Lights: Switching to light sources/bulbs with lower brightness/warmer light temperature (lower Kelvin/K-value) 3 hours before bed. (Light affects our sleep-wake cycle, aka the circadian rhythm. Our brain processes bright light as “the sun is still up so it’s not time to sleep yet”)
Screens: Gradually dimming electronic screens until bedtime (Computer: using F.lux and lowering the brightness gradually in the graphics card’s control panel. Phone: with a built-in Night/Dark Mode option that you can schedule or by using an app like Twilight). // Don’t take your devices to the bedroom, or keep them far away from the bed and set them on silent/shut them off.
Sleeping in a closed and completely dark room (including covering LED lights on electronics, or using a face mask) with something that makes a white noise.
Food: Having a light meal 3-3.5 hours before bed and light snacks 1.5-2 hours before bed, to not put the body into overdrive digesting a heavy meal or cause heartburn/indigestion, and also to not go to sleep hungry and get distracted by that.
If you sleep on your stomach with your head to the side, you can use a thin and narrow side pillow (but firm) along your torso to support your shoulder on the side that your head is pointing to. (you can also use a thin pillow for your head to not strain your neck/spine - there are ones made for kids if needed)
Working shifts in the aviation industry and living in a city center that can be noisy, my best investment was sleeping earbuds named Bose sleepbuds (v2).
It’s just earbuds that you don’t feel and can sleep on your side without pain, they only play white noises.
Now I’m waiting for the Ozlo Sleep which are basically the v3 of the Bose sleepbuds.
Those things saved my sanity when working night shifts.
My husband has chronic PTSD related insomnia. Since he’s been prescribed cannabis, he’s been able to actually sleep better than with any of the harsh meds he’s been prescribed in the past.
Caveat: He was told it can interfere with REM, which in his case is good since it also helps with the nightmares, but it’s probably not good for regular use by the average person, or so we’ve been told by his provider. Ask your doctor, I guess.
Yoga, exercise, counseling that’s helped him recognize his triggers and practicing self-advocacy. He’s no longer on the other meds he used to take. I can’t remember what they all were called. Trazadone was one, then there was one for nightmares that I can’t remember, and he used to take Adderall for his ADHD.
I leave my phone in a different room, and read on my kindle. Prevents getting caught up in something and it’s easy to just close it when you’re ready to fall asleep.
You should develop an awareness: When are you ready to fall asleep ‘NOW’? This opportunity repeats about every 20 minutes.
Go to bed, then do your thing, whatever you do while waiting for sleep to come (I read a book). If you recognize that you yawn, then stop immediately with everything that you’ve been doing. Lights off, be still and just let it happen.
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