AudioCircle
Community => Non-audio hobbies and interests => Health and Fitness => Topic started by: dB Cooper on 14 Jun 2018, 08:06 am
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I'm sure I'm not the only sufferer here.
My thing is I can fall asleep but don't stay down- I wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep. Happens even when I'm tired AF. Sometimes it's hard to wind down but the waking up is the bigger problem for me.
On the upside, I have gotten some good music listening in- with headphones of course, so as not to disturb others in the house...
Just wondered what others' experiences have been and what if anything has helped.
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Talk to your doctor, you may need to see a sleep specialist. 10 years ago they discovered I had moderate OSA. That was only part of the problem. Irregular sleep pattern,stress and other factors also contributed to the problem. Got so bad that NOTHING, over the counter, prescription, legal or illegal allowed me to sleep. It took quite a while to get that all sorted out. I ended up taking a year off work to recover.
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I've suffered with chronic insomnia for over 20 years. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy. I can go through all I've done to try to find relief but that would take a post that may put EVERYONE to sleep. Here's where I'd start:
Learn everything you can about sleep hygiene. There are things you can do to help your situation that you may not be aware of. Alcohol, for example will hurt your sleep, not help it. Your bed, bedroom, sheets, pillows, temperature, noise, fans, clocks, can all affect your sleep.
See your doctor! Make pharmaceuticals the absolute last resort. They're a slippery slope and not sustainable long term.
If you do wake up in the middle of the night, under no circumstances should you pick up your phone, iPad, computer, or TV remote. Stimulating your eyes at night will get your brain going when you're trying to shut it down.
Pay attention to what you eat and when you eat it. Large meals before bed can make you restless. Drinking things like cherry juice, for example, can help with sleep.
Taking a hot shower, stretching, meditating, using progressive muscle relaxation techniques, can all help prior to getting into bed.
Use the bed ONLY for sleep and sex. Don't watch TV in bed.
Avoid trying to solve problems before bed.
The anxiety surrounding the inability to sleep sometimes is the cause. Once you find a routine that works don't let bad habits creep back in.
Good luck!
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What he said - all very good advice.
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After some age is usual people have insonimnia. I discobered watching TV and even use PC made sleep more diffidult. In the past I used some teas to sleep more time.
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Do your own studies on this.
I have had a lot of muscle pains in my legs for the last 2.5 years, now taking 100mg of DHEA daily. In only two weeks, pain is now subsiding. :)
I have no problems sleeping but a lot of reviews out there that says it is good for chronic fatigue syndrome. My wife is going to start this soon since she has CFS.
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Not googled for it, the med teas I have here dont exist in others countries.
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Do your own studies on this.
I have had a lot of muscle pains in my legs for the last 2.5 years, now taking 100mg of DHEA daily. In only two weeks, pain is now subsiding. :)
I have no problems sleeping but a lot of reviews out there that says it is good for chronic fatigue syndrome. My wife is going to start this soon since she has CFS.
Are you taking a statin? Do you take magnesium? What is your fasting blood sugar and insulin? What is your hemoglobin A1c? Has your wife been checked for polycystic ovary syndrome? Has your wife tried removing all grains from her diet?
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See: https://pcos.com/pcos-chronic-fatigue/
Oh yeah, a good thyroid test for your wife might help, though you'd have to have someone to give you the correct test and be able to interpret it correctly. See, eg: http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2017/05/diy-thyroid/
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If you/your doctors can’t find a physical cause for your insomnia, I strongly recommend that you try cognitive behavioral therapy. I had “early insomnia”, where I frequently couldn’t fall asleep until 4:00 or 4:30 am. It went on for a long time. I then saw an article in the NYT saying that CBT was shown in a study to be the most effective approach to resolving insomnia. My therapist started me keeping a sleep journal which helped her determine a course of action that would be most helpful in my case. While I still have occasional insomnia it is mostly under control (I usually fall asleep by midnight) and I no longer dread nighttime.
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Has happened to me for years. What I do ...
Get up and pee - sometimes that's why you are waking up. Maybe you just need to stretch a bit too and this will accomplish that.
Take 5-10mg of Melatonin with a small glass of milk. It's natural and the milk helps coat your stomach so it feels full.
Read a book until you start to yawn or feel tired. Not a Kindle or on a PC - a good old fashioned paper book.
turn out the light and sleep.
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I had insomnia and it's better now. For ME is was a combination of feeling like I'd not gotten everything done that I wanted to during the day (which is pretty much every day, for me). And also feeling like I still had too much to do the next day, which made it overwhelming and then I subconsciously wanted to avoid going to sleep so I could avoid all the shit I had to do the next day.
For a person that likes a high degree of control, and always feels like they are slightly behind, it was very hard to break this pattern. But once I did, for the most part I sleep great.
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“The best cure for insomnia is to get plenty of sleep.”
WC Fields
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“The best cure for insomnia is to get plenty of sleep.”
WC Fields
To me get plenty of sleep I need to do alot of heavy work on the day.
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No more mention on drugs or medical related similars in this thread.
Thanks
(https://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=169972)
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I'm a light sleeper. The way that I can sleep soundly for 7-8 straight hours is in a perfectly black and silent room.
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Try eating a bowl or two of cereal like corn flakes, Rice Krispies, any of that ilk.
That stuff puts me out like a light.
I need background noise so use an air purifier or window fan/air conditioner during the two warm days a year we have here.
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Aerobic exercise and a large green salad every day will cure insomnia and many other problems. Read "In Fitness and In Health" by Phil Maffetone about aerobic exercise and nutrition. After you start exercising, if you still need help falling asleep use niacin and calcium.
Niacin (100mg hour before bed) allows tryptophan to do towards making serotonin and eventually melatonin which is the sleep hormone. If you are niacin deficient, tryptophan is diverted to make niacin instead of serotonin. It's safer than taking melatonin because you still get however much melatonin you really need but hormones remain under master homeostatic control. :)
Calcium (max 250mg hour before bed) is a sedative mineral, it is excellent for sleep. But calcium requires magnesium, vitamin K2 and boron to make it behave. Otherwise it calcifies soft tissue, causing havoc. Calcium should be in the blood and bones, not in the soft tissue cells.
If you are awakened by the adrenals dealing with a low blood sugar episode or a low blood pressure episode, then you need sugar and salt to help out. 4oz Orange Juice with 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, keep it by the bed mixed and ready to go. Aerobic exercise will cure the blood sugar problem very quickly, and the improved digestion and appetite from aerobic exercise will cure the low blood pressure problems. If you crave salt eat it.
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On calcium: I have read some alternatice recipes for good sleep that mention milk and banana before bed and it dont require magnesium to work, I tested it and no complaint.
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Bananas and milk are both good sources of magnesium. Most natural foods have a good balance Ca:Mg. But supplements aren't natural food, so I like to understand how they work, risks and benefits.
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I'm semi-vegan and don't do dairy apart from butter. Calcium, green leafies are a great source. Will do someresearch into magnesium too.
One of my biggest challenges is schedule. One common piece of advice is to go to bed at the same time every night. This is impossible if you work in retail as I do. Trying to figure out a workaround, a rouine of some sort. One habit I have gotten into is eating just before bed. Although supposedly a common practice in Europe, I wonder if it is worth experimenting with alternatives.
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I don't think a little snack before bed is a big deal, ideally you shouldn't eat anything before bed. A full blown meal is bad for sleep but even more important try to keep a regular pattern. I was trying to sleep by day during the week so I could work night shift and then sleep at night on weekends so I could be up by day. Because I worked only 4 days had had three days off my body and brain just gave up. The older you get more your body needs regularity.
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:D shiftwork ? Most peeps can kiss good sleep away after that BS . As we age sleep gets tricky. No coffee after 2 or 3 in the afternoon. No booze before bed. I just take it as it comes. If I wake up in the middle of the night I just eat a shit load of watermelon, Ha. Love the Mellon season,,,, on # 10 now,,,,
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Bananas and milk are both good sources of magnesium. Most natural foods have a good balance Ca:Mg. But supplements aren't natural food, so I like to understand how they work, risks and benefits.
Don't eat bananas before bed. Don't eat them if you're not blood type O or B for that matter. They're just good for heartburn for everyone else. There are a lot of sources of magnesium. Black beans are very good for it. Blackstrap molasses, greens, on and on... Real food has it.
Try eating a bowl or two of cereal like corn flakes, Rice Krispies, any of that ilk.
That stuff puts me out like a light.
I need background noise so use an air purifier or window fan/air conditioner during the two warm days a year we have here.
You're giving your body a sugar rush since corn modulates insulin in weird ways and rice is high glycemic. I wouldn't do this either. But some people do sleep better with a little more carbs at night (mainly BT O). I do better light on them.
Alcohol always helps you get to sleep, but it's been shown the second half of sleep is always worse for people whom drink much of it.
Your adrenals need to be in good shape. At least a half hour or more before going to bed set all your electronic devices to blue light filter/night filter. TV isn't so bad, but computers, tablets, and phones are horrible. You can also get "computer glasses" that filter some of the blue light. For some people they wear them all day because they work on a computer, and it makes them feel better overall and sleep better. Also coffee may be a problem for you even if you consume it in the morning. The caffeine is taxing on adrenals.
Exercise obviously helps.
If you're BT O then Valerian will put you out (but they need exercise too). Meditation will do a lot for everyone else.
db Cooper, what blood type are you? Eating hardly any dairy is probably very wise, but meat choices may be hurting you.
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Alcohol always helps you get to sleep...
Best to avoid it after dinner, especially if you have sleep apnea.
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I take Benadryl. Seems to work for me.
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No more mention on drugs or medical related similars in this thread.
Thanks
(https://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=169972)
This Circle rules dont allow drugs comments.
Gracias
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FRM is right.
Plus, some of y'all are giving bad advice. You can't solve a problem by creating another problem. Taking drugs (legal or illegal), eating late at night, etc., aren't healthy in the run.
Insomnia can be caused by a million different things and can occur at any age and without warning, and can be chronic. Since the cause is variable, the cure will also vary. The first step is to identify the cause. Of course, that's often easier said than done. If the cause is unknown, then go back to the fundamentals of good health. Start by eliminating poor lifestyle habits (smoking, drinking, etc.), adopt good dietary habits, and ascertain your nutritional deficiencies. Then look at your exercise regime if you have one (for instance, don't work out at night!!!).
Someone mentioned getting into a routine and going to bed at the same time every night. Those are good suggestions. Immediately prior to going to bed, you should wind down -- no TV, computer, etc. Just take a few moments to relax, do some light stretching, or meditate.
It sounds super simple, but regardless of the cause, insomnia occurs because your body and mind are not in a relaxed state.
Getting good sleep is the most important aspect of your health, so take it seriously.
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What I'm starting out with:
-Don't eat right before bed. If getting home late, eat on my last break
-Don't check Audiocircle when I get home late (I mean, don't get on the computer late)
-Chamomile tea before bed
-Continue meditation
More thoughts to come
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There is a softer tea than Chamomilla, its Melissa I used it some years ago.
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Sorry guys I have to quarentine this thread due various posts on drugs and personal offenses.
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Are you taking a statin? Do you take magnesium? What is your fasting blood sugar and insulin? What is your hemoglobin A1c? Has your wife been checked for polycystic ovary syndrome? Has your wife tried removing all grains from her diet?
Never a statin here. I have diabetes, but I eat the low carb diet so my A1C is fairly low since I take no drugs. No diabetes drugs the last 10 years since I was diagnosed. The DHEA I have been taking the last month has improved my muscles tremendously. The greedy drug companies are trying to re-label DHEA so they can make a profit on it. You have to have a prescription for DHEA in Canada.
Wife is getting on the Bio-identiclal hormone pellet treatment this month to see if that takes care of her sleeping problem. With bad hormones, this can effect women greatly in their sleeping habits.
The drug company's hormone treatments causes breast cancer, blood clots, and other issues. A neighbor's wife got breast cancer from these treatments.
After a lot of research, I have found that low testosterone can have an effect on men and women's sleeping habits. Pellet therapy can be applied to men also.
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Definitely see a doctor, you'll get a sleep test to see if you have sleep apnea and need a cpap machine.
They also sell "heavy blankets" that tout lots of cures. While I don't have insomnia, I ordered one to see what it does do.
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Not sure if this was mentioned but ANXIETY is common with Insomnia. Fix the anxiety problem first and then its easier to fix insomnia related problems. A lot of people have sleep apnea. By the time they actually do the testing and get there cpap machine they already have what I would call sleep apnea ANXIETY.....Sleep apnea occurs when one stops breathing so your body will jolt you into waking up so you can breath again as a last defense to save you from suffocating. The longer this goes on without help the greater the anxiety becomes even to the point of nightmares of you not be able to breath. These anxiety effects even continue after one gets there cpap machine. Afraid (anxiety) to fall asleep is one of the main factors of insomnia.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5xAjwGt4Os
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ELF emmit or the blonde?
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I take Benadryl. Seems to work for me.
You should know, it has been reported (by legitimate medical workers) (https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/common-anticholinergic-drugs-like-benadryl-linked-increased-dementia-risk-201501287667) that taking Benadryl or similar products frequently can increase one's risk for dementia.
Be careful!
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A few years a go I took half a tablet of dimenhydrinate to help sleep, but I stopped taking it because the leaflet warned about glaucoma.
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All my life, but it hasn't harmed me. In essence, it's not a problem because I don't see it as a problem, or in other words I don't make it a problem, so it isn't.
I think it's important to understand that Average never equals Individual.
So if you don't fall in the "average" or "recommended" range, the first step shouldn't be to see it as an issue. Maybe, for you, it isn't, and maybe it is, but it's not a given. Some people are more prone to worry than others, and they won't be able to get past it, but then again, that's not a sleep issue, that's a worry issue.
5 hours, tops, and I have to be tired to fall asleep; I can't just "go to bed" and expect to be dozing in half an hour. I'll be up in 30 minutes looking for a book to read or some work to do. I've never gone to bed before 1AM in my adult life. When I was a teen, I could do the 12 hour nap, but once I turned about 19 it became seven, then six, and by about my late 20's five hours a night. That's with no pressures, or when working, no difference.
But I have no problem getting up a 5 or 6AM if need be, (and I often wake up before 6~8 AM regardless) and am not tired during the day. I don't think I've yawned during working hours once in my life.
I gave my alarm clock to my boss at one job, when I was in my 30's. Never bought another one, never been late for work since, and there have been plenty of pre-8AM start times in there. Retired now.
My dietary habits have changed variously over the years, never made a difference as far as I can tell. I eventually contracted Type II Diabetes, but it's a hereditary issue that I knew from day 1 was coming sometime (both parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts ... you get the picture). I was 185 lbs (6'1) at the time; my doctor stated categorically "your diet and lifestyle had nothing to do with this".
In a perfect world, everything would be open 24/7 because I could be doing a lot of things when most people are asleep and it won't affect my daytime hours or my energy level. Sometimes I feel like everyone else are from another species that need different sleep than I do ;-) Stay tuned for the Movie.
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ELF emmit or the blonde?
(http://37.media.tumblr.com/21cd5315a2e74f62dfe054b83bebcb25/tumblr_n2yo46OH4F1ql56ddo1_500.gif)
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Jhm, that could work for a while :wink:
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I've never been good at sleeping, but the past couple years have been quite the struggle.
But to keep this short, one thing I do is to play audiobooks or podcasts to fall asleep. The trick is to get something interesting enough to capture my attention, but not so interesting or thought provoking as to cause me to want to stay up and listen to it.
But my best suggestion would be to bookend your days. I have a morning and an evening routine that helps. In the morning I try to get some exercise and meditation in before checking email or doing anything to engage with the day. In the evening, I write a journal and plan my next day. This really helps to get things out of my head and I know that I have a plan to handle what I need to the next day. Then I get ready for bed, meditate for another 10 minutes, turn on my podcast and turn out the lights.
Other little things: I have an orange light in the lamp by my bed, a nightlight in the bathroom, and a motion activated night light in my bedroom. This allows me to not turn on any lights or expose myself to any bright light during those middle of the night pit stops.
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I'll take the blonde and insomnia, thank you!
I'm surprised no one has suggested music! (Including me!)
Last night, I woke up just after three and a couple hours later after getting up, I remembered this CD that I used to put on - Mesa Sunrise by John Huling. It's kind of new agey, electronic Native American music. In the dark, it will put most to sleep. I'm sure there's lots out there that does it, like Brian Eno.
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This kind of music put me alert it is very nice and audible.
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I can easily fall to sleep to music, but wife cannot. Since no music, we both enjoy a noisy fan blowing.
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Has she tried baroque?
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I can easily fall to sleep to music, but wife cannot. Since no music, we both enjoy a noisy fan blowing.
I am not talking about standard music. YouTube Robert Fripp/ Brian Eno. It's soothing ambient music.
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My wife cannot stand any music when going to sleep. Maybe a rare one? :scratch:
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I can easily fall to sleep to music, but wife cannot. Since no music, we both enjoy a noisy fan blowing.
We use a fan for white noise also. :thumb:
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My wife cannot stand any music when going to sleep. Maybe a rare one? :scratch:
Me neither - music just engages my brain too much.
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My wife cannot stand any music when going to sleep. Maybe a rare one? :scratch:
Me neither - music just engages my brain too much.
Even "music" like this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y01I0MTixqY
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Even "music" like this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y01I0MTixqY
Yes, even music like that is a serious no-go for me. I need a silent and dark room. Sometimes I'll use earplugs if I know my wife will be up significantly earlier than I will.
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Wow - that's interesting.
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An update on my Wife's chronic fatigue. She went into the local Biote lab and had the hormone pellets put in her. The very first night and for 15 straight nights now she has slept very well. I hope this continues. Her mood seems to be leveling slightly also, maybe the better sleep?
A lady sales rep has said she has been on it for 5 years and it has been a huge relief. She said it was about three months before she was 100% well. She said she apologized to all her friends about how rotten she had acted. Several of her friends are now on it and they are much better also.
Who knows? I just might try this myself. This is for men also. Here is the link. Highly recommended to women.
https://www.biotemedical.com/