This, apparently.

Make up stories in my head.

Rub one out.

Practice meditation.

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

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.

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

What I always do: read and/or write.

Night is often much quieter than the rest of the day, which makes it perfect for quiet activities like reading and writing. And in the early morning I can even stop reading/writing in order to listen birds singing which is even better... before the roaring motorized traffic cover their tiny voice for the rest of the day (yes, I do live in a busy city).

Take more melatonin and try boxed breathing exercises. Keep trying until i fall asleep or morning comes.

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.

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.

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

Meditate

Last in bed with my eyes closed for hours, then get up and go to work.

Not sleep. shrug Seriously, I've tried every trick in the book and a boatload of medication, even the medicine didn't work longterm.

Yay, crippling insomnia!

i scroll lemmy... yeah i should stop doing this

Smoke some weed

I listen to calming sleep stories and try to lie still. That way even though I can’t sleep I try to let my body and mind rest as much as possible. Listening to calming sleep stories is entertaining enough that I don’t get frustrated by the lack of sleep and also calming enough that I feel like I’m resting.

Usually just get up and go on with my day. Most of my work is flexible hours anyway.

Stop browsing the internet, try and relax, go to my mental happy place and slowly drift into sleep.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I have no idea. I'm an excellent sleeper.

Gym these days. I'll do a 2.5km jog/run and then row for 2k and if I still have the good brain juice, 5k on the bike. That's usually enough to at least get me a fair bit tired.

Ur looking at it.

If I don't have a book to read. Just finished Rendezvous with Rama which was sooo good.

Writhe

But also, Zipoclone.

Bully my brain

take a pill

I head over to YouTube and put on videos of old NFL games. The announcers talking puts me to sleep.

I find a comfortable position, close my eyes, and let my mind drop me somewhere in my imagination.

Most often, its a frozen lake surrounded by evergreen trees with snow swirling. In this I'm usually skating along the ice at the pace of my breathing. The sound of my breathing in and out is like the sound of my skate making each push on the ice; the fan in my room feels like the cold wind on my face.

But it can be other places my mind goes and I find this incredibly peaceful. Before I know it, I've actually drifted off to sleep. I've been doing this for about two months and have begun to keep a journal on where my mind goes in these moments each night

I smoke weed lol works for me

I read a book that's written in a foreign language. It keeps my brain somewhat busy, thus avoiding "circulating" thoughts and then soon I get tired again.