Lumpy’s Sleeping Tips

This really isn’t new information, but this is just kind of some information on ways to help you sleep without a prescription medication. I get asked what I did to try and sleep before I got put on Trazodone, and they help my non-insomniac friends a lot!

1. De-stress before bed.
It’s really hard to sleep if you’re worrying about life, so try to unwind a bit before bedtime. Turn off most electronics, and just sit around listening to calming music for like fifteen minutes before bed. Oh, and smell something good, like your favorite perfume or hand lotion! Studies show that it will help you have better dreams. OuO Taking a hot bath right before bed also helps me to relax and get drowsy.

2. Drink a cup of tea before bed.
Be mindful that it is caffeine free, or a special bedtime blend. Typically you’ll find chamomile is most used in bedtime brews, and I really like the Yogi brand bedtime tea. Warm milk can help as well. My “dessert tea” is 10 ounces of boiling water with two tea bags, let it steep for five minutes, remove tea bags, add 6 ounces of warm milk, and 4 ounces of your favorite kind of liquid coffee creamer; I use Italian sweet cream. Again, be sure to avoid caffeinated teas; black teas are especially high in caffeine unless you specifically buy decaf.

3. Try melatonin.
If the first two steps don’t work, try using melatonin. Natural melatonin is what your brain secretes to control your circadian rhythm, or sleep-wake cycle. You can find melatonin among vitamins at the local drugstore, and I would recommend started with 3mg. Take one about 40 minutes before bed with tea. Putting that extra dose of melatonin should ease your brain to make you want to sleep more than usual. I’m not sure off the top of my head how much is okay to take, but at one point I was taking 10 mg a night. Don’t start at 10 though, you may not need that much.

4. Unisom or other over the counter sleep aids
I have a friend who couldn’t be put on Trazodone or other sleeping medications due to side effects, but was an insomniac. This isn’t advised for everyone, but if you truly cannot sleep even with the prior three hints, you can find sleep aids like Unisom at the local drugstore. Be careful, though. I tried Unisom once a while back, and it really knocks you out fast. Depending on your body weight, it could effect you more or less. So try it first on a weekend to see how it effects you. I wouldn’t recommend taking it every night, but it does help in a pinch. Don’t overuse it though.

5. An irrelevant trick.
When I’m laying down and can’t fall asleep soon enough, I start to list all the names of the people in my grade at school. It’s monotonous and trivial, so it helps me doze off quicker.

I hope this helped! If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about this information, just shoot me an ask. C: