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Comment by pilif | Hacker News Reader

For the last 3 years, the most reliable way for me to fall asleep quickly has been watching youtube videos on my phone. Night-shift is off too.

Seeing how differing everybody's experiences seem to be, maybe this is one thing where people are just different from each other.

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You don't have to watch them. Just the blinking of TV will distract your brain from racing. That's how I do it. In my case, I rewatch something that I already know by heart - Seinfeld, futurama, etc. If I know the plot, I don't get into it enough to be awake.

A drama with a complicated enough plot but generally quiet ie mostly talking no action does it for me. But I need to be sleepy in the first place, such that I could probably just go to bed without tv and also sleep!

Forensic Files is the best for this if you aren't negatively affected by the content. Peter Thomas had an incredible voice.

How It Works and Ancient Aliens do the job for me. If I watch either of those after I've just had dinner I don't stand a chance. I'm knocked out by the end of the episode.

I use the trashy aliens docs on amazon prime. the "customers also watched" has been great for discovering all sorts of wackado theories on human origins.

Parks and Recreation :D

I'm on the opposite side of the coin. My brain recognizes any conversation on a left-on TV and "turns on." If I was asleep, I'm about to not be. It is especially bad when I know the episode or movie as I start to pre-quote lines in my head and, shit, now I'm awake.

TV programs are designed to get your attention. Try watching college lectures instead. I'm still not sure what Russian formalism is actually about, but boy it sure is a great sleep aid.

To counter sibling, IRL conversations also prevents me from sleeping.

Because he's my butler!

Similar experience here... I am able to look at a computer or phone screen right up until I go to sleep. The time at which I get sleepy, and ready for bed, has to do more with my overall daily routine. I practice patterns of making myself go to bed at the same time. The screen time does not seem to make me stay awake. Also, if I am not sleepy when it is 'bed time', exercise after work is a sure fire way to get to sleep earlier.

I can't sleep reliably without reading on my kindle (which has a bright blue backlight). Probably doing myself more harm than good.

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