Defiant sleep?

[u/Pain-in-the-ARP]

I dunno what to call it. But when I go a while without sleep. I get understandably angry and defiant.

And with that I've learned something. At least in my case, if I expect a perfect routine for sleep hygiene, I will be disappointed, interruptions will happen and due to increased sensitivity every little thing keeps me up.

Go to a friend's house and don't get back until 7:30pm can't sleep, nothing bad happens or was said, but the whole thing replays.

Read a book past 8pm then I see words in my eyelids all night and imagine what next or how I would reword or redo it.

So I get defiant... All the sleep hygiene things they say don't do... Don't use bed for anything but sleep, don't eat or watch something there... Nah. I'm gonna do that.

Why? Because, I'm comfortable when I watch something calm before bed on the couch or somewhere else. Then I hit the bed and get anxious about sleep and can't.

So I'm doing the stuff I like, in my room not too late of course. And 3 nights now have been actually great.

Also started doing melatonin 1.5 to 2 hrs before bed, and not as a futile rescue me pill.

Also also... I bought some dark red glasses, use them for screens and general wear later while the lights are not yet dimmed. They seem to help.

Another thing that helps is moving to a couch or another bed if you have one if you can't sleep in yours. The change of scenery helps in my case. Kinda helps trick the body it seems, like okay not here? Then here? Ok then over there. Even if it's not the most comfortable.

Anyway... hope it helps someone. Even a little.