Problems Sleeping

[DanM]

Go to bed at 10pm, wake up at 3am, WIDE AWAKE Maybe some of the older guys here can chime in. Anynbody else have this problem? I know my dad has sleeping problems that started about my age (36). I just want a good nights sleep!!!!grrr..

[P.E. Kelley]

The harder you to sleep try the worse it gets.

I work rotating shifts so my sleep cycle is always upset. My advice (it's free so it may have the same value) is to not fight it just get the hell out of bed and sit the another room for a few minutes (10 to 30). Try not to stay pissed off that you are not sleeping. Read a gun mag, hit BE as you have done, be productive to whatever level your mental state will allow for the time you are up. Go reload 100 rounds, clean a gun. Get your mind off the problem and on something else. Then head back to the sack.

30 minutes up and mildly productive will not hurt your sleep and much a "trying to sleep"

for an hour.

Been there and done that!

Good luck

Patrick

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

+1 but at times I need to watch some old TV shows that are boring to put me back to sleep. I need the drone of the set to stop the voices in my head

A little tea works too http://www.chinamedicinemall.com/insomnia.htm

[dajarrel]

I finally quit fighting to sleep by going to bed later. I'm 53 and only seem to require 4-5 hours of sleep so I usually don't go to bed until 11 or so. I have to get up at 4 am anyway so it works out just right for me.

Some things I have found to help:

Don't eat late.

Don't drink a lot of anything a couple of hours before bed. Caffine doesn't keep me awake but a swollen bladder will wake you up when you are sleeping well.

When I wake up early and have trouble going back to sleep, I usually read or find an unfamiliar sporting event like hockey to put me back to sleep. Not a slam on hockey, it just isn't played much here in southern Alabama.

I believe that your body will get the sleep it needs. Some people just don't need as much.

FWIW, YMMV

dj

[Hank Ellis]

The harder you to sleep try the worse it gets.

I work rotating shifts so my sleep cycle is always upset. My advice (it's free so it may have the same value) is to not fight it just get the hell out of bed and sit the another room for a few minutes (10 to 30). Try not to stay pissed off that you are not sleeping. Read a gun mag, hit BE as you have done, be productive to whatever level your mental state will allow for the time you are up. Go reload 100 rounds, clean a gun. Get your mind off the problem and on something else. Then head back to the sack.

30 minutes up and mildly productive will not hurt your sleep and much a "trying to sleep"

for an hour.

Been there and done that!

Good luck

Patrick

+1. My work schedule is 3:00 in the afternoon to 3:30 in the morning for 7 days then I'm off for 7 days. On my off time I have to somehow get back to a 'normal' schedule (whatever that is) of waking up in the morning and going to bed at 10:00. This 5:00 am post is due to just getting off work.

So all this switching around of the internal clock results in every once in a while waking up at some strange hour and not being able to go back to sleep. Tried knocking back a few adult beverages but that resulted in sleep that wasn't good deep sleep. Don't want to do the drug thing so I just work with it. I surf the gun forums, work on some personal spreadsheet project, research something off the wall, sometimes just do a bit of reading like BEons book or on one of my non-gun hobbies.

I don't get PO'd over it. It is what it is. Do something for 30 mins to an hour and hit the sack.

[AustinMike]

A little tea works too http://www.chinamedicinemall.com/insomnia.htm

+1 The stresses of work were keeping me awake at night. I started sipping whiskey in the evening, which seemed to help a bit. My wife started buying herbal teas and some of those work well (and they're easier on the liver!) Drank some "bedtime" tea last night in fact and got right to sleep and slept all through the night. It's a healthier way to drink yourself to sleep, I reckon.

[JFlowers]

+7 (every day that is!)

My week starts off with arriving at Pittsburgh Airport at 11:20pm, at the hotel about 12:30am. Then it takes me a while to wind down before I fall asleep. Wake up at 2, 4, and then at 6 get up.

Mon-Wed is up at 6, work at 7, work til 7, dinner, back in the room at 9:00pm, phones call, etc. Bed by midnight, wake up at 2 and 4. Up at 6.

Thur starts off the same, but its to the airport at 5, flight home at 7:30, get home at 10:30, usually 12 by the time I take care of things and wind down.

Fri is up at 8 (I get to sleep in!!!!) after waking up at 2, 4, and 6. Housework, loading, cleaning, laundry, etc. Try and get to bed early. I tend to actually sleep for one night.

Sat, up and SHOOT!!!!!! Stress relief at its best. Sleep well Sat night.

Sun, start it up again.

[lynn jones]

try benadryl. let's you sleep like a little baby.

[Middle Man]

one little benadryl tablet helps...

eta: beaten to the punch by lynn

Edited December 19, 2006 by Middle Man

[Hank Ellis]

let's you sleep like a little baby.

Now why would you want to sleep like a baby? Do you know how babies sleep? They wake up every two hours and poop their pants. That's how they sleep.

[bountyhunter]

Go to bed at 10pm, wake up at 3am, WIDE AWAKE Maybe some of the older guys here can chime in. Anynbody else have this problem? I know my dad has sleeping problems that started about my age (36). I just want a good nights sleep!!!!grrr..

You can try taking a little melatonin.

Another thing that will knock you out is dramamine (or compazine) which are nausea meds.

benadryl is also commonly used for this.

BTW: welcome to the club, I've had the problem for decades now.

Edited December 19, 2006 by bountyhunter

[DougCarden]

I am a Night watch commander at my PD...I work 0730-0700 for two days, then 3 in a row..and it changes as well ..not conducive to a sleep cycle

My doctor friend told me to take a Benadryll, it is not habit forming, and it acutally works. Due to my body weight I take two when I get home after not drinking any liquids for about 3 hours and I sleep anywhere from 6-8 hours with earplugs and a shield for my eyes.

I dont like sleeping like this, but I have to get sleep as I am stuck on this damn shift for a while and there is no way out..... Note I only take it when I have to work the next night....

I used to sleep for about 4 hours and get up with a slammer of a headache, not able to go back to sleep. I would then get a nap before I went in when I worked 8 hour nights. Now with 12s I dont have a choice. My first night off I suffer the same thing, not being able to sleep. Best thing I have found is stay up in the dark watching TV until you get tired, then go to bed. Laying in bed trying to sleep can be maddening!

This may be a good time to case check loaded ammo while you are sitting watching Magnum PI episodes like me!

Good luck,

DougC

Edited December 19, 2006 by DougC

[MichiganShootist]

After I retired I started getting more sleep and after a few years I developed the same exact pattern you talked about Dan.

Out like a light 2 minutes after hitting the sack (at 11:00 - 11:30).... then an abrupt wake up at 3:00 - 4:00..... then I would lay wide awake there for 2 hours or more and finally doze off just before time to get up.... Then I was exhausted all day.

I haven't had that problem for 6 months.... Here's what I did.

1. I eliminated my normal couple drinks during the late evening hours (the sugar loads your system when you drink after dinner and it lights up your body functions 3 - 5 hours after your last drink--- especially the older you get)

2. I stopped eating any form of snack or munchies after dinner. (90% of the time )

2. Naps were outlawed and I made sure my spouse didn't let me doze during any TV shows

3. In spite of my doctor's advice... I started taking an Rx for cholesterol at lunch rather than with my evening meal.

Now.... 6 nights out of 7 I sleep straight through and when I do wake up (even if a pit stop is required) I can fall right back to sleep.

It's been well worth the sacrifices I made to actually feel refreshed in the morning.

Good Luck.

[AzShooter]

I've suffered from lack of sleep for years. Sometimes it would take me 5 days before I'd finally fall asleep. Not that's just not right. Finally last year the VA had me do a sleep study and found I had sleep ampnia. They gave me a machine that sleep at night. Basically though I think if you try those nose patches they will help alot.

The idea is that something is blocking your air passage while you are trying to sleep. By keeping it open you sleep longer. For the past 6 months I've enjoyed 6 to 8 hours of sleep a night and that is wonderful.

[bgary]

. 1. I eliminated my normal couple drinks during the late evening hours (the sugar loads your system when you drink after dinner and it lights up your body functions 3 - 5 hours after your last drink--- especially the older you get)

2. I stopped eating any form of snack or munchies after dinner. (90% of the time )

3. Naps were outlawed and I made sure my spouse didn't let me doze during any TV shows

+1

I travel a lot for work, and so my body-clock gets pretty screwed up at times. I've found that many of the things above can help. I stay away from caffeine, I stay away from processed sugars late in the day, I force myself to stay up until a "normal" bedtime no matter how tempting that afternoon nap is. I also try to have some "melt-down" time, quiet time with a book (not the TV) when I can relax and separate myself from the pressures and busy-ness of the day. I find that if I don't have my "melt-down" time, my mind continues to run through all the things I'm worried about or stressing over or need to do, and I have a really hard time "shutting off".

I'll also add that I have tried a couple of prescriptions (Ambien, and Ambien-CR), and generally would *not* recommend them as a long-term course. For those not familar, Ambien basically "knocks you out"... and how long you sleep after you *get* to sleep is up to your body. Ambien-CR is a time-release version of Ambien that both knocks you out *and* helps you *stay* asleep for 7-ish hours.

They are both effective. They both have "unintended consequences". And they both have side-effects. As a once-in-a-while thing, they have their uses, but my personal opinion is that diet changes, lifestyle changes, and other behavioral things can go a lot further in most cases.

Last thing I'd add is... try not to "stress" over getting to sleep. It seems oxymoronic, but I know that (for example) if I go to bed late knowing that I "need" to get a certain amount of sleep, I'll find myself laying there watching the clock, saying "OK, if I get to sleep right *now*, I can still get 5 hours of sleep"... then 4 hours, then 3 hours, .... Hesitating to hi-jack Brian's zen stuff, but... you can't *make* it happen, you have to "let" it happen. Prepare for it, but don't work at it, if that makes any sense?

Bruce

[EricW]

Caffeine avoidance has done wonders for my sleep pattern.

Edited December 19, 2006 by EricW

[MichiganShootist]

A few further thoughts for you Dave.

Some of the sleep problems people have been talking about here are common to those of us shooting Super Senior... but they SHOULD NOT be an issue with most guys 36 years old.

If you haven't done so---Please get to a Doc. and tell him/her what's going on. A full physical should be your starting point.

Avoiding sugar (included colas) and also caffine is a good thing. BTW--90% of caffiene free coffee and colas still have caffiene in them.... so check the lables.

Lastly.. I traveled from the MidWest U. S. to all over Asia for a couple years. The jet lag was terrible and 3 - 6 mgs. of Meletonin did help. It doesn't require an Rx and might be worth a try.

Good Luck

Edited December 19, 2006 by MichiganShootist

[p99shooter]

In addition to the excellent advise already given, you may wish to look into a supplement called 5-HTP, short for hydroxy-tryptophan.

You know how sleepy you get when you eat lots of turkey around the holidays? Some of that effect of from tryptophan, which is found in turkey. Tryptophan metabolizes into serotonin, a key neurotransmitter that is involved in mood regulation, autonomic functions, and sleep. The gov banned tryptophan supplements a while back, but 5-HTP, which comes from a plant, is actually more effective, because it passes through the brain-blood barrier better.

Your brain also converts vitamin B6 into serotonin, but at a really poor ratio (lots of B6 is used to make just a little serotonin), so stock up on B6 during the day. Take a 5-HTP in the evening, along with a calcium/zinc supplement. I have restless leg syndrome, and a nightime calcium/zinc supplement takes care of it; no prescription necessary.

Building up serotonin levels takes time, so 5-HTP won't work immediately, but it will work after a few weeks. All of the modern anti-depressents work by manipulating serotonin levels (usually by preventing there re-cycling, rather than making more).

[Eager]

Vitamin B worked for me.

[bgary]

BTW--90% of caffiene free coffee and colas still have caffiene in them

BTW - caffeine is one of the major ingredients in many over-the-counter headache remedies (eg, Excedrin)... so taking an aspirin to kill a headache so you can get some sleep, may in fact be counter-productive...

B

[Nik Habicht]

If you're having trouble falling asleep, regular massages and breath therapy may help. Massage, just because it will make your whole system run better --- although it's a commitment, because the benefits wear off if you stop going. Breath therapy --- not really for the therapy part, but because you'll really learn how to breathe, which coupled with meditation can cause you to relax, even in stressful situations. As an example ---- I got bad dental care as a kid, and have always had a real phobia of going to the dentist. I had to have a tooth pulled a couple of months back, and noticed I was getting anxious while waiting for the lidocaine to take effect. I made a conscious effort to breathe deeply, and to put my mind into a relaxed state, and actually dozed off in the dental chair for the first time. It was the least stressful dental visit I've ever had.....

[hitman]

You can sleep when your dead.

Find a souce of moonshine and just stay up till you die.

Barring that try Sex, OTC sleep inducers, Advil PM, a shot of wiskey 30 min prior to night night time or start jogging and or working out.

[DanM]

ok, thanks guys. I don't think it's work related. I'm self-employed and would hardly call what I do "work". I am really bad about the high octane caffine during the day though so that is going to be cut. I'll try the allergy stuff tonight and see how that helps.

[Putty]

+1

I have to read to sleep, and once I stopped eating wheat (alergic) my pattern got better.

[XRe]

One other thought... how much exercise are you getting??? The food angles mentioned make a difference for me. So does setting my sleep schedule up to wake up early - during match season, I try to keep my sleep schedule waking me up at 6am. I also do regular exercise (except for the past month - and I haven't slept so nicely the past month, so...)

"Some of the older guys"??? Sheesh... you're only 36, man