I was assisting the teacher in an English class for immigrants about a year ago, when she asked the students what was customary for them to do when they couldn’t sleep.
Some people said they drank water, which surprised us. Others favored warm milk, exercise, a book, or music.
Today I thought I would go online to see what the experts recommend. This article is from WebMD.
Susan Davis wrote, “Whether you drank one cup of coffee too many earlier, or you’ve got a lot on your mind, it’s time to decide whether to get up or stay in bed. …
“If you do get up, though, you’re not giving up for the night. You still need rest. So your goal should be to get back to sleep as soon as possible. Some activities help with that. …
“Give yourself about 10 more minutes in bed. While you’re lying there, try not to watch the minutes tick by.
“Worrying about how long you’ve been awake backfires. It ‘perpetuates insomnia,’ says Russell Rosenberg, MD, chairman of the board of the National Sleep Foundation.
“He recommends keeping clocks out of sight and guessing how long you’ve been lying there. If you’re still awake after what feels like 10 minutes, it’s time to get up for a little while. …
“As comfy as your bed may be, it’s best to leave your bedroom when you get up. Do something ‘mildly entertaining’ but ‘sedate,’ Rosenberg says, until you’re sleepy enough to go back to bed. …
- Read.
- Listen to music.
- Meditate.
- Do relaxation exercises …
“Avoid doing anything that will rev you up and make it harder to doze off. … Resist the urge to get stuff done, even though you’re wide awake. This is one time when it’s better to be inefficient. Keep your TV, computer, and phone off, and leave work alone. Your to-do list, online banking account, and Facebook can wait.
” ‘Try to avoid [doing] anything productive,’ Rosenberg says. ‘If you feel good about getting something done, you’ll reinforce the habit of waking early.’ …
“There’s another reason to stay powered down. Anything with a screen lights up. The light from that screen could trick your brain into thinking it’s daytime and that you need to be awake, Rosenberg says.
“Everyone has a bad night from time to time. Working on your sleep habits can help. That includes going to bed at a regular time, making your last hour of the day relaxing, keeping your bedroom restful and devoted to sleep, and avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bedtime.
“Try that for a couple of weeks, and your sleep should get better. If not, talk to your doctor to check on any medical reasons for your insomnia, get more sleep advice, and see if you should see a sleep specialist.” More at WebMD, here.
One thing that helps me counteract the bad thoughts that keep running over and over on the same track is to plan some kind of action or actions for the next day. Which I have done.
What do you do?
We put a lot on your frail but strong shoulders. Now it’s our turn.
Suzanne's Mom's Blog 
Didn’t get much good sleep last night for sure.
Taking some action does help. She would want us to keep at it.
I know. My eyes are dry now.
Glassifwarm milk and self hypnosis with a countdown:” 70 I am getting sleepy, 69 I am getting sleepy, 68 I am getting sleepy, 67 I am getting sleepy…and I rarely get passed the 40s.
NIce tip. LOL.
I couldn’t believe it when I saw about her passing. So sad.
The consequences are almost too much to bear. But then I think, What has happened to us that one person should carry the weight of a nation?
I listen to relaxing podcasts—often On Being. It can’t be music or anything too exciting as it will keep me awake.
Someone told me about On Being poetry — also nice. https://onbeing.org/poetry/
I’m really bad about playing games on my phone when I can’t sleep which usually keeps me up longer. I used to read and I’d fall asleep really fast. I think I should probably start doing that again.
Reading something boring could help!
Get up. Go to another room and sit down in a comfortable chair with a book or a newspaper. Hopefully I shall fall asleep in another two to three hours. Mostly it works.
Yikes! Two to three hours doesn’t sound that helpful! Maybe try Earle’s counting-backward idea?