Comment by theshackleford

> reluctant to experiment

I stuck steadfast to “sleep hygiene” for most of my life, including zero electronics and my sleep stayed as horrid as it’s been since I was a child. No caffeine/alcohol, bed only for sex and sleep, wind down periods, reading/not reading and the rest, all useless.

One day I came to a realisation that the only time I never had issues falling asleep was ironically normally when attempting to ever watch TV on the couch during the day. For whatever reason whenever I try to watch TV, it always just makes me drowsy I realised. Despite this, I refused traditionally to have one in my bedroom.

I decided to “experiment” and break my no electronics/TV in the room rule.

A TV is now my personal sleep aid. Brightness goes to zero, volume goes to barely audible levels, and I deliberately tune into it. I’m guaranteed passed out in less than 15 minutes everytime and a timer turns it off at 30 minutes.

Id almost describe it as life saving for me. Following damage to my spinal cord I was getting less sleep than ever due to now permanent pain and I’ve now largely developed a natural sleep pattern and I’ve been able to go off the strong drugs I was prescribed that whilst they knocked me out, always left me feeling shitty and groggy the next day.

I wish I had not been a such an extreme stickler for “I must keep endlessly repeating what’s recommended for sleep because obviously it must be accurate”, because for me, it wasn’t.

The damage a lifetime of poor sleep has done to me and now knowing I could have solved it by ignoring the generally recommended advice is…depressing.

Since doing this I’ve been able to turn huge chunks of my life around. It’s been nothing short of life changing.