Any tips on how to get the best sleep to function better?

~JC~

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This is really for my mom, who has such an over active brain, she’s always moving or else she gets bored. She’s just one of those people who can’t sit still and she can never sleep all the way through the night. I’m trying to get her to learn how to be still in life, but she’s kind of old school and takes what I say with a grain of salt LOL. She has never developed the tools to chill the fk out and always searches for a distraction and I believe it impacts her sleep significantly.

I suggested that she listen to some meditation music before bed and do some breathing, go for walks. She’s a tough one to tweak :D

Does anyone have any suggestions/links, things that have worked for you to help maintain some balance? Every mind is different, but I’m interested in your thoughts.

Thank you! :)
 

polymoog

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try a different angle... (pun not intended)

quickies off the top of my head:
no one should ever watch TV in bed.
try white noise. eyepatches are good. sometimes lavender essential oil in the pillow helps
try to have a routine for the bed-- get into bed, read for a bit, then have lights out. youll program your body and mind to follow that pattern.
if you have to get up at night, do NOT turn on any lights. if you do, youll (forgot the whole thing, but...) sort of wake up your body with the light as it will think it is morning.
 

Tidal

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If we're not tired, there's no way hozay that we'll be able to sleep, so it's best to simply wait til our tired brain tells us it needs some kip.
Problem is, if people try to fit themseves into an alarm clock-dominated sleep pattern it messes up the body's natural sleep rythms.

Personally I'm retired so the clock has no hold on me whatsoever, for example I'm typing this at 3:30 in the morning because I'm a night owl and LIKE being up half the night, and will kip when I begin falling asleep around breakfast time, then sleep for 8 hours and be up around teatime..:)
 

~JC~

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try a different angle... (pun not intended)

quickies off the top of my head:
no one should ever watch TV in bed.
try white noise. eyepatches are good. sometimes lavender essential oil in the pillow helps
try to have a routine for the bed-- get into bed, read for a bit, then have lights out. youll program your body and mind to follow that pattern.
if you have to get up at night, do NOT turn on any lights. if you do, youll (forgot the whole thing, but...) sort of wake up your body with the light as it will think it is morning.
Great suggestions, thank you. That all makes total sense to me. The tv in bed is def a PROBLEM...
 

~JC~

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If we're not tired, there's no way hozay that we'll be able to sleep, so it's best to simply wait til our tired brain tells us it needs some kip.
Problem is, if people try to fit themseves into an alarm clock-dominated sleep pattern it messes up the body's natural sleep rythms.

Personally I'm retired so the clock has no hold on me whatsoever, for example I'm typing this at 3:30 in the morning because I'm a night owl and LIKE being up half the night, and will kip when I begin falling asleep around breakfast time, then sleep for 8 hours and be up around teatime..:)
It sounds like you’ve got a comfortable little format! :) My mom is also retired (no alarm there), but she can’t seem to stay asleep. Busy mind. I’m a night owl myself, but I’m glad I can sleep through the night!
 

Maes17

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I tend to sleep good when I run myself ragged during the day. I try to go 100 at work and with my workouts. I’m too caffeinated and with the world the way it is. Expecting a baby in two months - that has finally hit me to where I’m in nesting/panic mode.
The wife tried to reassure me to calm down.

But I let my stuff come on naturally. I used to take hypnos by a company called chaos & pain which used to knock me out. But I hate being dependent on sleep aids.

Tell your mom to keep the temperature in her bedroom cooler than usual.

I like how you say meditation. Definitely know how to have an off switch in the brain/mind. Living in and collecting ones thoughts is a hard to sleep dilemma with me.
 

~JC~

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when is her last meal? if its late, it could be a problem.
Oh, she can eat like CRAP at night.. I tell her to slow down, and in the back of my mind I also think “she’s by herself and it’s the only thing that brings her enjoyment“. It’s like all the rules we know to follow, she does the opposite :D
 

~JC~

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I tend to sleep good when I run myself ragged during the day. I try to go 100 at work and with my workouts. I’m too caffeinated and with the world the way it is. Expecting a baby in two months - that has finally hit me to where I’m in nesting/panic mode.
The wife tried to reassure me to calm down.

But I let my stuff come on naturally. I used to take hypnos by a company called chaos & pain which used to knock me out. But I hate being dependent on sleep aids.

Tell your mom to keep the temperature in her bedroom cooler than usual.

I like how you say meditation. Definitely know how to have an off switch in the brain/mind. Living in and collecting ones thoughts is a hard to sleep dilemma with me.
Thank you. It can take SO much mental work to get to the point where your mind is at ease. I used to go to a float tank for 90 min. It’s completely sensory deprivation. It must have taken me at LEAST 45 min until I finally felt like my mind was free of most of the clutter lol but I felt absolutely relaxed after. Just free :)

I recommend it if there is a float company near you (assuming you haven’t done this yet!)
 

Maes17

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Thank you. It can take SO much mental work to get to the point where your mind is at ease. I used to go to a float tank for 90 min. It’s completely sensory deprivation. It must have taken me at LEAST 45 min until I finally felt like my mind was free of most of the clutter lol but I felt absolutely relaxed after. Just free :)

I recommend it if there is a float company near you (assuming you haven’t done this yet!)
I have never done.
But I will look into it
 

Tidal

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A tip- dunno if it'll work for anybody else, but when i get in bed I pick up a book for a final half hours read, usually a "Great Explorers" type book and within minutes I can't keep my eyes open because reading about explorers in blizzards and jungles and deserts etc reminds me how warm and cosy my bed is and makes me just want to snuggle down..:)

I also find I sleep much better in winter, especially when the cold wind hurls fusillades of raindrops and snow against my window pane, which triggers the 'snuggle down' factor again.
 

elsbet

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Does she want to get more sleep, or is she just driving you batty? :)

Melatonin is natural, and found in the Vitamin section... some people really like it. There are other non-narcotics, as well.

And some people just NEED to be busy because they are wired that way. Better she is involved in something she enjoys, regularly, than being tasked with sitting still. It'll make it worse... never better.

Tennis? Canasta? Making stuff and selling online? Jogging? Volunteering?

Cool post, @~JC~ :)
 

elsbet

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A tip- dunno if it'll work for anybody else, but when i get in bed I pick up a book for a final half hours read, usually a "Great Explorers" type book and within minutes I can't keep my eyes open because reading about explorers in blizzards and jungles and deserts etc reminds me how warm and cosy my bed is and makes me just want to snuggle down..:)

I also find I sleep much better in winter, especially when the cold wind hurls fusillades of raindrops and snow against my window pane, which triggers the 'snuggle down' factor again.
There really is something to that...*sigh* ... sublime.
 

~JC~

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Does she want to get more sleep, or is she just driving you batty? :)

Melatonin is natural, and found in the Vitamin section... some people really like it. There are other non-narcotics, as well.

And some people just NEED to be busy because they are wired that way. Better she is involved in something she enjoys, regularly, than being tasked with sitting still. It'll make it worse... never better.

Tennis? Canasta? Making stuff and selling online? Jogging? Volunteering?

Cool post, @~JC~ :)
she wants to get more sleep. She did take melatonin once but I’m not sure if she’s taking it again or ran out. That is def something worth mentioning- thank you! She’s not very active unless she’s cleaning the house or rearranging her living room for the 3rd time in a week lol I do loved her :)
 

Maes17

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I’m feeling a nap right now. They interfere with my sleep at night too lol.

Was one of those going 100mph days today. Three solds that were dealer trade ins. Gogurt tubes and underwear in a back seat of a lancer. Sometimes I question stuff. That was one lol. Definitely need some sleep after.

Try that hypnos sleep aid. If you can afford. Has aminos it too. I’m sure your mom will sleep like a baby on that
 

Maes17

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Im familiar with that company. I was wanting to try that Hypnos. I have sleeping issues and they also said it helps with lucid dreaming which would be fun.

I was trying to bulk up a little bit and was considering buying their whey supplement but just bought some from the store for rn
I have sleeping issues too. It did help me sleep.
Lucid dreams, I cannot say. I don’t remember dreaming too often.

My go to protein supplement is mutant mass gainer.
Trying to bulk too. Been doing a lot of hiit though. Helps me settle down the mind
 
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