any insomniacs?

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wreath7
wreath7 Posts: 104 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
i have a really hard time sleeping, and once i get to a few days without sleeping, it's harder and harder to exercise. anyone else with this issue? i want to exercise but it can keep you awake from muscle soreness

suggestions would be great, i haven't slept much at all in the past week or so

Replies

  • iamMaLisa
    iamMaLisa Posts: 278 Member
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    Yes! i have had that same issue this past 3 weeks, i went 4 days without more then an hour of sleep each night. I was so tired i couldnt do anything at the gym right, i was falling on the treadmil and yawning so hard i walked into a potted plant and knocked it over in the loby of the gym.... wow it sucked. So i am now scheduled for a sleep study so i hope it gets better soon. :) cause i havent ran or walked or anything in two weeks now. :( i dont want to get out of the habbit and it scares me that i will fall back into lazy habbits.
  • ktfitzgerald
    ktfitzgerald Posts: 369 Member
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    I have insomnia too. I've found that the best time for me to exercise is in the morning. It gives me an energy boost throughout the day and by then end of the day it's gone and I'm pretty tired. And I've found that getting regular exercise does help me to sleep better. Good luck finding a solution that works for you!
  • sheneverfails
    sheneverfails Posts: 74
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    I'm in the same boat as you. My husband and I actually moved all the furniture in our bedroom so that we could rotate the bed 90 degrees and that seemed to help a lot. Sometimes your brain/body just needs a shift.

    Otherwise, there's all the usual suggestions - get as much sunlight as possible during the day, take an afternoon nap (no more than 45 minutes), do something stimulating right after dinner (dishes, light exercise, tiding up, etc) dim the lights an hour before you want to get to bed, avoid the computer and tv around that time, avoid caffeine in the afternoon/evening, try drinking a hot beverage, put your pjs on early to get comfy, get into bed and do something relaxing (reading, knitting, whatever calms you down)...

    Best of luck! I hope you get some good sleep soon!
  • amberwebb79
    amberwebb79 Posts: 113 Member
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    I have a 10 month old, who still can't sleep through the night. I had insomnia before her, but now it's worse. I had used this an excuse for my lack of exercise and extra weight. After I started exercising I felt so much better. I set the days a week I'd work out and stuck to them, and slowly I started to feel better. I still don't get much sleep, but the quality of sleep is better and I have more energy.
  • amberwebb79
    amberwebb79 Posts: 113 Member
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    Darn, double post.
  • taglientep
    taglientep Posts: 338 Member
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    that s terrible i hope you find a way to get some rest. i have a problem falling asleep and then staying asleep. i often wake up in the am exhausted. like today.
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
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    I went for years not being able to get to sleep and then waking up frequently throughout the night. If I work out within a couple of hours of going to bed I'll lay awake all night. Since I've started getting up at the buttcrack of dawn to work out (and working out pretty hard for about an hout) I'm usually asleep as my head hits the pillow and almost always sleep through the night. The first few days of getting up at 4:30 were tough but I've gotten used to it (well, as used to it as can be expected).
  • JamesonsMommy
    JamesonsMommy Posts: 771 Member
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    Yes! i have had that same issue this past 3 weeks, i went 4 days without more then an hour of sleep each night. I was so tired i couldnt do anything at the gym right, i was falling on the treadmil and yawning so hard i walked into a potted plant and knocked it over in the loby of the gym.... wow it sucked. So i am now scheduled for a sleep study so i hope it gets better soon. :) cause i havent ran or walked or anything in two weeks now. :( i dont want to get out of the habbit and it scares me that i will fall back into lazy habbits.


    I HATED my sleep study.. I was only able to stay for about 2 hours before i got up and left. The amount of wires they attach to you is crazy and it really bugged me that i couldn't get up and move. Good luck on your study
  • iamMaLisa
    iamMaLisa Posts: 278 Member
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    Yes! i have had that same issue this past 3 weeks, i went 4 days without more then an hour of sleep each night. I was so tired i couldnt do anything at the gym right, i was falling on the treadmil and yawning so hard i walked into a potted plant and knocked it over in the loby of the gym.... wow it sucked. So i am now scheduled for a sleep study so i hope it gets better soon. :) cause i havent ran or walked or anything in two weeks now. :( i dont want to get out of the habbit and it scares me that i will fall back into lazy habbits.


    I HATED my sleep study.. I was only able to stay for about 2 hours before i got up and left. The amount of wires they attach to you is crazy and it really bugged me that i couldn't get up and move. Good luck on your study


    hey thanks, :)
  • jwillie92
    jwillie92 Posts: 10
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    try Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar. It helps me and I have been an insomniac since I was two years old according to my dad. Now I fall asleep before midnight always. But don't drink it before bed.
  • Tangerine302
    Tangerine302 Posts: 1,509 Member
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    I don't have insomnia, but I'm a very light sleeper. What's worked for me is to avoid caffeine, exercise in the mornings, and never take a nap during the day. If I feel sleepy, just get up and do something else. Don't use caffeine to wake you up.
    I get up early and stay up pretty late.
  • RAFValentina
    RAFValentina Posts: 1,231 Member
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    As someone who had prolonged insomnia I can maybe help you out.

    Firstly get some good sleep hygiene, make sure you're not "wired" before bed so stop drinking any caffeine based products about 9 hours before you intend to sleep. This INCLUDES chocolate, anything containing Guarana, coffee, tea etc.

    Next, make sure you're not mentally wired or stimulated by doing something "exciting" just before sleep for example, reading something rivetting or doing your homework before bed is not ideal, nor is really interesting telly. Read something boring or watch some dull/mindless television or some light chores like folding the laundry.

    If something is on your mind, try to let it go... if it's important stuff such as a family issue this could be hard and you may want to try some Cognitive Behavioural Therapy as this could be a long term and more serious issue in terms of your sleep. The same goes for stressful situations at work.

    Nutrition wise. Aim to have a carbohydrate snack (budgeted in to your calorie allowance for the day!) about 45 minutes before you want to sleep. The sugars will be released in to your blood, make a temporary blood glucose level high then regulate and release melotonin which makes you quite sleepy. It will also help your brain get good proper rest as the sugars will be going to your brain, not muscles. Good examples of snacks are oatey sugary biscuits such as hobnobs (NO CHOCOLATE!), A banana on toast, a small sandwich, a cup of warm milk and honey.

    Try using lavendar sprays and scents in your room and try taking a warm bath or shower before bed as the warmth will make you sleepy. Snuggling down warm and with higher levels of blood sugar will help aid sleep!

    Hope this all helps! :) It worked for me and I seldom find it difficult to sleep now, even when I'm stressed out and / or worried! :)

    Val x
  • RAFValentina
    RAFValentina Posts: 1,231 Member
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    Oh and if pain is keeping you up, use painkillers and anti inflammatories too to ease it... if its still going on long term, then go to your GP who will help you out. If you can't manage sleep problems on your own the doctor may be able to prescribe you Zopiclone or another z-drug or temazepam which is a muscle relaxant too so if you have back pain it sort of has a dual use aiding you sleep.
  • wreath7
    wreath7 Posts: 104 Member
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    Oh and if pain is keeping you up, use painkillers and anti inflammatories too to ease it... if its still going on long term, then go to your GP who will help you out. If you can't manage sleep problems on your own the doctor may be able to prescribe you Zopiclone or another z-drug or temazepam which is a muscle relaxant too so if you have back pain it sort of has a dual use aiding you sleep.

    Thank you everyone. Yes, I am prescribed all of those things (as much as I'd like to sleep without it) but I still am unable to sleep. Oh well. Chronic insomnia is a way of life that's probably not very compatible with exercise but I'll try to keep it up or at least go for walks.
  • wreath7
    wreath7 Posts: 104 Member
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    ALSO sleep study soon now that I finally have health insurance.
  • godblessourhome
    godblessourhome Posts: 3,892 Member
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    the month i did bikram yoga, i had no issues with insomnia. now that i am not doing it, i am starting to have issues falling asleep or staying asleep again. either the heat or the stretching really helped. good luck.

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