Sleep advice?

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  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,216 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    steveko89 wrote: »
    In high school I would comically toss and turn, basically needing to completely remake my bed 2-3 times per week. Once I had a house of my own where I controlled the thermostat this stopped, keeping the room cool is critical for me to get quality sleep. I like it close to 60, though that's far more achievable in winter than summer, but if I do I basically wake up in the exact position in which I fell asleep.

    Before I got control of the thermostat I used to get a lot of nosebleeds in the winter, as well as being plagued by dry, itchy skin.

    I too set the thermostat at 60 degrees at night in the winter. It's warmer than I like in the summer, but I also lose my weighted blanket and quilts.

    Best sleep of my life was when I was winter camping and the temperature was in the teens. I'd wake in the same position, too.

    Of course, I had specialized gear for this, but I do not understand how people who've lost weight (and don't have a medical condition) can't find clothing to keep them warm at 70 degrees if I can be warm sleeping outside in the teens. (I did make it down to 7 degrees, but that was a little too cold, even for me.)

    Same, I had one winter right after I'd lost 30 lbs in about 6-8 weeks (pre-MFP, back in high school). At 165-170 I was at a truly healthy weight for probably the first time and I froze that whole winter. My body adjust after that and I was, and still am hot more often than not.
  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,136 Member
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    OP: Thank you for your service. and I agree with the recommendation to seek professional help.

    Magnesium Glycinate has worked very well for me. It was recommended by my neurologist to help alleviate tension headaches and neck pain, but it acts like a muscle relaxer and helps me to fall asleep faster.

    Melatonin doesn't work for me either because it gives terrible night mares/vivid dreams. I only tried it once and I had a hard time functioning for few days. Never tried Ambien.

    I don't keep electronics in my bedroom ever!! I have a land line by my husband night table so our cell phones are turned off and kept in the office. But I don't keep my bedroom dark. There is always a dim night light near the door to guide us when we get up in the middle of the night to use the loo. I have night lights in every room in the house. Actually, I can't fall asleep in the dark.
  • girlwithcurls2
    girlwithcurls2 Posts: 2,257 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »

    Best sleep of my life was when I was winter camping and the temperature was in the teens. I'd wake in the same position, too.

    Of course, I had specialized gear for this, but I do not understand how people who've lost weight (and don't have a medical condition) can't find clothing to keep them warm at 70 degrees if I can be warm sleeping outside in the teens. (I did make it down to 7 degrees, but that was a little too cold, even for me.)

    I just shivered reading this... :lol:

    OP, I hope you can take some of these suggestions and find something that will work for you. I'm one of those people who needs to work out in the evening. I'm home by 7:15, eat dinner, and by 10:15, I'm out like a light. On days without a vigorous workout, it can take me longer to fall asleep. I don't get worked up by physical activity, I get tired.

    Also, consider a sleep study. I have used a CPAP for about 4 years. I'm not overweight, and wasn't when I was diagnosed. Within a month, my sleep improved immensely. I pretty much have to sleep on my back because of the mask, but I have also found that if I get up in the night, it's helpful to lie back down in my "sleeping position" (the position I lie in every night when I go to bed) rather than whatever feels good. It seems to trigger my brain that it's time to fall asleep again.

    Good luck. It's becoming more and more well known how important good sleep is :heart:
  • Helenatrandom
    Helenatrandom Posts: 1,166 Member
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    I like to listen to an audio book, preferably one I've read before, really quiet so I have to strain to hear. It doesn't always work but it often does.
  • gradchica27
    gradchica27 Posts: 777 Member
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    The sleep hygiene suggestions are all solid.

    My son and I both have insomnia and the wind down meditations in the Headspace app help tremendously. He also uses many of the meditations for anxiety and finds them useful generally.

    If my insomnia isn’t too bad I will listen to an audiobook—one I’ve heard a thousand times and so is not remotely suspenseful, preferably one with a soothing narrator (I like the narrator for the Harry Potter books & the Hamish Macbeth mystery series, for ex).
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
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    I have a stressful job that often keeps me up at night. My strategies:
    * no lights (blackout drapes, no tv in the bedroom, no alarm clock—I use an old phone and it lays face down)
    * Cool temp
    * Comfy bed (for me, that’s high quality cotton sheets, memory foam mattress with gel top—I call it “cloud bed)
    * There are a few sitcoms or movies I know by heart. I will often put one of them on just loud enough so I can hear it, but not so loud it keeps me awake. The familiar sounds are comforting for me. I turn it face down so ther’s nothing to see. As a bonus, I occasionally pick up on dialog or sound effects I missed when I was watching the movie.
    * I also use an app called “Relax Melodies.” It has hundreds of sounds and rhythms you can mix to your heart’s content (it also comes with pre-made ones). Or you can just listen to white noise. Or brown noise, etc. whatever works. Just don’t start mixing before you go to bed or you’ll get so caught up you won’t get any sleep.
    * I also email myself. When I wake up thinking about something I’m afraid I’ll forget, I just whip open outlook and send myself a note. Getting it down gets it off my mind and makes it less distracting.

    I hope you find some sleep and peace soon. Thank you for your service! 💗
  • IAmGainingHealth
    IAmGainingHealth Posts: 18 Member
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    Prazosin has been prescribed for PTSD nightmares.

    Guided meditation may help falling to sleep.
  • fdlewenstein
    fdlewenstein Posts: 231 Member
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    I don't have any advice and I'm sorry to hear that you are having trouble sleeping. I just wanted to say "thank you" for your service. I hope you find some peace soon and you get the support you need.

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