Going to sleep is a whole ritual. Have to wait for the right point in a relationship to bring up my routine because it frightens/baffles them.
Basically I have to trick myself into sleeping because my brain is really alive at all times. No "invigorating" music half an hour before bed, sunset lamp on, double cleanse, moisturiser, eye cream, lip balm, hair oil, silk scrunchie, hand cream, brush teeth, electric blanket on full for ultimate tucking in cosiness then down to 70% for the rest of the night, take inhaler, giant t shirt on, scroll, watch ASMR/listen to guided meditation, three pillow v formation and body pillow, set three alarms, phone on do not disturb, eventually pass out from exhaustion. I have never known peace a day in my life.
Apr 26, 2024
Related Recs
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after what i’ve done? not well. on a bed, but not centred - away from the room‘s door. i have to sleep with 3 (or at least 2) pillows. one i actually sleep on, and two laid beside me in a vertical row. and i have to cover my entire body and face with the duvet, even if it’s at the height of summer. can’t use a sheet as a cover bc it’s just not….substantial (i think i need a weighted blanket fr).
for bedtime rituals, the only thing i do before going to sleep is piss, and put my hair up. my sleep itself is very broken up bc of needing to get up and piss more lol, after which i can’t sleep again for a few hours, but then there are other times where i just sleep for 9 hours straight.
though problematic and potentially rlly unhealthy, i also can’t sleep without earphones on, listening to music or asmr.
Apr 26, 2024
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Up until recently, I’ve always struggled with winding down & being extremely intentional about actively deciding to go to sleep.
I used to take a lot of pride in being able to just stay up for as long as possible while being able to run on little to no sleep, so sleep was very much something I saw as a product of pure exhaustion – to sleep only when I’m truly exhausted and have done everything that needed to get done!
As soon as I turned 25, my body felt like it took a screenshot & it all caught up with me. Now I am the World’s Sleepiest Coziest Girl and I look very forward to getting in my pajamas, hitting the melatonin, turning on my sound machine and having the most insane dreams imaginable 🫶🏾 (Bonus points if I remember to make myself a cup of tea beforehand)
The ritual of getting ready for bed is honestly still something I’m trying to get better at – less screentime, more leisure – but that’s a mission for another day. Until then, GOOD NIGHT ❤️
Jan 9, 2024
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i’ve finally accepted that i pretty much always need an hour or two (or three) to myself so i can wind down properly before bed. when possible i just try to start that process earlier. so if my goal is to go to bed by midnight, i retreat to my room by 9 or 10. i’ve decorated my room very cozily and in the evenings i only have string lights on so it’s dim and soothing. i shower at night most days which helps me sleep better and is a good reset for my nervous system (and also simplifies morning routine). then i curl up into the cozy corner of my room to watch my shows, play cozy games on my nintendo switch, or read if i have the mental energy. i also like to have a snack or sweet before bed (probs not the best habit but it gives me something to look forward to at the end of the day). if i’m feeling sore from work, i’ll do some stretching and foam rolling which calms me alllll the way down to the point of nodding off sometimes. none of this is consistent but the whole practice of giving myself several hours to wind down slowly in a designated cozy space has really helped me have a more realistic bedtime routine.
Sep 8, 2024
Top Recs from @caskeyc
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1. Don't set an alarm and wake up naturally. Snooze for however long you want to, it's okay
2. Have breakfast. For me it's toast. Have it with butter/jam/honey and a lot of water and coffee and juice.
3. Listen to an album in full and do some puzzles until it ends. I like to stick a record on and do the nyt games (connections, then wordle, then the mini, then I'm ready for a crossword)
4. Shower and use all your best stuff. Smell great. Make your hair feel soft.
5. Wear an outfit you don't get to wear that often. I tend to wear the same thing over and over at work so I wear something a bit more fun and less practical.
6. Go outside. I live near a road with secondhand shops that are great browsing but quite tempting on a budget. To beat the temptation just look in the windows and then walk round the streets or to a green space if it's a nice day. Walk as fast or as slow as you like. Try and spot cats that might let you stroke them. See how each place you go smells different. Walk down streets that you've not been down before just because.
7. Come home and decide how much energy you have. If you have energy do an activity (I would write, play an instrument, do some art, read, play a game) if you don't then watch something from your watchlist. Saturdays feel like a good day to watch something new.
8. Cook yourself a meal. Start before you're hungry and spend ages on it. Use every pot. Listen to music. Sing whilst you wash the dishes.
9. Play! Video games, board games, internet games, card games, phone games, rearrange your plushies, embrace your inner child. Play with ideas, experiment with felt tip pens, write a limerick. Get silly with it.
10. Talk to your friends. Invite them over, call somebody up, text that person back you didn't have time to. I like to spend a good day off by myself then have a great time talking to people after I've recharged.
11. Have so much fun getting to do whatever you want you fall asleep at whatever time. Monday - Friday is about appeasing your body clock, Saturdays are for filthy pleasures like falling asleep at 3am because you were too busy flirting or reading or watching videos.
Apr 16, 2024
Re: my last rec I'm kinda realizing reading this might have changed my life actually
Apr 16, 2024