I never actually thought I had true “insomnia” until recently. Usually my sleep patterns go in cycles, even though I’ve never taken the time to track it. Maybe I should.
For awhile I’d fall asleep at a decent hour, then for whatever reason I would wake up between midnight and 2AM and I’d be awake for a few hours, then fall asleep again an hour or so before my alarm was set to go off. Once I realized I couldn’t really do anything about it I just stopped fighting it. I’d use those couple hours to endlessly scroll through Facebook, or Pinterest, or listen to my favorite podcasts. Or you know, binge watch an entire season of some show on Netflix. (I try not to do that very often!)
I know I’m not the only one with this problem, so I wanted to share a few of my favorite things that help me with my insomnia.
White Noise Machine
Since I often have trouble sleeping, when I had the opportunity to receive a free AuCuTee White Noise Sound Machine in exchange for my honest review I jumped on it! I have heard of “white noise machines” before, but have never looked into them. My husband said one of his former offices had these little units spread around their open work space to help drown out the continuous clicking sounds of the keyboards.
The machine arrived nicely packed, with everything in its place. The instructions were a bit confusing, but it was pretty easy to figure out.
I like that it doesn’t take up a lot of room, and the neutral color would work with any decor. Plus, I was pleasantly surprised to find two USB ports so we can charge electronics! There are two switches that control the timer (30/60 minutes or continuous) and the speed (low/high). The top portion twists to control the wind speed. I set the unit on my nightstand and tested the different settings. The low is pretty subtle, and the high is our preferred level.
I didn’t really expect it to do much for me, but it was rather relaxing! I had my girls (6 and 8) try it out and they both said they liked it…I think it is more comforting than silence, and it’s different from a lot of “sleep sounds” because it’s a consistent sound. So simple, but effective.
Having a automatic shut-off timer is a nice option. When I woke up in the middle of the night I just reached over and turned it on for another 30 or 60 minute cycle and was fast asleep before it shut off.
The only negative comment I might have is that there was somewhat of a plastic smell at first, but it went away after a few days…probably just a new product smell, I guess? All in all I enjoyed trying this machine, and look forward to using it regularly. I would recommend it for anyone looking to block noises, reduce distractions, or create a soothing environment for a restful night.
Lavender & Melatonin
We often use lavender products before bed, too…shower gel, lotion, or lavender essential oil in the diffuser (If you don’t have a favorite brand I have been using Plant Therapy EOs and I like them quite a lot.) I also keep a Perfectly Posh Sleepy Sleep Stick on hand for my girls…they love using this as part of their bedtime ritual, it’s fun and relaxing! I will never forget the first night I used it with the girls…I swore it was a magic stick! They went from jumping on beds and running around to snoozing in maybe 15 minutes! I only wish it worked that well every time!
Sometimes though, there are nights where I literally cannot fall asleep at a “reasonable” hour no matter what I do. That makes me nervous because I never know if I will wake up in the middle of the night, or literally stay up all night. If I know this is the pattern I sometimes like to take Emergen-Zzzz. I really like this stuff because it’s gentle, fast-acting and doesn’t leave me with a sleep hangover. It has melatonin, which I know doesn’t work for everyone, but usually it works pretty good for me.
Normally after I drink it I can start to feel it start working about 30 minutes later. However, every once in awhile this doesn’t quite work. =( Boo!! The other night was one of those nights. I took the Emergen-Zzzz early-ish, but didn’t fall asleep until after 2AM. Ugh!!
Cozy Blankets
Relaxing Podcasts
I’m so glad I discovered Sleep With Me Podcast. It’s flipping amazing – a podcast specifically made to help you fall asleep! Genius! I’ve never made it though an entire episode, and I’d be surprised if I even made it halfway. The nice thing is, you don’t have to worry about falling asleep in the middle of one…it’s just mindless rambling!
What am I missing?
I think I’ve got my bases pretty well covered, but I want to know, what do YOU do when you can’t sleep?
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DISCLOSURE: This post includes affiliate links and is sponsored in part by AuCuTee. All opinions are my own.
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Thanks for sharing about the podcast!