Sleep Deprived

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Chimis_Siq
Chimis_Siq Posts: 849 Member
in Motivation and Support
I am not sure if this is the right section to post..but Im finding it hard to control my eating ..and just dragging all the time. I know that its probably due to my lack of sleep. I average about 4-6 hours a night..and sometimes interupted sleep. My question is..

what are your tips to fall asleep? I wont/havent tried sleeping pills because I just feel like if something happens, I will not wake up..I know I know WEIRD. lol..

What are any helpful tips to sleep??

Please help!!!!!!!!
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Replies

  • Blowing_Daisies
    Blowing_Daisies Posts: 14 Member
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    Getting to sleep for me is the easy part. I try to have a warm drink and get warm but not too warm I cant sleep, I have a bath if im achy and lie down in the dark. I found routine was the key and it began to come naturally either that or Im woken so many times a night that im so tired when im down i knock out. I also find I binge if im tired so I got some advice and it has helped slightly I go for walks and pre prepare foods so I dont get overly hungry/pekish.
  • jmcdonald2011
    jmcdonald2011 Posts: 181 Member
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    I have sleep issues and one of the things that my dr said was the worst thing I could do is stay in bed when I cant sleep. go in another room and read or do another quiet activity until you feel a bit tired. if you stay in bed then you start to obsess about it and associate your bed with not sleeping which actually makes it more difficult to sleep
  • Chimis_Siq
    Chimis_Siq Posts: 849 Member
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    Getting to sleep for me is the easy part. I try to have a warm drink and get warm but not too warm I cant sleep, I have a bath if im achy and lie down in the dark. I found routine was the key and it began to come naturally either that or Im woken so many times a night that im so tired when im down i knock out. I also find I binge if im tired so I got some advice and it has helped slightly I go for walks and pre prepare foods so I dont get overly hungry/pekish.

    I guess maybe I need to just take it back and get a routine. Its so hard for me. My brain is more alert when I try to get to bed. Ive tried doing the bath thing..but it just takes so long of a process..i have to fill up the huge tub , i use alot of water, and have to wait for it to fill..lol Ive tried the sleepy time tea and it doesnt do anything. Ive hear melatonin helps to put the brain at ease for night time..hmm I wonder.

    Thanks for your thoughts:)
  • wanttolose40lbs
    wanttolose40lbs Posts: 239 Member
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    Sing songs to yourself, it sounds wierd but it works, when I have trouble falling asleep I sing in my head. I'm a really bad singer and only know parts of songs, but sing the chorus over and over and I fall asleep, or just sing the parts of songs I know.
  • Chimis_Siq
    Chimis_Siq Posts: 849 Member
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    I have sleep issues and one of the things that my dr said was the worst thing I could do is stay in bed when I cant sleep. go in another room and read or do another quiet activity until you feel a bit tired. if you stay in bed then you start to obsess about it and associate your bed with not sleeping which actually makes it more difficult to sleep

    That makes sense!!!!!!!!!!
  • Chimis_Siq
    Chimis_Siq Posts: 849 Member
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    Sing songs to yourself, it sounds wierd but it works, when I have trouble falling asleep I sing in my head. I'm a really bad singer and only know parts of songs, but sing the chorus over and over and I fall asleep, or just sing the parts of songs I know.

    haha anything helps :)
  • bexcobham
    bexcobham Posts: 107
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    Do you have a baby or young children?

    I have what's called terminal insomnia. It doesn't mean I'll die, just get up stupidly early, like 2 three in the morning. Since I'm self employed I use this time to crack on with work and sometimes have a power nap later in the day. That might not be practical for some people.
  • CaddieMay
    CaddieMay Posts: 356 Member
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    I have suffered from insomnia my whole life. I do take medication, but that's a double-edged sword for me. I would much rather find a natural way to sleep. I've tried EVERYTHING that's been suggested and have done enough research to write a book on the subject, but nothing seems to help. I know that at some point - soon - I will have to come to terms with it in one way or another. By that I mean I will either have to rearrange my life to suit my lack-of-sleep habits, or get to the very bottom of the problem.

    So I sympathize with you, OP. And I commend you for not wanting to take medications. Do your very, very best to deal with this in a natural way (yoga, warm milk and honey, meditation, etc.) and I wish you the best of luck.
  • bexcobham
    bexcobham Posts: 107
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    Yeah, medication isn't a great plan and you can't take it in the long term. New evidence suggests it can cause cognitive decline in older patients, so that can't be good. Then there is the issue of Z drugs and benzos being addictive and rebound insomnia. In other words, you end up worse off than before you started.
  • paulawatkins1974
    paulawatkins1974 Posts: 720 Member
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    I'm the same. This is terrible, but I take gravol. It's actually for motion sickness but a side effect is it makes you drowsy. It's the only thing that works for me. It's probably really bad for you so I'm in for answers too.
  • Holly_Wood_888
    Holly_Wood_888 Posts: 268 Member
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    I push myself every day on little sleep and then sleep in on Saturday which is not a good routine...
    What I have learned is that if you want to sleep more, you must make yourself go to bed at the same time each night...
    Working out before bed could help or worsen the situation...
    Do Not eat protein or sugar before bed
    Do not watch Tv before bed....
    Don't surf the net before bed
    Lay off the caffeine before the afternoon hits

    Relaxation exercises can assist... such as 'tightening each part of your body one by one, starting with toes, then ankles, calves etc.. all the way up your body keeping each part tensed until you get to your neck one that is tensed you release all the muscles...

    *each person is different, you can try different things such as reading in bed or peaceful music ...
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
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    I have always had sleep issues. I normally get 4 or 5 hours a night. Things I do to try and get more sleep are:

    - Sleepy Time Extra Tea: Helps me get to sleep but doesn't keep me asleep.
    - Workout at night an hour before bed which does help staying asleep
    - No fast moving or action stuff an hour before bed, so no computer, computer games, TV, etc.
    - Meditation

    For me it sometimes works and sometimes not.
  • Chimis_Siq
    Chimis_Siq Posts: 849 Member
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    Wow, thank you all. I didnt realize it was so common! I do not have children , only 4 legged ones. I have been looking into maybe starting to meditate to maybe help me with the issue. When I work out later at night , I fall asleep faster, however its already hard enough to be sleepy and to work out sleepy-its weird.

    Im not much of a pill taker, I have only recently started taking a multi vitamin after 29 yrs of life ..lol.

    Im going to try tonight to maybe do a few minutes of meditation and NOT turn on the tv.
  • CaddieMay
    CaddieMay Posts: 356 Member
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    There are SOOOO many meditation videos on YouTube that you can download to MP3 mode and listen to while you're in bed. Try to find one that lasts for more than an hour.
  • CaddieMay
    CaddieMay Posts: 356 Member
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    Yeah, medication isn't a great plan and you can't take it in the long term. New evidence suggests it can cause cognitive decline in older patients, so that can't be good. Then there is the issue of Z drugs and benzos being addictive and rebound insomnia. In other words, you end up worse off than before you started.


    I can't agree more! I've had several go-rounds with benzos that were nearly the death of me. And I have been on Z drugs for 5 years, but they no longer work for me, so I am back where I started. Thank you for posting this!
  • Mgypsygirl
    Mgypsygirl Posts: 37 Member
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    I have always had sleep problems and have used medications in the past. I run in the morning and before I go to bed. This routine pretty much makes me doze off in seconds! I have friends who say exercise winds them up but for me it works! Good luck.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    I used to struggle with insomnia but I'm on a medication for another issue that has the lovely side effect of helping me fall asleep.

    In my previous research I've seen smartphone apps that are specifically developed for easing you into sleep. You might look into one of those. I know that some of them involve some kind of light therapy. Melatonin can help to regulate your circadian rythmn so you might use that in conjection with a routine of going to bed at the same time every night. Avoid electronic stimulation in the few hours before you go to bed. That means the computer or TV, most specifically. That's hard for most of us, but it's worth trying for a few weeks and see if it helps.
  • bexcobham
    bexcobham Posts: 107
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    Yeah, medication isn't a great plan and you can't take it in the long term. New evidence suggests it can cause cognitive decline in older patients, so that can't be good. Then there is the issue of Z drugs and benzos being addictive and rebound insomnia. In other words, you end up worse off than before you started.


    I can't agree more! I've had several go-rounds with benzos that were nearly the death of me. And I have been on Z drugs for 5 years, but they no longer work for me, so I am back where I started. Thank you for posting this!

    No probs. They did me more harm than good. I am off to see a neurologist soon about a sleep disorder and am really hoping he doesn't try to give me clonazepam. Bezos are extremely addictive. That's why they now prescribe them and Z drugs for 4 weeks max at a time in the UK. Once you get a good nights sleep from meds, it's so hard to go back to doing it the natural way. I think it's ruined it for me for lif. :-(
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,695 Member
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    I am not sure if this is the right section to post..but Im finding it hard to control my eating ..and just dragging all the time. I know that its probably due to my lack of sleep. I average about 4-6 hours a night..and sometimes interupted sleep. My question is..

    what are your tips to fall asleep? I wont/havent tried sleeping pills because I just feel like if something happens, I will not wake up..I know I know WEIRD. lol..

    What are any helpful tips to sleep??

    Please help!!!!!!!!
    Dark and quiet. If you have to, get a mask and earplugs. The more serene the environment, the most restful the sleep.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Chimis_Siq
    Chimis_Siq Posts: 849 Member
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    I couldnt agree more . Thank you all!
    Meditation it will be for me. Like I said Im pretty much only taking meds if im literally dying. Even after my tumor removal of my hand and boy was I in pain, did not take any pain killers. I was so afraid that I would become addicted, so all through healing I didnt take one pain medication.

    I rather find a homeopathic answer then a medicated one. I feel that when our bodies adapt to meds, we have to look for the next one, and so forth .

    I think the hardest one is the tv. As soon as I lay down I turn it on..and before I know it Im catching up on various shows I have dvrd and from then it just goes downhill.

    Thank you all!

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