I read somewhere recently (it might have even been lifehacker) that backlit screens aren't good for your sleep. The article said not to look at a backlit screen for at least an hour before you need to fall asleep.

If sleeping were a skill to be listed on applications, it'd be my number one. I can fall asleep within 5 minutes nearly anywhere, if I need to. I can also wake myself up without an alarm clock most days, and am such a light sleeper that just my roommate rolling over in his bed is enough to wake me up. Fortunately, I can go right back to sleep. I sleep just as well on the ground as I do in my bed as I do on someone else's couch. Big pillow, thin pillow, no pillow, my shoes rolled up inside my pants, whatever, I'm good to go. I'm still young, however (23), and am wondering if anyone older enjoyed the same sleeping "skills" I do when they were younger, and have now lost them. I know, kind of an odd worry for someone, especially at my age, but I am genuinely concerned that I will lose my sleeping skills, haha.

Jason

@Avgjoe: I've been getting to / staying asleep a lot better lately for precisely the same reasons!
e.g.: my MacBook's 'breathing' sleep-mode light, my cellphone's front display, my old green-digit alarm clock (i've found dark red doesn't bother me nearly as much), etc.

Cutting these things out (i.e. covering my MB's light, flipping my phone over while it charges) has made a wonderful difference.

jrmontag

I have recently been trying to get a better nights rest as well, and I have learned that a darker/colder environment does help me sleep better at night. I used to keep my bedroom light on until I went to bed, but now I turn it off an hour before I hit the sack. I also make sure that every noise/light is turned of when I am in bed, as it keeps me from being distracted from falling a sleep.

AvgJoe

I find freshly laundered covers, or at least fragrant ones, are also conducive to a good nights rest.

Sahel Khan

3mg of melatonin is my saving grace...

dwroth

A hammock strung between two coconut trees.

Deprong Mori

I find not sleeping for the previous day means I can just collapse in any situation (even on top of a speaker at a dance party).

This is probably not ideal.

CWW

I've adjusted my life to avoid the bed unless I'm planning to sleep. That means no reading in bed, no watching TV or working on the computer. My brain has figured out the bed is for one thing only…sleeping. So, when my head hits the pillow I know just what to do.

tombuch

I, in fact, just woke from one of my more blissful slumbers. The Blackness I call it. It can only be found in one place: The Couch. On a Saturday afternoon... priceless. But any other time works just as well. With a nice quiet golf game on the tv or an unimportant soccer match I can drift for hours. Not at night though. Bed is for sleeping and that is the only thing I do up there. I say up there because I have a sleeping loft and I can't do anything up there except sleep so like @tombuch when I climb up there... sleep it is.

Jasontrainer

I can sleep all day on the beach. Sand, breeze, sound of waves... I feel sleepy already ;)

Graveer

Staying up until I can't keep my eyes open.

vered

@jrmontag: I know what you mean about the green alarm clock. My solution was to physically darken it. Baby stores sell plastic sun shades that stick to the inside of the car's window (around $5.00). Two layers of that and an exacto knife, and I had a nicely dimmed alarm clock.

dagwud

Bourbon gives me lousy sleep. I just keep skimming the surface of sleep and then waking. No wonder I wake up feeling like $#!t.

My perfect sleep is found one place only. The couch.

mojoworkin

Bourbon.

Cupajo

I like leaving the TV on because it provides a stable background noise for me and also helps me wake up in the morning because I can lay in bed listening to people talk until I want to wake up.

Woodsyx

I live next to an interstate highway in a noisy apartment complex and my saving grace has been the white noise machine. Y'know the kind - they have 'em in the doctor's offices. I bought the same one. It covers the beeping horns, the firetrucks, crying babies and noisy neighbors wonderfully!

RubberduckGrrl

I can't watch TV or use the computer within about two hours before bedtime or I can't fall asleep.

However, given a good book, a nice warm waterbed and a couple of nice warm cats snuggled up, it's pretty easy to drift off into dreamland.

infmom

Pull my room-darkening drapes and make sure any and every light is off or covered. I found that my Mac's "breathing" light, as mentioned above, was keeping me from falling asleep. As slight as it is, it was enough light to see through my eyelids and cause a distraction.

In the summertime, I also keep a floor fan running to help drown out outside noises.

Tyson0016

A few years ago when I had pneumonia, I learned to sleep in a 45 degree angle sitting position to keep from drowning in my own juices (yeaahh....tmi,huh?)

Anyway, I got used to it and now it's my absolute favorite sleep position. With four firm pillows stacked exactly the right way, my back feels great and I don't get those weird creases across my cheeks from the wrinkles in the pillowcase. My dermatologist said that I probably won't have fine lines around my eyes as soon as women who sleep on the sides of their faces either.

My b.f. doesn't like it much though - not conducive to cuddling, plus he says I look like I've been laid out by Digger O'Dell for my wake - so I don't sleep that way when he's there.

Ciao_Bambina

I think all these comments are good, everybody has his own tip which is really good.

sikantis

Sleep, what is this sleep you speak of?

Constant insomnia, nothing works, nothing.

I can has Perfect Sleep Haven?

BlogsOfSteel

I don't have heavy sleep issues, but I often find that if I have a lot on my mind, falling asleep in itself is tough. One trick I once read I've used ever since: keep a notepad bedside and right down everything you're thinking about before you fall asleep; when you close your eyes, all you'll see is the darkness and you'll be asleep in no time.

detection

My college quad, apparently. I take some schoolwork with me, lie down on the grass, crack open a book and fall asleep for at least 20 minutes.

lacrimaeveneris

I can't sleep if I'm cold. My best sleep investment was a heated mattress pad with lots of heat settings. It keeps me warm so I drift off much more quickly and stay asleep through the night. No more waking up from being chilly in the small hours for me. :-)

Apel Mjausson

If you are having problems sleeping that are interfering with your ability to function during the day, do yourself a favor and talk to your doctor. And just because the drug companies have fancy ads for Ambien and Lunesta and Rozerem, doesn't mean that you need to take (potentially dangerous medication). Non-medication approaches to insomnia may be as good or better than any medication on the market. And safer.

And then there's the issue of sleep apnea, which may affect 1 in 10 Americans, most of whom don't even know it. If you snore, and you are tired during the day, at least explore the idea.

Avoid very bright light in the evening, as well as anything that keeps you distracted and not aware of what time it is (for some reason the data on video games is strongest in this regard). Don't do things in the bedroom that are not related to sleep. If you are lying in bed for a long time, get up until you are sleepy. That way, your body will know that bed=sleep, not bed=lying awake.

This is not medical or any other kind of professional advice. Sleep is important. It is more closely linked to heart disease diabetes, metabolism, obesity, and mental health than most people realize. And there is a lot more help out there than people know about.

Check out the websites for the National Sleep Foundation (www.sleepfoundation.org), Sleep Research Society (www.sleepresearchsociety.org), and American Academy of Sleep Medicine (www.aasmnet.org) for real, reliable information.

grandner

I have to agree with Dr. Wang-Cheng on keeping the room cold. I sleep SO much better when it's very cold and I'm laying under a good old fashioned heavy quilt.

Also pillows. Lots and lots of soft and fluffy pillows help bring on the sandman much better than one typical pillow.

magnoliasouth

@vered: Agreed. Fatigue is probably the best salve for sleep. If you're not tired, find something to do until you are.

My sleep haven is the living room couch (+ a pillow). Seriously. I have some of my best dreamless sleeps there.

kureshii

I can vouch for several of these tips, including the turning down the heat (forces me to get more tightly into the covers, which means more comfortable sleep) and wearing socks. Somehow I got into the habit of wearing socks almost constantly, and I've worn them in bed for several years now. They do help.

My only quibble is the fact that I don't have a computer in my room. About once a week, I'll have a night when I have a whole bunch of ideas bouncing around in my head, and I can't sleep until I've dragged myself out of bed and across the hall to my "office" (really just an empty bedroom I commandeered) and jot them all down in the appropriate webapp (I leave Firefox running all night so it's on instantly in the morning).

I know I could use a notepad as @detection suggested above, but everything else I do is digital, and having to merge the paper with the bits in the morning would be annoying.

Voyagerfan5761

The best sleep aid is sex. End of discussion.

Deprong Mori

A sleeping cap was a revelation to me. I started wearing a knit cap to bed in a cold apartment. One night I pulled it down over my eyes. Eureka! Perfect darkness, anytime, anywhere!

jeffk

@Jason: unfortunately, your worry has come true for me. Up until I was about 30, I could sleep anywhere, sleep through (literally) the loudest *&% train whistle on the planet tooted repeatedly 35 feet from my window (Egyptian train drivers like to honk as much as Egyptian car drivers), etc. Now, at 39, I have chronic insomnia, tough time getting to sleep, etc. It stinks royally. So yes, practice your sleep skills!

aliyahbukra

@Ciao_Bambina: I can't imagine the damage that position is going to do to your back. I hope you love your unwrinkled face when you're wheeling around in a wheel chair and pooping in a bag.

KillDeer

I actually find that the noise of my computer fan helps lull me to sleep. It's not too loud, but it's loud enough to comfort me. I don't know, I'm strange like that =)

Sendaii

Once i get into bed I start to think about things that calm me down, such as relaxing in a nice place. I try not to think about the next day and anything that is exciting. I also sleep with a fan on every night, so when I hear the fan, I think of sleep. Its nice because not only does it cool me down, it also eliminates any other noises in the house that may cause me to think about them.

tankintheair315

All good suggestions; a few more:

An inexpensive and ultra-comfortable sheet set is the 100 percent beech jersey from Bed, Bath and Beyond. I much prefer the beech jersey to high thread count cotton.

Great pillows are a must -- 100 percent down, moderate firmness, replaced every few years.

I've used electrical tape to black out every last light source, including the smoke alarm. Windows are covered with blackout shades AND blackout curtains.

A ceiling fan is ugly, but a great way to keep the room cool and un-stuffy.

dipipi

I like my body pillow [www.amazon.com] . If you sleep on your side, i'd recommend it, helps keep your back straight. Very comfortable.

TNA5000

I sleep on the floor of my closet, on a mattress without a boxspring. It probably sounds a little odd, but I really like sleeping in enclosed spaces, it's much more comfortable for me, and while I have to admit the novelty of it is starting to wear off (not to mention the number it's doing on my back) aesthetically I prefer it to more traditional means.

But I also spent a few years sleeping on a couch growing up as well, so understandably YMMV.

faded_jeanjacket

Audiobooks. Get them free through Librivox, or fairly inexpensively at Audible, and you can have someone read you to sleep every night.

Condalmo

I cannot fall asleep witout some sort of white noise. I find that a cheap $5-$10 fan will do the trick. I switch it on pointing away from my bed and let the low hum whisk me away to my slumber.

CITguy

Try sleeping on the edge of your bed; you will find that you will soon drop off.....

thewilsonman

I have horrible sleep habits. I am on medication for insomnia, without which I go crazy. It's non-addictive, in case you're wondering. :p Nonetheless, I occasionally try and sleep without it, just to see if I can actually sleep like a normal person at all. Apparently not. My doctor has recommended sleeping with a fan on (which I do, and I find it soothing) or using, like someone mentioned, a white noise machine. I actually just enjoy setting up a dvd on my laptop of a TV show I've seen before (so that I'm not gripped to the plot and intrigued to stay up later - it's solely for the voices) right before bed. I find that helps, but maybe it's because it's become such a habit I can't sleep without doing it. I also find that a very dull light coming from a computer monitor (pointed towards the wall, away from my face) is helpful. I can't sleep in total darkness or total silence. I'm a very picky sleeper. ): But the comments here are actually pretty helpful! I'll have to try some of these ideas.

Sennen

@KillDeer: Actually, my back is in great shape, much better than when I was sleeping on my side. The pillows I use are very firm and I make sure that they are arranged to provide good lumbar support.

I am very small - 5 foot, ~ 110# - and so have always had to be careful with my back. I do training work daily especially designed to strengthen and maintain my back muscles. I also run, ride a bike, lift, ski, swim, etc. Back says yay!

And my doc says I'm in great shape, no worries. So, anyway, KillDeer, thanks for your concern. How's your sleep these days? You seem a bit grumpy. :(

Ciao_Bambina

@KillDeer: What damage would that cause someones back?

I've had back surgery twice, the second one about 3 weeks ago. When I woke up both times I was on my back at a 45 degree angle, and that's pretty much how I stayed, including sleeping. I'm a side sleeper so I'm not doing it at home, but it wasn't bad, and my doctor didn't think anything wrong with it.

cac67

I used to suffer terribly with insomnia until my doctor suggested I change my going to bed routine. He said I needed to cut out all activity in the bedroom that was not directly related to sleep (no he didn't mention about sex!). His rationale was I needed to condition my body/mind to make the association bedroom = sleep-time. So no reading in bed before turning the light out, no late night snacks in bed etc.
I changed my routine, did my reading/eating etc. in the lounge before going to bed, and hey presto! No more insomnia.
Mind you it all went out of the window when I got married. My wife loves us to read in bed and keeping her happy is generally better for my sleep patterns!

chimorph

I can pretty much sleep anytime, anywhere, but the optimal sleep haven must have a pillow-top mattress of decent firmness, heavy covers (like a duvet), no light, a white noise machine, and be cold enough to support having those heavy covers on.

Oh, and a cat.

The key to getting to sleep for me is to focus on one thing, and it can't be something that stresses me or needs a solution. Mindful meditation works, if I go ahead and let myself sleep.

AvaTari

A Scottish university did a study on insomnia with subjects using "cooled" pillows, and found remarkable success. Of course now I can't find any reference to it on the web, but I would love to know where I can get a cool pillow.

(and yeah, I've tried the Chillow, didn't like it)

Sporto

Sadly, no one else in bed, some white noise,usually provided for by a fan, a tv on, lots of pillows behind me so I can be elevated and the glow of the multitude of all my electronics. Seems I have become accustomed to that soft glow after all these years. Started after I bought my first Wetern Digital External, the one with the internal red and blue diodes. Salesman told me you could turn them off. He lied. Turns out the drive was one of the best I ever had, lived for 5 years.

Darkenigma75

Oops, so sorry for the double post!

PillowFight

True insomniacs know no amount of fatigue helps you sleep--in fact, it often makes it even harder.

As far as temperature, I can never sleep in a cool room, ever. Might have something to do with the fact I'm female and have a thyroid on the low side, I don't know. But I guess it's a good thing I don't live in Montana.

There's a new book out on this topic that I just got, and I highly recommend it: [www.amazon.com] Very well-researched.

PillowFight

If your bed partner objects, just tell him to bundle up.

For some people, sharing a bed with a dude is reason enough not to fall asleep.

strangeffect

True insomniacs know fatigue makes no difference as to whether you will fall asleep or not. I know this is completely baffling a lot of people, but you can be so tired you feel like you're going to go out of your mind and STILL not sleep.

As far as room temperature, my experience has been opposite. I can never sleep in a cold room. Ever.

An excellent book that just came out on this topic: [www.amazon.com]

PillowFight

A cool sleeping space does wonders! Also soft fluffy blankets also help for comfort and for warmth. I also block the light of my MacBook sleep light with my cellphone. I also make sure that everything that could and does make sound is either turned off or blocked by closing my bedroom door.

However, whenever my parents visit they tend to keep the place too warm to sleep comfortably in. Ugh! ;P

Silver_Back

I sleep like a baby when I'm in the backseat of a moving car... and can't figure out for the life of me why.

As for sleeping in my own bed, I highly recommend getting an eye mask. I notice that I fall into a much deeper sleep when I use it. Sleeping naked also helps me cool down and makes my nightly transformation into a human burrito more comfortable.

cultella

- Turn a fan on for calming white noise

- Completely black out any source of light
(use room-darkening blinds and a clock radio that dims)

- Buy good quality bed linens (high thread count sheets, fluffy down comforters)

- Read while laying in bed just before going to sleep; never fails to lull me into drowsiness

ShezCrafti

There are articles in recent issues of both GQ and Esquire (yes, I'm a girl, and yes, I read men's magazines) about this very topic.
Most articles will tell you the same thing, but it's stuff I find true.
Good sleep hygiene is essential. Dark and cool, for one. Go to bed at the same time every night. No television in the bedroom (watching tv in bed is bad for your sleep and also harmful to your sex life, if you share your bedroom).
I have found myself watching TV at sleeptime, and sometimes it does help, but then I get into the habit and can't sleep without, which is a problem for a lot of reasons: 1) because it makes my body think that the TV being on is a signal to sleep, and 2) because I wind up waking up in the middle of the night. There are other problems as well.
I sleep with a ton of blankets and pillows, basically creating a nice little cocoon for myself. I usually sleep in my bed, which is a loft, and it's nice and cozy in that small space (my best friend calls it my nest), but some people wouldn't be able to sleep up there because of claustrophobia or other issues. I also love having the window open for fresh air and the white noise of the highway just outside (I also have a white noise machine built into my alarm clock). And I hate a made bed- my feet need to be free, but I can't sleep uncovered, or with a breeze on me, even on the hottest, humidist DC night.
Make your bed only for sex and for sleeping, and you'll sleep a lot better, because your body won't be confused about what it's for, nor will it associate the anxieties of work or studying with the bed (and you're less likely to fall asleep working or studying).

Doctors used to recommend sleeping sitting up as being better for digestion and respiration, and some still do for people who have ulcers and other acid problems.

Evelyn82C

Oh, and they make the beech sheets in a non-jersey weave too - very nice!

elsifer

@dipipi: I second your suggestion of the beech linen - I used to use flannel sheets, but they are heavy and linty and pilly. The beech jersey has all the warmth and none of the bulk, and super-soft, too.

I only use them in the winter, though. Much prefer cooler sheets in the summer. 100% cotton, high thread count. Don't skimp on the sheets!

elsifer

My wife bought a feather bed that fits atop our mattress. At first I had my typical roll-the-eyes type (male?) reaction to such a purchase. Then, the first night I slept on it--holy god--it was most comfortable thing I've ever experienced. Spoiled now, I am.

onesix18

I'm all about the audiobooks. Ten minutes and I'm out, no matter how interested I am in the content.

Unfortunately, I usually wind up passing out in bed with my laptop balanced on my chest and textbooks and notes scattered all about my body. (Curling around all those books makes for a terrible back.) Chances are, the radio is on all night. I do everything from schoolwork, to watching movies, to socializing from my bed because it is the only piece of furniture that fits in my single room of space. My last thoughts before sleep are either, 1) "I should be pulling an all nighter! What about that paper?" 2) "Darn, I need to wake at 5 for that terrible job of mine. I hate my life."

Don't do what I do and you should get great sleep!

Quietly

I'm honestly not saying this to be tacky, but it's true: make love, if you can. To your boyfriend, girlfriend, both, neither, it doesn't matter. :P

mdmadph

No wonder I can't sleep, I don't have a teddy bear.

Seriously, though, I try to cut off the caffeine after the post-lunch lull. And actually do something during the day...8 hours of cube-slumping followed by 4 hours of TV won't do anything to help you fall asleep.

Jarick

I have some pretty major sleep issues and it's often harder for me to go to sleep when I am tired.

For me it's a combination of what others have said: body pillow, cool room, not using the computer 1 hr before, dimming lights when it's late, listening to audiobooks, making sure my feet are outside blankets, etc. The big thing is the audiobooks. When I'm lying in bed, my mind just races and I need something to focus my thoughts on.

New things that no one's mentioned yet - I have one of those Bucky eye masks that they sell at the airport. It lets me sleep in total darkness and it provides comforting weight on my eyes. I also find that I sleep better when I'm exercising on a regular basis.

JazzJune

When I'm having trouble getting to sleep, sometimes I call up Netflix (or free video sources) on my laptop and turn on some stand-up comedy. I wear headphones with the sound very low, just loud enough to hear, and my laptop goes on my nightstand or the chair next to my bed.

Stand-up is engaging enough I don't sit there getting tense about not getting sleepy, but not narrative-driven enough that I get too involved and pay attention instead of dropping off.

It's Pavlovian, too. Now, if I turn on stand-up on my laptop in bed, I'm often asleep in 15 minutes.

BadStoat

Lots of good suggestions.

For years I found I couldn't fall asleep but in one position, on my right side curled up. Since graduating from college 4 years ago I've been able to fall asleep on left or right side now.

Important things I need:

-dark room (I have bamboo "roll-down" shades that darken a room during the daytime enough for a nap and keep it pretty dark during the day.
-Computer monitor off (if it's on for the 25 minutes idle timer my fall asleep process won't officially start until it does blink off
-Plenty of comforters/blankets/sheets - I must be like a gorilla who makes their bed up every night. I love the new down comforter I bought last fall. I was never allowed to own one b/c my mother always said it was bad for allergies (I am not allergic to down in the least) and it's super comfy
-2 pillows to keep my head at the right height. One's a "swedish" contour pillow I got at Target. The other is a standard soft but big fill pillow from BB&B. My clock has a bright and dim setting, which I keep it on dim and I never look at it.
-In the past year or so for some reason I like having a third pillow to "hold" or snuggle up against. No idea why, maybe I'm just over-ready for a gf again lol.
-I love it cold or cool in my room. The fan is ALWAYS on, to keep the air from being still. Even in the winter I might crack my window to let freezing air in. I love to snuggle under the blankets. When I'm overly warm or sweating I can't fall asleep.
-Force myself to let thoughts drift in and out. When you try to focus on something it puts you back a few steps.
-When I go to bed at the same time I wake up at the same time (usually with the dawn) and especially like now when I'm on a regular work schedule I wake up about an hour before I need to get up. I drift back to sleep but because I don't enter the 2cd REM cycle I'm never groggy or tired when the alarm goes off.

Also avoid caffeine or tea too close to bedtime. Milk DOES help, as does drinking enough water during the day.

PetiePal

@TNA5000: Would you happen to know of anywhere else that carries that particular body pillow? It seems the item has been replaced in Amazon's catalogue by a standard shaped pillow (should have got it when it was still there three days ago eh).

Urza

@Urza: Sorry, I do not, in fact i use a different pillow altogether something from wal-mart. I just used the amazon link to show a picture.

TNA5000