I Can't Sleep

by Darlene
(Mississippi, USA)

When I'm stressed out, I have a hard time falling asleep. As soon as I lay down, my mind goes into over drive and starts re-playing everything that happened in the day as well as all the things I need to get done.

It drives me crazy. I can lay in bed for hours thinking about millions of different things and then before I know it, it's morning and time to get up for work.

However, lately I've been trying a new tactic that seems to work pretty well most of the time. When I lay down at night, instead of letting my mind run wild, I direct a story in my head.

I pretend that I'm in a fairy tale. Usually I'm either a princess or a troll or some other fairy tail character and I'll pretend that I'm roaming the land looking for a place to sleep. Using an imaginary land with imaginary characters helps to keep my mind off of the real issues and people in my life. And by making the story a "mission" to find a place to sleep, I'm able to keep in mind that I'm tired and that I should be sleeping. I always imagine doing lots of walking and searching, the kinds of things that would actually make me tired.

Most nights it seems to work pretty well for me and I fall asleep before I ever find a place to sleep in my fairy tale.

If anyone tries this or something like it, let me know how it goes!

Comments for
I Can't Sleep

Average Rating

Click here to add your own comments

Rating

Such a good idea!
by: Jill R.

Darlene,

I'm not very good at falling asleep even when I'm not stressed. But this is such a great idea, I'm going to have to try it! And I love the picture you included :)

My thoughts run so crazy at night so it might be hard at first to keep them directed where I want them to be, but I figure this is probably something that you get better at with practice?

Thanks for sharing this tip!

Rating

It does take practice
by: Darlene

Jill,

Thanks for your comment. It does take a bit of practice at first. Kind of like meditation, it's difficult to really focus without letting your mind run wild if you're not used to it. But after a couple of nights trying this, it gets easier every time and I find that I'm falling asleep faster and faster all the time.

Rating

Sounds good to me
by: Carla

I have a hard time going to sleep. My mind won't shut up. I am going to try this. Maybe if I control what I am thinking about it will work.
Thanks for the idea.

Rating

Tried but not getting right into dreamland soon enough still
by: Eiza R

Hi. It is one of the methods that I had been practicing over the years. I tried thinking of 'happy thoughts' but I tend to end up thinking why life had not been that way. In the end, instead of the muddle thoughts of a bad day at work, I came to the thoughts of what a 'bad' life I am in.
I can spend hours "day-dream" to make me fall asleep. But I guess its the good feeling and positive thoughts that finally calms me down and finally brings me off to the dreamland.
Thinking of happy thoughts are good. It makes you feel positive about life. But we must not let ourselves be to drowned away with what went wrong in our lives. If there are things that are unsettled for the day, plan it out on that very night before bed, what need and should be done. Once you build that confidence in controlling over the problems, you will ease yourself from the unnecessary stress through the night.
If you worry for not having a good thoughts or imaginations, try reading a 'happy-book' or those journals like Chicken Soup for Soul book that motivates you. We do not only need to motivate ourselves to work, but also to sleep. Without good sleep we can' produce good work. So rest well =)

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to Stress Symptoms

The information presented on this site is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition. Always seek the advice of your individual Health Care Professional.

Need Guidance?
Click here to follow the Road Map!