Sleep Disorders Community

You certainly need to practice better sleep hygiene. Start by reading through the pages in this link.
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/sleep-hygiene

Thanks for the info I have been trying some of the rituals it talks about and I've been able to fall asleep a little earlier :)
Thanks Again !

@crazydaisy0709--I actually just wrote a post about how to calm down a crazy brain through various writing activities. I'd love to hear if you've tried anything like this and whether or not it worked for you. And @steadygoing's recommendation of practicing good sleep hygiene can certainly help you readjust your bedtime routine and sleep schedule to be more in sync with those of your partner and family.

hey retro_andi!
Sorry it took me so long to get back to you. I read the post you sent and am going to try it. I'll keep you posted. Thanks so much !!
Mari :)

I have exactly the same problem, and have read about and done all the sleep hygiene protocols. I do not get up and start doing things, I just lay there without getting to sleep, my brain racing. They have given me every sleeping pill on the market, with no effect. Three sleep studies only confirm the problem, but offered no solution. About twice a week my body is so tired I finally do sleep.
I had no problem sleeping as a child, this started around 25 -30. Frankly I don't think there is a solution with present-day science. My personal "solution" is to ignore the problem, and if I sleep fine, if not, fine.

I suffer the busy brain also, and have many tricks which sometimes work and sometimes not. One good one is to think of three things you have achieved that day - very soothing!! Then put yourself in meditation mode. (Learn to do this effectively by attending a course). However, If you then start thinking about work or things you must remember to do soon, then a notepad and pencil under the pillow works for me. As soon as I have made a note, I am free from that particular hassle - (and can move on to the next - smile here). On placing the note under your pillow, you than go back to your meditation. Seriously though, placing the note under your pillow works brilliantly for this type of busy thoughts.
Good luck
Rae

i am facing the same problem.

I had a similar problem when I was younger and my son has it to a much greater degree. He was diagnosed as a teen with ADHD, as well as "delayed sleep phase syndrome" -- meaning essentially that his circadian rhythm, or clock, was off and he would not get sleepy until early morning hours even though he was physically tired. His neurologist among other things placed him on melatonin and a routine to sort of "force" a normal sleep pattern. Of course different things may work for different people, but some 5 years later he is much improved.

Have the same problem! I'm 23... I'm not supposed to!!! i play games on my cellphone till i'm worn out and sometimes if my mind switches off after a session i get to sleep, if not i'm awake till the wee hours. some nights are worse than others. sometimes i get the munchies around midnight... i have tea and biscuits or cereal so its not too heavy. I'm getting married in a few months and my fiance is already stressing about my abnormal sleeping pattern. Its worsened with all the wedding planning etc. my mind goes over everything throughout the night. wish it had a switch! I'm fortunate for 1 thing tho... my flexi work hours! i get to sleep in if theres no disturbance. thanks for the tips... will try the notes...it looks promising!

Inaze, you are in a real trouble zone. If your fiance is stressing, then you need to sort this out well before you get married. Your flexitime work is an absolute blessing — hang onto that job and love how it's helping you. It should mean that YOU don't stress about WHEN you get to sleep. Your fiance needs to think about all the things he loves about you and accept that you will do some things which are different. After all, is he perfect? You need some compromise here — you will need an prenuptial agreement of some sort — you will accept him as he is, and he will accept you as you are. And if your fiance stops stressing, I bet you find it much easier to fall asleep - that's one less worry after all!!!
To jot down your busies you don't need to turn on the light of course, just reach under your pillow, jot down a single word, and put the pad back. If you find in the morning that you have written over previous notes, then in future just peel off the note and drop it gracefully onto the floor. Feel the relief - then restart the meditation.
Good luck.

A good way to quite your brain is to do calming things as you prepare for the night and sleep time. Herbal tea such a benign Chammomile helps ask about the tea to make sure it has no caffiene in it or can be taken with any meds you may need to take, and warm milk. soft music and no exciting moviers or books before bedtime help a lot to quite the brain and nervous system .
You need to train the brain to have a quite time to sleep and be free of the energy that staying awake needs . With the hectic streeful lives most have this is not natural to do anymore sadly. So it must be a deliberate learning curve and after time it becomes a natural pattern amd as your body gets in tunn with the new rythums your are introducing it to . Sometimes a new med makes the brain go crazy as it regulates it in the bloos stream. Anti depressants do this at first so the teas and warm milk do work nicley without interferring with the new med drinkin a late caffine drink , soda, coffee tea and chocolate all hve acaffeine and if you are senitive to this it will keep your nervous system acitve and awakw for stsaying up hence lack of sleep. Usually a long walk before sleep helps too if possible,Another good idea is a soft scent you like to lull you into relaxation such a a bed spary soft prefume or even a nice scented bar of soap by your bed stand to smeel and get the sesnses relaxed .
I hope this is of help and maybe gets you geared to a better sleep and remember once in a while we worry . but if we SLEEP on it we can come up with a statergy to cope instead of staying up thinking about the problem at large, so tell your self sleep will come up with an idea and it will haha I hope better sleep comes your wayand success of stayiong asleep.
deLad.