tips for getting more/better sleep?

kiela64
kiela64 Posts: 1,447 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I keep getting tripped up by not sleeping well. When I'm under-slept it's easy to justify treats, I feel hungrier, and I don't want to exercise. I also take longer to do regular things, and I just want to sit around watching tv or reading.

Has anyone else had this issue? Any suggestions on how to circumvent it or fix it would be appreciated!

Replies

  • MichaelRobinson1994
    MichaelRobinson1994 Posts: 83 Member
    I know how you feel, and i've dealt with sleep deprivation - I have insomnia bouts when i'm exceptionally stressed!

    For me, the best thing is to, at say 8-9pm, clean the house, or move the furniture around - not enough to call it a workout, but enough to get a little puffy and warm - then bed at 11pm, and I have a hypnosis tape on my iphone designed to send you to sleep that I use, that usually has me off to sleep in 15-20 minutes
  • samlovesthesnow
    samlovesthesnow Posts: 173 Member
    I second the hypnosis tape! I like Paul McKenna "I can make you sleep", the Headspace App (free) and www.doyogawithme.com (free and has meditations as well as yoga).
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    edited December 2015
    This content has been removed.
  • Equus5374
    Equus5374 Posts: 462 Member
    Turn off/get away from electronics, including TV, at least a half hour before bed. Do something relaxing *before* you go to bed, such as drink a cup of tea while sitting somewhere quietly (if that's possible in your household situation). Meditation is good, or just thinking of hopes and dreams. Practice some deep breathing techniques. Go to bed/start bed routine at the same time each night (if possible with work, etc.).

    I should add that I have sleep deprivation issues, but they are career-caused. Being a paramedic for 20 years, my brain does not know when to shut down and is easily aroused and awakened; so I do take Xanax before bed each night. I've also added GABA as a supplement (gamma amino butyric acid) -- do some reading on it. I know people here will poo-poo supplements, but this one does help me with relaxation/anti-anxiety.
  • tomteboda
    tomteboda Posts: 2,171 Member
    Earplugs and a face mask.
  • ekruska802
    ekruska802 Posts: 79 Member
    I have a cat who sleeps on my legs sometimes. Somehow when she shows up it knocks me right out. We call her The Gray Sedative. So, maybe get a very cuddly cat. ;-)
  • ThatFatAsianNerd
    ThatFatAsianNerd Posts: 1,415 Member
    Equus5374 wrote: »
    Turn off/get away from electronics, including TV, at least a half hour before bed. Do something relaxing *before* you go to bed, such as drink a cup of tea while sitting somewhere quietly (if that's possible in your household situation). Meditation is good, or just thinking of hopes and dreams. Practice some deep breathing techniques. Go to bed/start bed routine at the same time each night (if possible with work, etc.).

    I should add that I have sleep deprivation issues, but they are career-caused. Being a paramedic for 20 years, my brain does not know when to shut down and is easily aroused and awakened; so I do take Xanax before bed each night. I've also added GABA as a supplement (gamma amino butyric acid) -- do some reading on it. I know people here will poo-poo supplements, but this one does help me with relaxation/anti-anxiety.

    I know what you mean about the brain "not shutting down" at night. My therapist just called it "jovial to say the least" but says I should fully embrace it as long as it doesn't affect my priorities.

    There are great tips in this thread. I should also say that writing things down at night can be very therapeutic -- well for me at least. Sometimes I wake up and read what I've written down the night before and I end up smiling or laughing about it. I feel that it also helps get me in that right "day-to-day, moment-by-moment" take on things. I worry less these days. The less worry/anxiety I have, the easier it is for me to sleep at night.

    I'm all-too-familiar with benzodiazepine dependency so I'd probably go that route as a last resort and only under strict medical monitoring. I'm absolutely not against it though.
  • zdyb23456
    zdyb23456 Posts: 1,706 Member
    edited December 2015
    I remember reading an article to limit your bedroom to sleeping, sex, and getting dressed/changed. So no tv, video games, work, paying bills... Nothing that can be stressful.

    Keep your room dark and cool, optimal for sleeping.

    Eliminate naps during the day.

    I can't sleep if I go to bed hungry. The hunger wakes me up during the night.

    Edited to add, that I write down everything I need to remember and everything on my "to do list". I use a document on my computer to keep track, I also set notes/reminders on my phone. It really helps clear my mind. I don't stress, because it's all written down.
  • richardgavel
    richardgavel Posts: 1,001 Member
    I am a sports fan and have the same "brain won't shut down issues". I actually have local sports talk radio podcasts playing when I go to sleep. The idea is that by listening to something, my mind is not actively thinking about anything, it's distracting the brain.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    No caffeine after lunch. Great tips listed above. If you are hit with insomnia don't just lay there stressing. Get up and do some quiet activity and only go back to bed when you are sleepy again.
  • kiela64
    kiela64 Posts: 1,447 Member
    Thanks everyone! I tried turning off electronics, and reading with a cup of herbal tea for about 45min before bed. I ended up not sleeping at all, haha kill me. I had one cup of coffee yesterday at 1pm, maybe that was it? I am a giant ball of tired and I don't like it argh. I need to study for my exam on Saturday!
  • Linzon
    Linzon Posts: 294 Member
    I suffer from bouts of insomnia where nothing seems to help. I finally went to my doctor and he suggested melatonin. I'm not sure if it actually works or if it's just a psychosomatic effect but either way it seems to do the trick for me. Hope you get some good sleep soon, being chronically tired is the worst!
  • missblondi2u
    missblondi2u Posts: 851 Member
    jgnatca wrote: »
    No caffeine after lunch. Great tips listed above. If you are hit with insomnia don't just lay there stressing. Get up and do some quiet activity and only go back to bed when you are sleepy again.

    This is what works for me. I have insomnia that comes and goes. When it hits, I know that I can't just lay in bed waiting for it to pass because I will be up all night. I have to get out of bed and do something--read, make a list of things that are worrying me, clean the house, etc. I don't get back in bed until I'm sleepy again.
  • TheBeachgod
    TheBeachgod Posts: 825 Member
    edited December 2015
    You can try sites like these. Various noise generators like rain, ocean waves, musical tones etc.
    https://mynoise.net/noiseMachines.php
    soundstosleepto.com/
    whitenoiseplayer.com/
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