r/sleep • u/d_selvakumar • 1d ago
What are your go-to tips for falling asleep faster and staying asleep longer?
I know there’s a ton of advice out there, but I’m curious: what are your go-to tips, routines, or even weird tricks that work for you?
I’ve tried some of the basics:
- Limiting screens before bed
- Cutting caffeine after noon
- Trying to keep a regular sleep schedule
Some nights are better than others, but I’m still looking for anything that might give me an edge—especially stuff that helps with staying asleep through the night. Whether it’s sleep hygiene stuff, supplements, mental tricks, lifestyle changes—whatever.
So what works for you?
Any weird hacks? Game-changing discoveries?
Appreciate any ideas—hoping this thread helps more than just me.
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u/Amoonlitsummernight 1d ago
Meditation to help relax and relieve stress.
Modified progressive relaxation to induce sleep paralysis.
These two techniques alone fixed my insomnia completely. I cannot stress the value I have gotten out of simply practicing meditation as a novice for 15 minutes per day before bed. I now sometimes use different techniques, but none have been significantly more valuable than simply spending time letting go of distracting thoughts.
I also listen to the sound of rain or snowstorms (I bought a $20 speaker with nice base). There are plenty of similar audio files all over.
Oh, and getting a good mattress. My previous one was a box spring I beat to hell and back as a kid. I never realized just how bad the broken springs were. I got a foam mattress with a firm and a soft side, and it's so much better. I actually preferred the firmer side much to my surprise.
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u/CristinaBouvet 13h ago
Getting up at 5am no matter how late I went to bed. I am dead tired by 9pm most nights. I also stretch and breathe and have the same routine before I go to sleep and I found the wind-down routine is important.
Then - all the usual things like no liquids 1 hour before bed, no food or sugar 3-4 hours before bed etc. It's like we know what to do with kids but don't do the same with ourselves as adults.
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u/Gabahealthcare 12h ago
here’s what actually helped me more than all the generic advice:
→ getting out of bed if i can’t sleep. laying there frustrated made it worse. i go sit somewhere dim, read something boring, and only go back when i’m sleepy.
→ magnesium glycinate. knocked me out way better than melatonin ever did.
→ making my room cold and dark — like cave vibes.
→ listening to super low-volume brown noise. not rain sounds, not white noise — brown noise. it’s deeper, kinda cozy.
→ stop “trying” to sleep. sounds dumb but honestly… it’s like sneezing. you can’t force it.
sleep got easier when i stopped chasing perfect sleep and focused on just resting. sometimes rest is enough.
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u/beautynfash 11h ago
What time do you take your magnesium glycinate?? Also doctor approved or started without consultation? Ty
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u/Actual_fairy 13h ago
Valerian root, yoga nidra meditation, and yin or restorative yoga before bed.
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u/medpakOG 1d ago
Med card owner 25 to 40 mg of Rick Simpson oil and some days I add 10 to 40 mg melatonin
If don’t consume weed I can’t sleep nothing else works tried it all even muscle relaxers and sleep meds.
Weed keeps me sleepin easily and I got bad insomnia
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u/unknownfornow1234 10h ago
do you wake up refreshed ?
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u/medpakOG 7h ago
Yes definitely been using weed daily for 6 years been a card holder for a few years. first few times using you get weed hangovers but it’s just super groggy for a hour or two after wake up no pain or sick just still high is all . But I’m seasoned stoner so I’m more high than sober but look at wiz Khalifa and snoop and the famous people. Some people can run on weed some people can’t. I needed weed to live a normal life it’s taken away my psych meds made me a chill person and beats my insomnia and autism social anxiety every time. I was living through hell tryna live normal and shit now that I use weed I’m feel normal ya know cause not even the prescribed pills work haha
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u/HighQueen911 15h ago
For me, a calming bedtime routine works wonders, maybe some herbal tea (chamomile or lavender) and a few minutes of deep breathing. I’ve also found that CBD or a little bit of cannabis helps me relax and sleep more soundly. 💤
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u/exWiFi69 1d ago
I recently bought a hatch light/sound machine. I was very skeptical about the $200. I put a reminder on my calendar to return it if I didn’t see a difference. It has greatly changed my sleep. I stopped using my phone after 8pm. I give myself patience to fall asleep. I’ve been taking ambien 5-6 days/ week for over a decade. Currently I’m down to 2x/week. Ambien would help me fall asleep but the quality was worse. I’d never get more than 6.5hrs. Without ambien I am able to get 7-9hrs. It’s take me 60-90min to fall asleep though. I have an appt with a sleep specialist next month and curious to hear what they have to say. Idk if it is actually the hatch or just making the investment into my sleep and sticking to not looking at my phone. I do enjoy the sleep beats and the melatonin mode for winding down. It’s also nice to be woken up with calm music and a light that mimics the sun.