- Date posted
- 16w ago
Sleep hygeine
Does anyone have tips on good sleep hygeine? What does everyone use to relax and wind down before bedtime?
Does anyone have tips on good sleep hygeine? What does everyone use to relax and wind down before bedtime?
I struggled BAD with insomnia during both spirals of ocd. This past one I was up for two almost three days. I felt so alone and scared. But I had to come up with a routine. I take my shower, wash my face, then get dressed in my favorite pajamas. I spray my pillow with lavender and sometimes just laying down with my cat I fall asleep or I read a chapter of a book to just relax and then fall asleep. I’ve also used breathing videos on YouTube to calm me down before bed!
Thank you for your kindness! I will try these, my cat definately helps as well as being with my partner. Do you have any good book recomendations?
@Marinaw2024 I like fiction books I am reading fourth wing right now! I do try to stay away from “triggering” books. I recently read it ends with us and there was some domestic violence which made it harder for me to fall asleep. I recommend looking up happy books or feel good books so they don’t get your mind going before bed!
@Dunkin2019! Agreed! I do that with shows or movies, i try to watch lighthearted movies or shows i feel like suspense or gore ramps my anxiety up
@Dunkin2019! I feel like lately everything has been a triggger for me, i recently got a self help book for my intrusive / obsessive thoughts. I will try and read some tonight before bed instead of watching a movie lol
I love sleep hygiene! The best part is that sleep hygiene is sort of subjective to the person… which means there’s rules you can follow but you also have to do what feels best for you. Number one is to try and have a consistent sleep and wake up time each day (even on the weekends if possible!). For me, I feel best when I don’t look at my phone for at least 30 minutes before bed. I use this time to apply my night time skin care routine, brush my teeth and put on my pajamas. I like to do a crossword puzzle because I find they make me sleepy. But a book or even listening to a podcast is great (just limit the amount of time you are looking directly into your phone!). They also recommend sleeping in a clean space (ie not a ton of clutter around you). If you are like me and have doom piles everywhere 🤪 I try to avoid making them in my room!
Thank you! I tend to get really antsy when my room is a mess, lately ive been feeling so down that i havent cleaned up in awhile. I will definately use your tips and get my room in order!
I like to meditate or listen to sleep frequencies/meditations videos on YouTube to help me fall asleep
I love this! Do you reccomend any specific creator?
@Marinaw2024 I like Michael Sealey for Sleep Hypnosis! Ik that sounds weird but it’s just calming to my mind haha
@Lalilolou I have always been so scared of sleep hypnosis, hearing that someone else does it makes it a little less scary lol
@Marinaw2024 Hahah yeah tbh I listen for like 30 seconds and then knock out because his voice just helps turn my brain off
@Lalilolou Do you like to use essential oils too? Ive been using lavender in my duffuser lately and that helps, but its also a hit and miss because last night Sucked!
@Marinaw2024 Yes I like essential oils too but yeah depends on my mood! My mindset and mental state definitely affects my sleep quality in general
@Lalilolou Agreed, i hate the fatigue that comes along with it
@Marinaw2024 Me too😭 the things I’d do for peace of mind
@Lalilolou I feel like some days im clear ish, and others im losing it 🙁 the days im feeling more levelheadded im constantly mentally checking. It exausting
Hi everyone! I’m not sure if anyone has had any issues with sleep and anxiety but these past couple of weeks I’ve been suffering with anxiety when trying to sleep. My mind will latch on to the idea that I won’t sleep and I’ll continuously try to fall asleep and end up psychoanalyzing everything im doing . Usually I end up freaking out and not sleeping and waking up with maybe >2 hrs a sleep a night and have an awful day the next day. I’m lowkey hopeless in this situation, I’ve tried melatonin, sleeping early, limited screen time and nothing will work.. does anyone have any tips and tricks on what to do?
At times, my intrusive thoughts get so intense that all I can do is lay frozen in my bed and hope I fall asleep, and usually I do even if I'm not tired. My brain just wears me out and I wanna escape through sleep. (Sadly it doesn't work all the time)
It started when I became an adult, and started receiving my mental health diagnosis. I hyper fixated on each and every action I did and how it could be related to my diagnosis’s. It then lead to fixation to my physical health — making appointments and seeing every specialist I can to rule out every possibility. I currently have been suffering with obstructive sleep. I woke up the past few days with severe pain from the lack of sleep whilst believing I was oversleeping. Luckily my fit watch tracks my sleep cycle and it turns out I am not receiving any sleep. I had an extreme panic attack — bursting into tears on the phone with my mom wondering what this case might be. She told me it could be sleep apnea and that a simple sleep study could figure this out. However, knowing my family history I made appointments to every specialist I can to make sure it is nothing serious. The unknown of health can be scary to me. Watching my mother suffer with her physical health chronically since I was a child lead me to be very conscious and aware of how my body is functioning. This morning was one of the worst moments of physical pain. I should just take one step at a time with the sleep doctor instead of taking measures to see every specialist that could pertain with this issue. However, that is very hard to me. I don’t want to ever wake up in the pain I was this morning. Does anyone else suffer with health-related OCD? And if so, how do you find a sense of ease during moments like I expressed?
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