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

[Guest_1584]

Yeah very true

A lot of them also don't have a rigid 9 to 5 type lifestyle typical of here though or stresses of what would you call it , Western world life l suppose . l've worked for myself all my life and although l like a bit of a pattern helps get me focused , it's very give or take a few hours this way or that too though and just worked around how l'm feeling on the day too. l can work with any amount of sleep or hours or lack of . My gf and l curl up for afternoon siesta , even when she's not here , which l'll really miss if l don't get that , far more than any nights sleep, but apart from that really, sleep doesn't make much difference to me physically.

But the reason l need to make routine about sleeping is l just won't sleep if l don't for me it's the routine that will get me sleeping again it's the only thing that's worked. But l always miss the freedom of no routine when l use it , and the nights , and the way l feel living that way as compared to sleeping some kind of norm again. l prefer my other ways , may well go back to them yet, we see. lt never really bothered me if l didn't sleep much anyway, felt fine.

rx

[Gambit87]

I go to bed around 11-1130 and wake up at 6 every morning (even weekends). It works for me and by the end of the day I feel sufficiently tired enough to go to sleep.

whats getting me at the moment is the heat! I do not sleep well when its hot - Im sure thats the same for everyone haha.

Ive been looking at 'cooling' mattress toppers, has anyone had any experience?

[Doolhof]

Hi Everyone,

Way back in the day when over seas travel was possible, I remember we were in different countries where shops and businesses were shut for a couple of hours during the day so people could have a family meal together and a sleep.

Everything opened again late in the afternoon and businesses were open later. It seemed strange to me to see families out up to midnight with very young children. It worked for them though so why not! Also made a lot of sense in a hot country.

Not sure my boss would be too appreciative if I took an afternoon nap at work! Ha. Ha.

Cheers all from Dools

[fred4761]

Sleep has been evading me again lately.

Is there anyone out there who has completely overcome their sleep problems? I am starting to feel very frustrated and hopeless about ever recovering.

[Guest_1055]

I am sorry you feel frustrated and hopeless Fred. Wish I had hints for you or something

[Guest_1055]

I physically feel like.. "not with it" to be honest. Not having quality sleep is knocking me around. I have been looking at the possible reasons it has changed so dramatically. I did have some slight issues before. But this appears worse.

Possible current reasons :

1...Eating too late at night. I have now gone back to snacking late at night, around 7pm and onwards.

2...Eating chocolate late at night. It has caffeine,even if it has a small amount. Caffeine (coffee) has always keeped me awake even for a couple of days. I stay away from coffee mostly. But I have been eating easter eggs. So yeah for me caffeine

3...I have not been walking outside in the fresh air and sunshine as much. Lately it has been raining far too much.

4...physically I just have not been doing much work.

5...I have been eating lots of wheat bread, (toast with hummus) which feels like glue in my tummy.

6...Heavy meals plus wheat bread takes a long time to digest. So for me digestive system works overtime during the night. So the body does not rest, heal or restore itself. Its too busy digesting all the food late I ate too late at night instead

7...using my phone and the light of it too late at night. Something to do with "blue light" and serotonin. I am staring at the phone for hours into the night. Netflix etc

8...Been feeling overwhelmed with things in my life

9...teeth and mouth problems. Pain at times. Though not over the last few days. Very thankful for that.

10...Going to bed around 2am. Most people's body's sleep better from 11pm or even earlier.

Possible fix ups:

1..Get back out of the habit of eating late at night. Stop eating before 6pm. Then eat no more food until the next day..

2...So no to the wheat bread.

3...Get a waterproof jacket and walk outside anyway. I least I will get fresh air

4...Go back to the gym and do cardio and weights and stuff.

5...Buy a diffuser and diffuse essential oils that calm me down and help me sleep. Like lavender. Research other piddibke oils that I good for this.

6..keep sipping on red raspberry tea. Maybe some chamomile as well. Just started sipping on the red raspberry.

7...stop using my phone late into the night. Switch it off and charge it in the living room. Away from me.

8...Pick 1 household chore that requires me too move more and do it every day.

9..soak my feet in Epsom salts. If I had a bath I would soak in that

10...Pray and give all these overwhelming thoughts, troubles, and fears to God. I can't carry them anymore.

[quirkywords]

Fred I have not slept for more than 2hrs at a time in las 40 years.

i usually wake up every hour.

I have tried everything so now I stop trying and just accept I don’t sleep much. It is a relief and I am ok about it but not worried.

[Sean_S]

Hi all,

Thought I'd put in my 2 cents worth.

I've had a sleeping disorder since I was 16, formally diagnosed at 18 ('chronic insomnia of a severe nature' was what my sleep specialist wrote), and am almost 28. By the time I was diagnosed I was having auditory hallucinations, migraines that caused me to go temporarily partially blind, and dissociation (a weird dream like detachment from my experience and body).

-See a damn sleep specialist as soon as you can if your sleep is truly awful! I can't stress this enough. I was told by a GP to "read Lord of the Rings" to put myself to sleep *rolls eyes* (of course reading in bed is wonderful, but not suitable advice for people with dangerously high sleep deprivation). Find a sleep disorder clinic, and...

-Get a sleep study done (I've done two). This'll give you an objective scientific picture of what your brain is up to. There is a little spike in brain activity while asleep every 5 minutes that we all have as a product of evolution which turns on your senses briefly (to search for danger). It's imperceptible to us. Mine does it 20 times every 5 minutes. (Consequence of growing up in a dangerous environment).

-An anti-depressant with strong sedative qualities saved my life. I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for it's sedative effect. Discuss your results with the specialist. I take it before bed every night. If I don't have it, I literally do not sleep until days of unbearable sleep deprivation forces me to. I haven't had a single nap in the past 10 years. Not. One.

-Then work with a sleep psychologist (the specialist will refer you) on MBSR-I and CBT-I. This was life changing for me, and I did this many years after being on the medication (wish to god I'd done it sooner). The medication on it's own isn't enough. I will do another post exploring this specifically (MBSR-I).

I have many other health problems and my sleeping disorder isn't going anywhere, but there was a dramatic shift in the quality of my sleep. If I'm coming across a little intense in my writing it's because it breaks my heart to read how bad some of you are sleeping. Sleep is sacred. Sleep deprivation is hell.

There is a difference between 'struggling with sleep', and having a sleeping disorder. You need to be able to tell the difference. A sleeping disorder can be life threatening, so please push to get the appropriate, authoritative specialist help if your sleep is getting really out of control for long periods of time without improvement.

[quirkywords]

Sean

I don’t struggle with sleep or have. Sleep disorder, I have a physical condition which causes me to wake up frequently. I will read your post thanks znd see if I can use some of the advice.

[Sean_S]

My previous post was intended as a 'wake up' call to anyone who isn't taking action to get help, and whose sleep is bad enough to constitute a chronic sleeping disorder, but is undiagnosed and un-helped.

With that out of the way, I want to tell a story about crows to illustrate the importance of MBSR-I and CBT-I.

I'd been on medication for years (reasonably effective) but still, when I was woken up in the night I would never, ever get back to sleep. And I'd experience a burst of dread and negativity when awake. I requested to see a sleep psychologist at my sleep disorder clinic.

At the time, their was a flock (called a 'murder') of Australian ravens that landed outside my bedroom window, in a tree, and crowed for about 40 minutes every morning at around 5-6. I hated them. So did my partner at the time. She never adapted to it. Me, the guy with the sleeping disorder, grew to love the ravens.

I started viewing my awakening as an opportunity to put the mindfulness principles into practice and inquire into my reaction against the crows. Firstly, I was awake. I couldn't change that. Yes, they were loud, but, "wait a minute, I actually adore birds. Ravens are native, that is their tree, they are highly social creatures chatting to one another, they're beautiful and creepy. They aren't out to get me, or hurt me. My stress is only going to keep me awake. Can I just lie here, and be awake? Focus on my breathing. Accept the situation for what it is without judging myself, the damn crows or the fact that I'm awake."

I did this every day. After a week, although I woke each morning from my fragile sleep due to the symphony of obscenely loud birds, the negativity drained away. I stopped caring. I started smiling to myself, imaging the ravens were my guests.

After a month I stopped even waking up at all from the crows. My partner would toss and turn, angry and annoyed, and I was sleeping through it! What the actual hell?! If I did wake up, I'd think 'Oh, it's just the silly old crows' and breathe calmly and go straight back to sleep. This was a revolutionary breakthrough for me.

I expanded it, and my skill set to many domains of sleep (through sleep-focused therapy and through embodying equanimity and indifference). I still have poorer than average sleep, but it is a hell of a lot better than it was. I hope the story illustrates that it is possible to radically improve.

https://sleephub.com.au/mindfulness-practical-tips-for-sleep/