What helps me fall asleep as a self-diagnosed insomniac
There is truly nothing worse than falling asleep on the couch watching TV only to be wide awake once you finally crawl into bed. As a self-diagnosed insomniac, my nights usually consist of staring at walls, overthinking the day, and sometimes, having some sort of epiphany I can’t stop thinking about.
Because my thoughts run wild at night, I have tried everything to quiet my mind and conk out quicker. I’ve taken every melatonin product you can think of, installed countless sleep trackers on my phone, and have drunk more cups of Sleepytime Tea than I would like to admit. The problem is, melatonin makes me incredibly groggy in the morning, and I hate feeling dependent on gummies to solve my issues.
After months of trial and error, I have started incorporating the following things into my nighttime routine, all of which feel restorative and help speed along the sleeping process:
Positive Journaling
This isn’t new or novel, but my therapist told me to set aside some minutes of down time before bed called “thinking time.” During this time, I freely allow myself to think, or more accurately overthink, as much as I want without trying to suppress myself or feel stressed out about wasting precious sleeping hours.
I don’t always remember or find the time to do this, but when I do, I actively try to get everything out of my system before getting under the covers. If there are any topics larger than the time frame allows, I write them down in as much detail as I need to get it out of my head and onto a page. I always make sure to close the notebook and put it on a bookshelf - in a weird way, the symbolism of it being so far away helps a ton.
During this time, I freely allow myself to think, or more accurately overthink, as much as I want without trying to suppress myself or feel stressed out about wasting precious sleeping hours.
The Sleepy Bookshelf
Image Credit: The Sleepy Bookshelf
Thank my amazing co-worker for this recommendation that has changed the game for me. Sometimes, the easiest way to stop thinking at night is to focus on something else outside your mind, for instance, this podcast. It’s called “The Sleepy Bookshelf,” and like its name indicates, the narrator reads chapters from your favorite classic bedtime stories like Alice and Wonderland.
To put it simply, this podcast feels like a warm hug and gives the same energy as being read a bedtime story when you were little. On top of this, there’s something about fantasy that transports you to a different world, and if you’re lucky, to sleep.
To put it simply, this podcast feels like a warm hug and gives the same energy as being read a bedtime story when you were little.
Nostalgic Movie Marathon
Pick the most nostalgic movie you can think of, one you know every line of by heart. One of mine is Harry Potter, and when I was in college, I slept to the movie playing in the background which instantly put me to sleep.
Like podcasts, there is something powerful about being able to instantly focus on something other than your own thoughts. But what I honestly love more about nostalgic movies is that you know them so well you’re not focusing too carefully on the dialogue or making sure you know what scene is playing at all times. Truly the best of both worlds.
