Sleep Patterns and Weight Loss....

klund73

Soooooo... I am sitting here on my couch at 11:21pm. Usually, during my work week, this is the time I am hitting the snooze button on my alarm clock for the second time. I started these wonky hours (1 am-9:30am) about a year ago and couldn't help but notice that that's when I started feeling tired. I mean, hypothyroidism was probably in full effect at the time, and let's not forget how much my ovaries are major jerkwads... But I really believe that my sleep patterns have also contributed to my weight gain.

Let's face it, without sleep, we tun into zombies, listlessly foraging for a moment of peaceful rest that always seems to be just out of our reach. Sure, the weekends come around, but you have to have a life of some sort, right? I mean, I would have missed one of the best hockey games tonight had I gone to bed at my regular hour of 3:30 in the afternoon. There in lies the conundrum... It is now 11:30 pm and I am so excruciatingly tired. BUT, do I go to bed and hope I can get up at the butt crack of dawn as to not throw off my sleep too much? Or do I stick it out and stay awake until 3pm (at least) and try to get a good solid nights sleep? My Circadian clock loathes me...

I also have to take into account that lack of sleep messes with my moods. Well, let me reiterate... that would be MOOD, singular. Mood"s" makes me sound all Sybil-ish and I'm not that crazy. Yet. When I am tired, not only do I go cross-eyed and bobble headed at the slightest thought of being able to just "close my eyes" for a second, but I also turn into a raging curmudgeon with murderous thoughts of stabbing people horrifically with a spork.. or whatever implement is closest at hand. That's not very conducive to living in harmony.. and prison would kinda cramp my style, know what I mean? Plus, I don't think the 6 o'clock news camera crew would capture my good side as I am being dragged away in handcuffs.

So tell me, what do you do to make sure you get enough sleep? Do you have a special ritual that you follow religiously? Are there supplements that you rely on to help you drift off to Sleepyland? I want to know all of your bedtime secrets... )

Amach37

I know it's the last thing anyone wants to hear or maybe even admit. Because honestly - who wants to rely on medication? I wish I could just fall asleep when I lay my head down and wake up 8 hours later and feel refreshed and ready for the day. I, however, cannot.
I was against medication but alas my desperation got the best of me and I conceded. It truly has been the best thing that I have done for my sleep. I was miserable before - I had so much anxiety about falling asleep or knowing that I wouldn't fall asleep or knowing that I needed to stay up more than 24 hours just to be tired enough to sleep that I was literally making myself sick and driving my fiance and anyone else in my path crazy.
I have now begun to have healthy blood sugars ( I'm diabetic), I'm getting up at the same time everyday, I feel more hopeful and my family isn't afraid of me anymore - mostly.
There are nonaddictive medications you can take - talk to your doctor about options ( or not). It's nice though to know that if I need to get up at a certain time I can take my medication and will fall asleep and get up when needed. No more angst about sleepy time!
I know medication is not for everyone - it certainly was not for me but when enough was enough I accepted that to be healthy or at least to begin the journey to health, I had to first get proper rest.
Hang in there and I hope you find some relief!!

CheriLMT

I have suffered from insomnia for about 5 years...I have been on about every sleeping pill there is. I know it is horrible. Right now I take Restoril and 3 benadry and a number of other meds at bedtime that are supposed to cause drowsiness...they don't. I have learned to catch zzz's when I can. I am disabled so I am not currently working so this is easy for me..I sleep about 2 hrs in the afternoon...that is the only time I can sleep. But I can't imagine having to go to work...I always have to take a bath...I read somewhere that your body goes through a cooling process when are relaxing so I take a hot bath then the cooling process seems faster...i don't know...it might not be true but it feels good anyway! I just think of all the time I take tossing and turning...I just stopped fighting it and watch tv or get on the computer (which is the opposite of what the professionals tell you to do) until I get tired..it is the only thing that keeps me sane...I know this probably wasn't much help but know you aren't alone and Good Luck!

Lisa2bHappy

Kkund73,
Your humour in your post is hysterical 0:)
I think the best thing to do is try to go to bed and get up @ the same time.. Its not always easy to form a routine I know but the body will start to naturally realise what you want it to do :-) I find reading helps. Find a good book and read it in bed for a hour or so (trust me reading really does make you sleepy) hope this helps x