REWahoo
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give
It is humbling to know my efforts serve the greater good...
What activities do you do during sleepless nights?
- Thread starter Moscyn
- Start date
daylatedollarshort
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2013
- Messages
- 9,358
I take Milk of Magnesia. When I have it insomnia it seems to be from a magnesium deficiency.
Peppermint or chamomile tea also work for me.
Peppermint or chamomile tea also work for me.
bjorn2bwild
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
I am surprised that no one has mentioned the obvious. Unless I missed it as I read through all of the posts. There is only one form of exercise that is recommended before sleep.
Cricket?
It is humbling to know my efforts serve the greater good...
Thank you for graciously submitting yet another wonderful example of what I was referring to. Predictably, I now find myself becoming sleepy... but it seems that I may have 3-4 hours of cricket yet to go. Ya' gotta' love those big cricket paddles.
Ready
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
I have definite periods of sleeplessness. I used to think it was stress related, back when I was working full time. But life is not very stressful these days, and I still wake up after just a few hours of sleep and then struggle to fall asleep again. I can go several days to a week without a problem, and then it reappears. It usually lasts for 2-3 nights and then returns to a normal sleep pattern again.
My doctor prescribed Ambien CR, which works quite well, but I don't like to take meds if I can avoid them. I also use an herbal remedy called "Deep Sleep" that seems to work quite well. I buy it at the local health food market.
And when all else fails, I keep my iPad by my bed and either play games or surf the internet until I get tired again. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. But I generally feel fine in the morning, so my body may be telling me I just don't need that much sleep.
I used to take naps in the middle of the day pretty frequently, but ever since I stopped eating gluten, I have found that I don't get tired in the middle of the day any more. I try to avoid carbohydrates in general for lunch as they seem to make me very sleepy. Eating really simple foods like raw nuts and cheese during the lunch/afternoon period seems to work best for me. It keeps my energy level high so that I can get a lot of exercise in, which in turns helps me to be more tired in the evening before I go to bed.
My doctor prescribed Ambien CR, which works quite well, but I don't like to take meds if I can avoid them. I also use an herbal remedy called "Deep Sleep" that seems to work quite well. I buy it at the local health food market.
And when all else fails, I keep my iPad by my bed and either play games or surf the internet until I get tired again. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. But I generally feel fine in the morning, so my body may be telling me I just don't need that much sleep.
I used to take naps in the middle of the day pretty frequently, but ever since I stopped eating gluten, I have found that I don't get tired in the middle of the day any more. I try to avoid carbohydrates in general for lunch as they seem to make me very sleepy. Eating really simple foods like raw nuts and cheese during the lunch/afternoon period seems to work best for me. It keeps my energy level high so that I can get a lot of exercise in, which in turns helps me to be more tired in the evening before I go to bed.
I take Calm (Amazon.com: Natural Vitality Natural Magnesium Calm (1x16 OZ): Health & Personal Care) every night before bed. I sleep like a log. Highly recommend.
omni
omni
I usually sleep well. Always read a few pages and when I start to nod off, cut out the light. Occasionally I might have a hard time, usually when something is on my mind. When this happens, I don't fight it. I get up, get on the internet for a few minutes, may have some protein to eat, drink some water and take a short acting (4 hr) antihistamine like chlortrimeton. Go back to bed, read a few pages, turn off the light. Works for me.
No caffeine after noon and no worrisome conversation or drama after 8:00 at night. I couldn't always do that from all the stresses of work, raising children and the years when both parents were ill. Much more control over what comes my way later at night these days!
No caffeine after noon and no worrisome conversation or drama after 8:00 at night. I couldn't always do that from all the stresses of work, raising children and the years when both parents were ill. Much more control over what comes my way later at night these days!
OP
OP
Moscyn
Full time employment: Posting here.
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2009
- Messages
- 728
Thanks, everyone for their input and interesting suggestions. I will also check out Magnesium Calm. I had trouble all my life with sleeping and so do my siblings (can this be genetic?). However, the first year after I retired, I really enjoyed the beauty of sleep as there was a sudden release from stress. As I added more activities into my retired life, my mind gets busy and can't rest at night. Sometimes I do take naps esp after hot showers and that helps to keep fresh along the day despite deprived sleep. I guess I have to accept my sleep modes but when I am awake in the middle of the night and DH is sleeping like a baby, I really wish there's a sleep button I can press and activate immediately!
audreyh1
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
What scrabble app do you like?
My sleeping habits have gotten really bad since I got AB iPad!
Sleeplessness is rare for me, but when it occurs, I pick up my Kindle Paperwhite with the brightness set very low and read for a while. 20-30 minutes is usually enough to send me off to sleep again.
happy2bretired
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
I have EA Scrabble, it appears to be the original Hasbro game from the App Store. It has the little banker guy logo. It looks like there is a free version and one that costs $9.99. I can't remember if I paid or not..but I'm guessing I did. I love playing it - very addictive. I play against the computer. You'd can also pass the iPad around and play with others. You can play with others across the web too but that's not my cup of tea. There are 3 levels of difficulty and more than one dictionary to use. Is there a way for me to tell if I have the paid version? It didn't tell much when I looked at the "about" page.
mpeirce
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
I play EA scrabble a lot on the iPhone.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/scrabble-free/id501724085?mt=8
It works, but it's prone to various bugs. Each version that comes out seems to be a case of one bug fixed / a new bug introduced. (login issues were big for long time last year, crashing happens at times, sometimes it seems to lose track of games, and the darn tap target area for the x to close a message window is sometimes way too small). It seems better lately, but I get nervous every time a new version comes out - just waiting to see what they screwed up.
Yet, I still play it a lot. I started playing against the computer, but have since moved on to playing others. Mostly random folks, but also a few friends/relatives. (Oh another annoyance is that I since I don't do Facebook, I can't play against people who log in via Facebook. bah)
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/scrabble-free/id501724085?mt=8
It works, but it's prone to various bugs. Each version that comes out seems to be a case of one bug fixed / a new bug introduced. (login issues were big for long time last year, crashing happens at times, sometimes it seems to lose track of games, and the darn tap target area for the x to close a message window is sometimes way too small). It seems better lately, but I get nervous every time a new version comes out - just waiting to see what they screwed up.
Yet, I still play it a lot. I started playing against the computer, but have since moved on to playing others. Mostly random folks, but also a few friends/relatives. (Oh another annoyance is that I since I don't do Facebook, I can't play against people who log in via Facebook. bah)
+1 on avoidance of caffeine after noon and avoiding exciting/controversial TV just before bed. Too much computer time also can make falling asleep tougher.
OTOH- I find listening to low-key, soothing music and a nice chamomile tea with a light snack helps me drift off.
Exercise after dinner is a 2-edged sword for me. It usu tends to keep me awake...... unless its a long near-exhaustion sufferfest like those late summer eve 'rip-yer-legs-off' training rides with young racer types from local cycling club. Then I almost fall asleep on the way home
OTOH- I find listening to low-key, soothing music and a nice chamomile tea with a light snack helps me drift off.
Exercise after dinner is a 2-edged sword for me. It usu tends to keep me awake...... unless its a long near-exhaustion sufferfest like those late summer eve 'rip-yer-legs-off' training rides with young racer types from local cycling club. Then I almost fall asleep on the way home
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2010
- Messages
- 10,735
I used to listen to this audio (and of course follow the instructions). I still practice this, but don't really use the audio any more. Most of the time when I listen at night, I don't make it to the end of the recording. Or if I do, I roll over an nod off quickly.
MRG
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2013
- Messages
- 11,078
Very similar to what I use for self hypnosis. Different words but same basic principles.
As an aside when our Malteese was a puppy, he was they most hyperactive pup we've had. Deceided one day to try this technique on him as DW held him. Didn't do much for the dog, DW always went out, had a nice nap! Vet told me dogs don't have the part of the brain that responds to hypnosis/meditation.
Thanks,
MRG
OP
OP
Moscyn
Full time employment: Posting here.
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2009
- Messages
- 728
Thanks, Happy2retired and Mpierce. I just downloaded EA Scrabble ( free version). I too like to play Scrabble though I am more addicted to Candy Crush.
Accidental Retiree
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2012
- Messages
- 1,500
Words with Friends--and if you know your friends' WWF user names, you can play them without going through Facebook.
Try going outdoors in the morning
Early morning sun exposure triggers melatonin production. If you have chronic trouble sleeping, try to make a habit of going outside for 10 minutes or so as early in the morning (once the sun is up) as you can. Some people are exquisitely sensitive to the exposure. Also, some people are "slow metabolizers" of caffeine. Little or no caffeine for those people can really improve sleep. Daily exercise doesn't hurt either. I usually stagger outside in the morning and ride an exercise bike for 30 minutes. When my joints were younger, a morning dog walk did the same trick.
I find that if I wake up at night and start reading, I'll stay awake for hours. If, however, I resist the urge, I'll go right back to sleep, as long as I've been careful about all of the above. I got my results back from 23 and me today and found that I was officially a slow metabolizer of caffeine. Yep, that one was already obvious.
Early morning sun exposure triggers melatonin production. If you have chronic trouble sleeping, try to make a habit of going outside for 10 minutes or so as early in the morning (once the sun is up) as you can. Some people are exquisitely sensitive to the exposure. Also, some people are "slow metabolizers" of caffeine. Little or no caffeine for those people can really improve sleep. Daily exercise doesn't hurt either. I usually stagger outside in the morning and ride an exercise bike for 30 minutes. When my joints were younger, a morning dog walk did the same trick.
I find that if I wake up at night and start reading, I'll stay awake for hours. If, however, I resist the urge, I'll go right back to sleep, as long as I've been careful about all of the above. I got my results back from 23 and me today and found that I was officially a slow metabolizer of caffeine. Yep, that one was already obvious.
MissMolly
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2010
- Messages
- 2,140
I am having one of those nights right now. It's 2:25am and I am wide awake after trying to sleep for the past hour or so. I finally gave up and got up.
Lsbcal
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Some of the responses above are my experiences too. I usually have some physical symptom that prevents sleep.
Trouble getting to sleep
1. Too active a mind. Solution is not to drink coffee in afternoon and not to do active things like spreadsheets after maybe 5PM. Also I've noticed that combining caffeine with mind activities can really get me too excited for bedtime.
2. Cold feet. On cold winter nights where my feet get exposed before bed I seem to not drift off. Solution is to wear socks to bed and pull them off after awhile.
3. Jumpy legs. Seems to happen occasionally. Solution for me is to scrunch up into a fetal position for a few minutes which seems to turn off the nerves. I tell DW not to worry about me when I do this. But she's usually asleep by then.
Trouble in middle of night
1. Stuffy nose from allergies. Sometimes (but rarely) I use Afrin if it's really bad or maybe after 4am. Many nights I get up at midnight and take one Benedryl. Works great and no side effects for me. One's nose can be just slightly stuffed up and it still can affect sleep.
2. Too hot in middle of night. Reduced bedtime clothing. Get out of bed and cool down a lot. In extreme cases drink a cool glass of water or milk.
Well maybe some of the above will help someone here. I've read that one does not always need 8 hours sleep. Sometimes a good 5 hours is all you really need. Probably very individually dependent.
Happy sleeping to all.
Trouble getting to sleep
1. Too active a mind. Solution is not to drink coffee in afternoon and not to do active things like spreadsheets after maybe 5PM. Also I've noticed that combining caffeine with mind activities can really get me too excited for bedtime.
2. Cold feet. On cold winter nights where my feet get exposed before bed I seem to not drift off. Solution is to wear socks to bed and pull them off after awhile.
3. Jumpy legs. Seems to happen occasionally. Solution for me is to scrunch up into a fetal position for a few minutes which seems to turn off the nerves. I tell DW not to worry about me when I do this. But she's usually asleep by then.
Trouble in middle of night
1. Stuffy nose from allergies. Sometimes (but rarely) I use Afrin if it's really bad or maybe after 4am. Many nights I get up at midnight and take one Benedryl. Works great and no side effects for me. One's nose can be just slightly stuffed up and it still can affect sleep.
2. Too hot in middle of night. Reduced bedtime clothing. Get out of bed and cool down a lot. In extreme cases drink a cool glass of water or milk.
Well maybe some of the above will help someone here. I've read that one does not always need 8 hours sleep. Sometimes a good 5 hours is all you really need. Probably very individually dependent.
Happy sleeping to all.
Redbugdave
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
About TV and computer work before bed...I have read that the light levels from those devices may disrupt your melatonin levels. Certain wavelengths of light affect sleep rhythms.
An excerpt from Wikipedia alludes to this:
Light dependence
Production of melatonin by the pineal gland is inhibited by light to the retina and permitted by darkness. Its onset each evening is called the dim-light melatonin onset (DLMO).
It is principally blue light, around 460 to 480 nm, that suppresses melatonin,[36] proportional to the light intensity and length of exposure. Until recent history, humans in temperate climates were exposed to few hours of (blue) daylight in the winter; their fires gave predominantly yellow light. The incandescent light bulb widely used in the twentieth century produced relatively little blue light.[37] Wearing glasses that block blue light in the hours before bedtime may decrease melatonin loss. Kayumov et al. showed that light containing only wavelengths greater than 530 nm does not suppress melatonin in bright-light conditions.[38] Use of blue-blocking goggles the last hours before bedtime has also been advised for people who need to adjust to an earlier bedtime, as melatonin promotes sleepiness.[39]
When used several hours before sleep according to the phase response curve for melatonin in humans, small amounts (0.3 mg[40]) of melatonin shift the circadian clock earlier, thus promoting earlier sleep onset and morning awakening.[41]
An excerpt from Wikipedia alludes to this:
Light dependence
Production of melatonin by the pineal gland is inhibited by light to the retina and permitted by darkness. Its onset each evening is called the dim-light melatonin onset (DLMO).
It is principally blue light, around 460 to 480 nm, that suppresses melatonin,[36] proportional to the light intensity and length of exposure. Until recent history, humans in temperate climates were exposed to few hours of (blue) daylight in the winter; their fires gave predominantly yellow light. The incandescent light bulb widely used in the twentieth century produced relatively little blue light.[37] Wearing glasses that block blue light in the hours before bedtime may decrease melatonin loss. Kayumov et al. showed that light containing only wavelengths greater than 530 nm does not suppress melatonin in bright-light conditions.[38] Use of blue-blocking goggles the last hours before bedtime has also been advised for people who need to adjust to an earlier bedtime, as melatonin promotes sleepiness.[39]
When used several hours before sleep according to the phase response curve for melatonin in humans, small amounts (0.3 mg[40]) of melatonin shift the circadian clock earlier, thus promoting earlier sleep onset and morning awakening.[41]
Similar threads
Latest posts
-
-
-
-
Best CD, MM Rates & Bank Special Deals Thread 2024 - Please post updates here- Latest: ShokWaveRider
-
-
-
-
-