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• January 2, 2010 8:17 p.m.

  I've been informed about the effectiveness of premidnight sleep. Apparently, research shows that every hour of sleep prior to 12 P. M. is equivalent to 2 hours of sleep after midnight. Prior to the advent of electricity, people used to go go sleep earlier because there was no light available. Since the advent of the electric lightbulb there has been a tendency to delay sleep hours. I've had major sleep disorder which has been corrected by taking whole B vitamin supplements to increase levels of serotonin plus supplements containing blends of whole food amino acids. I now enjoy a full eight hours of sleep each night. It is such a blessing. Barbara A. "Cry Depression, Celebrate Recovery

  - BArbara A

• December 10, 2008 1:42 a.m.

  Warm bath, warm bath, warm bath. Sometimes I doze off in the tub. Classical music. Lavender spray on the pillow. Super cozy pajamas and bed socks. Hot water bottle on cold nights. I am an RN and have worked rotating shifts for 28 years. I do not have trouble sleeping. But I also exercise religiously 5-6 days per week.

  - Ah, I love to sleep.

• November 23, 2008 11:46 p.m.

  Here's a routine based on prog. muscle relaxation, which I've modified a bit.You'll be surprised the in a.m.at how well it works, better every nite.THE KEY TO SUCCESS is slowly whispering the words in a droning voice OUT LOUD - if you're not being distracted by the quiet noise of the words, you may start with the phrases but find yourself thinking your regular "awake" thoughts a few minutes later.Start by getting into a comfy sleep position.Do a quick check that neck,hands,etc.are relaxed(if you sleep on your side,using a pillow between your legs as pregnant women do can be a really good position as it lets the body from chest down to thighs be supportedso arms & legs don't have to have muscles tensed to support the body. Start by tensing your whole body like a big fist, then totally relax.Say the following phrases over and over;if you find you're mixing up words don't let yourself worry as if you start correcting yourself you wake your brain from the sleep-inducing monotonous rhythm of your voice.Slowly tense, then release the muscles in: left foot, right foot,l. calf,r.calf,l.knee, r.knee,etc.Tense/relax each thigh,your abdomen,lower back,shoulders,neck,head, jaw muscles,hands.Whispering slowly aloud, start with 'my feet are soo heavy, soo relaxed,soo comfortable&warm, all the muscles are soo heavy, heavy as bricks',and saying the same type of words slowly progress up body.No wrong way to do it, use whatever words/ideas you want, if it doesn't work keep do

  - Natasha

• November 23, 2008 8:09 a.m.

  Keep in mind the outcomes of a "good" sleeping night helps with: stress management, decision making, management of yourself, physiological fonctions.

  - Lemtouni

• November 19, 2008 1:29 p.m.

  It all comes back to the mind-body connection. The body may be tired but our minds keep us awake. Trying to relax them both takes effort. Write down your worries or issues and plan to deal with them in the morning. Meditation in whatever form you choice is helpful.

  - Diane

• November 19, 2008 11:51 a.m.

  Did I miss something in the third paragraph? When the clock is set back an hour in the autumn, we are returning to Standard Time or Sun Time. This is when the highest point of the sun in the sky is at twelve noon (HIgh Noon). In the spring, when we advance the clock for Daylight Saving Time, we are rushing ahead in the day, getting ahead of the sun, and it is already one o'clock in the afternoon by the time the sun reaches its high point. Our anchor point for the day has suddenly shifted. I find Daylight Saving Time to be stressful both physically and psychologically in both short and long term. I hate having my sleep patterns disturbed and feeling rushed and harried during the day. The pacing of the day and the slow flowing of the seasons is disturbed. Fatigue, and all that goes with it, is the price many of us pay. (My pet bird gets cranky too.)

  - Judith

• November 19, 2008 11:11 a.m.

  In my case, not drinking tea, coffee or any drink with caffeine after midday helps.

  - Carol

• November 19, 2008 5:59 a.m.

  Fortunately my blood pressure medicine means I go to sleep at once, but I typically wake up at 4:00 a.m. and then the cat thinks it is time to frolic and I have to get up to go to the bathroom and before you know it its too late to go back to bed! In the past when I couldnt sleep, I turned on some classical music such as Bach, which is very rhythmic and does relax me plus drown out my racing thoughts (not thoughts about racing, which I actually enjoy). Nowadays I pray the Rosary and the repetitive prayers frequently send me off to sleep. Plus it pleases Our Lady which sometimes helps too.

  - Appleby Mennym

• November 18, 2008 6:36 p.m.

  For when your mind is racing and won't stop: turn on the radio a little too low to hear comfortably. Turn on talk radio where the discussion is about aliens from outer space, ESP skills, advice for problems. Shut your eyes but keep eyes looking up under the closed lids(tiring). If you're lucky you'll hear only half of the first caller and then you'll be sound asleep. Works for me. You must focus on the voices to get away from your own thoughts.

  - Peggy

• November 18, 2008 3:49 p.m.

  If I wake up and watch TV, I am more wide awake. Reading is a great alternative to watching TV and can be a relaxing way to fall asleep. Tossing and turning can be frustrating, so try reading and then going back to sleep.

  - Anne

• November 13, 2008 12:47 p.m.

  this is the first time I am reading this site. Some of these ideas are great. I always end up on the couch and wake up to the tv on. I am 53 and I am taking tamoxifin, the hot flashes keep me up to where I go in the shower to cool off. then when I get out I am still hot to 10 mins later I am freezing.I go back under all the covers as soon as my body heats up I am so unconfortable I cant. sleep. So I will try some of the suggestions I have read here today. thank you Pamela

  - pamela

• November 13, 2008 11:03 a.m.

  One big thing that works for me .. i never pray for my problems ,just prayers for my thankfulness at bed time .. first tell God 3 things that happen in the day and only that day that made you very happy .or more if you want .. and say Thank you and then start and list names of people you want God to care for ..don`t tell what they need caring for ,God knows. and you will fall asleep before you get through your list . works for me ..

  - Shirl

• November 13, 2008 10:55 a.m.

  Bruce from MN I believe has the best solutions plus others who mentioned cool, darkened rooms, quiet time before bed and getting into a bedtime ritual that signals the body, mind and soul it is time to replenish and mend our bodies, hearts and spirits.

  - Christine

• November 13, 2008 10:23 a.m.

  Yes to all of the prior suggestions and also it helps to say your prayers and tell God how thankful you are for all of your blessings--name them, say thank you and mean it. A clear conscience is one of the best sleep aids I can think of. Examine what is happening in your life, how you are conducting yourself, your relationships at home and at work. Are you behaving morally and ethically? How are you treating other people? Are you always putting yourself first? How about doing for others the way you would like to be treated? Try it, it helps because the good we do for others comes back to us and it makes us feel great! Lights out

  - Bruce, MN

• November 12, 2008 11:25 a.m.

  I agree with no TV, a cool room, darkness and meditative reading. If you are married, making love tops them all. It guarantees a good night's sleep... and makes you look younger. If I cannot fall asleep, I just turn to my husband, even if I have to wake him up!(He really doesn't mind.)

  - Jesse

• November 12, 2008 8:07 a.m.

  I have had a kidney transplant for thirty years and rest is a key item in my wellness program. I had our bedroom drapes lined with a material that totally shuts light out. We cool our room down in the evening, either by opening the windows a bit or using the ceiling fan, and air conditioning. We buy new pillows regularly. We do not have a TV in our bedroom, and do not watch the stressful late news, because we go to bed early! We keep our lights low on dimmers, and once in bed have time for personal prayers/meditation which helps us put closure on the day. I go through a mental list of all that I am grateful for, a real stress buster.

  - Kathryn

• November 11, 2008 9:06 p.m.

  I liked Alan's suggestion to wear sunglasses to help brain wind down. I'm going to try it. That would work particularly well in summer when it's still sunlight at bedtime. To create low lighting at night, I draped inexpensive miniature tree lights and/or small lamps in each room - just enough light to walk around safely, but dim enough to be relaxing (even on the kitchen and bathroom counters). I also use 'fake' battery powered candles, which are safer than real ones, especially if you fall asleep or have a pet. I use a ceiling fan and white noise machine (Brookstone) to drown out noise and provide a soft 'hum' background. I wear earplugs too if necessary. I have a chronic illness that defies sleep, but learned in Pain Management Class that taking deep, slow breaths in and out, is like a switch for central nervous system, telling it to start'slow down' process. When I get in bed, I do 3 of these breaths as a habit, training my brain to recognize that it's 'nighty-night' time. Sometimes it takes a lot more breaths. My Dad died a month ago and and I was really stressed, staying at his house. It took a lot of breaths each night before the chest tightness released and I could get a complete breath. Also, no TV or computer, no phone calls, or lively conversations, no cliff-hanger books, within an hour of bedtime. I take low dose antihistimine 10mg, and wear an eye mask (Walmart). A daily walk helps too. All works together and is called a sleep plan. Make your own!

  - Shelly

• November 11, 2008 8:29 p.m.

  I am the co-author of an exercise book that says the opposite of the usual, which is that exercise before going to bed keeps you awake. I have found exercising before bed time is very helpful in getting a good night's sleep. Just before finishing the writing of the book the New York Times did a story abour new research that showed that exercise before bed could be very helpful in improving sleep. I find that even when I wake in the middle of the night, perhaps with repetitive thoughts that I cannot shake, I do the exercises in bed and it has a calming effect on my mind, relieves body stress and I soon find myself back asleep. Counting the movements of each exercise (I do a number of repetititons of each one) is like a mantra and that may be a reason it is so calming. At any rate, if you are having difficulty getting to sleep, or staying asleep, I suggest experimenting with exercise before going to bed and see what effect it has.

  - Ted

• November 11, 2008 4:44 p.m.

  As a 77 year old caregiver for my husband of 83, I am constantly overwhelmed by all that I must do. I recently got a home health aide, but when she is here I find the time I spend outside the home is spent on errands,food shoping,doctor's visit etc. Time for myself just doesn't seem to happen.I usually have to be home for his nurse's visits( he has open wounds that must be dressed everyday,so that by the time I can get out, there is a time element for the cost of the aide.I know that I must care for myself, in fact today I fell and worried more about who would take over for me if I had to be limited in any way.I know what I'm supposed to do for mayself, but it never seems to work out in my favor, Alan's suggestions are great but not when you have many situations to deal with just before bed.

  - Janet

• November 11, 2008 4:17 p.m.

  Here is a checklist of some practices that may be helpful to getting a good night's sleep: 1. No television in the bedroom, or viewing the late night news. 2. No bright lights for at least an hour before bedtime. Even wear sunglasses indoors to get your brain winding down (doing so may get a few laughs, though). 3. Consider reading something devotional, really any spriritual tradition can be used as long as it's meaningful to you. Spiritual (not necessarily religious) practice can give you a sense of perspective at the end of each day. It's easy enough to make proverbial mountains from molehills. Perspective can shrink problems down to more manageable, reali size. 4. Consider taking a warm bath or shower before bedtime to relax your muscles. 5. Refrain from eating or exercise (except stretching perhaps) within say 3 hours of bedtime. 6. Avoid alcohol before bedtime. While it acts as a central nervous system depressant, using it too close to bedtime can cause rebound anxiety. 7. Make sure sleeping quarters are dark, quiet or running some white noise, and perhaps even a little on the cool side. 8. Invest in a good mattress. I find that incorporating some of these practices, as in a predictable wind-down routine, to be helpful in getting a good night's sleep. Over time, as you progress through a wind-down "ritual," you can condition body and mind to automatically migrate to a more relaxed state. Good luck.

  - Alan

• November 11, 2008 2:22 p.m.

  Jan, what helps me is meditation. I started doing it after I read, many, many years ago, "The Relaxation Response" By Dr Benson. It is not "woo-woo" at all. Most of the book is case studies and history, the method takes up about a page or two as I remember. http://hrop.ucop.edu/employees/eap/relaxation.html is a link to the UC summary of the method for their employees.

  - Robert

• November 11, 2008 1:19 p.m.

  The biggest roadblock to a good night's sleep is turning off the mind & not re-living the day's events, worrying about work, meeting deadlines, the economy, etc. Watching my 401K sink like a stone doesn't help much either. I wish the brain had an off/on switch.....any ideas to help would be welcome

  - Jan