5 Ways to Manage Sleep

Again, I sit languidly in the provincial care of my parents and write to a slew of potential bipolar babes swimming out in the ether of life. All of us asking the same question, why can't I sleep? I'm offering my Top 5 natural management techniques for sleep. In my last post, I mentioned sleep is a primordial beast which I need slews of pharmaceuticals to manage. But there are plenty of natural management techniques for sleep, that might be of interest to you, dear reader. 

1) Melatonin 

A little bit of the natural supplement, which permeates our brains, especially during depression, melatonin. Melatonin at bedtime has helped me manage my own sleep for awhile and if not at bedtime, there are times during the day before bed, that this natural supplement which is available over the counter at most Walgreens (which all look like they're designed by Stanley Kubrick to me) can help you sleep. If you happen to have suffered with sleep paralysis, which I have occasionally, melatonin supplements daily might help you. I'm saying because they help me, not because I've run a proper longitudinal study of course. 

2) Meditation 

Meditation as a theological practice in the far east is not the exact type of prescriptive measure I'm suggesting. For me personally, the more I get into religion the worse my disorder becomes, but things are different for everyone. The meditations I'm suggesting here are more like those from Marsha Linehan's work in dialectical behavioral therapy. Simple meditations, where you focus your mind and try to empty it of everything but a simple mantra. If this is not possible, then there are some simpler meditations like lighting a candle and staring at the flame while allowing your thoughts to float by. A 10-30 minute meditation per day can help with sleep later on at night. 

3) Podcasts 

I suggest podcasts because these help me sleep the easiest when I'm alone. But there's a variety of different ways to sleep for different people. I like to listen to heavily informative podcasts as I'm drifting off. I like these better than the news straight out. Philosophize This is a podcast that works well for me due to my personal interest in the philosophical arts. But there are many that can be useful. Radiolab, NYT podcasts, This American Life, all of these soothing informative podcasts can be played as your drifting off. Or through your headphones before you go to sleep. I know that in the midst of mania or even depression, these sorts of things have been able to put me at ease before bed. Halfway through a podcast, snoring in the midst of sleep apnea, I roll over and keep playing my podcasts, switching from one to another. This technique helps manage a lot. 

4) Lavendar, Lavendar, Lavendar 

If you have access to funds and the little bit of money to spend, on lavendar and epsom salts, I suggest this. I don't know what else to say, other than lavendar, lavendar, lavendar helps me sleep. Sometimes there's little stuffed animals with lavendar in their stomachs at local stores, or little pillows that you can heat up in the microwave. It might be a bit of a placebo effect but just smelling a bit of lavendar helps me sleep. 

5) Writing 

I know I keep suggesting writing and I am a writer. So, it makes sense that as a writer I suggest writing. I've found many bipolar babes are natural writers and write all the time. And I'm sorry to be so fucking saccharine and call all my readers bipolar babes like that, but we are babes and we do have bipolar. Writing in a place where you can't post and won't post instantly is the best suggestion I have for a gentle sleep. Maybe on a piece of paper and with a pen you can write out your own bedtime stories or journal your day. Maybe you can write out a dialogue between two people on a word doc, or on a piece of paper. These sorts of things have helped me calm down quite a lot.




So, there it is. My 5 suggestions on sleep as a person on massive horse tranquilizers just to sleep. And of course, they're people tranquilizers not horse tranquilizers. 

What I really mean is, Writing, Lavendar, Meditation, Melatonin and Podcasts. All of these things have helped me manage my sleep naturally. I'm not sure if they'll work for you. I'm just one bipolar babe writing into the ether to other bipolar babes and wishing the best to you at all times. I know how hard this thing can be to manage personally, and it creates a false sense of efficacy within me to give unwanted advice. I'm sure this is understood. Stay well. That's all I can say. Stay well. And I'll try my best to as well. 

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