Tell HN: my hack to beat insomnia

#1

Post by resdirector » Fri, Jun 11, 2010, 8:50 AM UTC

Whenever I'm tired, but can't sleep, I take a cold shower. It snaps me awake. Then tiredness sets in quickly: such is the rate change of tiredness, I seem to go straight though the sleep barrier...usually in a few minutes (presumably).

It's not statistically significant yet, but it's worked about four out of four times now.

Re: Tell HN: my hack to beat insomnia

#2

Post by jrnkntl » Fri, Jun 11, 2010, 9:43 AM UTC

It works for me, sometimes. But I hate having a wet pillow, something I can't seem to prevent. If you blow your hair afterwards the whole 'coldness/fresh up' is pretty much gone and a towel doesn't sleep that good.

Re: Tell HN: my hack to beat insomnia

#3

Post by axle » Fri, Jun 11, 2010, 9:45 AM UTC

jrnkntl wrote: post #2

It works for me, sometimes. But I hate having a wet pillow, something I can't seem to prevent. If you blow your hair afterwards the whole 'coldness/fresh up' is pretty much gone and a towel doesn't sleep that good.

Cut your hair, it's not that big of a deal.

Re: Tell HN: my hack to beat insomnia

#4

Post by [deleted] » Fri, Jun 11, 2010, 9:48 AM UTC

jrnkntl wrote: post #2

It works for me, sometimes. But I hate having a wet pillow, something I can't seem to prevent. If you blow your hair afterwards the whole 'coldness/fresh up' is pretty much gone and a towel doesn't sleep that good.

[deleted]

Re: Tell HN: my hack to beat insomnia

#5

Post by gtzi » Fri, Jun 11, 2010, 10:07 AM UTC

To me, it's just being so much tired when I go to sleep that I simply cannot afford insomnia and I instantly sleep :-)

Re: Tell HN: my hack to beat insomnia

#6

Post by pmjordan » Fri, Jun 11, 2010, 10:07 AM UTC

jrnkntl wrote: post #2

It works for me, sometimes. But I hate having a wet pillow, something I can't seem to prevent. If you blow your hair afterwards the whole 'coldness/fresh up' is pretty much gone and a towel doesn't sleep that good.

I may be missing something, but: what about showering without washing your hair?

Re: Tell HN: my hack to beat insomnia

#7

Post by pmjordan » Fri, Jun 11, 2010, 10:10 AM UTC

Possibly related: swimming seems to do the trick reliably for me, although extremely inconvenient, time consuming and expensive if I did it regularly... (lets me fall asleep in 2-3 minutes vs tossing & turning until 2-4am)

Re: Tell HN: my hack to beat insomnia

#8

Post by resdirector » Fri, Jun 11, 2010, 10:17 AM UTC

gtzi wrote: post #5

To me, it's just being so much tired when I go to sleep that I simply cannot afford insomnia and I instantly sleep :-)

Lucky! This is the worst kind of insomnia for me: so tired but can't sleep. Perhaps this is why the cold-shower trick has worked so well for me: huge negative first derivative of awakeness.

Re: Tell HN: my hack to beat insomnia

#9

Post by ollysb » Fri, Jun 11, 2010, 10:18 AM UTC

A slightly less harsh version I use is to remove my duvet and open the windows. Works in London where it's cold enough outside anyway.

Re: Tell HN: my hack to beat insomnia

#10

Post by jrnkntl » Fri, Jun 11, 2010, 10:20 AM UTC

pmjordan wrote: post #6

jrnkntl wrote: post #2

It works for me, sometimes. But I hate having a wet pillow, something I can't seem to prevent. If you blow your hair afterwards the whole 'coldness/fresh up' is pretty much gone and a towel doesn't sleep that good.

I may be missing something, but: what about showering without washing your hair?

that doesn't wake me up/isn't that refreshing.