Insomnia & Pillow hugging

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I've had problems sleeping since I was a child. Basically I have an overactive mind and a fear of being awoken that are the main reasons for my insomnia. I have been to doctors and tried most recommendations, which help to varying degrees.

One thing I found a few years back was hugging a pillow helped me to sleep. I can't remember when or how I started doing it, but I now find it hard to sleep without one. A few times when travelling I've even stuffed my clothes into a plastic bag and used that, not as comfortable but it still worked.

I've seen movies recently of people who had experiences that reminded me of this, such as Temple Grandin making a hug machine and 'Vallentino, The Last Emperor' hugging a pillow from his childhood for comfort whenever he flew in aircraft.

Does anyone else use a similar method to relax or sleep?

I pack myself under my covers with pillows as if I'm a fragile product being sent out for delivery. It's comforting, but not so practical when it comes to turning over and sleeping on my other side. When it's cold enough, I have a heavy comforter as an added bonus.

My insomnia is more chronic than anyone else I know (offline) having. That's why when I tell people about it, they say things like, "Oh, I have the same problem." That's when I bring out the details of how bad and how long, which then silences them.

I have all kinds of sleep issues which can impair my ability to both fall asleep, and to stay asleep. Some nights are worse than others.
Additionally, I like to sleep with two pillows, one for my head, and one to keep hold of and hug through the night. If I'm in a situation where I can only have one pillow, I'll usually do without a pillow for my head so I can have a pillow I can hold and hug. I also like having a thick comforter to wrap around myself, cocoon style.
I don't sleep the exact same way every night -- what works for me one night may not work the next. That's one of the reasons why sleep can be so challenging for me. That said, hugging a pillow and cocooned in a blanket has been one of my favorite sleeping positions for as long as I can remember.
I recall my summer camp days, when I had one bunk mate who assigned herself the role of "bunk mother," and saw me as a "daughter" who needed a great deal of care and attention. The fact that I was chronologically older was irrelevant. There were any things she did that really bothered me, such as giving me makeovers while telling me "We're going to make you look a little nice for once." (! !! !! !) That was bad enough, but it bothered me far, far, far more when she would come to my bed at night to rearrange the blankets and pillow while telling me, "This isn't how you're supposed to sleep. This is how you're supposed to sleep." As I've always had about as much spine as the average sponge, I felt powerless to do anything but cry quietly once she'd walked away. The idea of being told how to sleep struck me as extremely invasive, a gross violation of my personal space. I hated that girl, and the memory of her rearranging my blankets and pillow with that saccharine sweet condescending manner of hers makes my blood boil all over again. No one has any right to dictate how I arrange myself to sleep at night!

PS: There are a number of other sleep strategies which I use from time to time, and different things seem to work in different situations.

When I was a teenager, I found that instant coffee with milk really helped to switch off my brain, so recently I have occasionally started drinking that before bed. I know a good number of people who do the same.

If anyone wants more sleep tips, send me a private message with your e-mail address, and I'll send a list. It's specifically for aspies, but some of the tips would work for others who struggle with insomnia too.

I hugged my very soft purple pillow last night. It helps me sleep. I also can't sleep without a heavy blanket. I need a proper weighted one.

I started sleeping with a teddy bear that my Nana gave me back in April. I now find it difficult to fall asleep without it.

I used to have really bad insomnia, but it was cured when I started taking Risperdal and Xanax before bed. Risperdal is an anti-psychotic which eliminates my bad thoughts and stops my mind from racing, and Xanax is an anti-anxiety medication which relaxes me. Both of them make me drowsy. I'm almost guaranteed to fall asleep within an hour and a half of taking them.

I take Risperidone before bed and I hug a pillow. That helps me to sleep through the night.

I have pillows on either side of me and as many blankets as the temperature allows.
One day I'm going to sew pillows together into a blanket.

I had very bad chronic/recurring insomnia for years, but seem to have gotten past it. I do the same thing you mention, and I did only pick up the habit within the past couple of years. This is also around the time I got over my insomnia, but I can't say if they're related.

I can only sleep hugging a pillow, one behind me and one between my knees. North, south, east and west. It really is 'grounding' and makes me feel safe.

I like the weight of pillows over me too, but only in the winter or I risk over-heating in the summer. I don't wake up or realize how hot I am getting. I often wake up in the summer wrapped in blankets tight and feeling sick I'm so over-heated.

I also need my sound (white noise) machine to sleep, hit 'rolling thunder' and I'm gone.

I hug my duvet for comfort. I've done that all my life. As a child, if I got upset about something, I'd run to my room and to bed and hug my duvet. I'd sometimes bury my face in it and cry or stim (rock back and forth in bed). I've also used plush animals to hug for comfort, and I still do that now in adulthood.

When I was a child I was afraid of sleeping. I don't remember well what it was that I was afraid of. I think I was just afraid that something bad might happen while I was asleep and off guard. Someone gave me a plush dolphin and managed to convince me that he would protect me and keep an eye on things for me while I was asleep, so if I hugged him and kept him with me in bed that helped me relax and go to sleep.

I don't have any fear of sleeping anymore, but I often have difficulty falling asleep because I can't switch off or slow down my thoughts. With that I have found that it helps if I watch an animal documentary or a cartoon or read something simple like Donald Duck. I seem to slow down my mind that way and get relaxed enough to fall asleep.

I hug my pillow to sleep, yes.

Awesome, I'm gonna try hugging a pillow next night. I also have troubles sleeping because my mind is also awake at night, I'm gonna try that trick, hopefully it'll work.

Wow, I always hug a pillow when I sleep too.. And sometimes also when I'm just sitting around. I hug it and always have the top part of it against my face because I like how it smells.