What's keeping me Awake? Tips I found helpful in my constant battle with Insomnia.

Hello, Hivers! This is not my usual blog, but I wanna share with you my struggle of falling asleep and how I am coping with it. Back when the pandemic hit the world, it significantly changed our lifestyle, including our sleeping patterns. One of its lasting effects on my life is my constant battle with insomnia. In this blog, I want to tell you what are the things that I think of whenever I have insomnia and the home remedies I've discovered that actually work (for me).

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I lay awake watching the dark ceiling and hearing the tickling clock as it moved to daytime. That is the moment I know I'm having another episode of insomnia. Laying awake, hearing my sister's snore, having been in bed an hour ago, makes one jealous of how easily she fell asleep. How did she do that? Falling asleep right after laying in bed? How does one go to sleep anyway? That keeps me awake as I force my brain to settle down and sleep. The moment I pressured myself to sleep, that is when I had great difficulty sleeping.😅

Positive Thoughts
Whenever I have insomnia, negative thoughts always creep inside my head. Dark thoughts that, during the daytime, I never think of, but during insomnia, constantly visit me. Thoughts that are too bizarre, that I know are too negative for me. If I am having those thoughts, I always counter them with thinking of positive ones. I think of memories that bring in positive feelings that make me happy to chase away the dark thoughts that will eventually swallow me one day if I do not do so. I don't know why, but whenever I am again battling insomnia, I close my eyes and think of peaceful places I have visited or create an imaginative land that brings peace to my mind, like a long field with mountains, or remember the sunset or sunrise. That's mostly what helps me sleep.

The Butterfly Hug is accomplished by an individual wrap their arms around themselves, so that each hand touches the opposite upper arm or shoulder. They then move their hands like the wings of a butterfly, to tap their arms/shoulders in an alternating rhythm. (as an alternative, the person might just tap their knees.) - (Crowe Associates, 2019)

Source for the statement above
_{Photos taken from Source link for first photo and Source link for the second photo}

Butterfly Hug
While watching "It's Okay Not to Be Okay" (a Korean drama), the female lead was always advised by the male lead to calm down using the butterfly tap. Remembering the male lead's advice, I also do that whenever I have insomnia. I cross my arms, like hugging myself, and tap each shoulder simultaneously and lightly. With every tap, I also compliment myself to help me drift to sleep. It mostly works. Eventually, it calms my brain down enough to let me sleep.

Setting a bedtime
The moment I changed my sleeping pattern, that's the moment I will have a hard time sleeping. Breaking my routine is what sometimes triggers my insomnia. Returning to my usual time to sleep always helps. I set an alarm to remind me that it's past my bedtime already. Whenever I have insomnia, I plan that next time; I should sleep earlier than usual, set my alarm, and do the things I mentioned above. It eventually helps me relax and sleep. Doing this relaxes my mind and helps me settle down; it calms me enough to sleep.

Drinking Milk or Tea
If I do happen to suffer insomnia for consecutive days, drinking hot milk or tea before bedtime always works. I read an article somewhere that talks about home remedies against insomnia, and one of the tips mentioned is drinking warm milk or tea, so I've been doing it since then to cope with my insomnia. Right before bedtime, I make sure to set aside time for my warm drink to get myself cozy after getting in bed. Attached below is the site that I am referring to.
Natural sleep remedies to battle insomnia. Healthy Options.

_{Screenshots are from Youtube}

Listening to Lullabies
Music always works. Even in insomnia, music takes your mind off to something soothing and relaxing. Just make sure that the ones you listen to are lullabies, not rock music 😅. I listen to top music to calm me down on YouTube or songs to sleep whenever I have insomnia. It relaxes my mind and makes me sing for added perks🤣.

_{Photo taken from this link. Although the photo is taken from the internet, Sleepwell is also the sleeping pills i usually take.}

Sleeping Pills
If you are suffering insomnia for many days already, drinking sleeping pills does help to make one sleep eventually. Although it's advisable not to do it always, the effect wears off if done consecutively. I myself stop drinking sleeping pills, for some time, since it does not work on me anymore, and I stop trying other sleeping pills with high dosages since taking them doesn't really give you great sleep. But if you really need to sleep, like having an exam the next day or you are traveling tomorrow, it's better to drink it but with someone aware of your condition. Sleeping pills should be your last resort after doing all the home remedies you read online, and if you have been suffering for a long period already, it's best to seek professional help. They know what is best for you.

Such a site to behold. Photos were taken during one of my walks. The lights are fishermen trying to catch some squid.

All the mentioned tips are from personal experience only after following instructions on the internet. Unfortunately, I could not afford to seek advice from a professional, but if I could one day have the money, I would certainly go to one. The sleeping pills are also given to me by someone who has been experiencing insomnia like me for years. It can be bought on the counter with no prescription needed (within the Philippines).

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That is all for this blog; I hope you find it helpful. If you also have tips on how you handle your insomnia, feel free to drop them in the comment section so I can also practice them. Thank you, and have a blessed day.❤️