SLEEP

[Doolhof]

Hi All,

In the past there may have been threads on sleep and how to improve our quality of sleep.

I am starting this thread up and hope to include past thread titles.

For some of us sleep is a real issue, the more we can learn about it the better informed we will be.

Funny stories on weird places you have fallen asleep are welcome as well.

For me, I had just moved house and was very busy getting everything organised. Friends invited me to the drag races. I was so tired and exhausted that I sat down, leant against the fence right near the starting line and fell asleep for most of the evening.

Hope to read some of your stories and tips.

Cheerio for now, from Mrs. Dools

[blondguy]

Hey Gambit (and wave to Sleepy21)

You have had heaps of rain in WA....Good1 Mr G 🙂

Just from my own experience...sleep can be hard to get if we are 'expecting' a call or even 'having our phone on' during sleep. Even though we may be sleeping we are aware that we are 'available'..so to speak

Hey Sleepy! my sleep is okay during this crappy Covid-19 period...Could have something to do with all the therapy I have had since 1983....I hope you are sleeping okay Sleppy21

my best always...Paul

[fred4761]

It’s 2.43am I still haven’t been to sleep tonight. Whenever I get up out of bed (to read or do a puzzle book or draw) after being unable to sleep, I find that it wakes me up even more. Does anyone else have this problem? When I am in bed trying to sleep I sometimes feel so tired and it is almost as if I am nearly asleep for hours - I just can’t seem to get across the finish line! Most nights I have been choosing to stay in bed trying to meditate or listening to sleep stories. Except for tonight when I decided to get up and use the computer. I generally avoid screens in the evening before bed and definitely in the middle of the night.

[blondguy]

Hi Fred4761

Good1 bumping up this thread 🙂 Especially in the difficult period we are going though..

I asked my psychologist (years ago) how she helps her patients with their sleep problems...

My psychologist replied ' thats easy...I always suggest that they try to stay awake as long as they can'

Great to see you Fred 🙂

Paul

[Guest_1643]

hi blond guy - i've heard of a concept called sleep restriction therapy - very similar to what you've suggested!

i've battled such poor sleep but it's like a trauma related thing - i have this horrific, vivid nightmares, and am scared to sleep. I avoid it and then htae myself for being up late at night... it's cyclical.

I think it's great to have places like this to give space to share.

Hope you are taking care all

[blondguy]

Hey Sleepy21

having a quality sleep can be difficult for sure.....great to see you as always 🙂

I used to have the nightmares....(and occasionally do when my stress/anxiety increases)

Ive been working on my sleep quality for years....just from my own experience and sorry if it sounds silly...

• Like Fred said above....no screens...TV....mobiles...laptops...ipads for at least 2 hours before bed as they only stimulate our brain activity and can hinder sleep
• breathing through the nose..it is a 'easier' way to fall asleep
• like you mentioned....never 'try' to sleep...we only stay awake by doing so
• if I am 'overthinking' when I go to bed....I 'gently' and 'slowly' repeat the word 'boring'....or 'blank' and intrusive thoughts are minimalised and then sleep happens...(just as per my own experience that is)
• if you are restless and wide awake.....find the most boring movie you can....lie on the couch and try to watch it....(old westerns put me to sleep quickly)
• having a 'reasonably' calm home environment is always a bonus

my apologies for rambling Sleepy21....just thinking out loud...oops!

Thankyou for all the TLC and support you have been providing to so many Sleepy...Nice1

Paul

[fred4761]

Hi Sleepy21, I feel like I had kind of heard something about sleep restricted therapy but never really understood it until now. It seems like it can take a couple of weeks where sleep might get worse before it gets better so I don't think now is an appropriate time for me to start trying it when I don't know if I can stick with it. It does look interesting though and something that I would like to come back to as I have been battling sleep issues for a long time.

Blondguy - I like the idea of trying to stay awake as long as I can and then sleeping as long as I need to! I could see this working for me if I didn't have other commitments and didn't have to adhere to work/family/business timetables.

Reading back through this forum I found the suggestion of listening to 'Sleep Stories' to help put you to sleep. I put one on last night and fell asleep before the hour long story had finished. Unfortunately I was wearing headphones, so as to not disturb my partner, and woke up a couple of hours later when I tried to roll over onto my side and the headphones got in the way. I might have to do some research into the best headphones for sleep or see if I can come up with a different solution. I don't use earbuds as I have problems with ear infections when I use them regularly.

[Missy72]

Flotation rooms are back up and running around Brisbane. I'm booked in for a float this week. How many do you do a week to help with sleep? Thanks

[RoseQuartz]

Hi Fred,

Quick thoughts:

-Removing caffeine or sugar

-No phone time or tv etc 1-2 hour before wanting to go to bed

-Meditation

-Lavender essential oil sprayed in the air if you have no allergies

- Camomile tea

-Journaling which may bring forward what it is

-Yoga legs up the wall pose before bed time

Overall, i'd say head over to your GP get a casual check up. Allergies, diet, medication reactions, stress, lack of melatonin production along anything else may cause insomnia. Nevertheless you'll have a potential solution and be on track with no fatigue in no time.

Wish you the best!

[Guest_1055]

Hey good list of strategies. Can you tell me more about the putting up your legs on the wall.. the yoga. Like what it actually does Rose?

[fred4761]

Missy72 - I am so jealous that float therapy is open in your state! I really don’t know when float centres will be able to open in Vic. Prior to Covid I had been floating for an hour once or twice a week and that made a huge difference in my sleep. The more I floated, the easier I found it to meditate and to relax outside of the float tank in my daily meditation practice, and it became so much easier to settle my mind at night laying in bed. On the days that I floated, I would always fall asleep so quickly when I went to bed. I am not sure if that is because of all the magnesium in the Epsom Salt or just the relaxation! Since stopping floating, I have found it so much harder to meditate and I don’t get the same benefits that I had been getting. I can only dream of what my return to a float tank will be like! I did look into purchasing a float tank of my own as I would love to be able to float on a daily basis, however the price is a bit too much to justify at the moment. I heard of a Zen at home float tank which is a lot cheaper but reviews say that it doesn’t block out light and sound as much as other tanks. So I will just hang out for when I can float again. One float centre in my area has announced that they are closing as this virus has made them broke 😞 I am just praying that my regular float centre stays in business.

Rose Quartz, thanks for your helpful list of suggestions. I don’t consume any caffeine and limit sugar to natural sugars and try to minimise that too. When I first starting cutting out sugar I noticed an almost immediate improvement in my sleep. I have F.lux installed on my electronic devices to block out blue light in the evenings and I also wear orange glasses that block out blue light in the evenings when I am doing anything like watching tv, cleaning or reading. I just I was given a L’occatine lavender sleep spray which I use most nights and it does seem to help to a certain extent. I have a selection of herbal ‘sleep/night time’ herbal tea blends which I drink each night about 1-2 hours before bed. I like that you mentioned the legs up the wall pose - I haven’t done it for a while, I think that I just forgot about it - I used to do it most nights along with other relaxing bedtime yoga poses that I would do on my bed before hopping under the covers. I haven’t talked about sleep with my GP for a while now. Previously I have been examined and they haven’t found anything to explain my sleep issues!