A Helpful Hint on Getting to Sleep
March 4, 2008 by laura
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Insomnia, is a major part of my living with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. In fact, up until recently it is the one symptom that has given me the most trouble. So, whenever I find a helpful hint I will try it. It doesn’t matter how crazy it sounds.
I came across this hint recently (not sure where) but it sounds like a good idea. Next time the insomnia monster comes to visit, I will be putting it into practice.
Here is the hint:
Start counting backwards from 100. I know sounds too simple, right? There is more to it. Instead of just counting backwards, you have to spell the number.
So for example:
- 100 is O-N-E H-U-N-D-R-E-D
- 99 is N-I-N-E-T-Y-N-I-N-E
- and so on
I know myself well enough that I wouldn’t be able to get past 98 or 97. I just don’t have the patience to think, when I am tired. Most likely I will have given up, and gone to sleep – just from using that much brain power.
Do you have any fail safe tricks to help you get to sleep?
Ooo – I’ll have to add that one to my arsenal! Some of the others I’ve done: counting back from 100 in 7’s, think-reciting the alphabet backwards (that works until it becomes almost as automatic as forwards
), and counting breaths in groups of 60 (I called them “breath minutes” – if I could make it through five breath minutes still awake, I was allowed to get up and do something else, ’cause obviously I wasn’t going to sleep anytime soon 
).
But all these tricks lose power when you’ve used them so much they become automatic – then you aren’t using enough of your conscious thought, and it goes off and creates tension again! So I’m glad for any new techniques I find. My latest one seems to be “oh, for f***s sake, give it up will you?”
I know the counting down by 7’s….in fact I am so good at it now, I can do it in front of people (something that took me a long time to do).
I like your idea of breath minutes, I will put that on the list of things to try.
i dont have any failsafe tricks, but if i lay in bed for more than a half hour without sleep, i have to get up and move or my joints start to hurt.
Ryan,
thats a good plan. I have lots of experience with insomnia, and while I have been trying my hardest to stay in bed – I have found that getting up and moving is something that I rarely regret doing.
Hi, I just began to write about my life with CFS on my blog last night, which has been my blog to write about my jewelry up until now. Last night I wrote my most excellent sleep tips, so check it out! The secrets are on the blog. More coming soon! I’m glad I found you.
Juliana
THAT WHOLE COUNTING THING WORKS FOR MY HUSBAND BUT I HAVE NO PATIENCE FOR IT. PERSONALLY I TAKE 9MG OF MELATONIN EVERY NIGHT THEN READ USING A BOOK LIGHT FOR 1/2 HOUR. MELATONIN IS NATURALLY PRODUCED BY YOUR BODY AND HELPS PREVENT CANCER. START OUT WITH 1MG THEN INCREASE SLOWLY AS NEEDED. 9MG IS HIGH BUT I HAVE NO HANGOVER.
I’ve got a new one: in the vein of progressive relaxation, I start with my feet and mentally say “my feet are asleep”, then add on “my ankles are asleep, my feet are asleep” and keep working my way up. The trick seems to be to add on and keep saying the past ones after you’ve added the new body part – it’s funny how fast I get sleepy and can’t remember the name of my calves or thighs…