If it’s a song looping and keeping me awake: I picture myself rising up above the earth to the vacuum of space where there is no sound and drifting off in the silent void.

Otherwise the go to is picturing my mind and consciousness as a submarine on the surface of wakefulness and I let myself slowly sink beneath the waves of sleep.

To fall asleep?

Think Sa on inhale and Ha on exhale can work, or I count backwards from 100 in Spanish, starting over when I forget where I am. Yin yoga is good too, forward folds calm the nervous system.

To do something else, when it seems sleep is not possible or desirable? Emotional stress? Get out of bed & go for a night walk, or even a run. Exercise. Get physically exhausted if possible.

I try to lay in my bed and close my eyes.

This, apparently.

take a pill

Make up stories in my head.

Rub one out.

Practice meditation.

A good night is when I do all three in order :-)

I smoke weed lol works for me

Listen to a audiobook for a book I’ve read before. I have a sleepy mask with headphones built in so I don’t bother my partner.

All the most effective stuff you can do to get better sleep is done ahead of time (like daily exercise, not spending time in bed when not sleeping, keeping a sleep schedule, avoiding caffeine/alcohol etc), so if I get to that point there isn’t that much to be done. Getting up and doing something nonstimulating other than lying in bed for ten minutes can help a little bit sometimes. If there’s something in my sleep environment that is abnormal and it’s possible to correct it that will help. Lowering the temperature can help.

I read many years ago that insomnia is a survival mechanism due to low calories.

I get up and have a light meal. Seems to work for me.

Depends on what I want to accomplish when I can’t sleep.

If I don’t have to be up early the next day and/or don’t have anything terribly demanding the next day, I will embrace the insomnia to an extent. Play a game for a bit. Maybe go do some work on the computer. Empty the dishwasher. Just find useful things to do that will help make the next day(s) a bit lighter.

If I do have to get up, have a heavy day, or just would prefer to sleep, then I do fairly standard things. I’ll go grab something to read (sans a screen). I’ll find something relaxing to listen to (no videos, just audio). I’ll try various visualization / relaxation / counting techniques.

And if all else fails, I’ll just find some random movie to watch and sit/lay on the couch or in a recliner to veg out.

For me, not being able to sleep sucks, but lying down with my eyes closed and embracing my thoughts still leaves me feeling better the next day compared to getting up, moving around, etc.

My sister is a registered nurse, and she has a pro tip. Electric blanket. I wrap myself, and I am out like a light.

Also, I am a “sleeper” after r/Futurama_Sleepers when I was over there, so I just download episodes of my favourite tv shows, usually American Dad, Family Guy, Venture Brothers and what not, onto this old phone I have, and set the screen to the lowest brightness, sometimes the screen is off, and the volume low and I watch till I fall asleep. I have not made it past 20 minutes yet in the years I have done this.

I start planning D&D ideas for campaigns or think about my character in the campaign I’m in is going to react in the next session.

Usually this works to put me to sleep pretty quickly.

I used to just do hobbies until physical exhaustion would force me to sleep.

Now i sleep 9 - 14 hours on the regular 🤷‍♀️ Don’t fuck up your circadian rythm kids

make food, wrap up in soft blankets, talk to strangers on the internet. might as well at least be comfortable if I can’t be unconscious