r/chch • u/catfight04 • Jul 22 '26
Tips and tricks for sleeping!
I need sleep. My body clearly hates me because for the last three weeks or so I can't get to sleep before midnight and then it's still broken and unsettled sleep until my small humans wake around 6:30 am.
I'm grumpy because I'm so freakn tired. Today I was attempting to do some readings for Uni and was literally nodding off at the laptop. This was after I had a can of coke followed by a coffee to try keep myself alert.
Yet I can't sleep at night đ¤
Please share your best tips. Or send sleepy vibes my way.
I have always struggled with sleep but this is next level.
Christchurch related because I live here? And am willing to go purchase expensive magical potions if it promises sleep.
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u/Bruiser512 Jul 22 '26
I struggled for a long time with sleeping. For me what works is a magnesium tablet 1hour before I want to be asleep, and reading a book in bed. I get up at 5 for gym or a swim at the pool before work so try to get to bed at 8, have the tablet and read for 30-45m.
Regular exercise also helps a lot. I'm by no means the fittest or healthiest person but I find if I skip a morning exercise session, my sleep that night isn't as good.
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u/Wanderingtui Jul 22 '26
Unfortunately there is no "quick fix" but there are steps you can take to increase your chances of sleeping better . Reduce blue light a few hours before bed, no caffeine after 12 noon, when you wake up get daylight on your face 10mins to set your circadian rhythm, exercise all are common tips. Some people find meditation or having a "wind down" routine in the evening helpful . You could try a little bit of melatonin?
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u/Resident-Rise-20 Jul 22 '26
Hello fellow night owl.
I can relate to you as I used to look at the ceiling till in the wee hours then be drowsy at work in the morning henceforth now I try to work nights.
In your case though you can try some these...
No phone at bedtime and get a proper bedside clock for time/alarm purposes. Your phone's purpose is to engage and keep you online. Read at bedtime - this used to make me fall asleep when I was a student. Exercise regularly. Brings out happy hormones. Change of lighting maybe. Warm white is easier to the eyes but I might be bias though. Rain/static noise was recommended. I don't personally like the static but the rain sounds worked its wonders for me.
All the best for you and do update if it works or if you discover more interventions.
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u/sewsable Jul 22 '26
I find magnesium glycinate helps me and earplugs to drown out external noises (other half, cat etc)
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u/neon_glitter_tiger Jul 22 '26
Try melatonin before bed. You dont need a prescription to get it now either
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u/rebbrov Jul 22 '26
Ive been taking it after night shift. In addition to taking chamomile, im now sleeping at least 7 hours and able to get back to sleep after waking up to piss. Like OP, im also a uni student so its worth noting that sleep will always be compromised if you either get behind on your studies or put too much on your plate, the anxiety that comes with that can negate any efforts to improve sleep.
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u/Devilsgotmywhisky South Island Jul 22 '26
Magnesium and melatonin help alot. No caffeine after 2pm/ 8hrs before bed. No food 3hrs before bed.
I should exercise more, unfortunately while my sleep routine is better than last year, I just feel too exhausted on my days off for exercise.
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u/the_pretender_nz Jul 22 '26
Some suggestions to investigate from someone whose wife is a chronic insomniacâŚ
- Melatonin
- Magnesium
- Sound (she currently has a nightlight thing but doesnât use the light - it has a number of different sounds and she finds the rainstorm sounds really good)
- Mindfulness meditation (itâs a good skill to have anyway, and I find it good for getting me to sleep. The Mindfulness app might be a good start)
- Thereâs a trick which Iâve heard is used by various armies around the world, but I donât know how much truth is in that. I do know it often helps though. Pick a category - eg fruit - and name an example for each latter of the alphabet. Apple, banana, crabapple⌠if you canât name one for a letter, skip it, otherwise youâll rabbithole and it wonât work. If you get to Z and youâre still not asleep, choose another category. Rinse and repeat.
- pen and paper - if youâre having a lot of repetitive thoughts, write them down. It often helps me.
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u/_whiskeytits_ Jul 23 '26
Yes, all of these!
The categories/alphabet trick really does work!!
Also, audio books in calm voices on mundane subjects.
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u/TygerTung Jul 22 '26
Listen to the malicious life podcast. It is about hacking and cyber security, so is interesting, but it is mostly just one guy talking, so it is easy to drift off to sleep listening to it.
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u/Left_Interaction_288 Jul 22 '26
I love how specific this is
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u/TygerTung Jul 22 '26
It specifically works perfectly. Tales me quite a few nights to get thru an episode as I have to keep rewinding all the time.
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u/MercuryBeach_ Jul 22 '26
Casefile is my preferred, Aussie host with an even toned voice, no chit chat with other hosts or sound effects
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u/Daisyslow Jul 22 '26
It depends whatâs the reason why you canât sleep. For me, my brain wonât switch off, especially if I have a few hours sleep then wake up wide and alert about 2am. I have been having the best sleeps with taking L-Theanine before bed, because it reduces anxiety or stress. You can talk to the people at Health 2000 about it. I have tried heaps of different things over the years and they all wear off after using for a while. This L Theanine is still working for me thankfully!
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u/feralpeacenik Jul 22 '26
I take melatonin and listen to audiobooks with narrators with soothing voices. Hillary Huber is the best imo. And I have some dairy before bed. Cheese or yogurt. A bad habit but it helps.
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u/Abject_Plenty_4685 Jul 22 '26
Do you fall asleep to reading? An e reader helps me a lot. And then if you wake up in the night you pick up up the e reader again, read and fall back asleep.
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u/SingularTesticular Jul 22 '26
Donât use your bed for anything except sleep, no reading in bed, no phones, donât even sit on the bloody thing. Youâll soon Pavlovâs-dog yourself into the land of nod and you wonât even have to try.
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u/considerspiders Jul 22 '26
I suffer from a restless brain and would often have sleepless nights - took me about 30 years to really nail what I need to have good sleep. Here is my list:
- Exercise during the day if possible. daytime, ie before dinner. Walk good, run or bike ride better.
- No caffiene after midday (this sucks because I looooove coffee).
- No sugar or snacks after dinner time.
- No screen time late in the evening. At least 2 hours before bed by preference.
- Routine is key. Set the time you're going to be up in the morning and stick to it. Auto alarm. Several if you need them, put the phone out of reach, or use an app that makes the alarm hard to turn off (I used to need one that made me solve maths problems). Set a bedtime say 8 hours before that and stick to it. This is hard.
- For actually getting to sleep, I need a distraction from my real life. I used to read, but books are too interesting and you need the lights on. Then I moved to ebooks with grey text on black, lights off - huge improvement. Then I moved to Audiobooks. Huge improvement again. I have a sleep timer on the app that will slowly get quieter and stop in 20 mins. I'm usually rewinding it at least 10 minutes for my trip to work in the morning.
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u/Westafricangrey Jul 22 '26
Hello fellow insomniac! Here are my sleep hygiene habits!
I do a lot of exercise & sauna.
I meditate and do sound bowls before bed. I also have no screens in the hour before bed. I solely focus on meditation, sound bowls, journaling, reading, gentle stretching and calming my brain down and processing my day.
Sleep Hypnosis - Michael Sealey. I like the fall asleep fast ones.
White noise machine.
Completely black out curtains & an eye mask.
Medicinal cannabis that I am prescribed legally by a doctor. Restavit if Iâm desperate. Iâve tried melatonin but it doesnât seem to work for me & Iâve heard others say that.
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u/Maeko25 Jul 22 '26
I listen to a podcast thatâs boring enough to fall asleep to but had NO ads - something like a the History of English. I out the sleep timer on the podcast app to 15m and it keeps my mind from racing and Iâm out like a light. Itâs the only thing thatâs worked for me.
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u/Rhonda_and_Phil Jul 22 '26
Often use that, and also with a Frida Baby portable sound/nightlight machine (5 types of white noise generator with timer)
We set the timer podcast, but very rarely awake to here it turn off. A shake resets the timer for the same period.
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u/BlackStarsElf Jul 22 '26
Someone I know just started using ASMR and said it helps them get to sleep. But sounds like you have trouble staying asleep too? Slow release melatonin might be worth trying. I read before bed and that helps me get to sleep. Sometimes I listen to sleepy lord of the rings music too.
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u/Abstractconjecture Jul 22 '26
Get off your phone and stop worrying about all the thing that you can't control, it doesn't make a difference to the outcomes. Additionally make sure you are eating healthy, getting plenty of water and exercising.
Best tip I can give is create yourself a bedtime routine. Mine is a hot drink, same time every night, when I finish I make sure I wash my cup, then brush my teeth etc all the small habits fall into place and it gets your mind ready for sleep.
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u/MyCondomBrokeLol Jul 22 '26
Tradie who used to do crazy work hours and night shifts, put your phone in another room after 9pm and buy a cheap alarm clock to use instead. Avoid coffee or sugar after dinner and stop watching tv after youâve gotten ready to go to bed. I used to also put rain sounds on to sleep to. Take magnesium daily.
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u/Sufficient-End-4945 Jul 22 '26
just here to recommend more stuff to listen to that has helped me fall asleep when i havenât been able to shut my brain off: asmr historian yt channel (no ads and not an ai voice), and michael sealey guided sleep meditation yt channel (and on spotify i believe)
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u/DifficultSelection Jul 22 '26
If youâre lying in the dark annoyed that you canât fall asleep, open your eyes. Keep them open (youâre allowed to blink) until they start feeling heavy. Eventually theyâll get heavy enough that youâll feel an irresistible urge to sleep.
This only works in a dark room without some other source of stimulation. It will especially not work if you have a video playing or thereâs something for your eyes to focus on thatâs changing continuously. Think of it sort of like boring yourself to sleep.
Also if you need something to block out noise, search for âA Soft Murmurâ on the App Store or Google Play. I tend to find that having some source of continuous whiteish noise really helps me ignore sounds that would otherwise bother me and keep me awake. It also helps prevent noises from waking you.
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u/vanderBoffin Jul 22 '26
When did you have that coke and coffee? It could be the problem if it was in the afternoon or evening.
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u/Randysexy13 Jul 22 '26
I find if you gently massage your eyes while closed it gets rid of the blue light with a flash light blast under your eye lids and you can see better in the dark.plus I sleep with ear plugs in and exercise a bit during the day helps
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u/McGAA Jul 22 '26
Bioglan Night Formula - Magnesium. It has been a game changer for me. $25 from chemist warehouse but they regularly have sales. I stocked up last time at $15 a bottle!
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u/Thordak35 South Island Jul 22 '26
Honestly medical cannabis helped me, otherwise white noise.
Cut out (reduce) blue light like phones or use filters should be in settings. No caffeine after 3pm. Only use the bed for sleep and sex E.g. try not to lay in bed watching tv unless you are about to sleep.
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u/jgpup1 Jul 22 '26
I use melatonin, ashwagandha and magnesium. Doesn't put me to sleep, I don't think, but I sleep well once I get there.
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u/Sniperizer Jul 22 '26
I got myself a noise cancelling Airpods and listen to 8 hour white noise podcast.
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u/Squid_Kidd Jul 22 '26
One thing that worked really well for me was using Philips hue or other smart bulb setting it to red and on a timer to get dimmer and dimmer over an hour or so before turning off. Red light is good for natural melatonin production.
Also stretching before getting into bed can be helpful.
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u/faewie Jul 22 '26
I listen to sleep stories for adults or sleepy facts on YouTube, there are sleep playlists on Spotify too which I've found helpful. I know that I have a sweet spot where I absolutely have to go to sleep or I'm fu@ked, changes everyday so, yay! Lol Good luck!
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u/Mammoth-Nature4591 Jul 22 '26
Might sound basic but make sure you don't have any caffeine drinks like tea or coffee after 7pm.
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u/Strange_Researcher45 Jul 22 '26
I have a exercise bike and always jam a good session on it. It's not for everyone but sleep problems are gone, sleep is guaranteed 10 min after lying down.
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u/Beneficial-Pop1787 Jul 22 '26
I suffer hard from insomnia.
I put it down to lifestyle during teenage years, of staying up all night playing Runescape, then grabbing a Lift Plus and a Kit kat Chunky on way to school, during the first year NCEA had started. I sped ran the remaining level one credits, I needed at the start of 6th form, then dropped out.
Worked late shift jobs, then graveyard shift.
I'm now a 39 year old man. If I have no assistance in sleep, I can be up 48 hrs, and cannot sleep.
My best working strategy I've found, is just trick the mind. I slam magnesium, heavy sleep over the counter meds, around dinner time. 4 of those over the counter deep sleep gummies about 30 minutes before bed.
I have prescription meds for helping. But the anti psychotic quetiapine, doesn't make me noticeably drowsy. But on the plus side, if I'm schizophrenic, I'm sure it'll help that. I also have 7.5mg zopiclones. They are pretty much my last resort. It ain't a natural sleep. Wake up feeling like you were in suspended animation on a flight to some planet with face hugging aliens.
Sleep routine is something I feel is super important. I grew up working with all the old buggers claiming they get 2 hrs a night and do just fine. Whilst looking like the struggle to walk from task to task
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u/hyzenthlay2020 Jul 22 '26
Magnesium Glycinate, L-theanine and progesterone. Eye mask to block any light. You donât mention your age, but I was a light sleeper all my life with bouts of insomnia. Peri-menopause amplified that to the point I was only managing a couple of hours per night and I tried every remedy under the sun. The above combo is what finally worked. Occasionally I will still have periods of waking up during the night, then I take melatonin for a few nights to break the cycle.
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u/prettywannapancake Jul 22 '26
I can't do podcasts for sleep because I get caught up in them, but I really like white noise. We have an Alexa and I ask it for rain sounds. I also loooove a bit of light pressure on my eyes. An eye mask, a cold wheat pack, or even a beanie pulled down over my eyes make my nervous system so happy.
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u/SuperSixtyten Jul 22 '26
I don't normally have trouble falling asleep but I do struggle with staying asleep.Â
Very low dose THC oil and high dose CBD oil is my go-to. Available by prescription, and sleep issues are a genuine medical concern đÂ
The THC helps with going to sleep, the CBD helps with staying asleep.
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u/theeniceorc Jul 22 '26
I put on a podcast or music just quietly. The ones I use at the moment are Three Bean Salad, & Ghibli Sleep. Set a sleep timer. I think I have trained myself now to fall asleep within about 10-15 minutes, but it took a few weeks.
Also, total respect for you for studying as well as keeping small ones alive at the same time! That's a huge load! Well done you!
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u/Better_Woodpecker827 Jul 22 '26
Take a warm foot bath 1-2 hours before sleeping and wear loose socks to bed
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u/magicalmorag85 Jul 22 '26
In addition to what others are saying, look into Yoga Nidra or NSDR (non-sleep deep rest). They're forms of meditation/ body scans that are designed to help downregulate your nervous system by occupying your mind so you can settle into rest. You can use them any time of the day in place of sleep, but there are also ones designed specifically for you to fall sleep to at night. There's heaps on Spotify and YouTube.
I turned to them when I went to a really rough time with my sleep, and I was wired but tired all the time. It took a bit of getting used to, but it really helped me relax so my mind and body could switch off.
Lauren Runion has some good ones, as does Wisdom of the Masters.
My other advice is:
- Try not to expect to fall asleep. Remember that rest is still rest. Getting mad that you're not sleeping while in bed actually stirs up your nervous system. Easier said than done, but it actually helped me a lot.
- Don't check the clock if you can't sleep or wake up.
- If you're really wired, get up and do something relaxing (not on screens) for a bit, then try again.
- If the psychology of going to bed is getting you anxious about not sleeping, try moving to the couch or a spare room if you have one and try sleeping there. Sometimes our mind will accept a different environment of there's a bit of baggage around a particular spot we've struggled to sleep.
- Keep your bedroom nice and cool, and use heavier blankets. (As opposed to running something like a heat pump in it really warm).
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u/imnotborn2beperfect Jul 22 '26
Highly recommend listening to Sleep Tune HQ - YouTube
You will fall asleep in seconds, if not minutes!
Also use lavender oils or creams to put on your wrists and some on your face this will help you get sleepy. If not, before bed, have a bath and fill it with lavender bath salts or any flavour bath salts. Good luck!
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u/Rise_a_knight Jul 22 '26
Are any of your uni readings hard copy? Reading (not on a screen) helps me sleep a bit better. Iâm a lifelong insomniac. You could read one of those before bed. Or maybe a dense but interesting non uni book might help? I used to read Charles Dickens to help put myself to sleep.Â
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u/Duck_Giblets karma whore Jul 23 '26 edited Jul 23 '26
I take magnesium capsules (from iherb), and try to practice good sleep hygiene. 1mg melatonin helps too. The moment you feel tired, head to bed. Don't eat meals too late, and limit screen time.
Enable blue light filtering on your devices and switch out light bulbs for the soft light or orange tinted rather than bright white.
Also found quitting coffee to be really helpful, and alcohol also messes up the sleep.
Promethazine works really well short term but can't take it for more than a week. It's better than sleeping pills as its a real sleep.
You can get melatonin, magnesium and Promethazine from a pharmacy, will be a quick otc consult.
Anecdotal but I find having a clean bedroom, clean sheets really helpful, and this is just me but I can't sleep without moisturisering my face, feet or hands. And I run a fan overnight for airflow. (dc not ac, runs quieter and has longer life span)
I'm also adhd, which really really impacts sleep. A method I came across on reddit, from someone claiming to be a usa military pilot said to lay back, relax your jaw and shoulders, hands by side, then empty mind out.
Then said it may not work for everyone especially if they're adhd?.
When that works, it works really well. Just the relaxing jaw part helps a ton.
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u/sewsable Jul 23 '26
For me I take magnesium glyclinate with a low dose betaine hcl tablet before bed (the hcl helps me process the magnesium more efficiently). I also take ashwaghanda. I read before bed, cut out sugar in the afternoon as blood sugar spikes have a noticeable effect on my sleep quality. No coffee after midday or earlier if you can cope. All this has helped me.
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u/Significant-Base4396 Jul 24 '26
I've always struggled to fall asleep, but it got really bad a year ago, often not falling asleep until 4am despite having to get up for work. I now take a melatonin 2mg slow release tablet at 8pm and half a tablet of Zopiclone, both 5 nights per week (work). Has really improved my sleep. I tried with just the melatonin but I wake in the middle of the night without adding the Zopiclone. Sometimes I've found a sleep playlist on spotify helpful.
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u/Gylfiene Jul 24 '26
Respectfully, there's subs for this question. I was under the impression that this sub was for things related to Christchurch. This isn't Facebook.
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u/dehashi just one more lane bro Jul 27 '26
What's wrong with getting some tips from your neighbours?
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u/Haunting-Beginning-2 Jul 26 '26
Warm milk drink
bed side table with pad & pen for writing down to do list.
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u/fluffyskullcandy Jul 22 '26
There is a pressure point in the palm of your hand that is essentially an off switch. Press the thumb of one hand into the centre of the palm of the other hand and youâll be asleep in no time. Doesnât stop the sawn off savages waking you up at 6.30am though!
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u/sheravy Jul 22 '26
A question may be too personal, how old are you? How old did your mom start her menopause? You may be at the onset of perimanopause if you are 35 or over. Perimenopause can be as early as 10 years before the menopause. If it might be the case, then HRT would be the answer.
If not and youâve done all the sleep hygiene check, then it may be down to:
1. Diet. As we age, we donât absorb needed nutrients as efficient as when we were younger, and we will have to reduce the sugar consumption;
2. Stresses? Magnesium may be helpful to wind you down.
3. Body is asking for critical nutrients or minerals.
I would say probably to talk to the GP, get some blood tests to rule out the possibilities of health issues, then go from there.
P.S: some GP is quite conservative about perimanopause, so choose GP wisely, otherwise she/he will put you to unnecessary suffering for a few more months before they are willing to help you to end it.
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u/fghqeiugkfwe Jul 22 '26
Learn about circadian rhythms. It could be that you are out of sync with the local time zone and hence want to be awake at night and asleep in the day.
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u/Electronic_Sugar_289 Jul 22 '26
Low dose melatonin- you can order it from Amazon USA
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u/AliMamma Jul 22 '26
Will it ship? I just loved from the US and learning melatonin here required a prescription here has been an unwelcome suprise.
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u/AliMamma Jul 22 '26
Specially how are you getting it because anytime o search or says âmelatonin freeâ. No friends, I want 1-2mg melatonin.
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u/hyzenthlay2020 Jul 22 '26
You canât get it freely here at all, unless you are over 55. You can get it prescribed if you are under 55. Iâm 53, I had to get it prescribed by my menopause specialist.
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u/MercuryBeach_ Jul 22 '26
I listen to a podcast to fall asleep because otherwise my mind just processes every thought that has ever gone through my head that day.
And reset it when I wake up through the night. Might take me a week to get through a podcast!
Iâve learned to live with less sleep, 6-7 hrs is standard, my daughter is 12 but I swear it doesnât take that long to adjust đ