How to prolong sleep?

onthisroadagain
onthisroadagain Posts: 5 Member
in Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
I know I need more sleep. I am tired.

I usually go to sleep around 11 and then my body wakes me up at 6.

Since I have been waking at 6 whether I want to or not, I figured I probably need to go to bed earlier. I went to bed at 10 last night, fell asleep around 10:30 and woke up at… 5:30.

Does anyone have any advice for sleeping longer?

Replies

  • COGypsy
    COGypsy Posts: 1,356 Member
    What is the sleep you're getting like? Are you out cold from the time you fall asleep until the alarm goes off? Do you toss and turn and wake up a little all night? How is your sleep hygiene? Is your room dark, at whatever is a comfortable temperature for you? Do you do anything in bed besides sleep (or that other bed thing, lol)? What do you do leading up to bedtime?

    I find it's easiest to sleep the amount of time I need to when my environment supports it. When I sleep somewhere else, I'm the same way you are, except I wake up around 8. When I'm in my home environment and routine, things fall more into place.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,426 Member
    Seven hours is enough for healthy adults. Anything between 7-9 hours is perfectly normal.

    If you're tired (and since you're on myfitnesspal) I would ask, how much are you eating? Under-eating can cause fatigue.
  • onthisroadagain
    onthisroadagain Posts: 5 Member
    @COGypsy about half the time I’ll wake up in the night and the other half I’ll sleep through.

    I have a good bedtime routine, try to be consistent about time, room temperature is good and bed is comfy. I usually drink tea and read a book before bed. Only sleep in the bed… and that other thing. My husband is also in the bed, which might impede my sleep, but we don’t have an extra room to move to. I also have two young kids who wake me up in the night sometimes - but usually sleep through. Not much I can do about them.

    @cmriverside I know it’s not super sleep deprivation but I’m definitely tired. I prefer to get at least 8 hours. Since starting with MFP, I’ve been eating between 1,400 and 1,600 calls (maintenance is around 2,000). This started before I started running a deficit though.
  • penguinmama87
    penguinmama87 Posts: 1,155 Member
    Honestly, this doesn't sound too bad to me. I tend to adjust my wake-up time too based on when I go to bed. I think I have a very accurate internal clock. But if you can wake up early and feel awake, I think that's a good sign that your nighttime sleep is fine.

    I wonder if there are other triggers during the day that are making you tired. It might not be undereating, but could it be daylight related? (I am always more tired on cloudy days, and I honestly seem to need less sleep in the summer when the sun is up early.) Are you stressed? Do you drink caffeine at all?

    Does your quality of sleep improve if you are physically tired (say, if you do an especially vigorous workout or spend a lot of time doing physical work?) If I spend a lot more time sitting down during the day than usual I often find myself sleeping fitfully.
  • chris_in_cal
    chris_in_cal Posts: 2,523 Member
    Great question. I want to improve my sleep hygiene.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,377 Member
    Do you snore? If yes, have you considered sleep apnea or other sleep disorders as a possibility? It doesn't necessarily involve waking, but can compromise sleep quality, and it can occur in people who are not overweight.
  • tvaddict101
    tvaddict101 Posts: 10 Member
    I’d love to know the answer to this too! I know our sleep duration needs vary but I feel like crap unless I’m regularly getting 7-7 1/2, and like you I’m usually getting an hour less and I’m exhausted.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    edited March 2023
    onthisroadagain wrote: »
    @COGypsy about half the time I’ll wake up in the night and the other half I’ll sleep through.

    I have a good bedtime routine, try to be consistent about time, room temperature is good and bed is comfy. I usually drink tea and read a book before bed. Only sleep in the bed… and that other thing. My husband is also in the bed, which might impede my sleep, but we don’t have an extra room to move to. I also have two young kids who wake me up in the night sometimes - but usually sleep through. Not much I can do about them.

    @cmriverside I know it’s not super sleep deprivation but I’m definitely tired. I prefer to get at least 8 hours. Since starting with MFP, I’ve been eating between 1,400 and 1,600 calls (maintenance is around 2,000). This started before I started running a deficit though.

    I wonder if anemia or other deficiency could be causing or contributing to your fatigue. Do discuss this with your doctor. Iron deficiency is especially likely if you have heavy periods and don't eat a lot of red meat or other good sources of heme iron. Don't just supplement though - anemia is serious and it is important to get regular blood work.
  • DecryingShame
    DecryingShame Posts: 34 Member
    I struggle with insomnia and have several things that help my sleep. Tart cherry juice has natural melatonin and will gently help you sleep. Lavender scents help me sleep longer. I use one drop of the essential oil when I'm having trouble sleeping and it can add as much as an hour on to my sleep time. Binaural beats have helped quite a bit as well. I also have a specific meditation that I have used so often that I fall asleep at a certain spot in it every time.

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