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Tired but Cannot Sleep? – How to End Sleeplessness Once and for All
Me: (to myself) I really need to sleep, I have to wake up early tomorrow morning. I don't believe it's already 2:21am. I am only going to get 3.6 hours of sleep…
(more time passes)
Me: (to myself) Why can't I sleep? I am tired. I did all the right things. Lights were dim, didn't have any caffeine, didn't do anything active in the last 3 hours … oh wow, it's already 3:11 am. How am I going to function tomorrow…
Usually I go to bed when I can barely keep my eyes open but when I have something important to wake up for the next day and want to go to sleep early, I always find it hard to fall asleep.
It is frustrating. The more I want to sleep, the more awake I become.
I used to get up from bed and try to do some work. I know it is not good to stimulate the mind when you are trying to sleep but it seemed like a waste of time to just lie in bed awake. I would work until my eyes became heavy and then go to bed. The next morning I would have a hard time waking up and be easily distracted all day. It was becoming a barrier in my life (click here to read The Three Reasons Why You Should Sleep More) and to my success (click here to read How to Sleep Your Way to Success).
Luckily for me (and you), I found a technique that has worked very well to help me sleep. It is easy and effective and you don't need to buy anything special. The great thing is that this technique is still good even if you don't fall asleep.
Still interested? Keep reading …
If you have no problems sleeping, feel free to scroll down to the comments section and share your own tips.
For the rest of you who are still reading so you can get to bed, here is what you can to do to fall asleep faster:
1. Goto bed and lie down on your back with your arms at your sides
2. Be fully aware of your breathing (in and out). Notice your abs moving up and down with your breath.
3. Once you are aware of your breath, pay attention to a part of your body when breathing in and relax that part when you breathe out. Start from the top of your body and repeat the process of awareness then relaxation for each body part all the way to the bottom (head -> eyes -> nose -> mouth -> shoulders -> chest -> stomach -> thighs -> calves -> feet -> toes).
I usually fall asleep fairly quickly. I don't remember ever going past the shoulder.
This deep relaxation exercise helps to keep my mind from wandering and at the same time serves to relax my body. I use it all the time now and it works. The next time you can't fall asleep, relax deeply by being mindful and then letting go of each part of your body.
This method is so effective that I almost fell asleep writing this article.
I'm not kidding.
(For those of you still having trouble sleeping, you may want to try these 15 tips. You can also read this)
Robert Chen
Robert Chen is the founder of Embrace Possibility and author of The Dreams to Reality Fieldbook. He helps people who feel stuck move forward by guiding them to see other possibilities for their lives. He specializes in working with high performers get to the next level. If you're going through a tough time right now, check out Robert's article on How to Feel Better Right Away and if you're having trouble getting what you want out of life, check out How to Always Achieve Your Goals.
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319 Responses to Tired but Cannot Sleep? – How to End Sleeplessness Once and for All
Sleep Apnea Solutions says:
We have to sleep minimum 8 hours,so we can doing our work better whole day.
You're right. Without enough sleep you aren't really productive even though you are awake.
Martzia says:
Hey. Im a 12 year old female and I need help sleeping. I will try this method put, but I have tried many and they didnt work so well. My parents told me to go to bed at 8:30 and I said I would. I lied because I never sleep that early and usually fall asleep around 10 or 11:00pm. Its just my normal sleeping time and my body seems to have no problem with it. I make sure to get at least 7 hours of sleep and I dont watch television like average tweens do. I actually hate tv and only take a glimpse when I eat. Its 12:58am and I have to wake up at 5:15! Only about 4 hours of sleep urgggg. This occasionally happens and I guess imbused tonit but I heard lack of sleep gives you some death risks and heat attacks… whatnot. Anyways I really need a reply from you because I would like to start a conversation about this. I dont drink my coffee before bed and I usually dont. I try not to anyways since im constipated and it messes with my bowel system. Dont ask lol. Luckily I have not had any poopie attacks ( when I get real bad pain in my stomach and it end up being manure. Usually happens on long trips when im really excited or nervous) anyways enpugh blabber about my constipation and about my sleep. I hope you can help necause I know its not healthy to get few hours of sleep. Got school tomorrow ( uhg middle school) and I have to get up way early. Hope you can help
– Shorty * My nick name *
Hi Shorty,
I'm sorry to hear about your sleeping woes – sleep is important for your health. Outside of this method, I haven't tried any others. You may want to read through the comments if you haven't already to see if there are any tips from other readers that might help. Sometimes putting pressure on yourself to sleep may also cause you to stay awake. Hopefully this technique will help take your mind off of that.
taytaydrama says:
Thats not bad. Im 12 and i havnt slept in a day and its already 5am and I have school in 3 hours. The last time i has a week od good sleep i mustve been 6
Claudia O'Sullivan says:
Hello my name is Claudia and I am 13,
I am struggling to get to sleep at night and I am scared and shaking like crazy in my legs.
I thought I had anxiety and my mum and I did some research about anxiety normally read a book till 9pm (i normally go to bed at 8pm but it depends on if im tired or not) get to sleep at almost 10pm. Whenever I go and say good night to my mum and dad and they say good night to me I start to freak out! I start to cry in front of my parents and cry. Cry randomly. I never cry cause I was built up to be strong. My parents ask me what's wrong and I say I don't know why and they say not to be silly and go to bed. I go to bed eventually and I wake up at 4:00 am I'm the morning I start to cry and my dog comes and comforts me. But after that I just can't!! But a few weeks after I change my bed around to the other side of the wall a d get to sleep fine. I change it back the next few days and it today and last night I still can't get to sleep. If you are a doctor do you think I DO have anxiety?!
Thanks for helping! If u can!
Yours truly. . . .
Claudia O'Sullivan (u can call me claudz for short)
Hi Claudia – I'm sorry to hear about your troubles sleeping. Thank you for sharing your story. Since I'm not a doctor, I really won't be able to comment beyond the technique you read in this article. You might want to share this with your doctor and see what he or she says. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.
Grace says:
Is it okay if I stay awake 24 hours and then I will be so tired that I will fall asleep early that night and then my sleeping pattern will be back to normal?
Grace – that might be a question for your doctor since I'm not sure what the short or long term implications are for staying awake 24 hours. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful
olivia says:
Hi I'm 10 and almost 11…its 2:00 am and i still haven't fallen asleep!! I feel so tired but yet every time i lay down, i cant fall asleep. I tried lots and lots of different kinds of methods but none of them have worked. I'm so tired and I need help. Please reply and help me! -Livy (my nickname)
Hi Livy, there are two links at the end of the article with additional resources that might help. Beyond this article and the information in the comments section, I don't have any other suggestions. Hopefully your sleep schedule gets back to normal.
JJ says:
It's 2:08 a.m. and I have to wake up for school at 6. I don't get proper sleep ever. I've kept track and the past 5 nights I've gotten 6 hours, 4 hours, 2hours, 1 hour and 3 hours. I'm just sick of walking around school like I'm drunk. My grades are bad because of that to. Last year I was a straight A student. This year I'm a straight D student.
JJ – sorry to hear about your sleep schedule. Lack of sleep definitely impacts performance. Have you had a chance to try the relaxation technique in the article?
Maddy says:
I am 12 years old and it is 5am I haven't slept yet I don't want to and I can't help me
Yanish says:
I lie down to bed around 10 o clock but my my eyes get open after 2 or 2:30 hours of sleep then I didnt get sleep and sometimes I even dont get 2 or 3 hours of sleep all the night plz….help me ………
Hi Yanish – if the technique in the article didn't work, you might want to try tips from the links at the bottom of the article
sara lee says:
OMG, i have the hardest time sleeping but i have just come across a new thing called 5 stage sleep shot, its natural and work like crazy, i drink the lil shot bottle and within like 30 minutes im groggy and go to sleep and stay alseep until the damn alarm goes off…look it up it helped me i hope it helps u 2.
I'm not a big fan of depending on external methods for going to sleep. I do find breathing techniques to be very helpful.
Jamss says:
I just bought 3 of them haven't even tried them yet hope they work!!!
Camila says:
I am actually lying in bed right now. I've been trying to fall asleep for the last hour and a half and I was getting desperate so I googled tips to help me.
It really surprised me to find this technique because I thought only a few people knew it! My grandma taught it to me several years when I was staying with her at her country house and couldn't sleep because I missed my parents. I often use it though sometimes it's hard to concentrate on it, but tonight I'll have to try! Goodnight and thank you
Hi Camila,
Your grandma must have been very wise. It's an excellent technique that is easy to apply. I'm glad you found it helpful. I had a hard time concentrating at first but I've found it helpful to focus on my breathing and the sensation of each part of my body sinking into the bed each time I exhale. Let me know how it goes.
Jarod Billingslea says:
The slower you breath, the less hours of quality sleep you need also. I went to sleep this morning at 4:40am, and woke up at 9:50 full of energy, and I've been doing this for the past 5 days since I discovered less inhales and exhales per minute greatly influences the quality of sleep. Only thing I can say about this though is that it's a bit annoying since you might wake up earlier than expect and try to go back to sleep to get another hour in (just to make sure you're well rested). It works though. Can't remember what video on youtube taught me though, but it's true and it has a lot to do with the sleep stages, meditation, and especially breathing itself.
Jarod Billingslea says:
Also another thing is you might want to power nap for 20 minutes in case you're tired too. But NEVER sleep on your back, like in bed, on the table, etc. Just sit up and let yourself constantly doze off, and do this until your alarm goes off after 20 minutes.
Thanks for the tips Jarod. I think slowing your breath, decreasing your heart rate and eating less calories are all ways to conserve energy allowing for faster recovery in less time. I haven't thought about slowing down my breath before sleeping although I usually slow it down during meditation.
TexasCowgirl says:
im a 12 almost 13 yearold girl i dont drink coffee (yuck!!) and i dont drink sodas before bed or during dinner i dont get on any electronics before bed(ok rarely) and i toss and turn to find the right position to fall asleep in….my room is dark the only light is my clock…..iv tried stretching before bed but that wont help…….and during the day i could probably go to sleep just fine…..i try sleeping without a pillow…….i could go on and on……but im probably just boring yall and should quit talking and just try this.XP Goodnight yall!
Hi TexasCowgirl,
Let me know how it goes.
Luke says:
Thankyou for sharing your insight. My mind wonders very easily and stops me from falling asleep so I can see how it would work with the distraction and relaxation. Cheers.
Thanks Luke for your comment. I find that my mind is susceptible to thinking about things in the past and in the future especially when I am trying to go to bed and this technique has really helped me stay in the present. All the best to you.
Karla Knutie says:
This technique used to help me but lately it hasn't worked. Any suggestions?
Hi Karla,
What happens when you use this technique now? Do you find your mind wandering more?
Karla Knutie says:
Hi Karla,
Since it has worked before, perhaps you know the technique well enough that your mind is doing it automaticaly and you begin to think about other things while doing the technique. It is like being bored with something you know how to do well. You can try adding another dimension such as counting backwards from 100 in multiples of 3 in line with your breathing and muscle relaxation. For example, breathe in – 100, breathe out – 97
Don't give yourself too much pressure to get to bed. Trust that your body will regulate itself. Also stay away from any stimulants (coffee, energy drinks, etc.) before bed.
Let me know how it goes.
az says:
im 13 female and i havent been getting enough sleep in weeks!! i always wake up in the middle of the night so i try and go to bed at 10 everynight and i wake up at 3am or 4-5am its soo anoying an i cant get back to sleep so im always soooo tired everyday and i also drink this sleepy tea and it does help but not that much cause i still wake up early no matter what even if i close my eyes i will still be lying in bed for hours not asleep
Hi AZ,
What wakes you up at 3-4am? When you are sleepy during the day, do you nap or drink any coffee to stay awake?
az says:
not sure it just happens :\ and yeah i drink energy drinks but not all the time and i try to take naps but i cant cos even tho im tired i still cant fall asleep
Hi AZ,
I would try cutting out anything with caffeine and also any stimulating activities a few hours before bed such as web surfing or video games. Also, try the breathing technique in the article and let me know if it helps.
Liam says:
I'm an active 13 year old that just finds it so hard to sleep. Its3.30 in the morning right now and I havent had any proper sleep in days now, and i really want to grow. I just cant fall asleep. I try to sleep at around 10, but I do use electronic devices just before i go to bed, is this whats causing my problem? I find it so hard, even though i always tire myselfduring the day. Tried closing my eyes, without any lights on, but it just doesn't seem to work.
Hi Liam, it could be. Have you tried the technique in the article?
lookingforclarity says:
Thanks so much Robert. It's 2:14 my time, and I need to be up by 6. Not a lot of time, but I'm going to give it a shot.
Hi Lookingforclarity,
Good luck and let me know how it went.
lookingforclarity says:
well, it didn't work to well for me but I tried. I ended up dreaming about being at work, oddly enough though.
love your blog!
Hi Rachael,
Sorry to hear that it didn't work as it must be frustrating not being able to sleep when you know you need it. I've found that it helps to imagine the part of the body that you're thinking of sinking into the bed/pillow as you breathe out. I'm glad you enjoy reading the blog.
Masheli says:
Thanks so much! I'm really starting g to have issues with going to sleep. However when I do I sleep up until my normal wake up. It's just getting there that is hard. I'm quite interested in seeing how this goes. I've been trying to go to sleep for 2 hours now and it's just down right frustrating. Thanks again! Blessings.
Hi Masheli,
Thanks for reading and I hope this technique helps you get to bed. Often we produce unneeded anxiety when we want to go to bed and get a good night's sleep especially before a big day. It doesn't help when we needlessly enlarge the consequences of not getting enough sleep.
Godd luck!
Restless says:
When I can't sleep I use a relaxation technique that a hypnotherapist taught me. What you do is you lay on your back with your arms at your sides, then starting at you toes you work your way up your body saying 'relax your toes, relax, relax,relax' and you would say what ever part of your body you're on. As you're doing this think of being on an elevator and as you go up your body the elevator is going down,down,down. Hope this helps!
Thank you for the excellent technique Restless! I'm going to give it a try tonight.
stef says:
I've been trying this for an hour and a half now, my heart is racing and I can't seem to fall asleep…I'm not stressed or anything of the sorry, been like this for months of and on…any help?
Hi stef,
What do you do right before you go to sleep? What's making your heart race? Are you excited about something?
James says:
I can't sleep either all wk up till 7-8am then I sleep for 30 mins wake fall back again and again till11:30am I I know I dream because I remember them what can I do I'm using valerian root,melatonin And calms forte. I've had chronic insomnia for a year gets better then worse
Hi James,
it must be frustrating to not be able to sleep especially since you've tried many things. How did the technique in the article work for you?
stef says:
Every night before I go to sleep I watch my two hours of TV, then turn it off and go to sleep. I'm not excited, I'm not stressed, my mind is not racing but my body feels like running miles. My heart beats out of my chest rapidly. I do yoga every morning, sleep eight hours or more, east very healthy..it doesn't make and sense to me. I have went to docs, and they have tried sleeping pills and nerve pills, none of which I like to take.
The heart beating is definitely something you may want to get checked medically. Have the doctors monitored you during your sleep? Does your heart beat rapidly only at night or also during the day? Since I'm not a medical doctor, I won't be able to provide any guidance on that.
Perhaps you can try reading an hour before you sleep since TV tends to stimulate us because of the light and the entertainment. I'm not a big fan of pills in general but I would try to see a specialist about your rapid heart beating.
giantlowri says:
i have had a lot of trouble sleeping and this method didnt work every time. i dont have a job at the moment and just look after my animals no ive been sleeping from 5am to 5pm but i have a a solution that when i dont have anything important the next day i stay awake all night and day and go to bed about 7pm and wake up about 6am but i dont do anything in the day cause im so tired i just stayawake!!
Hi giantlowri,
Sometimes it is difficult to get back into a rhythm when your sleeping schedule changes so drastically. Maybe you can try waking up at the same time everyday and sleeping only when you're tired. For example, you decide to wake up 8 am everyday and you may sleep at 3 am if you don't feel tired at night but the next day you might sleep earlier since you only got 5 hours the next night. At least, your wake up time will be the same everyday. Also resist drinking coffee if you feel tired during the day. Since you're not working, take a 15 minute nap to refresh yourself. Good luck!
Charlotte says:
Hi it's 2 34 here I'm so tired went to bed at 11 and I'm almost 12 Ben looking for tips on the Internet for ages they all say the same kind of thing nothing works. I need to get up at 7
Hi Charolotte,
It must be frustrating. Perhaps you're putting too much pressure on yourself to sleep? What do you usually do a few hours before you head to bed?
Charlotte says:
Nothing much normally tv normally I can't sleep when I have a lie in my sleeping is fine now
Glad to hear your sleeping is fine. Tv before bed can sometimes make it hard for you to sleep since your senses are being stimulated esp. if it triggers something that gets you thinking.
Charlotte says:
Hi it's been a while but I can't get to sleep again I am soo tired and I'm now 12
Any particular difference this time around?
Ruben says:
It's like… 2 minutes til 4am, I've been trying to sleep since like 10:30… Err…. Well I tried this, or something painfully akin to it. It didn't wok. o.e; I haven't been able to sleep properly for a good few weeks… Maybe months? Since like… January? I can't remember. Whatever. Uh…. Any other tips? Please? ;~;"
Hi Ruben,
Do you take naps during the day? Are there days where you do sleep early? How are those days different than the ones you've had recently?
Ruben says:
Sometimes. If I didn't I think I'd die of sleep deprivation! I'd always wake up after less then like 4 hours. Nothing at all different… bar the lack of sleep, of course. However… I find it oddly easy to fall asleep during geography, lmao.
Maybe you need to put up some maps in your room. I'm not sure how to help. What do you usually do 1-2 hours before you go to bed? Also, is there anything specific that wakes you up?
Anna says:
Hii 🙂
i also kind of have the same problem ,I'im always very tired but I can't sleep , I guess it's beacuse of the overthinking and time pressure , it's like every time I go to bed , I'm already falling asleep , then something strange happens , I wake up , always wake up at that one moment , I dont let myself sleep . thats crazy !! however ,My dad told me about this method once , but I didn't pay much attention..So , i i'm going to do this , I'll try and i really do hope it works .
Thank you 🙂
Hi Anna,
Let me know how it works for you. One part of this technique is to focus your mind on something else besides trying to sleep. Sometimes we just put too much pressure on ourselves.
Good luck!
Lorna Kurien says:
I get up to go to the loo and then it all goes downhill, I literally have to fight to go back to sleep and that can take hours, i mean 3-4 hrs. my sister advised me to get a book and read it in bed till my eyes feeel droooopy.it works, but make sure you are reading something interesting like a gossip mag.
Hi Lorna,
I know people who have had a very similar experience. What worked for them was to stop liquids at least 1-2 hours before they go to bed. Sometimes it's that last cup of water that gets us. Let me know how it goes
Lizzy says:
Thank you for the tip. How ever it did not work for me and i have tried it the past 2 or so nights
Thanks Lizzy for giving it a go. What happens when you do the technique?
Avery says:
Guys , I have a real problem I've been in bed for hours every night and it takes 3-4 hrs to get to sleep . I really have a problem and breathing dosent help me that much. But it feels like my body is asleep but my mind is racing and I feel very alert.
Hi Avery,
Part of what works for me in this technique is the concentration on the breathing. Your mind can only focus on one thing at a time and if it's on your breathing or counting backwards by 3 on each breath in and out, it can't race around. I hope this helps.
zoey says:
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz:….. wha? It worked!
Nice one Zoey.
Lorna Kurien says:
Hellooo there Robert, i tried the yoga breathing technique, the smell the onion technique, magnesium calcium and iron tabs. (i had restless leg syndrome, which was the cause of my insomnia), aromatherapy, homeopathy, reading before bed, yoga poses, zilch! Finally I went to my GP, who gave me small white tabs. he said they were mild sedatives, don't know the name, guess he wants me to come back for more, also told me to take b complex tabs, b1, b6, b12, but that did the trick. I now have interrupted sleep,rarely get up to go to the loo. i have to thank my dear husband for this if not for anything else, it was he who suggested i get to a doc.asap instead of self medicating.By the way, the magnesium-calcium combo with iron tabs cured my restless leg syndrome.
Hi Lorna,
Thanks for sharing your experience. How did you decide whether it was time for you to seek help from a doc? What exactly is helping with the sleep? Is it the sedatives or the balance of vitamins?
Lorna Kurien says:
No sedatives anymore. Taking calcium with D3 before bedtime.
Julianna DeBruine says:
I cant sleep no matter what I do! Its really annoying! All my friends say I look tired and restless. Which I sort of am. Any ideas on what to do? Id appreciate the help!
What do you usually do the 1-2 hours before you sleep? Do you drink any caffeinated drinks?
Julianna DeBruine says:
I'm usually reading. I can never get some sleep. I don't drink any caffinated drinks, ive tried everything! Do you think it's a possibility that I have a sleeping disorder or something?
I'm not a sleep specialist so I can't provide a diagnosis. When you say "never", do you mean "never" or "most of the time"? If "most of the time", what is the difference the two instances?
Zara says:
Thank you, I will try it today…..
I used to fall asleep as soon as i put my head in the pillow but now that my life change suddenly I can't sleep 🙁
Don't put too much pressure on yourself Zara. Let it happen. Good luck.
Yuri says:
Jesus Christ. Thank God I found this… It's 3:00 am here and I have school tomorrow. I'm going to try this and see how it works. I've had caffeine during dinner but that or any type of electronics has never kept me from sleeping. And today insomnia wanted to kick in really badly… And I'm really frustrated. Thanks for this though. I'll give it a try.
Good luck Yuri. Let us know how it goes.
Mieda says:
I've tried your tips…but unsuccessful…i felt tense at my neck and shoulders…i guess i have to just go through with it….
Hi Mieda, when you say "tense" was it during the exercise that made it tense or were you tense before the exercise?
Michele Gordon says:
Laying on your back with your arms to your side and exhaling slowly etc. can sometimes cause you to lucid dream which is very scary. So just make sure your muscles and your mind relax at the same time. It happens when you do this:
1. Lay down flat arms by your side.
2. Close your eyes and DO NOT move for 20-30 minutes
3. Stay fully aware the whole time
4. You will feel your arms and legs tingling
5. When you open your eyes you won't be able to move or breather whenever you have to wait for the normal breath to come
6, you are pretty much paralyzed
To come out of it .. You can move fingers and work your way up the arm and then move your body . Or you can try to moan, once you hear yourself you instantly wake up. I have experienced it & it is not fun at all
Thanks for sharing your experience Michele. I haven't experienced it myself but I can imagine that being scary. Does the paralyzation happen because you're dreaming but being aware that you're dreaming?
[email protected] says:
iv actually had this happen to me a few times, the first time it freaked me the hell out, thank you very much for the tips for coming out of it. your instinct is to sit up but after realizing you cant do that, you might try and talk but then find that kinda difficult, it makes sense that trying to move/talk would bring you out of it.
CA says:
Alright, i plan to try your trick tonight and tomorrow with a little more prep time and less searching the internet at 4AM like i am tonight. Before i do however i want to know how serious my sleeping issues are in the eyes of someone who has a better understanding than myself. i will go to bed, and almost every night with few exceptions i lay there kinda tired for anywhere from a hour and a half to 3 on the worse of the nights 4+ hours before i get some sleep. for a while i also felt like it was a horrible waste of time and got up and got some work done. The sleeping issues could be stemming from what iv been calling the year of bull____; however i have found it somewhat difficult to fall asleep for years now, maybe recent events exacerbated it i dont know. When i try to sleep with no tricks or anything i end up thinking myself into insanity all the while feeling tired and not asleep(most annoying method)… the radio worked for a short while…..the television took 45mins or so to fall asleep but then that got increasingly worse and is now less effective than driving myself mad……. i counted sheep and when that didnt work i tried to counting backwards from 100 a few times (after reading through the comments i will also try county backwards by 3s)….. i tried white noise crap even. recently i got desperate enough to go to the doctor haha according to them i aint been in almost 2 years. i got some antidepressants in hopes that fixing the depression/rut iv been in would fix the sleeping…. the antidepressants caused the sleeping to worsen and i was receiving less than a hour of sleep at night or none at all because the pills made me wake up at the same time daly but i was still up at 6am…. needless to say i stoped those….. next he gave me ambian which didnt do anything for me i took 3 5mg pills im not sure how high the dosage can go before its a problem but i knew i could triple up on those because they where small doses for ambian. now i got "lorazepam" from the doctor and this was my first night taking that…. i got 2 hours of sleep then woke up. I dont want to have to drug myself every night to get a little rest but it seems necisarry now because im at my ropes end…….. i really do hope your technique works, and will be back to tell you how it went.
Thank you for sharing your situation. I'm not a sleep doctor so when it comes to medication, I won't be able to comment. I believe all medication does alter your body's natural ability to regulate itself and dependency usually develops with the need for ever increasing doses to achieve the same results.
If you do go off the medication, expect to go through withdrawal symptoms as your body regulates itself.
You mentioned that this started happening a few years ago. What was your pre-sleep routine before you started having trouble sleeping? How is it different from your current routine? Let me know how this method works for you. I hope others who read this will share their solutions with you as well.
TJ says:
Hi Im an 11 yr old student in South Carolina, I have not slept in over 3 months. i really don't why this isn't working at all it is now 2:22 AM. But its still the summer, i really want to get my schedule down for the school yr. Nothing is working for me, I NEED HELP!!!
TJ, your frustration is understandable and you're diligent to want to correct your schedule before the school year. What were you doing differently 3 months ago when you were able to sleep?
randy says:
Mr. Chen, tonight I will be using your technique. Its extremely hard for me to go to bed at 10 pm like I did in the past, which was about 7 months ago. Even then I had trouble sleeping but it has gotten worse. I usually take over the counter sleeping pills for weeks at a time and other weeks I don't take them due to for my body to get used to them. If I have an important thing to do in the morning I will just stay up til I have to go making sure I don't over sleep even though I slept three hours. Last night was different I actually fell asleep on my own around 9 pm but woke up two hours later and could not go back to bed till 10 this morning and fell asleep til 3pm. I feel like I am more awake at night and sleepy during the day and bits driving me not overly insane just not feeling normal but like a zombie.now I am missing the whole day. I used to love waking up at six in the morning and taking my walks outside and going to bed at ten. Buy since I moved back to my hometown I don't sleep. See I used to live in San Antonio tax and moved to Amarillo tx. My father asked me if I can move back to be and help my mother cause he will be retiring to another place. They are both deprecated. I am the younger son and have no family. I guess its like a tradition in our family no life come back to help parents which I would do anyways. I am happy that I am back bit just can't sleep. I apologize to opening to much I feel better that I got it off my chest and hope who reads this fells asleep by boredom. If still awake thank you for reading Mr. Chen. I will be using your technique tonight and will let you know tomorrow or the next day about it.
Thank you
Thank you for sharing. Many times, stress about life or just not being able to sleep can affect your sleep schedule. What were you doing differently 7 months ago when you didn't have issues sleeping? Are you worrying more about your life now that you're back in your hometown? I can't take credit for this technique as it is just a form of meditation and relaxation but I hope it will help you. Good luck.
Morina12 says:
I'm a 11 year old girl. I like to drink fizzy drinks (such as soda, sparkling ice, ect) and use my kindle fire pretty often, but not usually before bed (I read before bed). School is starting in 8 days and I can't seem to make myself start going to bed early. The more I try, the later I go to bed (and wake up). I started taking nightquil so I would go to bed before 4 am. But nightquil makes me sleep for 10 hours (that makes me sleep in really late). I'm going try your method but I`m pretty sure it won't work (my mind wanders a lot). I'll tell you how it works out!
Hi Morina12,
Sometimes trying too hard to sleep can cause anxiety that prevents you from sleeping. I'll be interested to hear how you find the technique because it should help with the mind wandering as well. We can only concentrate on one thing at a time so if you focus on your breathing and relaxing a muscle while breathing, it should keep your mind from thinking about other things. Good luck – let us know how it goes.
21stcenturyblogger says:
Sleep or sleep loss is a serious issue that affect more than half of us at least once a week.
Thank you for sharing your informative article 21stcenturyblogger. Great job compiling information on sleep.
Andrea says:
Thank you for sharing this.
I've had anxiety problems since I was a small girl (maybe seven) and one of my first therapists gave me a tape (cassette!) going through this method and for a long time it was the only thing that could get me to sleep. I had forgotten about it.
My pleasure Andrea – glad you were able to rediscover this technique.
Allison says:
Now that its real, I have tried many sleep aids, techniques, counseling…etc. I use and,have been using alcohol as an easy way to sleep. Though I know this is not good for my health and well being however I do not over abuse this method as I have a 6-5 day job. I find my self n the night tossing and turning trying to find a comfy spot to rest and as though I assume I found one my body twitches so greatly I awaken. And thus reposition. Twitching continues…and repositioning does as well. I may as well get in a good 30 mins of uninteruption of awakefulness that finally I have to get up and get ready for work. I love my job I express my fatigue via vigorous yawning and laziness however I excell in it and haven't been more proud of my efforts at work. I wish I can sleep more. Sleep from 8-5 and then get ready for bed. But that's not the case. I lay n bed fully aware….not only of my breathing but that of my partners, the clock, the neighbors, the cat licking him self, the slightest hair movement ad I lay on my side…honestly if lm fully aware and I don't know how to turn that off. I'm stuck
Thanks for sharing your situation Allison. It sounds like a frustrating situation. What is your routine a few hours before you head to bed? Also, do you take in any caffeine during the day?
Lynn says:
I go to bed at around 12-1am. i lay there and can not fall asleep until 3-6am. I tried the breathing exercise and it didn't help. I also tried counting, counting down and relaxing body parts, etc. it is 4 am right now and I have to wake up for breakfast at 8:30 am because of school at 9:40. Since I have been up all night, is it better to skip breakfast and sleep a little more or get up and eat breakfast? And is it okay if I take a nap after class? I am just laying still in bed trying to go to sleep, no electronics. Although that is usually the problem for me, staying up on the Internet. So my sleep schedule is messed up. How do I change it back so I can fall asleep at 11 instead of 3-5 am?
Lynn – it must be frustrating and too bad the breathing exercise didn't work for you. I would try refraining from sleeping in the morning and just waking up at the time you need to wake up for school. For example, if you need to get up by 8:30am, wake up at 8:30am every day of the week despite being tired. Your body should begin regulating itself and you should end up going to bed earlier and earlier. I would also refrain being on the internet a few hours before you go to bed since it can be fairly engaging online and make you lose track of time. I hope this was helpful.
Arnes says:
Hi I was just looking for ways to fall asleep and started to read the comments and saw people had the paralyzing affect and thought I could help. it uses to happen to me before and my father had some kind of control over it. Ull realize tht u r are completley paralyzed and unable to speak or make sound which can be really scary but the best thing u can do is not freak out and try to relax out of it. There is a quick way out though someone just has to touch u and ull get out of rite away my mom used to do it for my dad when he would get like tht. She usually just sensed it. For explanation on what it is I can't completly say but from doing some reaserch the best I could come up with even though it sounds weird is it would be an out of body experiance. I remember once when it happend to me I saw the whole layout of my room and out to the hallway and saw myself sleeping and could hear everything very well. It seemed like someone said a very lucid dream. But my problem with tht is I don't dream or at least never remeber them ever never have.
Lucy says:
I'm 13 I go some nights with no sleep and still have to bare school the next morning 🙁 I just struggle to sleep. And I've tried everything nothing seems to work. In the end I have to rely on coffee to get me through the day 🙁 I usually get a good nights sleep the next night but then resume to the same routine the next night 🙁 How can I help this?
Hi Lucy,
Thanks for sharing – you may want to keep an hourly log of your activities for a week or two to see if you might be overstimulating your brain before you sleep. If you can, resist drinking coffee or anything with caffeine as that can keep you up at night. Look to wind down by relaxing the last few hours before sleep. How do you usually spend the last 3 hours before you go to bed?
Kristina6517 says:
Thanks for the information. I am a 19 year old. I recently went through a lot of stress, still actually going through it to be honest. I got kicked out of my fathers house(note: my girlfriend was living with me as well so I had someone to sleep with(its comforting.)) But anyways, she went to her fathers and I went to my grandparents. Even since this happened( been 18 nights of going on maybe 2 hours of sleep each night and some nights I don't sleep at all.) But i have tried almost everything. I will try this tonight though and thank you for that. I believe my problem is the fact I was used to having my significant other will me while I sleep. Any suggestions on how to solve that issue?
Thank you for sharing. We're all creatures of habit and we create anchors that trigger certain behaviors. It's possible that your significant other is an anchor for you to help you relax and now without this person, you find it hard to relax. Also, sometimes when you want to go to sleep, it ends up keeping you awake since you become stressed that you're not asleep yet. Let me know how this technique works for you. Without knowing much about your situation, I could only recommend reducing caffeine and stimulation before sleep and to find some way to help you deal with the stress in your life. I hope this is helpful.
Kasia says:
I know this is very late but I have insomnia and I can never get to sleep.. It's 00:04 as I type right now. I go to bed at 10, all I drink before bed is water and I never watch horror movies. I always use my iPod at night because my mind plays tricks on me. I keep seeing figures in my room and I hear things. It's very frustrating. I am going back to school soon and I need to concentrate on my grades. I tried this breathing method and found it unsuccessful in my case. Any suggestions?
Hi Kasia,
This technique is supposed to focus your brain's attention so it's not distracted by the tricks your mind can play on you. What happens when you use this technique? How long do you use it for and when do you decide that it's time to stop? Also, have you always had issues getting to sleep?
Kimmie says:
For the past 2 weeks I've had a lot of anxiety & a very hard time falling asleep I've tried teas, meditation, sleep sounds, a hot bath etc I feel like when I close my eyes my mind starts racing and even tho I am tired my mind won't let me sleep and it's causing more anxiety thinking about not ever being able to sleep normally again. Any suggestions?
What is causing the anxiety in these past 2 weeks? How did the technique in the article go for you?
Rob says:
If you can't sleep, there's some great sleep aid tools out there. Sleep light, Cooling pillows
Brianna says:
I am a 10 year old girl and I can not fall asleep at night I have tried making my room dark I don't drink coffe or any caffeine and I have tried all the tricks and I can't fall asleep and I don't play on electronics before going to bed except for on ecasions I have tried this trick last night for the first time but I can't fall asleep I keep thinking if other things any suggestions ?
I'm sorry to hear that you're still unable to fall asleep. There are some great tips peppered through the comments section that's worth trying.
John says:
Okay so here goes, I am a 16 yr old boy and yesterday I had suddenly begun to… Freak out about everything. Every little thing, I just kept worrying, it was really bad, I just could not get a hold of myself. Now, in case if it has any ties to it let me just say that about the past 5 days prior to this little… I'm not sure what to call it, but I did not get any more than about 2 hrs of sleep for the past 5 days prior to the event, ever since that night, I have been unable to sleep. When I close my eyes, I don't feel the same as I usually do when going to sleep, I took some melatonin to help me go to sleep. Normally I would be out cold within 30 minutes, just from taking a half of one, however, I could feel absolutely no impact whatsoever, on how tired I felt. And one more thing, I do have ADHD and Bipolar depression, so if that has anything to do with why I can't sleep or why I still tend to over worry about things, even as I am typing this, please let me know. ASAP, because I can't calm down. Please answer this if possible.
Thank you for sharing. Since I'm not a doctor, I won't be able to comment on the effects of ADHD and Bipolar depression on sleeplessness. I recommend reaching out to a licensed medical professional to get their opinion. Were you able to give this relaxation technique a try?
Vanessa says:
What really helps me too is milk thistle, it helps clean out the liver, which in turn helps you sleep. Ievn when I do wake up in the middle of thee night, I don't freak out and calmly go back to sleep. I take 1/3 of a 175 mg capsule every couple days, since the side effects seem to be strong on me (unwillingness to do anything productive). But my mom takes a pill every day and she's ok with it. Also taking probiotics really helps since a healthy gut leads to good sleep, which makes everything better.
Thanks for sharing Vanessa.
Dom says:
Hey Robert Chen,
Firstly I would like to thank you in providing this information to everyone and being such great support by even replying to the messages. Anyways I have had sleeping problems here and there but currently going through no sleep stage. I use to smoke (weed) which would put me right to sleep but I'm off it now and really finding it hard to sleep. The first night I didn't sleep at all, the second night I eventually fell asleep at 4:00am and accidentally slept till 1:15pm and tonight (third night) I haven't sleep at all again. In the last couple of days I haven't been active at all (mentally and physically) really just been spending the day surfing the net and watching movies. Do you think this is the after effects of the thc involving the REM and after a few days should go back to my natural sleeping way? Or just a unhealthily lifestyle?
P.s I don't really feel that tired physically or mentality after a night of not sleeping
Hi Dom,
Since I'm not a sleep specialist, I won't be able to comment on the relationship of thc, REM sleep and your situation. I'll be interested to hear how the last few days have been going for you and if the technique in this article have been helpful to help you get rest. I find that my body settles into a routine if I can keep to a certain schedule. I do find that if I work out, or do something engaging before I sleep, it makes it harder for me to fall asleep but usually the next day I'm tired and can sleep earlier. Sorry I wasn't much help – hope your sleep is getting better.
Dom says:
Hey Robert,
Actually everything went back to normal now and I'm back to sleeping normal hours. The fourth night I slept likea baby it was more the fact I had to relearn how to sleep without being put in that sleepy zone from substances. I found a 8 min song which really chills me out and put me in the state of time to go to be. Your technique help me realize how to sleep again but didn't quite do the job for me but I found if I just let my imagination run free in my hand I would find myself falling asleep in no time. The first three nights of sleeping dreams were very vivid and real which I like, this was due to the rem sleep coming back and not being clouded by thc. But yes keeping too a schedule also seem to help a lot. Thanks a lot for your help
P.s. I'm back to smoking but only smoked once since I stopped being a daily smoker. Casual smoking seems to not effect my sleeping on sober nights unlike when I was smoking every night.
Dom, great to hear that your sleep cycle is back on track.
purnava says:
it's 3:14..midnight…. Im very tired today is…. I was trying to sleep from 12 of clock…. I don't know why… but I'm feeling scared now coz I m unable to sleep
Hi purnava, did you try the breathing technique outline in the article? Hopefully it'll help take your mind off of the fear.
Amy says:
I'm 14 and can't sleep at night times I'm up that like 5 in the morning and can't get up for school or anything in the morning. I just lie there and I'm restless, I got so,e sleeping tablets from the doctores and they didn't work so I doubld them up at night and it's till done nothing. I've just started these new ones but I freaked out really late in the night it was like nightmares everytime I closed my eyes but I wasn't even asleep, I don't know If it was the pills that done that or not but it was horrible. I've turned day into night now and I'm just so tierd and grumpy when I should be awake. I tried this breathing method and it didn't help. Is the any others ways?
Hi Amy, I'm sorry to hear about your situation. Since I'm not a sleep specialist, I only know of this technique. You might want to check out the link at the end of this article and to consult a licensed professional to discuss alternative option. Sorry couldn't be more helpful. Good luck.
mhtydv says:
Hi Chen
Thanks for sharing this in so lucid manner.
By the way i tried this in some what same manner , its a audio called as "yoga nidra meditation technique by manuji".. It's amajing. Try it..
Thanks for sharing the name of the audio
Tammy says:
I had a bad cold and slept for nearly four days! Waking to run my children here and there, make dinner, and some small stuff that needed done. Now that I'm feeling better..I CAN NOT SLEEP! While I was sick I discontinued some of my medications, Adarax and busbar. I have stopped these before and had no problems. I also take Xanax and propranolol. All of these Meds due to a very serious illness I had 17 months ago, bilateral aspirated pneumonia. I was on a respirator and spent nearly two months in the ICU. Since I've been home from the hospital I have had no problem sleeping, of course until now. Last night I took nearly double my prescribed dose of Xanax and slept from 11:00pm until almost 3:00am. I use Xanax nightly due to waking in the middle if the night with panic. Xanax knocks me out! I don't understand what is going on. Can anyone help. I will not take presciption sleeping pills, I have an addictive personality and will become dependant on them. What can I do??
Hi Tammy,
Since I'm not a doctor, I won't be able to give any advice outside of the technique I used in this article. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.
Arianna Culps says:
I could not sleep before im a 11 year old and now I sleep With the tv on with the voulme all away down or try to read a little bit at bedtime
Sabrina Pina says:
Yeah I hope this really helps because when I have to go to bed, I'm tired. Sleepy. Yet, when I turn off the lights and breathe slowly, I. Can't. Go. To. Sleep. Then I try to do something that will make me really tired but again, when I turn the lights off, that sleepy feeling fades away. Like, seriously, what's up with that? It's bed time and my body won't cooperate!!!!!
Good luck Sabrina – hopefully this can help.
TheJoker says:
Hi robert, i'm a 12 year old girl and ever since i was 10 i would wake up with terrible hunger pangs even though i eat balanced meals during the day. Im also very hungry in the day, but not as much. I still get them except i don't fall asleep until 3 or 4 because my mind wont calm down. Ive tried countless things and my mom just says im a hypochondriac. I don't have caffeine within 2 hours of my bedtime and i always drink tea. I also cant sleep because my roomfeels so hot even if i turn on both of my fans and open my window. My skin feels like its dry and burning almost.
Hi TheJoker – it might be worth seeing a doctor to see what he or she says since this involves both your diet and your skin. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.
Joseph says:
I am a 12 year old male not getting much sleep every night. Right now it is 12:23 A.M my time, and I need to be up by 4:00 A.M because we are going on a road trip. I have been on a terrible sleeping schedule the past few months, going to sleep at about 2:00 A.M and waking up at about 12:00 P.M I will try out this method and tell you how it goes (I hope it goes well)!
Good luck Jospeh!
Anna says:
I'm 13 and I can't fall a sleep until 4:00 am every night, I got to my room at 10:00 and I lay down but never fall asleep until 4:00 am I don't know what to do it really stinks I just woke up and it's 5:00 PM I hate this because I haven't been outside in three months because of ya sleeping habits and my parents well I don't know if they care
Hi Anna,
Have you tried getting up early despite sleeping at 4am and staying up for most of the day? If you nap or sleep all morning, it may be difficult to get back on track.
Anna says:
rave says:
I have a sleeping problem I can stay up for 2-3 days straight with no sleep & it doesnt bother me. I have went to the doctor's and they have giving me 2 different kind of sleeping medication and none of it works. I dont know what I can do. And when I do sleep I can sleep for 16 hours straight or I can sleep for 30 minutes and be ready to go for another 2 days. Can you please help me with this. Thanks
Hi Rave,
Sorry to hear about your sleep schedule – outside of the technique in this article, I'm not sure how else to help especially since you've gone to see a doctor. Perhaps he or she can guide you to a sleep specialist. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.
Elizabeth says:
Hi Robert. Thank you again for being so helpful to readers and your posts. I'm a 23 year old. I have been struggling to sleep well for the past month due to a lot of stress within the family. I end up sleeping 4-6am and waking up at around 9am. I do not consume caffeine or use electronics before bed. I just read. If anything, I do stress out about not sleeping. I have tried your breathing exercise and it had calmed me down, but I still can't fall asleep. Any other tips? Should I try waking up earlier to reboot my sleep schedule? I don't want to take any pills as I feel that finding a natural method may be safer. I appreciate your help. Thanks again, Robert.
Hi Elizabeth, I'm in your camp of using natural methods to regulate sleep. What are you usually reading before you go to bed? Stay away from reading or doing anything that gets your mind thinking and planning right before you go to bed. It can certainly be stressful when you want to sleep but you can't. Perhaps you can try to continue focusing on your breath so your mind is not focus on the stress and need to sleep. I hope this helps.
hailey says:
Hey Robert this didnt work for me im stilll not sleeping well… do you hopefully have any other techniques??
Hi Hailey,
I'm sorry this technique didn't work for you. It's definitely frustrating when you can't sleep when you want to. I don't have any additional techniques but the link at the end of the article might be able to help. You might also want to see if any of the suggestions in the comments section would be helpful.
MAHESH KUMAR says:
iam not getting sleep at night so wt to do
Did you get a chance to use the technique in the article?
Parker says:
Hi Parker – Since I'm not a sleep expert, I don't have any other remedies besides the one in this article and suggestions you see in the comments. It might be helpful to speak with your doctor if this continues. Sorry I wasn't much help.
hbhcoaching says:
There are also several homeopathic remedies that work quite well and you may want to consider. Once you match up your characteristics with what works best, you can identify which remedy is best for you! I have seen many people benefit from homeopathic remedies for sleep. For example, someone who is prone to anxiety, often craves salty & sweet foods, becomes consumed by sleep-inhibiting thoughts at night, and experiences back pain would be a great contender for argentum nitricum. You do not have to possess all of the characteristics–just select the one that characterizes you the best. It is important to pay attention to the characteristics for the most effective results!
Feel free to check out the entire list of homeopathic remedies. There is a table that will help you identify which homeopathic remedy best fits you: http://www.hbhcoaching.com/remedies-for-better-sleep-tonight/
Thanks for sharing – hopefully the people reading this article for sleeplessness can find something that'll work for them.
Napes says:
So that article you link to at the end is useful for nothing but making me feel even more horrible for not being able to fall asleep. Their "solution" is "only go to bed when you're exhausted OR YOU WILL LITERALLY DIE". Well, I AM exhausted! I still can't fall asleep though!
Sorry Napes that the article wasn't helpful for you. I thought it was informative but you're right, if it doesn't help you fall asleep, it ends up not making a difference.
Ben says:
It is currently 2:50am and I can't sleep and have to be up at 6:30 to go to school. Although I'm not very well at the monument so I don't know whether it is that. Can you help me please?
Hi Ben,
Did you get a chance to read through some of the other comments? There are some good suggestions there. I don't know how else to help outside of the tip I gave in the article. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.
Emily says:
I've been having trouble sleeping since the 14th of April. It's now the 3rd of May. It's so bad that I haven't slept at all at night since that day. I'm lucky in that I'm a student and we've had easter break, so my commitments have been solely to my part time 5-9 job, and I've been sleeping from around 7am until 2pm each day.But I've started university again recently but I've not made it to any lectures since I can't sleep at night. At thr moment, I have to be up at 7.30 and it's 4.30. Ive been in bed since midnight. My eyes are so tired but I just can't sleep. I hope that your method works although I know from experience the birds will start tweeting soon and that will be another thing that ensures I do not get any sleep!
Hi Emily – sorry to hear about your troubles sleeping. There are some suggestions in the comments section if you need more ideas.
Elie says:
I am 19 i used to take drugs 6 years ago till now alittle
And from 5 years till now at bed time even when i am too tierd like alottt i cant sleep
And drugs not doing anything anymore to let me sleep
A doctor gave me serquel xr – inductal – remeron and it didnt work
Some times i fall asleep while in bed i turn off everythig and try to sleep some times i will not become sleepy after turning off everythig or sometimes i still feel alot sleepy but cant sleep any solution i tried what you said and it didnt work:s
Thank you
Hi Elie – sorry the technique didn't work for you. Perhaps you can see if any of the information in the comments section can help. If not, might be good to see a professional.
Kirino B says:
This technique worked wonders for me just last night. I had been kicking about and restless in bed for 2 hours, then decided to sit up and find a remedy. It was incredible how as I started to be mindful of my body, it relaxed so much more, and I was aware of how I was feeling, and embracing the "not being able to sleep and who cares if I'm late for work-ness", I had knocked out before I knew, and feel just as energised with less sleep than normal. Great stuff, thanks for the awesome tip!
Thanks for sharing Kirino – glad the technique worked well for you.
Piper says:
Hi there,
I turned 11 years old last week. Right now it's 5:02 in the morning. It's summer, but tomorrow I'm going to a July 4th celebration at 6:30 pm. I've been awake since about 1:30 ish. I use a noise maker, or a white noise machine, and so does my whole family of an older sister, older brother, and my mom and DONT FORGET MY DOG!!! I've tossed and turned, and nothing gets me to sleep. I've began to notice (a bit) that events make me sleep bad. Not to long ago on my birthday, I slept HORRIBLY. Today, I got a new game for my 3DS that I really enjoy. But I also have ADHD. I take allergy mess and 2 melatonin before bed. My insomnia patterns are a roller coaster of great fun! Sarcasm. If you could help me in any way, that'd be great! Thanks! PS I need something that isn't loud or will wake anyone up. Also my floor boards creak. Just thought you should know. 🙂
Piper says:
I take allergy MEDS* sorry typo!
uzumaki says:
I used this technique.. ..bt it nly mkes u feel lyk u r goin to sleep.. .ur mind is alwz awake!! No matter how hard u try.. .u still knw that u r awake.. .its strnge.. ..
Bt thnx….
Sorry it didn't help you to sleep uzumaki – hopefully you can find another way to get some rest.
Rayne says:
Please help! I'm an 11yr old girl who can't sleep half the time I go to bed at 11:00 but can't sleep until like 3am! So to pass the time I watch a movie on my playbook then try to sleep but I still cant, before I even had my playbook this still happened in case its cause I watch an electronic before I go to bed. I can't believe it already 2am!!!
That's definitely frustrating – How did this technique work for you? Sometimes it's easy to put pressure on ourselves to sleep and this pressure prevents us from sleeping.
Rayne says:
Well the technique worked okay but I had to wait a few minutes then I counted down from 100 then did the head,eyes etc thing it didn't work the first time but the 2nd time I dont even remember making it past eyes! So thank you so much, Robert! You definitely helped me with sleep and I thank you for it. Your the best 😀
Glad it helped Rayne!
lionsrule26Rayne says:
I'm glad too and I'm glad you helped well I guess I'll try it again tonight I'll tell you if it works 🙂 I'm sure it does cause Robert you've helped lots of people you should get an Oscar for best blogger that helps people anyway see you tomorrow when I tell you how the technique did for the 2nd time.
Rayne says:
Sorry about my name xD
Rayne says:
I'm glad it helped too! Gonna try it again tonight and I'll tell you how the technique goes then ill be outta your hair if you know what I mean xD
Rayne says:
LOL sorry I technically repeated myself, it's cause of lag
No worries – good luck
Rayne says:
Worked like a charm now all be out of your hair 🙂 Unless I have another question and ill know I'm gonna ask you. Peace Out 😀
shelby says:
I'm 23 with 2 babie and I need all the sleep and energy I can get!
But for some reason I find myself awake laying down in bed!! And during the day I'm so tiered I hate it!! I want to sleep more at night so I can have the energy to play more with my babies?!!
bhawna says:
Hello Mr Robert,
I liked ur blogs and with due respect I request you to just Google about 'sahajayoga' …I found it life changing and amazing ….just have a look and try it out once at least if u like ….:) 🙂
Jordan heller says:
Hi I'm a 12 year old boy and I've been trying to go to bed for the past week and have been falling asleep at 4-5 am or not sleeping at all and nothing seems to work. I just don't ever feel tired and my body just can't seem to sit still so I'm always moving around in my bed witch really makes it hard to sleep what should I do I've already tried the breathing technicque
Jordan – sorry to hear that the breathing technique didn't work for you. Perhaps you can check out some of the other advice in the comments section. Also, maybe you can harness this extra energy and work on a project you're passionate about to take your mind off of trying to sleep.
jim says:
hi im jim im 17 almost 19. I can't sleep almost everynight i don't know why?? im trying to sleep early but i can't do that! when i sleep its like a nightmare and now 1.05am so over night maybe it was my stories life! im kind of like thinking too much about my familly! i need you help when you can't sleep what u gonna do!
Hi Jim – that must be frustrating. Any luck with the breathing technique in the article
Alexis says:
I can't sleep aand i don't know what else to do. This will not work for me because ,I can barely breath on my back.
Sorry that this technique didn't help Alexis. Perhaps some of the ideas in the comments section might work.
Ingrid says:
I have same issues sleeping severally….One thing we all need to do is accept it without struggling cos when we struggle the pressure mounts and we end up being frustrated. Years ago i suffered sleepless nights and being dependent on the pills almost became an addiction i had to cut off I introduced the use of prayers and studying God's words as my pills and i find myself yawning in no time…. Trust me the devil the enemy never wants us to fellowship with God hence we feel sleepy the minute we decide to study God's word and pray…. but you can do it often see how it goes…
Thank you for sharing Ingrid
Ron says:
I'm a 28 year old man who has bipolar disorder and psychosis but I have a question or problem I sleep for6 to 10 hours and I can't fall back asleep for at least24+ hours I want to know how I can help this problem and get my sleep schedule normal I always have trouble sleeping I either sleep for maybe 4 hours and can't sleep for a whole24 + hours or I sleep really good for10 hours and can't sleep for28+ hours or just can't sleep for days on end like2 days or I sleep but wake up every hour or less I don't know why iv tryed everything I can think of to get a regular sleep schedule so I can function properly through out the day but I have been unsuccessful I know improper sleep can cause health issues any suggestions please let me know
Hi Ron, I'm sorry to hear about your struggles sleeping. Beyond the tip in this article, I'm not sure how else to help. Perhaps it might be worthwhile to see a sleep specialist concerning this issue. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful to you.
Kayla Franklin says:
Hi Robert,
I'm so surprised and excited to find this blog! My husband has taught me some meditation techniques, and we are constantly increasing our awareness and living in the here and now.
Tonight, I just woke up at 1:20am after a day of utter exhaustion. Honestly, I thought I would sleep through the entire night with no problem, but alas…I'm awake. More awake than I was all day yesterday!
It is really nice to find a blog like yours, and this technique works quite well for childbirth labor-except you must lay on your side.
I'm going to go ahead and do this to go to sleep, and as I am a side sleeper, I'll do it on my side. Every now and then I sleep on my back, but usually I'm right sided sleeping.
The reason really why I'm responding here is because people like you are a light in the darkness to others. Lately, I've been so caught up in the world that I haven't been meditating. I haven't been living here and now. Catching sight of your blog has brought me back to this moment.
Please continue to help others, like myself.
For those of you that this technique does not work, try this variation:
1. Lay down as you normally do before falling asleep. Listen to your breath as you breathe in and out.
Congratulations!! You are here, in this moment, focussed on what is happening right now.
2. Close your eyes and continue to listen to your breath. Feel your body with your mind-think about your shoulders and how tense they are. Let them relax, their burden for the day is done. Think about your back, feel how tense it is, and let it unwind; the end of the day has come. Feel the relief as you allow your body to relax. Continue on throughout your entire body.
3. Return your focus to your shoulders, and let them relax once again. Think only about your breathing, listening to each breath as it goes in and out.
Allow your jaw to lose its tension-that's my big one. It's so hard for me, because I have a hard time stopping myself from grinding my teeth. It takes a little practice to get used to meditation, but this is something you can do even when you're at work or school and someone or something is bothering you-angry, sad, DEPRESSED–
I suffer from Post Partum Depression. I have found that meditation is incredibly helpful. I have a doctor, and I started my medication nearly a year ago, when I worked up the nerve to tell them that I was miserably sad all the time, and thought about selfharm a lot. With the medication, it helped somewhat, but not enough. I changed medications after quitting my job, where I was the most depressed.
But I want to stop my suffering. I turned to meditation, and started living day to day. The Power Of Now by Eckhart Tolle is a wonderful book-it's what started me on my journey. Meditation has helped SO MUCH!! I live in the moment, as much as I can remember to. And when I start to get down, I just think about right now. The future sucks. And it's just a fantasy made up by our minds. It hasn't actually come to pass yet. The past is gone. What's done is done. There is no way to change the past-fixating on it only increases how miserable you feel, so why not focus on right now? Laying in bed, what is wrong? What is wrong with this moment, right here and right now?
Well, my hand itches. I have eczema. That's what's wrong. So I need to go put some lotion on my hand.
Focus on this moment, right now-stop fretting over the past, and stop worrying about the future! You have an assignment due tomorrow, for school or work? Great job, you remembered it!! Either go work on it now, or file it away for later and do it later. Then stop worrying about it.
I hope this helps you. Whoever you are, know that you are loved. I do not at present know you, but I love you. We are all connected beings, in some way. For us, that is this blog.
Love, I believe, is the most powerful force on this planet. Allow yourself to love, and above all, allow yourself to BE loved.
Kayla – thank you for your kind words and sharing your experience and helpful tips. We only have the present so thank you for that inspiring reminder!
Nora says:
For sleeping well at night you have to spend all your energy during the day. You have to be active and do as much things as you can. Try to spend you time for maximum amount. By doing this you will not be able to be awake at night. You'll dream about sleep.
Thank for sharing this tip Nora
Elizabeth says:
if you cant sleep try this; lay down comfortably and close your eyes. then think of a good memory that you love,go over every detail in your mind kind of like your explaining it to someone in your mind then soon you'll be sound asleep. i cant promise that this will work for you this is just what works for me and what i do when i cant sleep and "just lay down and close your eyes" doesn't work
Thanks for sharing Elizabeth – what a great way to focus on something positive right before you go to bed.
Elizabeth says:
when trying to fall sleep is also when i get the most/my best thinking done
Elizabeth says:
also try not to take any sleeping medication because every night after you body wont be able to enter sleep mode without the medication when this happens the next night instead of taking medication just try your best to sleep(i suggest on a weekend when you dont have to go to work or school the next day) then do that for a couple of days and then soon you will be able to sleep without the medication
Elizabeth says:
you wont be able to sleep at night if you use an electronic within 30 min of going to bed,so try to read a book also reading to book will make your eyes tired and when your eyes get tired you will fall asleep faster.
Thanks again for these tips Elizabeth!
sleepy head says:
For me the best way to go to sleep is to wear an eye mask and find a radiio programme with someone who has a pleasant deep voice, radio 4 is probably best. Put the dial on as quiet as possible so that you can barely hear it. Try to concentrate on what is being said and that works. Your not thinking about NOT sleeping. Also, recently I have found alternative late night radio on youtube, "Coast to coast am." It has some interesting topics and some of the speakers having pleasant voices. George Noory being one. If you want a garanteed nights sleep, try taking 2 or 3 Night all tablets an hour before bed aswell. Obviously my laptop is in bed with me, therefore it is important to wear an eye mask to avoid the light from the laptop disturbing your sleep. Hope this helps.
Thanks for sharing this tip sleepy head.
Sadie says:
I have sleeping issues a lot specially when my exams are going on. In normal days these tips help but I can't sleep during my exams days. I lay on bed for hours then I think that I have been wasting my time but when I sit again to study I can't even open my eyes and this results that I wake late in the morning.
Your article is amazing.
Hi Sadie – sounds like you might have a lot on your mind and worrying about how you do. Continuing to put your attention on something else like your breath might help to reduce that pressure.
Nicole says:
Hi, i m a 15 year old female. I'm not really sure what is my problem i m being very tiried as i m sleep at nigh at after school. I find it very difficult to sleep even if i m very tiried before it was maybe i used to overthink everything at night but later on i use to close my eyes and think and imagine the colour black in a cirlcle and fall asleep it use to work but not anymore now i m going to bed and i have about 1 hr try to sleep and in the morning i feel very exhausted i dont wnat to get out of bed and very tiried as i just closed my eyes and woke up 5 mins later i try to rest my body and think of nothing but i cant see what the problem is why i find it difficult to sleep immediatly and i wake up in the middle of night almost every day .
Sorry to hear about your troubles sleeping Nicole. If the technique in this article doesn't work for you, perhaps you might want to see a sleep specialist. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.
James says:
sometimes it's a school night (i really sound like a kid when i say that) but anyway then i just lie there and can't get to sleep then the time is like 3 o'clock or half 3 in the morning and i have to sleep but just can't because im not tired what do i do?
Hi James – have you tried the relaxation technique in the article to get your mind less focused on trying to go to sleep?
James says:
Ill give it a second try and tell you how it goes
James says:
No it didn't work sadly any other sleep tips?
Sorry to hear that James – you might want to look through the comments thread for other suggestions from readers
Sponge bob square pants says:
I find it so so so hard to sleep, every night i end up playing in my phone!!!!! Im even doing it now!!!!!!!
purple92484 says:
Im doing the same thing sponge bob square pants thats kind how I found this page
Hi purple – I'm unable to comment beyond the tip above. Perhaps you might want to seek help from professional sleep specialists. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.
purple92484 says:
Been awake 42 hrs have tried listening to music, lights off, tried the technique listed above any other ideas. I got bipolar,depression,ptsd,and in medical leave for physical issues.
Jesus contreras says:
Haven't slept going to my third day. I'm tired and try to sleep but k can't, I open my eyes and it seems like I'm wide awake?!!!
I'm sorry to hear that Jesus – hopefully this article or tips from other readers can give you some ideas to try
Maddi says:
Hi I am almost 12 and I have little sisters and my mum wants everyone to go bed at 8:30 pm and I am allowed to stay up till 9:00 and I am fine with that because I get tired about that time. Don't be nasty but I love babies and I have a doll that I use as a real baby and I play with her until 9 then I lie in bed at 9 and can't sleep my dad told me to count sheep but it won't work I also have tried the rainbow game (think of everything the same color of red and go though all colors) but still nothing works and my mum and dad go to bed at 10-10:30 and my dad snores and that's bad cause I can't sleep listening to that so I need help on getting to sleep I am Australian and female
Thanks please reply
Hi Maddi – sorry to hear about your trouble sleeping. Have you had a chance to use the technique in this article? If you have and it didn't work for you, you can see if there are any tips in the comments section that could be helpful.
Jamella LIna says:
Hi I'm Marie im 14 years old for me my normal time for sleeping is 11 to 12 pm but know i use to sleep 3 to 5 am and I dont know whats wrong with me I tried to sleep early but its hard and i dont know why
Hi Marie – sorry that I'll be unable to help you figure out why. Have you had any luck with the technique in the article?
Trinity says:
I have Anxiety which is causing me to have some Insomnia.. it's 11:22 PM and I wake up at 7AM, and I'm really busy tomorrow.
I wish I could sleep!
Sorry to hear that Trinity. Any luck using the breathing technique in the article?
Andy says:
I can't get the breathing technique to work for me but everyone else is telling me it's great
Mark says:
So here goes nothing ive been up a total of 7 hours trying to sleep with no luck so I found your article I tried the ideas in the comments but nothing has worked I do drink energy drinks but not everyday and the past 3 nights I just can't seem to sleep I am 20 and I have tried everything any other tips or tricks you might be able to share with me?
Sincerely, Mark
That's tough Mark – 7 hours trying to sleep … I would take a look at some of the comments in this article as there is some advice around reducing stimulation before sleeping. Beyond those tips and the technique in this article, I'm not sure how else to be helpful.
akhil says:
Hello sir , i am 18 year old and I go to bed at 10 o'clock and get up early at 3 o'clock for doing meditation . And then I sleep at 4 o'clock till 6 o'clock. Can it will be sufficient sleep for me.
Hi Akhil – since I'm not a sleep specialist, I won't be able to comment on this question. You might want to observe how you typically feels during the day with this sleep schedule to get a sense if it is sufficient.
Berry says:
I can't sleep when i so tired. What the hell happening with me.
isiqhwage says:
May I suggest watching a romantic movie – cry yourself to sleep Boet! ie.Brother
Makato says:
I did that it didn't work I did everything on every website I'm scared and not getting any sleep
Sorry to hear that Makato – you may want to consider seeing a sleep specialist
Elliexox says:
Hi I am 12 years old, female, and I always have trouble getting to sleep. I've tried all the methods on the internet and none of them seem to work! I also get scared really easily, like it hear a window creak or a raindrop on my roof, I start to freak out and worry that someone is going to break in. I know it sounds crazy but I'm really worried that I'm not getting enough sleep. I usually end up falling asleep at around 10:00 or 11:00. I've tried talking to parents but they just say don't be silly you'll be fine and send me back to bed.
If you know of anything I could do to stop my fear I would really appreciate your advice.
Ellie x
Hi Ellie – beyond the tip in this article, I don't have any other ideas. I know Arianna Huffington recently wrote a book on sleep and that might help
Alex says:
It's 2:15 am and i try to sleep but when i close my eyes they simply stay closed 1 minute and next open. I dont now how to make this disappear it's my first time when this is happening to me.
Any luck with this technique? Might be able to help you relax
[…] Tip #13 – Meditate right after you wake up or when you go to bed to clear any mental clutter. When trying to sleep, relax your body with this technique. […]
Corey says:
How do you relax your nose? Or your thigh or your calf? I'm not even doing anything nor if I try to stress them nothing changes CD
Corey – one thing you can try is to imagine them sinking deeper into the bed when you put your attention on that part of your body. Another way is to flex that muscle for a few seconds and then release it.
Deepika says:
Hai Sir, I am deepika. Per day 3-4 hours only possible to sleep. I Can't sleep well. What is the reason i don't known please help me. Please give any suggestion regarding my asleep
Hi Deepika – there are two resources at the end of the article that might be helpful if the technique in the article wasn't working for you. You might be able to find what you are looking for there.
Rese says:
I haven't slept 2 days and I'm still not tired
Mumtaz says:
What do you actually mean by 'pay attention to the body part'?
Hi Mumtaz – it means focusing on the specific body part which should allow you to feel a sensation in that body part due to your awareness of it. It's hard to explain in words.
Alexis says:
Hi im 13 I completely of schedule i stayed up till 7am for a week know and o just cant seem to goto bed at a normal time any more any tips
Hi Alexis, sorry to hear that your schedule is off. There are two links at the bottom of the article with a good number of tips.
Maddi says:
Hi I'm maddi I'm 12 it's just finished holidays and I've been having late nights, I have to get up at 6 am every morning for school. I'm usually asleep by 10:30 pm put to be educated at nine, but tonight it's 2:15 and I cannot sleep, I'm gonna have no sleep honestly ice tried everything, I'll just have to have coffee in the morning
Tired says:
Hi, i'm 13 and I've been up all night with a cold and i have school soon and none of these techniques work. I've listened to calming music but haven't been tired. Any other ways to get to sleep? Also my sleep schedule is wacky because i just finished holidays. Is there ways to help get your sleeping schedule back to normal?
Being sick can definitely throw off your sleep schedule. Have you looked at the two links at the end of the article. There are a list of tips in both to help.
Jamie says:
Hi, I'm Jamie and I'm 15. I have asthma, but it doesn't happen that often, but tonight I have breathing restrictions, I have tried to sleep but every time I lie down, I can't breathe, so I then put a pillow behind me so I sleep sitting up, but that didn't work either, my breathing is restricted and I'm wheezing. I looked up remedies to help my breathing, but not much has helped… It's 3:23 am and I'm super tired, but I can't sleep, I don't know what to do… Can you please help me???
If not, thanks anyway, have a nice rest of the night.
Sorry to hear that Jamie – you might want to see your doctor about this one.
Sebby says:
I go to sleep at 11AM im a teenager, but everytime I go to sleep I wake up around 2AM feeling fully energized and can't go back to sleep even when I try. Help me with tips please!
Hi Sebby – that must be tough. Perhaps the tips in the two links at the end of the article might help.
chakrapani says:
HI, I am chakri now experiencing sleepless days in my life,If i try sleep at night or day my eyes closed and having a terrible creative thoughts or stories(that to be new stories i have ever didn't heard it)sometimes it extended upto 4 or 5 hours eventhough i awake in the middle.
PLEASE reply me
Hi Chakri – I'm sorry to hear that and beyond the technique in the article, I'm not sure I have any helpful advice for you. You may want to see a sleep professional if the issue persists.
Ali says:
I have been trying to fall asleep since 9pm. It is currently 3am. The only conclusion i have been able to draw is that i think too much. I doubt age or gender have much of an impact on why i cant sleep, but just in case, i'm male and am currently 15. I've been unable to clear my mind as soon as i started this academic year. I'm not sure if it's school stress, but i am highly doubtful as i've always had a good report card with little effort. Not sure if it's social stress, but i feel it is most probably excitement. I find that the night before an event i am unable to clear my mind. Any tips on how to clear my mind? I would be much obliged and if ir works i would be a lot happier in the mornings. I know this a long passage and i give my sincerest apologies and many thanks to you, Mr. Robert Chen. Best Regards, Ali.
Hi Ali – a busy mind can certainly keep you up. You might want to check out Aro meditation email course at aromeditation.org or read some of my lighter articles on meditation. Good luck!
Chloe says:
Hi I can't sleep and I have to be up at 8am and its now 3:08 and I can't miss school because I have already missed 8 days I don't know what to do I am gonna be very tired tomorrow morning and I will be grumpy I am so stressed 😑😢
Chloe – sorry to hear that and the pressure to sleep and being unable to must be frustrating. There are a few different tips in the link towards the end of the article that might help.
Rayan says:
Hi my 11 year old son has a sleeping problem from.tbe day hesborn and he still got the same problem .somtimes he starts xrying becz the little one goes sleep quickly.what shall i do can anybody recomond anything plz i m so worried.
Hi Rayan – sorry to hear about this. You might want to consult your son's pediatrician for guidance.
Oury barry says:
Nice one now i feel better honestly💗💗
ravi ranjan says:
Toachive goal do not sleep at night
Thanks for sharing Ravi – not what I would imagine as the most sustainable way to achieve long term goals but a way nonetheless
Noam says:
Hi Robet, im a 12 year old boy and i have trouble sleeping it bappens every other day or so. Every technique i try doesnt work. I have a lack of melanin so i take a pill every 2 days but i still cant go to sleep and nothing the doctors say helps me. Some days i only sleep 1 hour sometimes i sleep at about 12:30 the earliest and 7:00 if it happens even if i go to bed at 10pm.Please help me.
Hi Noam – I'm sorry to hear about your sleeping troubles. Beyond the tips in the article, I'm afraid don't have any other tips that can help as I'm not a licensed sleep professional. Perhaps your doctors can recommend a sleep specialist. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.
sania says:
I have tried these tips and they are working awesomely on me. i have started sleeping on my ideal time after appling these. http://getsmartideas1.blogspot.com/2016/06/how-to-sleep-fast-10-tips-and-tricks-to.html
Star Princess Nelson says:
Help I can't sleep I may try I am fighting my eyes I know I'm tired its 1:27 am and I have to be up by 3:30 am so I can get ready for ROTC or AFJROTC air force Jr. Ranking offcer corps I went to bed at 8 20 but I woke up at 10 and just stayed up I can't go back to bed and I can't stand sleeping on my back its highly uncomfortable the way I sleep is curled up on my side with arms out that's the only way please help meeeee
I'm only 14
That's frustrating Star – did you get a chance to try the technique in the article? The links at the end of the article might have some more ideas as well.
Alex says:
Hi its 2:05 right now and I can't seem to fall asleep tomorrow is thanksgiving and I got to get up at 6am and ride my bike to my girl friends house to spend the day with her. That's only 4 hours of sleep I'm debating on just staying up or try to sleep I don't want to wake up feeling like ugh so Idk what to do please help me.
PS the ride is 8.8 miles there.
Sorry to hear that Alex – beyond the tips in the article and the links at the end of the article and comments section, I don't have any additional tips.
Jaimie B says:
I don't have any sleep-related comments, but I did find it impressive that you continued to respond to comments on the article years after writing it. Dedication! Haha…
Haha – thanks Jaimie! I'll take it as a compliment.
Jacob says:
I was just thinking the same. Wow !
Jacob says:
Hello, my name is Jacob. I am 18 years old and besides studies, i am employed and i usually get up at 6am to get on bud to school and come home at 11pm from work. Although my regime seems really hard, exhausting or tiring, i can not sleep at night. I end up with 2-4 a day, which is not really enough, but i just cant do more ! I will try this method and hope it works, otherwise i have a huge problem. I can not concentrate well at school, the biggest problem for me being maths and that is a problem on high requirements industry school.
Sorry to hear that Jacob and congratulations on your industriousness – hopefully the technique in the article helps you get more sleep. There are more tips in the links at the end of the article to try as well. Good luck!
Sorry to hear that Jacob and congratulations on your industriousness – hopefully the technique in the article works out for you. You might want to try some of the other tips in the links at the end of the article as well. Good luck!
Grace says:
Hi i'm Grace and i'm 12. I have a problem. School went out for Christmas, and i didn't have to get up early anymore. I stayed up waaay to late then I should've, about 4. I said to myself if I stay awake allll day i'd be soo tired during bedtime I could go to sleep. Well sadly I didn't accomplish that, I made it till 9 am and I started feeling shaky and getting really bad headaches. So I had to go to sleep. Ever since then I would end up sleeping all day, and being wide awake at night. I tried what you suggested and all the other tips to make me fall asleep, but i just couldn't. Since you seem like a very smart person. I was wondering if you had any advice on how I could get out of the routine of sleeping all day and being awake all night. Thank you very much for reading what I have to say.
Hi Grace – it sounds like you've tried what I might recommend which is to stick to a wake up time and resist the urge to sleep during the day. If you feel headaches or begin to shake by doing this, you might want to consult a doctor to make sure it is nothing serious. Maybe taking on a fun activity during the day that might distract you will help you stay up. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.
Jojo says:
Hi I'm 11 and female it's 12:16 I can't sleep I have been looking for ways to sleep I can't I have to wake up at 6:00 am tomorrow morning plz help
Hi Jojo – did you get a chance to try the technique in the article or the tips in the links at the end of the article?
Kappa says:
Hello, my name is Jina Grimm
I'm 200 months old
i cannot sleep it is torture whether i try to sleep or try to stay awake. i am extremely tired and extremely awake at the same time. i attempt to sleep but no matter what position I try i cannot fricken sleep.
There are prescriptions that force me to sleep and help a lot but if you do not take them at the same time every day/night they will take a random time to take effect and will wake you up at some random time.
Whenever I forget to take my pills, im able to stay up the whole entire day without feeling sleepy eventually but I always remember to take them at 6 PM if i stayed up the whole day and the math comes down to me waking up at 8 am.
but you should remember to take your pills in stead of playing videogames all night lol. my parents blame my sleeping problem on videogames which is only semi true, i really cannot sleep even if I'm bored because im not allowed to play videogames, i've tried it already so the pills really help me sleep and I don't care if its natural or not. I do not care about my body that much, im not afraid to damage it or die, we all die eventually
Even before i was a christian I did not care about dying because I'm just bored with life, its not really interesting to me. not saying im suicidal but i dont see any point in living unless its total bliss. well even then i would still like a point to living even if its in heaven
BTW im not emo, emo kids are afraid to die they just think theyre cool by pretending to be suicidal. I would kill myself if I could but god say you will not kill, that includes yourself im afraid
Alex says:
I'm 14 and my sleeplessness fluctuates. I was getting solid ten hours and then I relapsed so hard, no matter how tired I was, no matter what relaxation guide I listened to, I still couldn't fall asleep. My main concern is will my body eventually win over my mind? My body just won't let me NOT go sleepless, right?
Hi Alex – I think the mind is powerful and if you're thinking about many things or if you're anxious that you're not falling asleep, it can keep you awake. I do believe that the body eventually will let the brain know that it needs to rest.
Cyaen says:
Hi! I'm 15 and just entered high school. This semester was sluggish, I felt every morning I was tired and just never was ready for the day. After doing homework or hanging out, I'd go to my room and attempt to sleep, usually around 9-10 PM. Though this was only the time when I would really just get in my bed and shut my eyes, trying to relax. But its always the same. Sleep at 1-3, wake up at 6. I want so badly for a full 9-10 hours of sleep, but I only end up getting 6-5. I'm really hoping this breathing trick will have some effect on me.
Thanks for sharing Cyaen – I hope this technique works for you as well
Rizwan says:
I couldn't sleep for a two years now. I cannot shut off my mind, it is endless looping random thoughts
Saloni jain says:
I m saloni. ..last 30 days my mother does not sleep properly even a one minute …..we don't understand wht we can do ….she take sleeping pills but she have no relax …..she don't take sleeping…pls help me
Sorry to hear that Jaloni – you might want to take your mother to see a physician if the tips in the article and links are not helpful.
Maddie williams says:
Hi i am maddie im 13 when i try to sleep i cant because im scared i will have a night mare or something will get me i need sleep so i started sleeping with my grandma thats who i live with but it worked out then she got tired of it so she made me stay in my room i cant sleep and i have school toorrow
Hi Maddie – try the breathing technique. It might help you get your mind off of the fear.
Maddie williams says:
Im maddie i have trouble sleeping so i slept with my parent and then she got tired of it so she made me stay in my room and i was scared something was going to get me and i was scared i might have a nigjt mare
Pedram Zamanpour says:
hi I'm Pedram and for some reason at nights I can't sleep and I get very dizzy when I close my eyes. Any advice
Hi Pedram – in addition to the technique in the article, there are a few links that have more tips on getting sleep. Hope one of those will help
Christiano de Arellano says:
Hi I'm James, Actually I really don't know what happened to me. Last sem-break i used to sleep 6am in the morning and wake up at 3 pm. However when my sembreak is done I need to follow my school sched. 8am-8pm. So I tried to sleep early, I was able to sleep at 4 am on the first day and on the second day at 6am. But as days goes by my body cant feel that i need to sleep so therefore I don't mind it, A days goes by until it reaches to day 10 I really feel nervous that I cant sleep really no matter what. So I tried researching the net and made me more nervous that sleep deprivation can cause death, hearth attack, cancer, and more. So I went to the doctor, the doctor gave me a prescription for 10 days (Sleepwell Tablet and Iterax). After 10 days still im struggling to sleep. I think really goes tired only once a week and that time my body is able to take at least 3 hours sleep in a week and same story goes on that I can only sleep when my body really go to zero battery once a week for only 3 hours………. I really need help… pls…… Answer me
Hi James – I'm sorry to hear about your situation. Beyond the tips in the article, I'm afraid I don't have any other suggestions beyond going back to see you doctor or a sleep specialist. Best of luck to you.
Madyson says:
HI…..I am almost 13 years old I have a lot of responsibility at school and I am often tired during the school day, I try to fall asleep at 9 but it never works I lie awake for hours. Also when I'm at motels I never sleep more than 2 hours. If there is snoring sometimes I will be awake all night, I have tried everything and nothing seems to work….do you have any suggestions?
Hi Madyson – if the technique in the article didn't work, take a look at the links towards the bottom of the article. There are a list of tips on each of those sites.
Sorry to hear that Madyson – beyond the technique in the article and the tips in the links at the bottom of the article, I don't have any more advice to share. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful
matildaisnotmynamebutwhatever333 says:
dude i came to this web page right and sure i don't get enough sleep or whatever but!! I cannot!! stress!! the fact that you still reply to comments. like i started reading these comments you know ( no point in asking a question that's been answered to multiple times throughout the page y'know ) and it's as early as 2012 and you're still active now?? im sorry but you're really amazing to keep up with your web page for years and it may not seem like much but i come across web pages like these ALL THE TIME and they're all inactive after like…not even a week. keep up the good work dude, and i hope you know just how cool you are.
Thanks for your kind words – hopefully you found the article and comments helpful for helping you get sleep!
nya says:
Smarty says:
SEE I AM STILL A 8 GRADER BUT I STILL HAVE PROBLEM IN SLEEPING .. I've been experiencing fear of going to sleep. I don't exactly know how to pinpoint it. I'm not prone to nightmares, and I don't have fears about particular things–I'm not afraid, for example, that someone's going to break into my dorm and mug me.
But right about the time that I start thinking I should go to bed–late already, as I said, due to I start to get antsy. My heart starts racing, and it's hard to bring myself to get ready for bed. And if I can get ready for bed.
Hi Smarty – I'm sorry to hear about this frustrating experience. It sounds like you've tried everything. I would try the technique in this article again or to consider learning meditation so you can focus your mind on something besides the fact that you can't go to bed. I like the Calm App if you have a smartphone. I'm afraid I don't have any other solutions beyond what you see in the article.
Smarty says:
yea i did try those techniques but naa didn't work out
thx for ur help tough
Ronald Rees says:
I am a 30 year old man who has bipolar disorder and I would like to know why it is so hard for me to sleep i sleep well for about a month then out of the blue I can only sleep 2 hours in 3 days I know I'm tired but my body feels like it's itchy and my mind won't allow me to relax enough to fall all the way asleep i wake up feeling mad because I need sleep for work I'm worried that my lack of sleep is going to cause me to have a bad panic attack at work and loose my job or that I'm going to get into a accident to or from work due to my lack of sleep or its going to cause me health problems or to have a full blown manic episode wich I definitely don't want because win I'm manic I make very bad choices like get pissed off and just walk off my job or start destroying things andect or I get all suicidal and homicidal thoughts and feelings of despair and rage any suggestions for me to get my sleep at least 6 hours every night because proper sleep is key to keeping my bipolar under control
Hi Ronald – thank you for sharing your situation. Since I'm not a physician or sleep specialist, I won't be able to comment beyond the technique in the article. You might want to see a sleep professional to see if they can give you more insights into alleviating your sleeplessness. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.
Kendall dickens says:
Thank you I am 11 and I fell asleep at 7 an hour after I wake up thanks again
Mbalenhle Gwacela says:
Totally love this blog!! I felt like your first paragraph was exactly what i would say- all the time!! Best feeling ever hahaha
Tayla says:
I like to use smiling mind sleep meditations to get to sleep it really helps!!!
Dolly says:
From past few years I'm not able to sleep properly…it takes 2 hrs for me to fell asleep after going to bed …and I awake late in the morning like 10 -11 ..i really want to get out of this …help me out ..please
Sorry to hear that Dolly – if you tried the technique in the article and it didn't work, there are some links at the end of the article that might help
Derek Martin says:
Hey I am trying to sleep at 5:00
Saad Azeem says:
Cause of my schedule i can't sleep at night is day sleeping fulfills all ??? As i have height growing issue also?
Hi Saad – this might be a question for your doctor to look at to see if growth issues are related to your sleep
Poke says:
I'm not really looking for a reply I just ask for more methods since I've tried this one for about an hour. I've had sleep issues since I was born and nothing has helped thou. I am now 15 and In less then a month 16. I have no clue if I can't sleep due to depression or what not but I need it. I'm not asking fully for myself but for everyone please find more. It is currently 2:27 and I want to bed at 11:13… Please share more ways
Hi Poke – check out the links towards the end of the article. They lead to a few other activities to try.
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