Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2017 15:49:48 GMT
For all the insomniacs out there what do you do besides meditation to get a good nights sleep?According to my Fitbit Tues night I got 2 1/2 hrs of sleep and 2 hrs 5 min last night.Either it is vastly incompetent or I need to drink a bottle of tequila at night.I do have trouble sleeping but it had straightened out some so any ideas would be appreciated.
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Post by hpeterson1951 on Feb 2, 2017 15:57:06 GMT
I think the tequila has my vote! or maybe a hot toddy with whiskey! Have you tried the turning off the screens for an hour before you go to bed? Hot shower before bed? I know a lot of people say they like to sleep when it's colder in the room. I prefer a warm bed. I turn on my electric blanket to about 8 an hour before bed. It gets all warm and toasty, then I turn it off when I get in, but it's warm and cozy to drift off to sleep.
I hope these help
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wildcat
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Post by wildcat on Feb 2, 2017 16:20:31 GMT
I have always been a bad sleeper. The most important thing for me is to have a cold room. I wear earplugs and I don't drink caffeine after 4. And I occasionally take Benadryl if there's some reason I really need a good night's sleep. Thise things help but really I'm just resigned to not sleeping much.
I wouldn't put much stock in what a Fitbit says about my sleep though.
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cyndee
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Post by cyndee on Feb 2, 2017 16:22:07 GMT
I sometimes have trouble with insomnia despite taking very sedating medications at night. If I didn't take the sedating medications I probably wouldn't sleep more than 2-3 hours per night either. But even with my sedating medications I sometimes have trouble. Especially in falling asleep at a reasonable hour. It is very crucial that I get sufficient sleep because if I don't it can affect my moods and/or anxiety levels. Here are a couple (Well, many) of the things that really do help me. Mostly, many of them at the same time. 1. Avoiding TV programs that excite or rile me up, especially ones that last until 9 pm or later. That usually means news programs. 2. Complete darkness and quiet in my bedroom. 3. Eating a yogurt or other food known to aid in sleeping. I swear by the yogurt. See other foods at www.livestrong.com/slideshow/1009551-nutritional-tricks-improve-sleep/4. I own a sound machine. I set mine to "rainfall", "ocean" or "brook" mostly. It has a mode to stay on between 30 mins to 2 hours or all night long. If I've been having a lot of trouble sleeping I keep it on all night long. That helps prevent early early morning wake-ups. 5. This may sound strange, but sometimes I can manage to force myself to stop my thinking. Just say "Stop!" to my thoughts and try to think of nothingness for a minute. Sometimes I suddenly fall asleep during that exercise. Of course other times this is not possible. 6. If I'm very anxious, sometimes I ask my husband to give me a massage in bed right before I want to fall asleep. If I did that to him, he'd probably fall asleep DURING the massage. I don't usually fall asleep during the massage, but it relaxes me enough to aid in falling asleep shortly afterwards. 7. I try to keep a regular bedtime. This is not only helpful for falling asleep, but also for the quality of the minutes/hour when I just wake up. Along this line, I do not let myself go to sleep too early or too late. A good time for me is about 10 pm. I usually wake up around 6:30 am or 7 am. I know that most people don't require THAT much sleep, but I do because of my sedating evening medications. And yet I try not to let myself sleep too much longer than that, because then I feel that "oversleep" tiredness in the morning. 8. I take my evening medications at the same exact time every single day. If I take them earlier or later that can affect my sleep. 9. I try to get to sleep before my husband. If I don't, I have to struggle to fall asleep when he might be snoring loudly. I do, however, usually manage to stay asleep despite his snoring. 10. I keep a glass of water on my nightstand next to my bed. That way if I wake up in the middle of the night thirsty, I don't have to walk all of the way downstairs to get water. The "walk" can sometimes make it harder for me to sleep. The most "walk" I let myself do, is a walk to the bathroom if I have to pee. And luckily for me my bathroom is only about 6 steps from my bed. 11. I avoid looking at any bright screens right before bed or if I wake up in the middle of the night. That means no lap top, no bright TV, and no cell phone. 12. I try not to eat too much right before bed (other than the yogurt). If I do I sometimes get heartburn or indigestion and that can affect my ability to fall asleep or sleep well. The yogurt is kind to my tummy.
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Post by 100gone on Feb 2, 2017 16:41:34 GMT
I've taken melatonin and it works pretty well.
Some other things I try:
read before bed instead of looking at my phone or ipad
use the sound feature on my radio (ocean, etc.)
sleepytime time tea, or any herbal tea, in the evening (except then I have to get up to pee!)
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Post by wwlurker on Feb 2, 2017 17:15:05 GMT
I love all of the suggestions so far! I would add that lately we have been diffusing essential oils (lavender) in our bedroom before bed time. This seems to help.
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Post by surfgirl on Feb 2, 2017 18:16:13 GMT
OP, I think cyndee's list is pretty comprehensive and on point. However, you seem to say your insomnia was under better control and that it's just that your Fitbit is telling you you're not getting much deep sleep. The question is, how do YOU feel in the morning (regardless of what your Fitbit says)? Do you feel rested and ready for the day ahead, or do you feel groggy and sluggish? If it's the former, screw the Fitbit, and keep doing what you're doing. If it's the latter, the things that folks have mentioned here might work for you, assuming you're not already doing them. Can you describe your evening routine for the last hour or so before you go to bed? That might help us help you.
I am an iPadaholic. I cant watch TV anymore without surfing the net if I'm bored with what's on TV and using a bright computer type screen before bed is supposed to not be helpful for deep sleep. So now I'm trying to switch it of at least an hour before I'm going to bed.
Sometimes I'll take a bath but I like really hot baths and they say really hot isn't great for sleep, that a warm bath is best. I don't like warm baths, but perhaps if you do you can try that.
One thing that always works for me is if I have a good book on my bedside table and I commit to reading when I get into bed. I usually get really sleepy with 30 min or less if I read IN bed. Have you tried that?
Lastly, my husband swears by an herbal melatonin pill by Natrol called Sleep N Restore (www.natrol.com/products/melatonin-sleep-n-restore/). I don't care for it because it has valerian root in it and to me that smells like dirty socks. So I have tried, with some success, a chocolate version at Whole Foods called GoodDay Chocolate (www.gooddaychocolate.com/collections/chocolates/products/sleep). You can take up to 4 at a time for a full dose, or less depending on how much help you need to get to sleep. I find this kicks in within 30 min of taking it.
Good luck!
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Post by ksbruns on Feb 2, 2017 20:08:15 GMT
borntexan I had 5-7 years of poor sleep after I was sick and tried everything in the book; I had always slept like a log and was beside myself (which of course, doesn't help.) I tried a lot of herbal remedies (not interested in prescription); valerian just didn't seem to do the trick and I was groggy, but I discovered that 200 mg of melatonin is perfect for me. What really made a huge difference for me was Cyndee's #7...I really developed a regular bedtime and I don't sleep in anymore. I also sleep with blackout curtains, a sleep machine, and use lavender, LOL! But, it has worked, and unless there is something on my mind that has me messed up, I sleep fantastically more nights than not. I do love the melatonin, but for me, I think it was the combination of above. I'm pretty Attila the Hun about my bedtime, no surprise there, huh?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2017 21:09:56 GMT
Thanks for all the suggestions.I might add melantonin.I am on a RX for insomnia and lately it just doesn't seem to be working as well as it did.I tried the Valerian at the suggestion of my phychiatrist and it didn't work so she told me to get off it.It's not just the Fitbit telling me I'm not getting enough sleep.I really feel like the last couple of nights I haven't gotten much sleep at all.It will get better again I'm sure.
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mbizzy
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Post by mbizzy on Feb 3, 2017 14:33:16 GMT
Recently I learned about music designed specifically to induce sleep and relaxation. Marconi Union, "Weightless" was the one I heard about. The info I saw about it claimed it had some scientific testing to support and explain why/how it works. I found it on Amazon prime music for free so I added it to my phone playlist. Since then I've had a few nights where I given it a try and it helped me fall asleep. I must admit that I don't normally go for this type of thing and it is a bit out of my comfort zone, however my WW journey has helped me be open to new things. Insomnia is miserable, I hope you can find what works for you.
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Post by SemSav on Feb 3, 2017 15:53:08 GMT
Hi all. Been having the same issues for awhile. I usually go to bed between 9-930...have fan on medium and rotating (started this and now can't do without, even when cold out), blackout curtains and cover blue charging light on spare battery charger. I still manage to get up 2-3 X for RR... I've tried Melatonin but that has had the opposite effect and No sleep. The doctor gave me valiums and even they did not help!.. I'm thinking that is why I go to be so early...Still trying to figure out what works.
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Post by surfgirl on Feb 3, 2017 18:36:45 GMT
Hi all. Been having the same issues for awhile. I usually go to bed between 9-930...have fan on medium and rotating (started this and now can't do without, even when cold out), blackout curtains and cover blue charging light on spare battery charger. I still manage to get up 2-3 X for RR... I've tried Melatonin but that has had the opposite effect and No sleep. The doctor gave me valiums and even they did not help!.. I'm thinking that is why I go to be so early...Still trying to figure out what works. Maybe you're just going to bed too early? Have you tried pushing your bedtime by an hour? Maybe your body just isn't tired enough at 9pm.
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Post by SemSav on Feb 3, 2017 19:52:43 GMT
Hi all. Been having the same issues for awhile. I usually go to bed between 9-930...have fan on medium and rotating (started this and now can't do without, even when cold out), blackout curtains and cover blue charging light on spare battery charger. I still manage to get up 2-3 X for RR... I've tried Melatonin but that has had the opposite effect and No sleep. The doctor gave me valiums and even they did not help!.. I'm thinking that is why I go to be so early...Still trying to figure out what works. Maybe you're just going to bed too early? Have you tried pushing your bedtime by an hour? Maybe your body just isn't tired enough at 9pm. Hi, I try to stay up as long as possible (and am really going to try to stay up until 10) but I have to get up at 5:00 AM and my cat knows it : -))..crazy thing! I also have been trying to cut out my afternoon nap too, I was taking a 45 min nap to an hour as soon as I got home at 3:45. It works sometimes but this 55 year old gets tired fast : -) Thank you for your feedback, Renee
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Post by sunshinep396 on Feb 6, 2017 3:20:29 GMT
The best thing I did was dig out an old sleep mask from an overseas airline flight and start wearing it at night. It took a few nights to get used to it, but it really wasn't that bad.I had not really noticed until reading an article on insomnia, just how many light sources were in our bedroom--2 digital clocks, a cable box, security light shining through the curtains and the light under the bathroom door when DH gets up in the middle of the night. Once all these were eliminated, I slept deeply.
Other things I did: trying as much as possible to go to bed and get up at about the same times, lavender lotion on my hands and arms (I find the smell very relaxing),turning off tv shows and electronic games, facebook, etc.at least 30 minutes before bedtime, limiting alcohol in the evening, drinking "sleepy time" or "bed time" teas and playing soft music. Pachelbel's Canon in D and Vivaldi's Four Seasons are two favorites on YouTube and I also like the Spa Channel on my cable provider's music menu.
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Post by lmenglish on Feb 6, 2017 3:56:53 GMT
Re melatonin. Give it at least a month. Start with a small dose and you can increase, Google dosing. ksbruns, do your really take 200 mg?
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