Stuck due to insomnia

PeteWhoLikesToRunAlot
PeteWhoLikesToRunAlot Posts: 596 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Evening (actually morning) everyone,

So I'm down ~40 since Feb of this year, only ~5 more to go. As most people who've hit their weight loss goal have probably found, the last few are the toughest, as they say. What's I believe is making my last ~5 even harder to lose is my horrible lack of sleep. It sure as hell can't be lack of exercise, I'm on 14+ days of no rest from running (I did 13+ miles running yesterday) and am a few hundred under my calorie goal most every day (after taking the exercise adjustment). Just curious if anyone else has plateaued due to lack of adequate rest/sleep. I'm terrible. Seriously - I've got a fitbit that I've also started using for basic sleep analysis, and I'm lucky to get over 3 hours a night. I've always been a night owl, but I never realized how bad it was until I saw the numbers on the fitbit.

take care
pete

Replies

  • TheRealParisLove
    TheRealParisLove Posts: 1,907 Member
    Have you tried melatonin? I've been taking it daily for years, and aside from the funky dreams in the first week of use, I've had no side effects. My husband takes it from time to time, but he can't seem to get more than 6 hours of sleep a night. I think he may have a split sleep schedule needing 4 at night and 4 hours in the day, but unfortunately his job won't work around that schedule.

    You may wish to look into bi-phasic or poly phasic sleep cycles, to see if that won't wok better for you than attempting to get all 8 hours at once. I did the bi-phasic sleep schedule during spring term at school. I had an 8am class, but had to work until 11-12 most days. I'd come home from school and sleep for 4 hours before work, work my shift, sleep again for another 3-4 and then get up and go to school. I was only working part time, otherwise I wouldn't have had time for my homework. It worked out ok, and I got 2 A's and a B.

    I still gained weight, but that was because I was in college full time and working 20+ hours a week. I know I was eating crap and spending way too much time not moving.
  • runninginfire
    runninginfire Posts: 15
    I'm also like you, a night owl. I used to stay awake until 4-5am...sometimes later. Then had to get up in the morning 11:00 to get my oldest daughter on the bus, then I would nap again. My littlest girl was a newborn at the time, so that schedule worked out fine fur her...but with my oldest, I felt like a horrible mom...when she got home from school, I had to strain to keep my eyes open, I would find a way to nap some more while she would draw pictures, or watch TV (blah)) I was at an all time low. I would cry all the time when I had a moment to myself, and just felt awful. I finally went to the doctor, because I felt like death and instead of asking questions, about my sleep schedule, or diet (which was not great at the time) so threw me a prescription of anti represents. I filled them, took two days worth, then threw the bottle away. I am stubborn and wanted to do this on my own. this whole thing was going on in the process of a move...once we moved out of out old place, the next morning I woke up st 8am which was incredibly early for me, had a cup of coffee, went all day unpacking, without a nap, went to bed early...and have been on that schedule ever since (4 months ago) sometimes I will feel myself slip, by staying up late...now late for me is 2:30..and if that happens, i'm a grump in the morning, and I do not like that, so I know I just need to go to bed early. Do you ever feel tired at a way earlier time than you would normally go to sleep, like 8pm for example...if you do, do you ignore out and stay up, then get your second wind? I used to do this every night...now when i'm tired, I sleep (nights only)...and let me tell you...I fought my depression mostly from a simple sleep schedule change, thanks to our move. It might be hard at first, but it does get easier! :) melatonin...I agree, works great...just grateful, some people get a hangover feeling from it...I am one of those people, so I only take it if I know I will not be able to sleep :) sorry I ranted...on....and on....and on....but now its time for bed :)
  • runninginfire
    runninginfire Posts: 15
    And sorry for the miss spelled messups, and wrong world...my smart phone, is not being so smart tonight. couldn't see half of what I was Swyping :)
  • runninginfire
    runninginfire Posts: 15
    Oh and mine was definitely hypersomnia, but as different add they are, they are both similar in their own evil ways by the way they make us feel, so I thought id share my story. Hope it helped in someway. :)
  • ElleBee66
    ElleBee66 Posts: 128 Member
    I read somewhere that most people are deficient in magnesium (which is said to aid sleep) - I have been taking it every night for the last few weeks - I was't a bad sleeper to begin with but I am sleeping like a baby - bed at 10.00 asleep about 20 minutes later and up at 6.00.
  • runninginfire
    runninginfire Posts: 15
    Sorry....one more thing...if you have a TV in your room...get rid of it! My sleep had been so much better having no TV on throughout the night...the light messes up our rem cycle, and leads or brains to believe its daytime...
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    You sound like you're stressed actually.

    Things that help me for insomnia . . .

    You have to turn off screens at least an hour before bedtime. The light tells you to wake up.

    You need to build a routine so your body expects to sleep - just like you do for your kids.

    Something that helps me (and there's chemical reasons it should) is warm milk with nutmeg. When I have insomnia problems I have it half an hour before bed just to tell me body it's time to sleep.

    I listen to books on tape/CD/mp3 I now really well. You can get them from the library.

    Finally, when I lie down, every time a worry thought crosses my mind I stop it, acknowledge it, and let it go. No obsessing!

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