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Can't go to sleep at night....can't get up in the morning...
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Rockmastermike
CORNspiracy HQ
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police scanner. not kidding, it's hypnotic and puts you RIGHT OUT unless they have a car chase or something (very rare).
I'm having more trouble slowing down and going to sleep when it's this warm at night. I'm not uncomfortable, just AWAKE.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Twixlen
Westgate, Columbus
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I had this problem... I worked shift for years, swinging from days to nights inside the same week sometimes, and really only slept in 2 hour jots. It suuuuuuuuucked. I did the Elvis thing, which was really not good.
When I finally got off swing, I still couldn't sleep, and started using meditation. I did different things - I think with meditation every person has to find their own path to calm. It took a little time and practice to be able to quiet my mind, but ever since then, it's the thing I turn to. It always works.
A good box fan never hurts either. :)
Posted 1 year ago # -
Cookie
Flyntonville
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Rockmastermike
CORNspiracy HQ
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Lakee911
Clintonville (South)
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KSquared wrote >>
I'm a night owl by nature and some nights I find myself unable to fall asleep, despite the fact that I have to wake up early for work. I don't like the idea of taking medicine to sleep. Any methods that work for other night owls out there?I used to be a night owl, but now that I've gotten in the habit of going to bed early and getting up early I have adjusted. When I sleep in a lot, I get all out of whack. Many who have trouble sleeping go to bed every night of the week at the same time and get up every morning at the same time.
Occasionally I can't get to bed on time, like last night, and typically I'll get up and eat something and then I don't have any trouble falling asleep.
I've taken things to help me sleep, but they tend to make it harder for me to get up. I think the trick is to take something early enough so that it can completely wear off before you wake. The thing is, early I don't know that I won't fall asleep later. Be careful though because you can become addicted to these.
Every night though, I do need to take a few minutes and read or watch TV to unwind. I've found that helps immensely.
Posted 1 year ago # -
joev
Merion Village
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I have this same problem. Most of the problem is trying to figure out how to mentally relax, which isn't easy for me. A white noise machine helps tremendously, but here are some other things that help:
- Making time to clear my head. I walk to and from work, so this time is a good decompression zone that helps me leave thoughts relating to one place where they belong. If that's not an option, being a night owl does have its benefits. Stay up an extra 15 or 20 minutes after everyone else has gone to sleep.
- Exercising and eating before 9 p.m. Ideally, I'd be able to exercize at 2 or 3. That doesn't happen with my work schedule, but the closer I get to the end of my work day, the better. Refraining from meals/snacks after 9 helps too.
- Figuring out how you sleep. I know I always fall asleep on my stomach, so when I go to bed, I make sure that's how I'm positioned. I also know I can't sleep with socks on or with my sheets tucked in. So I make sure those little things are always taken care of. I also know I move around a lot in my sleep. To relieve what my wife thinks might be a touch of restless leg, when I lie down, I tense my leg muscles then relax them slowly.
- If you just can't fall asleep, don't keep trying. Lying there thinking about how you can't sleep is a recipe for never getting to sleep. If I can't fall asleep, I get up, go downstairs, make myself comfortable and read. If you have 7-8 hours to sleep, there's no harm in taking a Tylenol PM or Unisom now and then. I only resort to that 4-6 times/year, but it's usually worth it.
- Giving yourself enough time to wake up. This sounds counterintuitive, but it works for me. I give myself plenty of time to wake up and get ready in the morning. Feeling rushed stresses me out and makes me more tired. I'd rather get six horus of sleep with an hour to get ready, read the news, make breakfast, take out the dogs, check out the garden etc., then spend an extra half hour sleeping.
Posted 1 year ago # -
osulew
My house...in the middle of my street
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Oh...I also lie flat on my stomach and get real comfy and then I move the tops of my feet around in slow little circles on my sheets...works like a charm.
Of course I usually only sleep from about 1:15 until 5:30 on weeknights, so by the time I decide to get in bed I'm usually pretty tired.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Twixlen
Westgate, Columbus
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joev wrote >>
- Giving yourself enough time to wake up. This sounds counterintuitive, but it works for me. I give myself plenty of time to wake up and get ready in the morning. Feeling rushed stresses me out and makes me more tired. I'd rather get six horus of sleep with an hour to get ready, read the news, make breakfast, take out the dogs, check out the garden etc., then spend an extra half hour sleeping.
YES - this is a huge one for me. I actually have to get up 20 minutes earlier than I need to be out of bed. I have never, ever in my life been one of those people who pops out of bed at the alarm, bright eyed and ready to go. I have a whole anal series of things that happens - I use a gradual alarm (iphone app); the light I turn on is a cheapie CFL, so it starts very dim and slowly brightens; I sit up; the TV goes on and I grab a book/iphone/whatever to try and bring my brain around. I've done the old doodling on a pad of paper to engage my brain - goofy, but actually works.
In a perfect world, I'd be able to stay up until 12am-1am every day and wake up sometime between 7:30 and 9. *sigh*
Posted 1 year ago # -
misskitty
Columbus
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I am an extreme insomniac , I always feel like I have something to do and as soon as I get a thought into my head any idea of sleep in long gone. Unfortunately when I do fall asleep I don’t wake easily or happily. I have been taking Melatonin since I don’t want anything unnatural helping my sleep and it’s a hormone found naturally in the body. The pineal gland in the brain makes serotonin which is then converted into melatonin at night when exposure to light decreases.
I don't use the time release caps it makes me too groggy.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Tenzo
Chicago Lakeshore
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Being a guy, I find a good bout of lovemaking to work well to clear my mind of all other thoughts and relax the muscles.
Some things that have worked well for me:
1) Move to a dark room or dim the lights 45 minutes before going to sleep. (Plus don't look at LCD screens 2 hours before).2) Melatonin. Toke a 300microgram tab and place it under your tongue.
3) Ambien. (modern living through chemistry)
4) Lay on your back. relax each of your muscles. slowly, one, by one. Ending with you toes.
5) Meditation. Relax, place your tongue touching the front top of the roof of your mouth. Breath in slowly through your nose, out through your mouth. Take deep slow breaths. Slow your breathing. Clear your mind and count your breaths up to 10. If you loose count or get an interrupting thought. Start counting over.
If a thought comes to your mind, don't fight it. Let it wash over you and go away on it's own. Concentrate on breathing.
By the time I can get a good count up to ten a couple of times, I'm asleep.
Posted 1 year ago # -
KSquared
Literally Hell
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Twixlen wrote >>
I have never, ever in my life been one of those people who pops out of bed at the alarm, bright eyed and ready to go.These people make me very, very stabby.
Twixlen wrote >>
In a perfect world, I'd be able to stay up until 12am-1am every day and wake up sometime between 7:30 and 9. *sigh*Agree, except I need an obscene amount of sleep, so amend that to waking between 9 and 10. I've always been jealous of people who can function effectively on 6 or fewer hours of sleep. I'm looking at you lew ;)
Posted 1 year ago # -
osulew
My house...in the middle of my street
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KSquared wrote >>
Twixlen wrote >>
I have never, ever in my life been one of those people who pops out of bed at the alarm, bright eyed and ready to go.These people make me very, very stabby.
Twixlen wrote >>
In a perfect world, I'd be able to stay up until 12am-1am every day and wake up sometime between 7:30 and 9. *sigh*Agree, except I need an obscene amount of sleep, so amend that to waking between 9 and 10. I've always been jealous of people who can function effectively on 6 or fewer hours of sleep. I'm looking at you lew ;)
I had awful night terrors as a kid until I was about 12, so I got used to not sleeping...used to only get a couple hours until those stopped. I sleep in Saturday and Sunday like it's my JOB though.
Posted 1 year ago # -
joev
Merion Village
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KSquared wrote >>
Thanks for all the advice, keep it coming! Joev, I want to try that getting up earlier and not rushing to get to work thing. It's going to be a showdown between me and the snooze button. I might have to try that gradual alarm app.It took me a while to get there - used to be a three-snooze person. My wife put a stop to that :) Start by putting your alarm clock across the room so you have to leave bed to turn it off.
Posted 1 year ago #
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