Can't sleep...strange dreams

What I was going to suggest for ForeverPositive concerning lack of sleep was:

I found a heating pad on low with a small towel in between helps me sleep for some reason. Even with a towel and on low, it can get too warm and I cut it off, sometimes keeping the heating pad on my chest (in the off position) to create low warmth. It can also create nightmares. I've had a number of them and the heating pad was always on. Always.

I've also found that when I exercise during the day, I sleep better at night.

As for exercise, I just came across an item on that while looking for something else and thought about ForeverPositive's situation.

It's from the American Diabetes Association says regular exercise:

*Lowers blood pressure and cholesterol
*Lowers your risk for heart disease

*Burns calories; increases your energy

*Helps you sleep better

*Reduces symptoms of depression

I used to could exercise in the house but now I have to be going somewhere to walk some distance.

You said:

"As for exercise, I haven't been consistent in that area. Must make it a regular routine."

This is what gets me going as far as exercise: When the previous night. I got about 3-5 hours sleep, and I remembered the day before I didn't exercise. Yes, that can spur me on to exercise during the day, but not the bright part of the day.

One of the problems is, it's harder for me to exercise when I've only had 3-5 hours sleep the night before. I think it's called life. Yeah, it can be tough.

One thing that helps me is, I have to go down front to get my mail because people can steal it if it's left in the mailbox overnight. So, while I'm walking to the mailbox, I sometimes make myself walk around the block knowing what's going to happen that night if I don't.

So, if you can start by walking in front of your place, and then turn that into a walk around the block. You can also walk at some of these shopping malls I think. Remember the pain of 3-5 hours sleep the night before then pick a place to walk. One time around the block for me is 30 minutes. You also get to see different sites when you walk and gives you different things to think about.

As far as the heating pad, it's kinda like a child's warm teddy bear. It's a comfort. It also has health benefits in that it enlarges the blood vessels and reduces stress on the heart.

If it starts to get too warm, I cut it off and sometimes leave it on my chest, along with the small towel between me and the heating pad, and that alone creates some warmth.

I'm in control of this the entire time: "I can't sleep, let me cut on the heating pad." And at least it gives me a Plan B. Or, "It's too warm, let me cut it off but leave it on my chest." And it's always plugged into the wall and laying there on my bed.

Also, if I go to bed at midnight and wake up at 3 or 4, I can take another Melatonin rather than wait 2 hours to realize, I'm not going back to sleep. I can just take it when I see I'm not going back to sleep.

Sometimes not sleeping with the cover, or just throwing a part of it over, if I see at 2 a.m. I'm not sleeping, and sometimes also cut on the light to give the room a different look.

I would also suggest blocking out ambient noise with earplugs. For myself, at least, the 33 db NRR foam ones work pretty well. They really make a difference in terms of sleep quality. Basically, I can focus on the sleep, not the distractions.

Also, nightmares and other uncomfortable dreams are fixable if you realize you're dreaming. There's the whole field of lucid dreaming, where you can do anything (if you concentrate and focus) once you realize you're dreaming. I always remind myself that this mind is mine and only I can rule here, not any monsters or demons. In fact, nowadays I look forward to any "nightmares" I might have, knowing I can assert control (as long as I know I'm dreaming).

Thanks, that's some good advice. I also used to put on both earplugs and noise-canceling headphones (Bose in my case), but this was to block out noise from the neighbors and sometimes machinery outside (nothing quite compared with those 5am garbage trucks and 7am leaf blowers right outside my window).

As for dreams, it seems you're all-powerful (inside your mind) as long as you simply realize you're dreaming. That's been the principle behind lucid dreaming. I find that concentration is still needed and I can't quite do everything all the time (like flying), but at least I'm invulnerable to any attacks from bad guys or monsters and the like.