A Sleep Sound Machine can make beautiful music...and sense!

I have insomnia - make that 'had insomnia' until someone gave me a sleep sound machine. For anyone unfamiliar with what the heck a sleep sound machine is, it's a small component about the size of an alarm clock or, for the very best models, a sleep sound machine doubles as an alarm clock. Imagine being lulled to sleep with the sound of the ocean surrounding you, or perhaps you'd prefer a tropical rainforest with the sound of a gentle rain and birds tweeting (this one really confused my dogs and drove my cat nuts - he spent hours looking around the bedroom for Tweetie....).

I personally have had 3 different sleep sound machines so I know of what I type. Ah, but not all home sleep sound machines are created equal. The cheaper models might only have 4 sounds or so and, to be honest, the 'babbling brook' is the same as the 'waterfall' - they all sound like white noise to me on the cheaper models. That's why I suggest that you sink as much money as you can into the very best sleep sound machine. And, I here to help you do just that! In fact, just give this link a click (be sitting down; it's expensive): Brookstone Excellent Sleep Sound Machine on Amazon.com.

sleep sound machine / nature / nature sounds / insomnia / sleep / rainfall / ocean / music

Edited: 19JAN13

I really think this is a fabulous idea - this is the Oasis 650 sound system which comes with 24 sounds on it own. But, wait! There's more! You can easily purchase the sleep sound machine cards to add additional tracks. How cool is that?!

Sound Oasis S-650-01 Sleep Sound Therapy SystemCHECK PRICE

Sound Oasis Rhythms of the Sea Sound CardCHECK PRICE

Sound Oasis Nature Journey Sound Card CHECK PRICE

Sound Oasis S-650-01 Sleep Sound Therapy System CardCHECK PRICE

Sound Oasis Wilderness Journey Sound CardCHECK PRICE

Sound Oasis Tropical Rain Forest CardCHECK PRICE

These 2 sound machines for sleep are less expensive but still a bit pricey in my book. They both have a nice range of sounds though so you'll get a good night's sleep for the money.

Another Tranquil Moments Sound MachineCHECK PRICE

Dual Speed Sound Conditioner by Marpac CHECK PRICE

The best sleep sound machine, in my humble opinion

As I mentioned, I have owned 3 sleep sound machines; this Brookstone model is way about the rest of the pack. This particular model has the best sound to sleep to - I just adore the Ocean Surf is my absolute favorite. Unlike cheaper sleep sound machines that produce the same wave pattern over and over, this machine has a much longer pattern so it's not bothersome like others can be. This sleep sound machine gives you a lot of sleep sound options including, but certainly not limited to,Thunderstorm (another excellent choice), Summer Night, and even has seven scientifically engineered programs to relax your mind. These include Serenity, Focus and 5 others.

Sleep Sound Machine from Brookstone - Tranquil MomentsCHECK PRICE

I've tried each and one of these sleep remedies at some time in my life. My mom, Gertie, had insomnia most of her life and, lucky me, I must have inherited that DNA because dad slept like a rock. And, now that I'm in the best relationship of my life (and my last!), my mate John falls asleep while the plane is on the runway! One time, he slept from Baltimore to Key West - we landed and he woke up and said 'Oh, we're off?' I about killed him. There is nothing worse than seeing your mate snore soundly while you're wide awake counting sheep (that does work btw).

1. Count those sheep! I know it sounds really stupid but counting sheep can work. My problem is that I always count sheep as they jump an imaginary fence in my mind. Inevitably, one gets hung up or trips or something and then I start to worry about stupid sheep. I try this method to get to sleep but only when exhausted.
2. Take L-Tryptophan. This is the stuff in turkey meat that makes us sleepy after Thanksgiving. It didn't work for me but, then again, I've never seen a sleeping turkey so maybe it doesn't work for them either.

   For more information on L-Typtophan, click WebMD article on L-Tryptophan.

3. Warm milk. Warm milk may be soothing but it makes me burp....
4. Benadryl. Benadryl (diphenhydramine) actually does put me out, for, oh, about 2 hours. Not so much. But, a side effect of this medication for John is a quick night time nod and and an angry Lori...
5. Take Melatonin. I first heard of Melatonin when I was told to try it for one of my dogs who had a horrible reaction to thunder storms (note to self: the sleep machine was not a good thing to have on when Mocha was around...). It didn't calm her down nor did it put me to sleep when I tried it. I became scared of thunder storms too (kidding - just kidding).
6. Take a warm bath. I have a hot tub which (it figures) seems to wake me up! But, ah, sitting around in a hot, soaking tub under the stars isn't the worst way in the world to spend a sleepless night.
7. Watch the floaters - no, I'm not talking about in the bathroom.

   You know those things that float around in your eye when your eyes are closed? Well, they're real and they're called 'floaters.' They're really small pieces of the vitreous (gel) layer in your eye and, lucky us, as we age, we have more of these deposits 'floating' around when we close our eyes. I've found that, by following a few of them, my mind relaxes and, occasionally, this sleep exercise relaxes me so much that I fall asleep - until one knocks out a sheep....

If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, you might try any of the below over-the-counter sleep remedies. For me, the benadryl works the best but to each his (or her) own.

Before you put on your jammies and snuggle into your warm, cozy bed, please leave me comments to let me know you stopped by. After all, at 3 am, I have nothing better to do than get on Squidoo and read the comments!