What are your favorite books to fall asleep to??

I've been turning into an insomniac. I've had many people tell me it comes with getting older. My Grandma sleeps 2 hours tops! I'm starting to worry it might be hereditary. I've also noticed that when I have been able to get to sleep, I frequently have lucid dreams.
I'd prefer not to have to take any prescribed meds for it. I've found that a nice dirty martini for a nightcap helps me but I don't want to turn into a regular drinker. Anyways..

What are some of your favorite books to help wind your brain down at night?
Will you prescribe me some good literary medicine??

Thanks.

-DF

If you fall asleep whilst reading, then you are reading the wrong books. Books should awaken your emotions, be exciting, not lull you off to sleep!

But if you must, try tax law, that would put anyone to sleep!

Try studying a new subject, may work, but their have to be better ways to go sleepy byes.

P

The Trial by Franz Kafka

When I was around 13 my aunt was worried i was too illiterate so she gave me that book it sure dint help me be less ignorant because I could not read 50 pages of it, that book is so heavy it will put you to sleep in half a page.

Perhaps if I try it again its good but meh ill stay with my childhood memories

reply to post by DenyFlatulence

I have been reading Oscar Wilde the past few weeks to help me fall asleep. Something dated helps me- if it is an older novel, the cadence is different than in recent literature, and I find that it requires a bit more focus to read, which makes me grow sleepier, faster. I will pick up a children's classic like The Secret Garden, every now and then, as well. I stay away from anything too exciting or any 'page-turners'. Terry Pratchett is who I am reading when I am not trying to drift off-- very clever and witty, and would be nice as bedtime reading because it's 'easy' reading (no struggle to keep up-- just page upon page of gloriously clever tales). I am always struggling to fall asleep, as well, and I must say that a banana (my grandmothers fool-proof suggestion for sleeplessness!) and some melatonin helps me. Is there any specific genre that you prefer or dislike?

As I am getting older as well, and sleeping less, books don't help much, as another poster stated, they get me riled, and I have to know what happens next.

But I do have this visualization, relaxation exercise that I do, that seems to help alot. Shoot me a message if your interested.

Although, for me, any book on quantum theory does help. Too late at night to wrap my brain around it, so I end up re reading everything the next day.

BTW, another Michigander? Welcome neighbor!

My most recent book, but not for bedtime, more for appointments and offices, is called "Political Ponerology" by Andrew M. Lobaczewki. About the true nature of evil/psychopathy, running this world, naturally found in high places here.

With chronic fatigue and no thyroid, falling asleep is not hard, its rather fast, anytime, day or night, if I rest.

Something by the Marquis de Sade or Aleister Crowley.

I read every night, but I have insomnia too and need melatonin or a couple of cups of sleepy time herbal tea to finally get sleepy.

reply to post by DenyFlatulence


I sleep really good, although I don't need many hours and you are right, the older I get, the less I seem to sleep!
My dad is like that, he is now almost 70 and I don't think he sleeps for more than 5 hours.

Books can relax you but they can also activate your imaginations, they do that to mine.......I switch off the lights, close my eyes and the story continues in my head.....maybe I am just insane, I don't know! lol

A warm glass of milk with raw honey always helps...better than alcohol I'd say.

Anything by Isaac Asimov...But that's less because it makes me fall asleep, and more because it makes me have some incredible dreams

Hmmm, if I need something to help ease me off to sleep I pick up The Disappearing Spoon by Sam Kean. It's a book about the periodic table of elements. It's a good refresher on some of the basic chemistry concepts I've forgotten since high school, but at the same time, it's not really boring. It's loaded with anecdotes about the scientists who helped put together the periodic table and research its elements. But because those anecdotes are so brief, you can pretty much put it down just about anywhere without feeling like you're breaking up something critical. Then, the next night, you pick it back up.

I also use The Arabian Nights and Grimm's Fairy Tales for this, too.

Or I can pick up something that's really, really dense and usually makes me re-read the same paragraph over and over several times before I notice it ... that's when it's time to fall asleep.

Or, I pick up something I've read many, many times before.

But I never try to pick up a page-turner or else I might be up trying to fit in just ... one .... more ... page.

reply to post by pond470


I agree with you on dated literature helping. Totally agree about the cadence. Thanks for the insight.
I've been hitting up Shakespeare lately. as well as the King James Bible and some John Steinbeck for bedtime reads.
I usually have a half a dozen books or more going at any given time. I like to take my sweet ass time and really soak them up.
Some people can read a book in one or two sittings. This is not my style at all.
I pretty much like reading anything in general, but I really like Fiction a lot!

pheonix358
If you fall asleep whilst reading, then you are reading the wrong books. Books should awaken your emotions, be exciting, not lull you off to sleep!

But if you must, try tax law, that would put anyone to sleep!

I agree with you. Most of my reads are exciting page turners. But I've found that certain books that I enjoy reading tend to stimulate a dream state in me.. Maybe they help the brain to produce melatonin or '___'? Not really sure.
lol tax law.. Umm, no thanks.
Watching Golf has this effect on me too. I think it might be how the announcers talk.
I love golf btw.

reply to post by chiefsmom

BTW, another Michigander? Welcome neighbor!

Cheesehead, close enough. Welcome neighbor!

Here's a Dogfish raison d'etre, on me!


(I lied it's just a silly emoticon.. )

reply to post by DenyFlatulence


Most simply put:
The bible

reply to post by DenyFlatulence
If you are wont to reading the bible, I suggest the Message translation. It's a loose translation, but it reads more like a novel. I find the King James to be very dense, a difficult read; which I guess, come to think of it, would lull me off to sleep faster! Terry Pratchett is becoming my favorite author, so I certainly recommend him. This past week I have been reading Hans Christian Anderson. I'm fairly certain that has caused at least one nightmare, though :-)

Hitchikers Guide To The Galaxy, I have the whole series and I just love it. Very easy to drift off with fun thoughts of outer space adventures running through my head....makes for interesting dreams

Then anything HG Wells, I love sci-fi but I do not normally read anything scary in bed except HG Wells.....the Morlocks freak me out every time, but I can't put it down.

Also I just loooove Pride and Prejudice, because...Darcy of course.

They all make good drifting off to sleep books. I use to read Stephin King before bed but his prevent me from getting a restful sleep.

Rainbow Six by Tom Clancy. I have tried to finish that piece of junk 4 times and I just cannot. I'm sure it will knock you out

reply to post by InvisibleOwl


Haha! that reminds me of Moby Dick. I love the first couple chapters but then it just gets soo boring.
Tried reading that one a couple times. unsuccessfully.
In the Heart of the Sea. The true story of the Essex getting sunk by a whale was a great read btw