Living the lifestyle - Wed. 3/24 - Getting the ZZZZs
newmantjn
Posts: 125 Member
We meet here to explore, share, celebrate and (sometimes) agonize over how we do (or don't) incorporate weight loss guidelines into our daily lives. "It's a lifestyle, not a diet" is easily and often said, but sometimes not so simply put into practice.
This is a thread for everyone. If you're new to GoaD, or to weight loss, your questions and comments are always welcome. If you're maintaining, or a long-term loser, your thoughts on the topic may be just what someone else needs to hear. If you're reading this, join in the discussion!
Each weekday, a new topic is offered up for discussion.
Monday - crewahl (Charlie)
Tuesday - whathapnd (Emmie)
Wednesday - newmantjn (Todd)
Thursday - misterhub (Greg)
Friday - Al_Howard
Today's Topic: Sleep
There are many studies that link inadequate sleep to weight gain. How's your sleep? What have you done to improve it?
This is a thread for everyone. If you're new to GoaD, or to weight loss, your questions and comments are always welcome. If you're maintaining, or a long-term loser, your thoughts on the topic may be just what someone else needs to hear. If you're reading this, join in the discussion!
Each weekday, a new topic is offered up for discussion.
Monday - crewahl (Charlie)
Tuesday - whathapnd (Emmie)
Wednesday - newmantjn (Todd)
Thursday - misterhub (Greg)
Friday - Al_Howard
Today's Topic: Sleep
There are many studies that link inadequate sleep to weight gain. How's your sleep? What have you done to improve it?
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My sleep is a bit sucky. I usually fall asleep just fine, but then I wake up a 4AM and struggle to get back to sleep. Usually, I just go to another room so I don't disturb my wife.0
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My sleep is pretty good. I generally get at least 7.5 hours, with at least 1.5 hours of that classed as deep sleep. My pulse drops by about 20% from its daytime rate. I use an Apple Watch to track it, and I get to 100% of target the majority of days.
When I don’t? I’ve found - probably like Todd’s wife - that there’s a correlation between a good nights sleep and my wife getting a good nights sleep. If she doesn’t sleep well, even if I sleep through the night I don’t get enough deep sleep.
What have I don’t to improve it? I retired. Until then, I was in bed around 9-10 PM and up around 4 AM to catch the 5:10 train to Boston. I’d try to make up for it on the weekends, but I’m not sure that was an effective strategy. Now, I’m still in bed by 10 but I wake when my body tells me to (or my bladder, whichever comes first.)1 -
So sleep is a deeply complicated and timely subject for me right now. I am going in for a sleep study Sunday night the results of which I expect to be a sleep Apnea diagnosis with the standard C-Pap requirement, however the Apnea is probably worse when I lie on my back which I am forced to by some tendonitis in my thigh / hip area. In addition I am probably going to opt for prostate surgery sometime this year as my 4 - 7 trips to the bathroom each night make it really hard to get a good nights sleep.
In addition I am starting to show (over the past 3 months) some heart arthymia (PVC's) which may or may not be caused by sleep issues. At any rate in addition to the sleep study, I will be having a stress test and an Echo cardiogram with full doppler in the next 2 weeks. The full results of that may dictate some kind of surgical procedure like a pace maker, cardiac ablation or inversion therapy.
The prostate issues will probably not be addressed till my next follow up with the Urologist in the fall.
God this getting old stuff takes a lot of work!
All of this has been piling up on me over the past 2 - 3 weeks, This is the first time I have actually written it down anywhere, it feels a little bit scary but also feels good to face up to all of it. Thanks for listening, it feels a little cathartic to unburden myself among friends!
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Sleep is a major issue. I think I’ve done what I can. Last night I woke up just before 4. Went to sleep about 11:15. That’s not enough. Not like that every night but it happens regularly.
I do all the sleep hygiene stuff. Frustrating.0 -
@cakeman21k. I hear you. I knew is was getting old when I realized I had too many “ists “ - an internist, a urologist, an orthopedist, a dermatologist, an ophthalmologist . . .
Fortunately, there are some “ists” that I’ve escaped so far.0 -
Over the past few years my sleep patterns have gotten progressively worse. I usually try to get into bed by 10 or 10:30, but need a bit of time to wind down before trying to fall asleep. My alarm goes off at 4:30 am (that's the only way to sneak a run in before the rest of my day gets going). More times than not, I wake up in the middle of the night. It's pretty frustrating, but I have mostly written it off to getting older.
On Saturday morning I sleep in until 6:30 am and that is such a treat!0 -
I generally get 6-7 hours, which is usually enough. When I am sleeping, it is usually pretty deep. I do have to get up and go to the bathroom. That's where a problem sometimes arises. I'll crawl back into bed, and my brain will start to race - and I'll be awake for the remainder of the night. It happens 2-3 times a month; although, it occasionally clusters during a week. Luckily, that is rare. I have learned to just get up when it happens rather than torturing myself by trying to go to sleep when my brain won't let me.
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I love it Charlie! I too have too many "ists". Dermatologist,Pediatrist, Ophthalmologist, Oncologist and the occasional orthopedist.
I aim to get up around 4:15ish daily and to get in asd close to 7 hours as reasonable.0 -
I generally get 6-7 hours, which is usually enough. When I am sleeping, it is usually pretty deep. I do have to get up and go to the bathroom. That's where a problem sometimes arises. I'll crawl back into bed, and my brain will start to race - and I'll be awake for the remainder of the night. It happens 2-3 times a month; although, it occasionally clusters during a week. Luckily, that is rare. I have learned to just get up when it happens rather than torturing myself by trying to go to sleep when my brain won't let me.
I get that "mind racing" occasionally also. Depending on the time, I usually chew a 3mg Melatonin "3 AM' tablet, and wash it down with a glass of skim milk.
I have a FitBit Versa 2, and it gives me a good read on my sleep, actual time asleep (with the minuses for getting up, and 'rousing") also REM and Deep sleep , plus "restorative" sleep. Interestingly, when I have good numbers, I have had a good night, and if I'm down on 2 or more, I'm a zombie.
I did cut back on the Diet Coke after 6PM, and that had helped.0 -
I'm an adherent to the LeBron James philosophy of sleep. He says:
"Sleep is the best way for your body to physically and emotionally be able to recover and get back to 100 percent as possible. Now, will you wake up and feel 100 percent? There are some days you don’t. So some days you feel better than others. But the more, and more, and more time that you get those eight – if you can get nine, that’s amazing.”
Sleep has also been an essential factor in how successfully I am able to eat well each day and reduce/eliminate cravings for junk food. And nowadays I am mastering the art of the daytime nap.
Work hard. Rest hard.1 -
Not great 😞
And lack of sleep definitely decreases my ability to focus.
I've tried a more scheduled bed and waking time, a relaxing scented mist and lotion, melatonin, and an OTC sleep aid. The OTC is all that's really worked completely, but I don't like to take them, so I only do when I'm desperate, about 3 times a year. The other stuff works to help me get to sleep, but does nothing to keep me asleep0 -
Just to add to the timeliness of this post I just got home from my sleep study! Trying to sleep with all of those wires attached to your head in a differnt bed, setting, background noise etc. Needless to say it was not a restful night for me last night0
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@cakeman21k I've always wondered how they can get useful data under those circumstances! I sleep terrible the 1st night not in my own bed 😳0
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Sleep has been an issue most of my life. I wasn't good at winding my mind down as a kid, and I carried that into my adult life.
Until a couple years ago, I'd never had several consecutive nights of restorative sleep. It didn't matter how tired,I might be. I've mentioned my positive experience with acupuncture before, and it's the thing that got me to realize what I was missing by not sleeping well and what was possible.
I still have trouble winding down, but I've noticed meal timing and contents can affect my sleep, so I try to eat a little earlier than I used to. I also limit caffeine and try not to eat much sugar in the evening. I should limit screen time earlier and establish a better evening routine. I'm working on it.0
