Sleep and survival.

A

aarya

Joined
Jun 21, 2006
Messages
514
I suspect that we all know that sleep is important in a survival situation, not to mention in our daily lives.
Do any of you have any good ideas for how a poor guy can get some shut-eye, daily life or survival?

Warm milk and honey?
Whiskey?
Cognac?
Chamomile tea?
A frying pan upside the head?

I reckon sleep is something we all need/get, though it`s not been covered in here afaik.
We can`t forget the simple things, even if it is something we don`t put conscious effort into on a daily basis.

(Sorry for my insomniac ramblings. *grumbles*)
 
well I dont get much sleep...never really have...but when I know I want a good night sleep the day before I wake up just a bit earlier so that Ill pass out later...also try not to eat anything for a few hours before bed...thats your metabolism working overtime and keeping you up...
 
Do not watch TV/ use the computer (hardest for me)for a couple hours before bed, it stimulates your eyes and inhibits sleep. TV is a bit worse for this than a computer screen keep in mind. Also try sleeping with your feet out from under the covers (with the rest of you covered. Booze can knock you out, but in small to moderate doses it will actually wake you up. If you do choose to watch TV, do it out of your bed. That way you will "train" your body and mind to see that in bed= time to shut down.
 
I'm lucky in this regard. I have always been able to get to sleep easily, regardless of the location or circumstances.

But, on those rare occasions that I find myself restless, I find it helpful to attempt to read something complicated with the lights dimmed. It doesn't matter how much coffee you have had - after ten minutes of squinting while reading comparative constitutional law, sleep is inevitable.

All the best,

- Mike
 
Follow your breath, not attempting to control it. When thoughts arise just let them go, if you get caught up in a train of thought just let it go as soon as you catch yourself. You'll be asleep in no time.
 
Dave28210 said:
Do not watch TV/ use the computer (hardest for me)for a couple hours before bed, it stimulates your eyes and inhibits sleep. TV is a bit worse for this than a computer screen keep in mind. Also try sleeping with your feet out from under the covers (with the rest of you covered. Booze can knock you out, but in small to moderate doses it will actually wake you up. If you do choose to watch TV, do it out of your bed. That way you will "train" your body and mind to see that in bed= time to shut down.
Click to expand...

That is incredible. I have the exact opposite reaction to everything you just said.
 
Benadryl is good. It doesn't make me sleepy or drowsy so I can take it for my alergies anyday, but if I take it before going to sleep, I'll not want to wake up for a while. It will give me a good night sleep without making me sleep.
 
No exercise, computer or TV an hour before bed. A book really helps to knock me out.
You may try progressive muscle relaxation before bed. (Some can be done in bed while trying to fall asleep) Google it. Basically your starting from your head and ending with your feet. You tense up certain muscles for about 5-10 seconds each in all parts of your body, one group at a time, top to bottom. Envision your worries, fears, stress as you tense up a muscle group, then when you relax the same group, you let them go in your mind.
When you have a lot of stress or worry, your muscles tend to become tense but you don't realize it. Example being your shoulders. They tend to be up high and tense with stress and worry. Every now and then check this. Are they up and you don't notice? Put them down in a relaxed position and check yourself thruout the day.
Every little bit helps.
I use Lunesta as a last resort. It works very good for me. I have problems getting to sleep and staying asleep. Been this way for years and it hasn't gotten any better with age. I take it 15 minutes before bed and it slips me into a nice deep sleep for 8 hours. Generally these types of medications give you a hangover but it is minimal if even noticed. The only side effect I get is a bad taste in my mouth that I'm told O-juice will counteract. According to my doctor this is non-addicting and can be taken for a year straight and stopped cold turkey with no side effects. I wouldn't use this if I'm out in backcountry. You need to be able to awaken if needed.

Pink Floyd Animals works well too! Pigs on a Wing

You can only go so long with lack of or interupted sleep patterns before it effects your job, relationships, concentration etc.
 
Last edited:
Man, I have serious sleep issues. Both of my parents have seperate, unrelated sleep disorders, and I inherited both.

I work in construction and it is totally common for me to spend 12 hours a day doing hard physical labour, then come home, exhausted, get in to bed, and lie there wide awake for five hours, for weeks on end.

It is very frustrating, and I have tried every possible combination of excercise/not exercise, reading/not reading, meditation, relaxation technique and legal/mostly legal drugs known to man.

I can take eight gravol and listen to Enya while getting massaged and all I get is grumpy.

I gave up on ever sleeping properly years ago. I could possibly fix this with sleeping pills of some sort, but the one thing I won't do to sleep is take drugs where the efficacy declines as the dependency increases.

Anyway I envy all you guys with your abilities to sleep! On the other hand I have gone for literally months at a time not sleeping more than three hours a night and I am surprisingly functional!
 
See misan, I envy you! Do you know how much work I would get done with that sort of time


....as he marches to the stove to make some arabic coffee.
 
misanthropist said:
I gave up on ever sleeping properly years ago. I could possibly fix this with sleeping pills of some sort, but the one thing I won't do to sleep is take drugs where the efficacy declines as the dependency increases.

QUOTE]

Lunesta and their equals are supposed to be non-addictive and you can't build a tolerance up to them. Ask your doc.
Click to expand...
 
aarya said:
Chamomile tea?

(Sorry for my insomniac ramblings. *grumbles*)
Click to expand...

I like Chamomile tea for easing myself into a restful night of sleep.

More specifically, most tea vendors make a sleep aid type tea which is mostly chamomile, and some other herbs.

Living in the desert, I usually poor a double-strong cup of hot tea over a liter of ice water and enjoy.

This concoction is used out of doors as well.
 
A very boring book will put you to sleep faster than any pill...definitely works for me! I have one especially for those nights that I can't get to sleep.
 
This has been good info for me, And im going to try some.

I suffer from Chronic Fatigue, and on top of that I am more less an insomniac, I cannot sleep, I have been up for the last 4 days, with about 4 hours of constant sleep.
I can tell you one thing, the worries of life are a big problem for me, there are many things I feel I need to get done, and in the run of a day, I dont have enough time.

One thing I try to do is get out for a walk, work the muscles some, and just tire your self out a bit, dont kill your self, but talk a walk with the dog, or girl friend, take a few toys with ya, knives, lights what ever, walk to a local park, talk, think, just relax. Mind you that doesnt allways work as I've tried the last 4 days and it hasen't worked yet!:d

But normally it does, and for sure, if your of age, a stiff drink can help the night go by, that has certainly worked for me aswell.
 
Kava kava tea works well
a benadryl and a shot (be careful with this . in fact don't do it)
boring audio books (Dune works)
a hot shower and a benadryl (Have a fan in summer)
valerian root works like valium
but hey I'm telling you this at 2:40 am so take with a
grain of salt
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top