How to fall asleep within 20 minutes of lying in bed

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Fakesmile

Fakesmile

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
Messages
444
Reaction score
0
Members don't see this ad.
Sorry if this isn't exactly premed-related, but I have trouble falling asleep after lying down in bed, even when I'm tired. Yesterday, I was really tired during the day and I had two sleep attacks where I was so sleepy that I ended up taking a 15-minute nap on my desk. But then when I went to bed last night at 10pm, I had to wait for 1.5 hours lying in bed to finally fall asleep at 11:30pm. It's weird how I was really sleepy during the day and then not that sleepy in the night and have hard time falling asleep. Any solutions would be appreciated.
 
Sex.


No seriously it really does work.:laugh:
 
Resist taking naps. 11:30 is still early brotha, I haven't slept that early since Elementary School. Exercise sometime in the day, but never before bed, the adrenaline will keep you up. Possibly drink a warm glass of milk. Don't have the tv, radio, or read as it may stimulate your brain and not make you tired.

What do I know though, I'm a freaking insomniac who goes to sleep when most people eat breakfast.
 
panthera said:
Resist taking naps. 11:30 is still early brotha, I haven't slept that early since Elementary School. Exercise sometime in the day, but never before bed, the adrenaline will keep you up. Possibly drink a warm glass of milk. Don't have the tv, radio, or read as it may stimulate your brain and not make you tired.

What do I know though, I'm a freaking insomniac who goes to sleep when most people eat breakfast.
Click to expand...

insomniacs don't sleep.
 
You may have to go to bed earlier. Try getting ready for bed closer to 8:30 or 9pm so that if you start feeling a bit tired you can take advantage of that - there are natural sleep/wake cycles, and if you miss an opportunity to fall asleep, you might have to wait a few hours for the next one.

But the first thing you try should probably be cutting out all caffeine within 8 hours of going to bed (caffeine's half-life in the body is about 3-4 hours if you're a non-smoker, so it will take roughly 8 hours to leave the bloodstream completely) and no alcohol for about 3 hours before.

Also, lying in bed reading while waiting to fall asleep is better than being on the computer. The brightness of the screen combined with sitting up is counter-productive.
 
Lots of good things mentioned in this thread. Exercise during the day is a big plus! After working all day, I can get to sleep pretty easily at night. Also, having a "bedtime" routine is good, too. Some people listen to music, read a book, masturbate, etc. Staying away from caffeine is always a good idea, but especially within ~3 hours before bed. Finally, it helps if you had a full day and aren't trying to get to sleep after only being awake for 12 hours 🙂. Keeping up with a routine sleep schedule solves that problem quick.

Edit: And I'm speaking from experience! If I mix up any of these steps, chances are good I won't get to sleep very easily that night.
 
My freshman year of college I suffered some pretty bad insomnia. There was a period of about 5 or 6 months when it would take me 2-3 hours to get to sleep, and I would wake up frequently throughout the night. It was a miserable experience. Unfortunately, I don't know what happened to fix it.

marele86 said:
But the first thing you try should probably be cutting out all caffeine within 8 hours of going to bed (caffeine's half-life in the body is about 3-4 hours if you're a non-smoker, so it will take roughly 8 hours to leave the bloodstream completely) and no alcohol for about 3 hours before.
Click to expand...

If the half-life of caffeine in the human body is between 3 and 4 hours, after 8 hours you would expect between 19% and 25% to still be in the bloodstream (at least if my math is correct). Just sayin' 🙂
 
Last edited:
Fakesmile said:
Sorry if this isn't exactly premed-related, but I have trouble falling asleep after lying down in bed, even when I'm tired. Yesterday, I was really tired during the day and I had two sleep attacks where I was so sleepy that I ended up taking a 15-minute nap on my desk. But then when I went to bed last night at 10pm, I had to wait for 1.5 hours lying in bed to finally fall asleep at 11:30pm. It's weird how I was really sleepy during the day and then not that sleepy in the night and have hard time falling asleep. Any solutions would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
exercise
 
I stopped drinking coffee after 6pm and exercise daily at 10pm. Works for me.
 
Make sure that you aren't using your bed to study, eat, or surf the internet. Try using it for sleep (or "extracurriculars") only.

As others have said, cutting down on caffeine and chocolate after noon, not eating late at night, and not exercising in the evening are good places to start. Also get rid of excess light and excess noise at night when you are trying to sleep.

If that doesn't work, there are many over the counter supplements you can take to encourage sleep. I won't mention them here for fear of giving medical advice, but you can find them easily enough.
 
echolalia16 said:
If the half-life of caffeine in the human body is between 3 and 4 hours, after 8 hours you would expect between 19% and 25% to still be in the bloodstream (at least if my math is correct). Just sayin' 🙂
Click to expand...

Hah, that's embarrassing.
... but I can sleep after 8 hours. 😛
 
You're probably lying in bed thinking of stuff.
Turn of your brain.
 
work out regularly. if you do workout and it doesn't help, try working out harder.

if that doesn't work, do 10 sets of 10 repetitions of squats, and you'll be sleeping like a baby.
 
mindfulness meditation.

EDIT: i should specify-- don't do this before bed/to fall asleep. just do it in life to be more relaxed and regulated. you'll probably have better control over your sleep cycle if you develop a good mindfulness meditation practice.
 
Last edited:
OP, you're a young adult. You're not meant to sleep before 11pm. Also, pull a couple all-nighters. I guarantee that'll make you fall asleep faster
 
LAman10 said:
OP, you're a young adult. You're not meant to sleep before 11pm. Also, pull a couple all-nighters. I guarantee that'll make you fall asleep faster
Click to expand...

😕 on many work nights, i go to bed at 10:30 and wake up at 6. that feels a lot like adult behavior to me.
 
dw2158 said:
😕 on many work nights, i go to bed at 10:30 and wake up at 6. that feels a lot like adult behavior to me.
Click to expand...
a young adult, it not quite ur day to day adult..

a young adult is a typical party animal....lol... well not exactly, but they are more playful than adults..
 
Fakesmile said:
Sorry if this isn't exactly premed-related, but I have trouble falling asleep after lying down in bed, even when I'm tired. Yesterday, I was really tired during the day and I had two sleep attacks where I was so sleepy that I ended up taking a 15-minute nap on my desk. But then when I went to bed last night at 10pm, I had to wait for 1.5 hours lying in bed to finally fall asleep at 11:30pm. It's weird how I was really sleepy during the day and then not that sleepy in the night and have hard time falling asleep. Any solutions would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

Watch C-SPAN.
 
I used to have horrible sleep problems( especially cause my roomates used to stay up all night drinking and making noise when i had 8AMs). Melatonin, in moderation and only when i need it, does wonders.
 
-Exercise earlier in the day.
-Drink warm milk (tastes a bit nasty, but as long as there is no extra sugar in it, it puts you to sleep).
-Count sheep- I actually say this completely seriously, though I guess you can count/focus on whatever. But if you focus your mind on something really simple and mindless, and push everything else out of your mind, it really works. I generally tend to count rather slowly and picture a little sheep jumping over a fence in as much detail as I can, and as long as I don't let the test/fight/family/anything else (including not being able to sleep) into my mind, I'm usually asleep before I get to 40.

Sex is also great, a bit more difficult if your partner is the type who likes to cuddle and talk afterward. :/
 
Start medical school.
 
obvious solution - try not to take naps during the day
practical solution - try reading a histology textbook
 
Sex
Exercise
Boring lectures or textbooks

In that order


rowerontheriver said:
-Drink warm milk (tastes a bit nasty, but as long as there is no extra sugar in it, it puts you to sleep).
Click to expand...

by that you mean propofol right


Just avoid bright lights, tv, monitors, for the 30 minutes before you hit the sack, apparently they slow down melatonin production. exercise 30 minutes a day, and you should be fine
 
Last edited:
If you're desperate and willing to try something different, take a bunch of piracetam (~10 grams) throughout the day. Every study I've seen says it is safe and you can take as much as you want.

It doesn't sedate me but calms me down enough that I can fall asleep. In my experience, however, it works best with DMAE.
 
I listen to music to go to sleep. For the past 5-6 years I've been using my iPod with chill music to sleep. The trick is having the right music...we're talking some ambient Brian Eno compositions or some mellow Mogwai tracks. Or maybe some Explosions in the Sky, provided not the more "explosive" of their songs. Chamber-pop-esque folk music works too, like Sun Kil Moon and Bonnie "Prince" Billy, because it's down-tempo and whatnot. The National is another band that has a good moody, mellow sound that works well for resting/falling asleep to. Then again, you can always go for the Godspeed You! Black Emperor "bore me to tears so I fall asleep" approach. One 20-minute track and your mind will be too numb to stay awake.

Once MCAT season hit, I needed to calm my nerves so I put a bunch of stand-up comedy on my iPod. Worked like a charm for me.
 
Mogwai and Explosions (also the Six Parts Seven and some others) are GREAT mellow / study music.
 
vickpick said:
a young adult, it not quite ur day to day adult..

a young adult is a typical party animal....lol... well not exactly, but they are more playful than adults..
Click to expand...

i disagree. my workplace is pretty young, my roommates are my age... most working young adults that i know keep decent hours. 11 is a totally normal time to go to bed.
 
10mg sonata if sleep onset is your problem. Less likely to affect your sleep architecture than ambien and lunesta
 
vickpick said:
a young adult, it not quite ur day to day adult..

a young adult is a typical party animal....lol... well not exactly, but they are more playful than adults..
Click to expand...

Its not that a young adult is necessarily a party animal, but rather our bodies aren't made to sleep the schedule of the 9-5 Anglo and American world. We should take a lesson from Spain.
 
NO DAYTIME NAPPING! I'm not sure what your schedule is like but be consistent each night with your bedtime and wake up at the same time each day. I have a very sensitive sleep schedule and used to have trouble falling asleep on a regular basis but here is one thing that works: STICKING TO A SCHEDULE. A lack of a sleep schedule can cause all kinds of issues! Good luck. Try an OTC sleep medication like Tylenol PM or Simply Sleep to help you initially regulate your sleep schedule. Let me know if you need any additional help, I have been through all kinds of sleep drama. Happy 😴!!!
 
Its funny that 45 people replied to this without the op saying anything, but I suggest masturbating, which other people did, but it works.
Good luck
 
Ambien.
On a side note, masturbation is habit forming.
Chamomile helps you sleep too, it's really good for you.
Getting a really soft mattress.
Playing nature sounds while trying to sleep.
Or studying, that tires me out the most. Study till you drop, on many occasions I fall asleep with my books laying on my bed next to me.
 
evoviiigsr said:
10mg sonata if sleep onset is your problem. Less likely to affect your sleep architecture than ambien and lunesta
Click to expand...

omg, i'm such an idiot: here i thought everyone was suggesting the OP listen to some beethoven or whatever, and it turns out sonata is a sleeping pill :smack:

oaklandguy said:
On a side note, masturbation is habit forming.
Click to expand...

you can't be serious 🙄 :laugh:
 
I am having some kind of sleep problems. Usually i sleep around 10-12 hours (when i get a chance), however my sleep schedule is kind of upside down, i cant fall asleep at night, i browse, read or watch movies, then i fall asleep at the morning and usually sleep till the evening. I know u guys cant help me uh huh. Just wanted to talk to somebody about it........................

P.S i just feel sucks that i miss almost the whole day, sun, daytime activities and yes i am tired of taking night classes
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

R
  • Question Question
Advice on how to proceed in senior year of college
Replies
2
Views
497
LunaOri
LunaOri
B
How Specific in Secondaries?
Replies
4
Views
806
LindaAccepted
LindaAccepted
idkwhat
  • Question Question
how to do well in Orgo II?
Replies
11
Views
1K
idkwhat
idkwhat
Q
  • Question Question
How to answer research interest questions?
Replies
3
Views
411
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
Premed421
Including manuscript on primary app that will be submitted within next 2 weeks
Replies
1
Views
372
wysdoc
wysdoc
Top