[!@#$%!]

Originally Posted by demonrail666

This is crap. It's 4am and I've tried everything: cocoa, watching a film, reading through the 'world music' thread and nothing seems to work. I've been like this for years now and it's a real pain. I usually don't get to sleep until around 6 or 7 in the morning and even then don't get more than about three or four hours actual sleep. It's OK while I'm not working but I start teaching again on Friday and desperately need to regulate my sleep pattern Anyone else suffer from this? Or, better still, anyone who used to suffer from it but found a way of sorting it out - without going on to sleeping tablets or reading Beowolf.

eh, cocoa, for sleep! that's like taking speed for relaxation.

you just need to do 2 basic things:
1) exercise first thing in the morning (upon waking). do not exercise (if you do) late in the day.
2) take some sort of sleeping potion in the evening. i take one made with hops, vallerian, chamomille and sckullcap that knocks me the fuck out.

the exercise will tire you out by the day's end and help you cope with stress. if you go for a run or a game of tennis at night, the adrenaline will keep you awake for longer than you need. avoid that.

additionally, make sure your room is plenty dark, and quiet. you might wanna play some ambient music or get a white noise machine if you live in a noisy place. warm/hot showers also help-- save the cold ones for mornings. and avoid caffeine (includes tea) after, say, 3pm?

oh yeah i forgot, one more (important)

3) from the moment you start preparing dinner (what you limeys call "tea"), refuse to discuss or ponder or carry out any work/ work related bullshit. no worries, no headaches, no bills, no problems after a certain hour.