I have a lot of trouble sleeping?!
Question: im 13 and im having trouble sleeping
in the beginning of the year i had a stage of depression because i had to leave my cousins and i only see them for one month every other year
then i lost my best friend
during both of those times i couldnt sleep till 4 and i went to bed at 10
its been like 8 months since i was sad
but i still cant sleep
SOMETIMES music helps me fall asleep but not always
on some days i can sleep and some times i cant
its usually harder for me to sleep when im more tired but sometimes its vice versa
i heard that it is good to flip ur mattress
i never flipped my mattress in about 4 years
does that help
how??
how often should i do it
any other suggestions to helping me sleep besides sleeping pills
thanks
Answers: im 13 and im having trouble sleeping
in the beginning of the year i had a stage of depression because i had to leave my cousins and i only see them for one month every other year
then i lost my best friend
during both of those times i couldnt sleep till 4 and i went to bed at 10
its been like 8 months since i was sad
but i still cant sleep
SOMETIMES music helps me fall asleep but not always
on some days i can sleep and some times i cant
its usually harder for me to sleep when im more tired but sometimes its vice versa
i heard that it is good to flip ur mattress
i never flipped my mattress in about 4 years
does that help
how??
how often should i do it
any other suggestions to helping me sleep besides sleeping pills
thanks
1 Practice good "sleep hygiene". Get yourself ready for sleep by relaxing a few hours before bedtime -- take a warm bath, drink some warm milk or herbal tea (decaf only). You should also put a few droplets of lavender oil on your pillow. Drink a glass of warm milk, with a teaspoon of honey stirred through if you'd like. Do this just before bed but be sure to brush your teeth before bed-- the sugar in milk and honey can cause tooth decay, especially if your mouth dries out at night. Try a two-week regimen to get your body into this habit. Make notes if you discover patterns of sleep or going to bed that work. For some people, sleep can be highly ritualistic...cultivate the rituals that produce your best sleep experiences. (If you don't like the taste of plain warm milk, try it by making hot chocolate with warm milk instead of water)
2 Make sure you have a comfortable bed in which you can get a good night's sleep. Buy a decent mattress. A mattress is worth more than you think, considering you use it every night, so don't hold back! If you're too hot or cold, add or remove blankets until comfortable. Adjust the temperature so it is cooler than usual, but not too cold. Make sure to stock up on blankets if you do this. If you have time, consider cleaning your room before trying to get to bed. Having a clean room can be calming when trying to fall asleep. A messy room will distract most people, and it can make you feel uncomfortable.
3 Soundproof your room. If you have noisy neighbors, consider buying a white noise machine, or leaving the fan on in the bathroom to drown out the irregular beats of their music, televisions, late night arguments, etc. If that doesn't work, don't underestimate the power of earplugs... Just make sure you can still hear your alarm! Calming music, such as soft classical music can also help drown out noise and help you fall asleep.
4 Read. Reading will help the mind focus on only one thing, instead of racing about the day's activities. Read something calming rather than an exciting thriller novel. Fairy tales or nonfiction would be good choices. If you do read, it is recommended that you read with a low light on. This way your eyes will get used to the darkness which makes it easier to fall asleep.
5 Adjust the lights to a level you are comfortable with. For optimal results, a pitch black room with no lights helps you sleep better through the night. If you have an alarm clock that is lighting up half the room as you try to sleep, turn it around or turn it off. Most cell phones have an alarm on them, so you can use that instead of a bright, bulky alarm clock. If you must have mild illumination in your bedroom (e.g. glowing face of digital clock, night light), remember that red wavelengths of light generally are not as disruptive to sleep cycles as blue or green wavelengths. If you need to sleep during the day, use eye covers.
6 Get into a comfortable position, loosen any tight restrictive clothing. Position yourself comfortably on your back in bed, with your arms by your side. If you are uncomfortable with any way your body feels on the bed, correct it immediately, e.g., your body's weight on your arm is too strong, or your hip feels awkward--change position quickly until you're completely comfortable. Be sure to wear comfortable clothes like pajamas or a nightgown rather than tight or constricting "day clothes."
7 Practice deep breathing. If you're having trouble trying to sleep, try a deep breathing exercise. For example, lie on your back in bed and breathe in deeply for three counts, watching your stomach rise, and then breathe out for three counts. Do this for about ten minutes and then switch so you're lying on your right, and repeat the breathing process. Another way to go about doing it is this:
* Take a deep breath using one nostril closed,
* Now exhale with the nostril that is closed, during this exhalation, close the other.
* Repeat these steps using the other nostril. Do this 60 times (at least 15 minutes) and you will feel very relaxed.
8 Imagine yourself sinking into the mattress, Starting from the very tips of your toes. In your mind, begin to "acknowledge" everything around you that all your senses are experiencing. For example: Say to yourself (not out loud), "I hear the clock ticking. I smell the lotion I just applied to my hands. I feel my legs' weight on the bed. I hear my spouse/partner breathing. I see different shades of black. I hear the dog barking in the distance. I hear myself in my own mind talking.", etc. This should help to clear your mind by slowly acknowledging everything and subsequently dismissing it. Stay on your back, sunk into the mattress until you feel it is time to roll into your desired position.
9 meditate. Whatever is on your mind is probably there for a reason. When you pray, talk to the deity of your choice about what is racing through your mind, and give the situation over to that deity. If meditating, visualize yourself addressing your thoughts and resolving them. Or, meditate on a calming word or phrase. As you do so, it helps you to lower your heart rate and relax your muscles, making it easier for you to lay down and fall asleep. Many times this will work because you no longer have that burden on your mind and you can relax enough to fall asleep.
10 Give your brain an exercise. Count as high as you can. Get a picture of as many sheep on a field as possible. Try counting all of the sheep in a dim light. This makes your mind focus on one easy thing. Also, try doing mathematical calculations in your mind, for example, think of two or three digit numbers and add them up in your mind.
11 Think of something very calming. Picture a waterfall. It is very calming and you will fall asleep quickly. This makes you calm. This also gets your mind away from distractions of life. You may also have a good dream. Pretend that you are floating on a river. Look up and see the blue sky and feel the water below you. Picture your ideal fantasy and try to play it out in your head. Also, try imagine that you are in a perfect room. What would it look like? What color is it? What's in it? Imagine yourself lying in it. Why is it so relaxing to you? Imagining yourself in this perfect room focuses your mind on relaxation.
12 Start the habit of using your bed only for sleeping. Do not read, play video games, etc. because then your body will be used to doing those things while in bed and make you more awake.
13 Sing a song in your head. Pick a song that you know very well and sing all of the lyrics in your head. If that doesn't work, act like you are typing the lyrics on an imaginary keyboard. Or, if you know sign language, you can sign all of the lyrics. Pick a song that you know every word to and you are familiar with. You can also plan to listen to music while you sleep. Listen to the softer songs of your favorite band. If you have trouble blocking out sounds around you (especially in an apartment building) then wear a set of earbud headphones to bed with some language tapes running. Listening to the language tapes provides you with a soothing voice that is talking in a very mellow tone and has the bonus of reinforcing your knowledge of the language while you sleep.
14 Think about a story in your head. Make it light and happy like a fairy tale; you can make it up. (Suggested) and what really helps is to picture the story in your mind. This may or may not help but do try it if you are having trouble falling to sleep.
chamomile tea
maybe what you need is to sleep with your mom and dad for a while until this trouble sleeping is over...hug them and kiss them before going to sleep...its fun....
You would be surprised at how regular exercise helps you sleep better! Even just a brisk walk around the block before bedtime helps me. Also, look online for some Yoga moves that are specifically for relaxation. I know some that are so good I almost fall asleep on the floor after doing them!
see a specialist about this problem. there are sleep clinics that will evaluate you, and your sleep problems. then they can make recommendations as to how to let yourself go to sleep. it's worth a try. you might want to a psychiatrist too, to help you with this deep sorrow. it sounds just like clinical depression. you need more than turning over your mattress.
First you can see the web page
http://jayantha.t35.com/
and try to practice it. You can get relief
One thing you cant do is drink sodas or coffee before bed times, a warm bath or shower, wear comfy clothes, and relax with quiet time on your bed reading a book maybe.
Turn off the tv. Turn down the lights. Read a book.
If these things do not help you then try one tylenol night time sleep aid. I take one and i can sleep through the night. I am 33 and have trouble sleeping. So I try to give my body 30 minutes of excersize if i didnt have activity and then relax before bed with warm shower and then reading a book.
Concentrate on relaxing thoughts. Dont get yourself worked up or frustrated before bed. Write in a diary any of the things that might be bothering you and this might help you see what you were feeling or thinking on the nights that you didnt sleep.
You can also see a doctor if none of these things help because sometimes insomnia is a sign of something neurological. (related to the brain)