I've been having some serious sleep issues and they got really bad last night. I could not fall asleep at all last night. We went to bed about 11 last night and I was tired but I didn't fall asleep. I didn't take any naps at all yesterday. I had a grande starbucks but that was at like noon. Last night I wasn't feeling restless, I just couldn't fall into a deep sleep. I think I got about an hour total of sleep that was in like 10 min increments.
Anyone have any suggestions? I have no clue how I got into this "sleep rut" but I sure as hell would like to get out of it!
I've dealt with sleep issues off and on for the last couple years and they are the worst. I've found that my trigger is when work (or life in general) is really stressful.
I've taken natural sleep aids like Midnight and Melatonin, as well as a small dose of nyquil, and they help, but I wake up feeling hungover. It's fine if I take something like that on a night where I can sleep in the next day, but I get up at 430/445ish for work and can't really take anything on a work night without feeling icky the next day.
What does help a ton is a good workout, at least 3 hours before bedtime. I dunno if it clears my head, or just wears me down enough to need to sleep, but it's pretty foolproof. The problem is, if I'm already in a sleep rut, I have zero energy after work, and don't feel like working out. But if I bite the bullet and do even a half hour of running, stairs, spin, something like that, I usually conk out come bedtime.
Hope this gets better for you soon! Sleep trouble is pretty miserable :/
I've dealt with sleep issues off and on for the last couple years and they are the worst. I've found that my trigger is when work (or life in general) is really stressful.
Hope this gets better for you soon! Sleep trouble is pretty miserable :/
All of that.
A glass of wine an hour or so before bed helps me get to sleep too.
i'm sorry, that's gotta suck. i'm always been a really good sleeper (in bed...i can't sleep on couches, in cars, etc)...sorry you have to deal with it!
The general suggestions sleep doctors give: - No caffeine after 3pm - No alcohol (I don't remember the cut-off time. For some people, it actually helps them fall alseep, usually because they're unconsciously wound up and it helps them relax. For me, it often may make me a little sleepy, but then my body metabolizes it into sugar and it wakes me up and keeps me up.) - Active cardio, no later then 3 hours before bed (seems to have no impact on me) - NO electronics an hour before bed, unless it's just music. Turn off the TV, step away from the computer monitor, put down the smart phone. The light emitted by these screens keep our brains too active. (I find this does help me wind down) - Try to establish a set bed time and create some relaxing routines to get ready for bed. Your personal nighttime rituals can help trigger your brain "sleep now!". Suggestions include a little light reading, a bubble bath or hot shower, cup of chamomile or sleepy-time tea. - Only sleep or brown chicken brown cow in your bed. Don't eat, play on the laptop, etc so that your brain mostly associates bed as "this is where I sleep" not just another active zone. - Try taking melatonin. It worked for me briefly but then stopped, but other people have better luck. TJ's has a chewable peppermint flavored one - When you wake up and can't fall back asleep, sometimes it helps to just get out of bed. Lying there frustrated won't put you back to sleep, and you can start associating your bed and bedroom with that frustration, which just feeds itself. Sometimes, I find that if I get up and move to the spare bedroom, or down to the couch, I drop back off to sleep in 10 minutes and sleep a littley more soundly. (Something that confirms my impression that my usual poor sleep is just compounded by sharing a bed with a boy lump whose turning over feels like an elephant just stepped on the bed)
Hope some of these help!! For me, the getting away from electronic screens and the moving to another bed seem to help the most.
Thanks!! We actually do have some sleepy time tea H picked up the other day. I will try some tonight. The problem with today is I think I'm going to need at least a quick hour nap. I'm already fading super fast. My ability to concentrate is non-existent today. I've been staring at the same Excel spreadsheet for the last 25 minutes.
Post by FrozenSunshine on Oct 8, 2012 12:42:33 GMT -5
Sleepy time tea is my go to if I can't sleep. I just have to be careful because DH bought me some extra strength and if I take that there is NO way I'm getting up in the morning.