Insomnia

[drssg]

It might not be insomnia at all. It really is best to talk to your doctor about it, as there are so many things that can contribute to a poor night's sleep.

Insomnia - Symptoms and causes

www.mayoclinic.org

For some reason, that triggered this memory from Kindergarten Cop for me.

Arnold: I have a headache.
Kid: It might be a tumor.
Arnold: It's NOT a TOOMAH!!

 

[MossRoad]

Hahahaa!!!

 

[Woodstock Walt]

Or at least randomly odd and disconnected hours of sleep. Some nights several straight hours. Other nights an hour or two here and there. Sometimes a few daytime naps. No consistent pattern from one to the next.

Oh well.

Sounds exactly the way I used to function. I'd need 6-8 cups of coffee minimum just to stay awake throughout the day, then would feel absolutely exhausted by the end of the day. Still couldn't sleep for more than 3-4 hours tops.

Here's what I've changed that's significantly improved my ability to have a restful sleep:

1. Huge cutback on the caffeine. 1-2 cups/day now and I feel more alert than I ever did on 6-8 cups/day. You can get so dependent on caffeine that you can't fully function without it, then can't sleep because of it. Vicious circle.

2. 500 mg. Magnesium capsule 30 minutes before bed. Truth be told, I don't know the in-depth science behind it, I started taking it on the recommendation of a friend that has the same issues and has done a lot of research on the subject. Very first night I took it I slept like a rock for the first time in months, 6-7 hours. Since I've been taking it regularly my insomnia nights have been much fewer and farther between.

3. ....dunno how this coincides with your state laws or personal beliefs. But, have you considered the use of some natural herbs from your garden? I most definitely find that the correct herb utilized in the proper manner will help with even my most restless insomnia nights.

4. No naps. This one is hard, especially if you've got a lot of time on your hands during the day. If you do nap, keep it to 30 minutes or less.

Just a few things that have worked for me to improve my quality of sleep, and in turn my quality of life.

 

[Dftodd]

Uhh, yeah...maybe if you're single but I don't know of many women who'd go along with a room that cold. Certainly none who have ever been a part of my life.
I learned long ago that I sleep best dressed the way I came into this world.

I rarely have trouble sleeping, but I have found as I've gotten older that I toss & turn a bit more...usually due to joints (knees in particular) getting stiff and needing to be moved. A few aspirin at bedtime helps.

Either my knee cramps up or my hip starts throbbing.

Left knee, right hip If they don't bother me then the dog will wake me up because I'm snoring.

I actually sleep decent if I keep busy and wear myself out. If the weather is crud and I'm stuck inside with a book, then I toss and turn and don't get much sleep.

 

[MossRoad]

I told this story before, but here it is again. I snore! Wife wakes me up when I snore so I roll over and stop snoring. She then doesn't hear me snoring so she pokes me again, thinking I might be dead!

 

[CalG]

I need exercise every day for both a good night's sleep and regular digestion.
an hour's walk is enough.

 

[ponytug]

I told this story before, but here it is again. I snore! Wife wakes me up when I snore so I roll over and stop snoring. She then doesn't hear me snoring so she pokes me again, thinking I might be dead!

The proverbial rock and a hard place...

 

[OldMcDonald]

Why do you think you need to sleep for several hours without waking? Why do you think you should only sleep during certain hours - e.g 10 p.m. and 8 a.m.? Do you know any other animal species that complies with those rules? We are animals whether you like it or not.

Many years ago my wife found an article in some obscure and old magazine that was supposedly copying an ancient piece of information. This stated that it was normal behaviour for people to sleep for 3 or 4 hours and then wake up for a couple of hours or so. Allegedly it was customary a few hundred years ago that people accepted this as normal. I have no idea whether this is true, but obviously some posters on here agree that is their experience - especially as they age. I sleep on this pattern and have no problems living with it. I retired last year (aged 77) from farming in Portugal where "everybody" beyond a certain age has a sesta (Spanish siesta) after lunch. It is a good habit. Some villages have a custom of beginning work early in the morning, some later - does it matter? Perhaps your ancestors' genetics passed to you mean they were on night guard a few thousand years ago and your biological clock still works that way?

Eat well - plenty of red meat accompanied by plenty of vegetables and a decent amount of table wine to match it. Ensure you perform some aerobic and anaerobic exercise every day too. No need for any supplements, and if at all possible avoid drugs prescribed by medical people (they get rich at your expense) because any drug other than naturally produced wine is as bad as consuming processed food.

FYI I do enjoy a good malt whisky and fortified Spanish and Portuguese wines so still enjoy my "treats". I intend to live a long time and enjoy life too. No point in being a miserable old barsteward is there?

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Diggin, You didn't ask, but I'll tell you what I've learned.
1. No alcohol. Not just sometimes, None - no more.
2. Drink 64 oz. water a day. Finish your drinking by 6 PM. Soda and coffee don't count.
3. No sweet food, no hard to digest (nuts, cheese, etc) after 6 PM
4. Spend time 9 -10 winding down. No exercise, no arguments, nothing exciting.
5. Go to bed at 10 PM. Don't read, no TV, just bed
6. Room to be cold. Open the windows and turn off the heat in the bedroom. 20 Degrees outside ? - open the windows. Wear warm PJ's, long sleeves, long legs. No more skivvies.
7. Heavy blankets. Use a skull cap if your head is cold
8. Think of the word "nothing" in all it's permutations.

Try it for 2 weeks and report back.

I have done this EVERY night for the last 2 1/2 years..... nope... no difference

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

After another sleepless night, I woke up to this thread. How appropriate.

My father has a notoriously difficult time sleeping at night, and I'm afraid I've inherited it. For me, I think it's correlated with stress. I have NO problem falling asleep at night (usually out in 5 minutes). The problem is I wake up at night after 2-4 hours of sleep, and then have slept enough that I'm somewhat rested/awake and then it takes me 2-3 hours to fall back asleep. Usually the problem is I can't turn my brain off. I get thinking about things I need to do for work, etc. and it snowballs from there.

Counterintuitive to some of the other suggestions, I find watching a show actually help, as it distracts my mind enough to where my body starts to relax and I can get back to sleep.

Regardless the reason, it's no fun. I know that about once every 2-3 months, I'll get a solid 8 hours of sleep without waking up once at night. It's absolutely amazing how much better I feel after those nights of sleep.

I'm in the same exact pattern.... tired to all get out... fall asleep.... wake up after 2 hours.... rinse and repeat all night.