It takes me too long to fall asleep

[Hierarch777]

For nearly 5 years, I've had trouble falling asleep. It would always take 3-4 hours to enter deep sleep. What would you do about such a problem? 

[Corvid]

Try getting a lamp that emits red light. Apparently that helps to get the brain in a state more suitable for sleep (Monitors mostly emit blue light which has the opposite effect, so turning off your computer a bit earlier might also help).

[Loza03]

28 minutes ago, Corvid said:

Try getting a lamp that emits red light. Apparently that helps to get the brain in a state more suitable for sleep (Monitors mostly emit blue light which has the opposite effect, so turning off your computer a bit earlier might also help).

Following up from this, this is actually because sunrise and sunsets trend towards red light, whilst midday is towards blue (technically, night as well, but there's a great deal less because it's night). If the report in Newscientist I read waaay back is accurate (and my memory is too), then the reason the red and blue lights work is because your body bases its circadian rhythms on the sun - red light means dawn and dusk, blue light means its optimal activity time. Not having it, or replacing it with a constant source of 'day' light causes your perceptions of time and subsequent sleep schedules to get knocked out of order.

As such, it might help if you try turn on the red lamp at the same time each day alongside a more rigid sleep schedule.

[Corvid]

15 minutes ago, Loza03 said:

Following up from this, this is actually because sunrise and sunsets trend towards red light, whilst midday is towards blue (technically, night as well, but there's a great deal less because it's night). If the report in Newscientist I read waaay back is accurate (and my memory is too), then the reason the red and blue lights work is because your body bases its circadian rhythms on the sun - red light means dawn and dusk, blue light means its optimal activity time. Not having it, or replacing it with a constant source of 'day' light causes your perceptions of time and subsequent sleep schedules to get knocked out of order.

As such, it might help if you try turn on the red lamp at the same time each day alongside a more rigid sleep schedule.

I imagined that something like this was the cause, so thank you for the elaboration.

I'll also second your comment regarding a rigid sleep schedule. Constantly changing what times you go to sleep at leaves your body unable to adjust to a proper sleep cycle, which leads to even more sleep deprivation. If possible, try to wake up at a consistent time as well (set an alarm if you must even on days where you don't need to wake up for anything. Consistency is key). This can help force your body into a regular cycle.

[(PSN)Apoleon_amarr]

I watch asmr when i have that problem, sadly im addicted now, cant sleep without watching a video first

[(PSN)guzmantt1977]

11 hours ago, Hierarch777 said:

For nearly 5 years, I've had trouble falling asleep. It would always take 3-4 hours to enter deep sleep. What would you do about such a problem? 

Cut down on light before bed, especially the higher end of the spectrum, and expose yourself to light as soon as you wake up. Use earplugs, personally I prefer foam ones, they allow me to get to a deeper sleep state and remain there, as I'm sensitive to unusual sounds when sleeping and bolt out of bed, and it takes a fairly long time to get back to sleep. Soothing smells may help, that's why lavendar is a common "sleepy time" smell. Don't eat a heavy meal for at least a few hours before hitting the sack. One study suggested a 12-16 hour fast, before eating breakfast to help reset your sleep clock. (Basically figure out when you want to be awake and work backwards 16 hours, let that be your last meal of the day, then once it triggers in your system, swap to a 12 hour fast to let your body keep that time.)

[Surbusken]

Make sure it's pitch black dark.

Lower the temperature, not freezing but coldish.

Do some stretching.

Sleep meditation where you can both focus on telling yourself to relax your muscles and control your breathing, but also have a mental projection or visualiztion that calms you and takes your thoughts off telling yourself "I can't sleep".

If you use the same go to visualizations your brain will get to conditioned to relaxing by association when it sees those images.

You can also buy sleeping tea and cbd, rather than asking your doctor for some hardcore chemical, all natural and even healthy.

[Aldain]

Sadly no matter how much some of us try these things sometimes it is just a constant unavoidable issue.

My mother had trouble sleeping all her life no matter what she tried despite coming from an era long before computers, and now I'm having the same issues despite having a completely different night regimen.

Hell I only just woke up from 5 desperate hours of sleep upon posting this, and I have had nothing but trouble sleeping for the past 5 days. It goes in a cycle with me, sometimes I'll sleep entirely normally (bed at 9-10 pm, wake up at 6-7 am), sometimes I just barely sleep, other times I might sleep for much longer for no reason at all.

I've tried pretty much everything suggested here and none of it has worked, though it might work for the OP still there is just the possibility of being like me and my mother, insomniacs by nature who pretty much sometimes need a heavy duty sleeping pill every now and then.

[BlackAce]

Light workout? It works for me. Rope jump at 6pm everyday for 10 to 20 mins. Or anything that makes you work up a sweat. Try to stay away from sleeping pills. Sometimes it works against you in the long run.

[(PSN)Kakurine2]

I have always have problems falling asleep quickly my whole life. Unless i am exausted it takes at least 1 hr to really fall asleep.

Over the years I've just dealt with it. Thinking up random stuff as i lay there.

Try some of the tricks people think of see what works for you.

[Circle_of_Psi]

Sleeping pills are always helpful, if it gets any worse you MUST go to the hospital as this can be lethal, other then that, I find hot choc/super dark room and shutting off stuff for an hour before bed.