awwww, thank you, Gemme, Soon, Amber2010 (and Always2late & Nanners)!
I think, Gemme, when you mentioned the factor of excitement, which that's a stressor so some degree, in either direction (-/+), it does seem to affect my ability to fall asleep! I think that's largely some of the 'problem' I experience lately because I teeter between levels of excitement and anxiety over larger issues that are looming over my life. Take for example the employment factors I face on a daily basis: will I hear back from potential employers, be hired - things of that nature that aren't always easy to 'turn off', lately (Thanks Gemme for mentioning the excitement factor).
And Soon, getting exercise is definately one factor that I know will help me fall asleep (Thanks so much for bringing up the exercise factor!). I had a job, not long ago, where I was literally running every day on the job. Back then, when I came home from a work-day, I would go straight to bed because that's what my body (and mind) dictated me to do, to lay down immediately and sleep! So yeah, exercise does help stablize a person's sleep cycle, I think (Thanks for bringing that up, Soon).
Amber2010, you mention that skyping helps you, being able to talk with friends to help meet a need for human contact (communication, etc). I think, in many ways, the reason I participate as a member of this community is not only to cultivate friendship, but the chance to 'talk' with other members via topics of human interest (thanks for bringing up another idea that could help, Amber2010)!
I think each thing that Gemme, Soon and Amber brought up are part of ways that we can address getting our needs met. Sort of like the nirvana of making sure we've had enough to eat, got our fill of human contact, getting exercise -- all those things we do to ensure our needs are being met, even the need for self-love which is to me a big factor (human touch, desireable sexual encounters of the beautiful kind).
For most who might not know me well (or even for those of you who do!), I'm the kind of person who is on *Top* of things of this nature, normally (so to speak). I try to maintain some sort of semblance of balance in addressing needs - that desireable level of satiation, where I feel I am getting my needs met, in ways that are hopefully healthy for me (or for others, each one of us).
The tricky part to my situation is that I think age factors are impinging on my ordinary ability to meet the nirvana that seemed easier to acheive before the age factor began to sing a little bit louder. *lol* (or not).
Something that is becoming a glaring truth for me, at this time in life, is that sometimes I find myself stuck in a cycle of thinking that I should be able to fall asleep, like I always have before. But lately this past year, it's anything but what I normally would experience. It happens more frequently now than I would like, but there are days when maybe my core sleeping cycle is less than 5 hours (with a couple of 'naps' during the day) and then days where I oversleep. Like two days ago, I slept probably about 12 hours, woke up and didn't feel refreshed but instead, felt like I should go back to bed (Not!). Which, this kind of thing is turning out to impinge on my way of leading a balanced way of life. <sigh>
Thank you Gemme, Soon and Amber for weighing in on ideas to help make getting sleep, something that is acheiveable. : )