Sleep help

[Father Bubba]

Sup, everyone. I got some great links for anyone that needs help sleeping, relaxing, or what-have-you. Its helped me in the past, and I think its incredible.

rainymood.com
noisli.com

They are both awesome, but noisli as more options. I've used rainymood lately since I have been home sick for a week. It would also go great with the Sleeping Tapes that Jeff Bridges released. Thought you dudes might like it.

Take 'er easy 

[MrEazy]

wow that was a relaxing experience 

[Reverend Al]

I've dealt with insomnia my entire life.  Sometimes it's a minor annoyance, other times it's a real pain in the ass, and it seems to be getting worse as I get older.  I've found that listening to music helps sometimes, but other times I just find myself wide awake and listening to CDs.  Bridges' Sleeping Tapes are interesting, but I wish they'd offer them on an actual CD instead of only being downloadable.

One thing that I've recently learned of that helped a great deal is known as the "4-7-8 Breath".  It's a breathing technique that is used for relaxation and as a stress antidote, but it was suggested to me as a sleep aid and it worked.  Part of the difficulty I have falling asleep is the lack of ability to "quiet my mind" (the same reason I have difficulty meditating).  I'll lay there trying to fall asleep, but my brain keeps working and I find myself thinking about the most unimportant bullshit--errands I have to run the next day, something I saw on television or read online, whatever.  Much to my surprise, the very first time I used the 4-7-8 Breath I found that in addition to making me feel more relaxed, it stopped those random thoughts from entering my mind.  So I imagine this breathing technique could be quite useful in any number of situations when a person needs to be more relaxed.  You don't need any special equipment, and it only takes about 90 seconds.  Here's a link that explains how it's done:

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/VDR00160/Dr-Weils-Breathing-Exercises-4-7-8-Breath.html

[ZoeAbides]

You can actually train your mind not to be so chatty, although it takes time and ain't a quick, easy fix.  It does take practice, and the more you do it, the easier it gets.  It helps with sleeping too.

It's some kind of Eastern thing, so bear with me.  It's a technique called "watching your breath".  You literally watch your breath.  It's that simple and that difficult.  Put all your attention into just simply breathing.

As you breathe in, feel it filling your nose, mouth, throat, lungs... really keep with it through its journey into you.  Watch your belly fill and your chest rise.  When you release it, follow it's journey out of you intently, feel it flowing out of your chest, up your throat, how it feels inside your nose, how it feels flowing out of you.  Don't try to breathe in any certain way, just breathe normally.  Follow your breath no matter what it does.  You'll start to breathe deeply, naturally after awhile, you don't have to force it, so just breathe normally and watch what it does.

Whenever your mind starts to wander, and you realize you're following your wandering mind instead of your breath, just lightly note mentally to yourself "I'm returning my mind to my breath" and start focusing again on your breath.  You may have to do that a thousand times a minute, but with practice it gets easier.  Don't worry, don't fret, don't get frustrated, don't feel like you failed.  Just note, "oh, I'm watching my mind wander instead of watching my breath.  I'm now returning my mind to my breath". 

Congratulations, you've just meditated!

Your mind is like a bratty kid with no authority.  At first your mind will give you constant temper tantrums.  Over time and with practice (ideally, daily) it will start to settle and calm and your mind won't wander as much.  Even just 5 minutes a day.  But like disciplining a child, you have to be consistent.  Eventually your mind will start working with you, rather than against you.

[Reverend Al]

...Your mind is like a bratty kid with no authority...

Have you been talking with my wife?   

But seriously, thanks for the "watching your breath" technique.  I'll have to give it a try!