and backstories. It helps me to stop focusing on what's stressing me out."
5. "My doctor told me that even though I felt exhausted, it was possible that I couldn't sleep because I wasn’t physically active enough. After that I began to run every single day and if my body couldn’t do that I would walk several miles after work. Over time my distances increased and I would fall asleep before 10 p.m. every night and always felt well rested in the morning. My insomnia has never returned."
6. "My husband snores, so we sleep in different rooms. He's one of those people who can fall asleep in a minute and sleep anywhere and it is just easier with him in another room. Sorry, honey."
7. "I bought an air diffuser and placed it next to my bed. I also add a couple drops of lavender essential oil and it just gives the room a much more relaxing space. It works so well. Every night before we go to bed my boyfriend always says, 'Make sure to turn the diffuser on!'"
8. "Don't use your bed for anything but sleep and sex. Don't play on your phone, don't spend hours reading, and don't spend all day lounging in it. It trains your brain and body that when you're in bed, it's sleep time."
9. "When I got to college, I struggled with falling asleep before 4 a.m. I started listening to podcasts because they were entertaining without forcing me to look at my phone. I like to listen to 'My Favorite Murder' and 'Sinisterhood,' but if true crime isn’t your preferred bedtime ritual, 'Sleep With Me' and 'Sleepy' are great!"
10. "Meditation! I have anxiety and when it’s time for bed I tend to ruminate over every detail of my day, keeping me awake. I learned to focus on my breathing, specifically the tip of my nose. I tune in to how it’s cold when I breathe in and warm when I breathe out. I swear it lulls me to sleep within five minutes tops!"
11. "Stuffed animals. Childish, but effective for me."
12. "The podcast 'Nothing Much Happens' has been a game changer for me. It's basically bedtime stories for adults. It always puts me right to sleep!"
13. "Pick a category and list one item from that category for every letter of the alphabet. So for example, the other night my category was foods I do not like: Avocado, brussels sprouts, cranberries, dark chocolate, etc."
14. "Forking over a shit pile of money on a Sleep Number bed. I have straight up been going into a coma since replacing my mattress."
15. "A hot water (like as hot as I can stand it) foot bath for about 30 minutes. I usually put some lavender essential oil in the water. I do this right before bed and pass the F out."
16. "I’ve found the best thing to do is to get out of bed. It sounds stupid, but go somewhere else and do anything away from your bed until you find yourself tired enough to try again. It helps keep your bed from being a place with bad associations."
17. "I put on a movie that I’ve already seen 100 times. I set my TV timer for 90 minutes. I just close my eyes and listen until I fall asleep. I never stay awake to find out what happens because I’ve already seen it."
18. "Honestly? Weed."
19. "It sounds counter-intuitive, but I give up on the idea of sleeping if I wake up in the middle of the night. It’s a lot of pressure to fall back asleep. I have had sleepless nights in the past and I will again. I’ll get up and do a mundane task, like the dishes, and if I get sleepy again, I’ll go back to bed. If not, oh well."
20. "Valerian Root!"
21. "OLLY Sleep gummies! They are awesome. Take two about 30 minutes before bed and you’ll be sound asleep."
22. "I'm prone to overthinking and have trouble falling asleep because of it, but the Headspace app really helped me a lot. I put on one of their sleep casts, which is a calming story that starts off with a meditative wind-down exercise. I've never heard one all the way through because they always manage to put me to sleep."
23. "For me, I try to go to bed at around the same time every night. It really helps."
24. "If your sleepless nights comes from an anxious and worrying mind, making a list or writing stuff down before bed helps. I keep a journal by the bed and will make to-do lists or write affirmations of how the next day will go to make me feel calm and it surprisingly works."
25. "Camping. Something about having to follow the sun’s schedule made my brain reset on the whole 'no sleep' thing. Whenever I start having difficulties sleeping I find a weekend to go camp far from civilization."
26. "My therapist taught me this for anxiety, but it really helps when your mind won't shut off for sleep, too. It's called '4 7 8.' Breathe in for four seconds, hold for seven, and exhale as if you're blowing through a straw for eight seconds. Do it at least three times, and take a few normal breaths between. This lowers your blood pressure and relaxes your nervous system. Works every time!"
Some submissions have been edited for grammar and clarity.