Restless sleeper, help!

tryingtobepositive
tryingtobepositive Posts: 9
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi guys, so for probably over 6 months now I've had difficulty staying asleep. Like, I wake up every night 3-4 times. It's driving me nuts! I finally decided enough was enough and went to the doctors and did a blood test to see if it was something physical - which it's not because everything was perfect. The doctor thinks it's probably stress/anxiety related but I just don't know how to fix it then? I've always been a stresser ever since I was a little kid - that's just me. So I'm not sure why it would suddenly decide to affect my sleeping habits now. I was given a small 5-day prescription for 10mg temazepam and the first night was good, but the second night I used it I woke up as usual again. I really need to fix it and sleep normally again because it's really starting to affect my mood (negatively) during the day in addition to making me feel very tired all the time.

My diet is consists 90-95% of healthy foods, water, and I exercise 3-5 times a week. Last night I did 2.5 hours at the gym and still woke up during the night. :(

Help?

Replies

  • vanguardfitness
    vanguardfitness Posts: 720 Member
    what happened 6 months ago?
  • tryingtobepositive
    tryingtobepositive Posts: 9
    Nothing happened. :s
  • mepeter
    mepeter Posts: 1
    Hi Restless Sleeper, I am reading this at 3 a.m. so I understand what you are going through. Great idea to check with the doctor and I think sleep medicine is great to get you back on track but not a good long term solution. I discovered that breathing is a good way to re set your 'clock'. Deep breathing five minutes at a time (there is such a thing as a breathing machine that guides you through breathing while monitoring your heart rate and your breaths). I know it sounds odd but when we are stressed or anxious we can shallow breathe, even hold our breath. The other thing that is helpful is to address the anxious feelings and thoughts. Dr. Amen has an excellent website where he addresses the thoughts that change our brain patterns. If you have not ever seen his series on PBS it is worth tracking down. His website has lots of free advice through the Amen Clinic. You are right about lack of sleep affecting other areas of your life. It is also good to relax about it, read a bit, reasurre yourself that you are a careful and smart person who takes good steps for her own health and try to get back to sleep. I hope things will turn around for you and that you will have a less stressed 2013.
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member
    Nothing happened. :s

    does nothing have a name? its james isn't it.

    james happened. god damn james. always breakin hearts and sleep patterns.
  • Sincere24
    Sincere24 Posts: 126 Member
    Maybe try switching ur workouts to the morning, i think with the night routine of exercise might have you staying up and a little bit energized. Did you just recently start exercising at night?

    Over the past few months i've had restless nights as well, day routine has been a bit of a mess really. Try to break the routine during the day that's got you restless.

    Maybe work or school related, causing you stress...leading to overthinking at night maybe? I know that's what's hindering me. I've tried to break the cycle, but ususally fall asleep around 3-4am haha. Ima head to bed just now
  • tryingtobepositive
    tryingtobepositive Posts: 9
    Maybe try switching ur workouts to the morning, i think with the night routine of exercise might have you staying up and a little bit energized. Did you just recently start exercising at night?

    Over the past few months i've had restless nights as well, day routine has been a bit of a mess really. Try to break the routine during the day that's got you restless.

    Maybe work or school related, causing you stress...leading to overthinking at night maybe? I know that's what's hindering me. I've tried to break the cycle, but ususally fall asleep around 3-4am haha. Ima head to bed just now

    I used to exercise in the morning, and I prefer it to be honest. But I have a job right now that requires me to be out of the house by 6am so night time is my only chance. You're right, it's probably just stress over work and university - last year was my second year and was a bit full on, and right now I've got a second job which may be affecting my stress levels - hence why it's lasted so long. It's just annoying, you know? I guess I'll see if things improve when I leave that job before university starts back again this year.

    Thanks for all your replies!
  • tryingtobepositive
    tryingtobepositive Posts: 9
    Nothing happened. :s

    does nothing have a name? its james isn't it.

    james happened. god damn james. always breakin hearts and sleep patterns.

    Lol.
  • notthatthis
    notthatthis Posts: 218
    First thing is stop worrying about it, some people need less sleep. Maybe you catch up at weekends. Maybe snoozing. The 8 hour rule is well evidenced but it does not exist to cause people stress and make their lives a misery because they are chasing the 8 hour dream.

    Foods known to increase dopamine are best eaten in the evening, dopamine will prepare your body for it's night time anabolic functions.

    Quiet time before bed. No TV, music or reading before bed. Maybe a white noise generator app and breathing exercises.

    2.5 hours at the gym, is that 2.5hrs of 85-95% MHR for 2.5 hours or is it 55% with breaks?

    Of course overtraining causes sleeplessness. Something to consider.

    restless sleep is frustrating, so stop being frustrated.
  • tryingtobepositive
    tryingtobepositive Posts: 9
    Hi Restless Sleeper, I am reading this at 3 a.m. so I understand what you are going through. Great idea to check with the doctor and I think sleep medicine is great to get you back on track but not a good long term solution. I discovered that breathing is a good way to re set your 'clock'. Deep breathing five minutes at a time (there is such a thing as a breathing machine that guides you through breathing while monitoring your heart rate and your breaths). I know it sounds odd but when we are stressed or anxious we can shallow breathe, even hold our breath. The other thing that is helpful is to address the anxious feelings and thoughts. Dr. Amen has an excellent website where he addresses the thoughts that change our brain patterns. If you have not ever seen his series on PBS it is worth tracking down. His website has lots of free advice through the Amen Clinic. You are right about lack of sleep affecting other areas of your life. It is also good to relax about it, read a bit, reasurre yourself that you are a careful and smart person who takes good steps for her own health and try to get back to sleep. I hope things will turn around for you and that you will have a less stressed 2013.

    Don't worry, I don't intend on taking sleeping tablets long term, I'm just going to finish the 5 day prescription given to me and that's it. I'm not sure the whole breathing thing will work for me, as I don't shallow breathe. It probably doesn't help that I don't really have any relaxing time, so that's one thing I'm going to work on! Thanks, I hope 2013 is good for you, also.
  • chigau_me
    chigau_me Posts: 50
    I had that problem for a year, finally went to GP and got some sleeping pills for 6 days, they helped to break the cycle - i can sleep now though it's still difficult to fall asleep ... my GP referred me to a therapy that deals with anxiety/depression/panic attacks and so on... i have my first appointment in a month, so hopefully it helps! ask your GP if there's something similar available

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