Sleeping pattern is screwed.

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xSophia19
xSophia19 Posts: 1,536 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Right, lets get this straight! I have not had a decent nights sleep in about 3 months now. I cannot get to sleep before midnight - its impossible! I usually fall asleep between 1-4am ish. And then id be wide awake at like 6 ish, or if im lucky my body will stay sleeping untill 8am.

I dont know why i dont get tired till way after midnight? Its either my diet - the food i eat (majority of it is good), or if its just things on my mind? Or could possibly be stresss?! I dont know..

Need advice - is it worth going doctors about? Like be prescribed some sleeping tablets to help me get a better nights sleep..

Thanks in advanced =)

Replies

  • Cinnamonie
    Cinnamonie Posts: 138
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    Occasionally I'll take 1/2 a melatonin tablet, or have Celestial Seasonings sleepy time tea. Most of the time it's just trying to get my mind to calm down. Try focusing on something really hard, like muscle isolations (clench and release each muscle one at a time, will help you with deep relaxation).

    Although these past few days I've been unable to fall asleep before 5am either (anxiety is high these days) so....


    EDIT: Also watch your caffeine intake after 2pm, and sugar I realized lately has been keeping me up
  • midnightbirch
    midnightbirch Posts: 19 Member
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    Have you tried Valerian root?
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,701 Member
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    I believe it happens because you don't "wind down" before you hit the bed. If you've just been "hyper" the whole time up to midnight, then it will take you about 1 hour to wind down. Try winding down at 8pm. Really just sit and relax.
  • xSophia19
    xSophia19 Posts: 1,536 Member
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    Have you tried Valerian root?

    Never heard of them...
  • xSophia19
    xSophia19 Posts: 1,536 Member
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    I believe it happens because you don't "wind down" before you hit the bed. If you've just been "hyper" the whole time up to midnight, then it will take you about 1 hour to wind down. Try winding down at 8pm. Really just sit and relax.

    Im in bed for like 10pm most nights now, i get my workouts done in the afternoon to help calm my body down from been hyped up from my workouts, but that still down work..
  • tragicpixie
    tragicpixie Posts: 71
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    The other suggestions are good but I'd start at adjusting my nightly routine.
    If you have a nightly routine, then maybe take a look at it if it's really winding you down or up. If you don't have one, start one and give it awhile to work. So like, my husband has a lot of trouble sleeping but it's because he stays up in front of the computer playing video games. It's good to get off the computer, games, and maybe even the TV depending on how sensitive you are to light around an hour before you want to go to sleep. Dim the lights, have a bath, read, etc. do something to relax. I personally do some yoga then read.

    But especially if you are waking very early it may be your body's natural response to light: when you are exposed to bright light your body naturally sends "awake" signals. The dimming light of evening is supposed to trigger sleep. If you think this may be it take a good look around your room you sleep in as well and try to get rid of any random lights (phones, clocks, electronics). Especially blinking lights can be disruptive to sleep.
  • cownancy
    cownancy Posts: 291
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    Oh, boy....do I know about this. As was said...watch sugar, carbs, caffeine, exercise after dinner if you have trouble sleeping at midnight. Turn off the TV, radio and reaim any blue, red or white lights from electronic devices. Use your bed only for what it is intended. Do not watch TV there, do not use it as an office or any other non-bedroom activities. Set a time to go to bed and a time to wake up and try it every night. If you go to bed at 12:00am and you don't fall asleep in 15 minutes, get up, go to a chair outside of your bedroom and do something relaxing....read a book, take a bath (not in the chair), write a letter...but it's best if it is something boring. If you feel tired, go back to bed and try again.

    You can try learning meditation, self-relaxation techniques, self-hypnosis. Make sure you have good pillows and comfortable bedding. Some people even do well by soaking their feed in a warm/hot tub before going to bed. LOL.

    If it is stress, don't open your mail or have heated discussions after 8 or 9pm. That's where meditation comes in. See if someone will give you a back or foot rub with lotion. But, try to keep to that established schedule.

    Try to avoid the sleeping tablets. They are only going to address the symptoms, not solve the problems.

    See a doctor if you can't work it out yourself in a few days. Your sleep is really important!!!

    Good luck, I let mine go too long and it's really disrupted my health and my life!!! I just read the "winding down" advice and that's great too..
  • SwtKittN
    SwtKittN Posts: 176 Member
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    Well I was experiencing the same sort of sleeplessness, not being able to fall asleep until much later, tonight I exercised in the evening rather than in the morning, and I am so pooped I'm gonna fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow haha. First time for me so I don't know if it will keep happening that way but could be worth a try :)
  • LisaKyle11
    LisaKyle11 Posts: 662 Member
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    i am lucky if i can make it to 10:30pm....

    you have got to get a some sleep girl! try reading for about an hour before bed... and like many of the other have said...try a bedtime routine. a warm bath is great for mellowing out the body and mind...

    i have 4 kids so i haven't hardly had a decents night sleep in about 13 years! :noway:
  • poisongirl6485
    poisongirl6485 Posts: 1,487 Member
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    Yeah, I don't get much sleep either. But my reason is because I work til 2 am and then I'm up with my kids when they get up around 8. Thank god for coffee and caffeine pills.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,701 Member
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    Im in bed for like 10pm most nights now, i get my workouts done in the afternoon to help calm my body down from been hyped up from my workouts, but that still down work..
    You could be in bed and your mind still racing, watching a show that raises your heart rate, etc. Winding down means to quiet yourself and body. Deep breathing, slow down the heart rate.
  • quietlywinning
    quietlywinning Posts: 889 Member
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    Is this a recent change, or have you always been a night owl? If you are just a night owl, I've found it is worth it to not GO to bed until after midnight, so that I don't lay there frustrated so long. That just makes it worse. Figure out how many hours of sleep you need in order to get up in the morning and have a comfortable energy level, then go to bed that many hours before you need to get up. Making yourself get UP is key to setting a bedtime - and it takes time and practice.
  • xSophia19
    xSophia19 Posts: 1,536 Member
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    Is this a recent change, or have you always been a night owl? If you are just a night owl, I've found it is worth it to not GO to bed until after midnight, so that I don't lay there frustrated so long. That just makes it worse. Figure out how many hours of sleep you need in order to get up in the morning and have a comfortable energy level, then go to bed that many hours before you need to get up. Making yourself get UP is key to setting a bedtime - and it takes time and practice.

    Ive always been fine before, i used to dive into bed around 10pm and id be fast asleep by like 10:15 ish.. Its just the last couple of months where ive realised i cant sleep till after midnight. Ive tried all sorts - had a warm bath, drank horlicks - keeps me awake!!, ermm ive got some like aroma therapy spray that u spray on ur pillows to help you nod off, but that doesnt seem to be helping. I cant read book - i get headaches from it :/

    Sooo i just really dont know. Maybe because im worrying about stuff too much. Ive always got things running thro my mind - family problems etc. Ill try get my excercises done in the morning before lunch so it gives me all day to calm down, and see how that goes =)

    Thankyou for your help everyone!! :)
  • midnightbirch
    midnightbirch Posts: 19 Member
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    Valerian is a great help for some ,look it up it works great for me!

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