Sleep......or lack of it!

Chinafoot

right well for the past 6 months or so i've been having trouble sleeping at night. this is a perfect example....its almost 10:30 but i haven't actually been to sleep. This is due to the fact that i slept until 4pm yesterday because it took me until in 7am to get asleep.

anyway i have tried staying up all night and then waiting until a reasonable hour to go to bed, in the hopes of getting my body-clock into a somewhat normal routine. That didn't work and i always end up over sleeping and winding up in the same situation.

I am very reluctant to go down the sleeping pills route and am not too fond of the the herbal stuff either.

I know that doesn't leave you with a lot of advice to give me but if anyone has any tips on getting a decent nights sleep it'd be much appreciated. especially with the exams fast approaching.

cheers

Zillah

The key to controlling your sleep pattern is the realisation that you cannot force yourself to sleep, but you can force yourself to be awake.

At first your situation seems impossible to fix, but one phrase stands out

peachypants wrote:

That didn't work and i always end up over sleeping

You can make yourself not over sleep. I've found that the "stay awake all night and all day and force yourself to not sleep until a normal time" plan works very well.

Do you set an alarm? Do you just roll over? After doing afformentioned trick, you must force yourself to get up at a reasonable time aswell as go to sleep at a reasonable time. It wont work if you let yourself over sleep.

EDIT: God Im stupid, can't believe I didn't mention it. Obviously, if you're not relaxed you won't sleep well, or at all. If you've got stress or worry from the exams coming up then that might be the cause. Try some relaxation techniques. Also, I agree that pills are a bad idea.

aliveandkicking

This is a good article about sleep. Its quite long but it will help you understand sleep a lot more.

http://www.mattresses-uk.co.uk/science.asp

hamster

Hi peachypants,

Did you try going for vigorous walks or something tiring for the day and see how that helps? I find myself feeling tired by midnight-1am most nights. Try it and set the body clock by getting up at 8am regardless (within the bounds of your job etc of course).

hamster

aliveandkicking wrote:

This is a good article about sleep. Its quite long but it will help you understand sleep a lot more.

http://www.mattresses-uk.co.uk/science.asp

That's a very interesting article!!! I usually get about 5-6 hours sleep weekends (typically 3am-8am) - I value my time off. ...and about 6-7 hours sleep weekdays (typically 12am-7am) - work orientated. I'm pretty rigid that way. Hey this sounds like a good question... I'll make it a new thread.

The_Conductor

I'd suggest having a bath, possibly with one of the Lavendar bath foams- about a half hour before you want to go to sleep. Lavendar does help you to sleep- and its not ingesting anything- so you don't have to worry about anything else. I find the radox one works well.

silly

some alcohol always does it for me,
20 bottles of beer....i'm out like a light...

ranDom_tAsk

I often stay awake all night, sometimes once a week. The best thing to do is if you are up all night, stay up untill the next night and go to bed the normal time you would go to bed at.

I on avarage get 6 hours sleep per night.
And you don't need pills to get to sleep !!!

Kernel

ranDom_tAsk wrote:

I often stay awake all night, sometimes once a week. The best thing to do is if you are up all night, stay up untill the next night and go to bed the normal time you would go to bed at.

I on avarage get 6 hours sleep per night.
And you don't need pills to get to sleep !!!

That's very bad for your health. Studies have been done on sleep deprivation with rats, and after a few days, they died. Early to bed, early to rise, keeps a man healthy, wealthy and wise!

My tip is to try reading for an hour before bed.. wind down, away from the PC. Staring at an artificial light source (monitor) causes this quite a lot. Relax with a book and you will find yourself getting tired.

ranDom_tAsk

Are you calling me a rat ?

I never read a book in my life ! Well I read 20 pages of book then got board.






















lol

Victor

Try some more exercise and less chemicals?

Gordon

Kernel wrote:

Studies have been done on sleep deprivation with rats, and after a few days, they died.

Please provide a link to back up this study.

Its horrible, and embarrassing, to go to bed when everyone else is getting up. I know, I've been there. I was stuck in a rut for the past 6 years or so, and am only starting to get out of it now. I've often been to bed around 8am after getting up at around 5:00, and the latest I ever got up was 6:30pm!

Getting a full time job has helped me a little, but I'm still staying up quite late on many nights. I'm going to read these suggestions in the hope that it helps me too.

I was amazed when I read this thread, I thought I was alone with this one. Unfortunately I can't really advise you peachypants, since it would be a classic case of me not practicing what I preach!

the_syco

What type of music do you like? I like heavy metal. I HATE classical music. Its so fúcking boring!

So I got a classical music CD.

And listened to it, on a lowish volume.

Out like a light.

Some people listen to the buzz of a fan. Any montonous, boring music will do. Once its continous sh|te that you have no interest in, and won't actually listen to it (as you would to the lyrics of a song that you liked), it'll bore you to sleep.

So, my advice; get a CD of boring music, and listen to it @ about 11pm. By midnight, you should be either a) asleep, or b) in a relaxed frame of mind, and heading towards the land of nod.

=-=

I actually got one of those "relaxation in 10 minutes" CD's, edited it, and reburnt it, so the last 2 minutes of "you can wake up now, feeling refreshed..." is chopped off, and I just nod off, soon after I get into the relaxed frame of mind

Sangre

Get up on time and don't be so damn lazy.
To help you go to sleep on time and sleep better, exercise, exercise and exercise.

If I don't get enough exercise for a few days I start sleeping poorly and don't go to bed on time because I'm not tired yet.

Civilian_Target

I agree - regular exercise is the cure for insomnia. Go the the gym or take up running/cycling to work or something. And don't sleep late.

Kernel

Gordon wrote:

Please provide a link to back up this study.

Sorry Gordon, I read it in a newspaper which is, in all probability, in a recycling centre now.

Gordon

Well at least you recycle.

"So how long can people safely go without snoozing? Chris Idzikowski, of Britain's University of Surrey, reckons it might take as much as a year of sleep deprivation to kill a human. "

http://web.isp.cz/jcrane/IB/Sleep_enough.html

Kernel

Gordon wrote:

Well at least you recycle.

"So how long can people safely go without snoozing? Chris Idzikowski, of Britain's University of Surrey, reckons it might take as much as a year of sleep deprivation to kill a human. "

http://web.isp.cz/jcrane/IB/Sleep_enough.html

Here's a couple I dug up for you:

http://library.thinkquest.org/03oct/02063/about-02.html
http://www.sleep-deprivation.com/html/effects.php3

OfflerCrocGod

I also prefer the night to the day. With no job or uni I start getting up at ~3-4 and going to bed at 5 or 6, I simply love the night

Sleepy

My username actually comes from Sleep Comes Tomorrow which was my old handle on sin.ie and for that time of my life it was pretty apt. I'd be awake half the night, wouldn't be able to sleep and then once I got to sleep I'd sleep until the middle of the afternoon. This lead to me setting a company record for lateness by arriving into work at quarter to one within my first fortnight of joining the company!

A few things I found useful in improving my sleep cycles (they're still not perfect but I'm functioning better than I used to):

• Lavender & Calmomille scented candles
• Don't use a computer for a couple of hours before going to bed
• Get out of the habit of "just" staying up til the end of a program/movie. Go to bed when you said you would.
• If you've been lying in bed over an hour trying to go to sleep but failing, get up, have a glass of milk then try again.
• Routine. If you're going to bed at the same time every night and getting up at the same time in the mornings your sleep pattern will adjust to this.

MaddyDv

My brother was the same for years, wouldnt sleep all night and would only start geting tired aorund 8am! He tried everything! Some of the stuff he thinks helped: Reflexology, herbal sleeping tablets and the best of all, my dad got him some audio books and they were so boring he fell asleep! He still listens to them now whenever he cant sleep and hes out like a light!

If I ever have trouble sleeping which I do often enough is listen to my breathing, it really does help. Try not to think too much aswell going to sleep coz your brain needs to be relaxed!

Kernel

Sleepy wrote:

[*]Don't use a computer for a couple of hours before going to bed
]

Yeah, like i mentioned earlier, I really think this is important. Staring at an artificial light source will fool your brain into thinking it is daytime. I've tested this, and it is true. I've been knackered, falling asleep on the couch, and then gone to do something on my PC.. 5 hours later I am still there, and no longer feeling tired at all.

Healio

Check the diet aswell, try to cut down on caffine.

TCamen

Earlier this year I was very stressed out, to the point where I didn't sleep for days at a time. I eventually had to get prescription sleeping tablets to get me back on track. I only had 6 tablets in total, and couldn't use them on consecutive nights. They worked in getting me sleeping again, and I haven't really needed them since.

I've tried various herbal tablets, but I'm not totally convinced they make any difference, but I think that psychologically, I allowed myself to relax & become tired because I knew I'd taken sleeping tablets -- if that makes any sense

Another trick I use from time to time which works a treat (especially when I'm in University residences that are very noisy at night). White Noise CDs... I got them from Favourite Shop

The 'Restful Rain', 'Distant Thunder' and ' Soothing Air Conditioner' are particularly helpful in masking unwanted noise and creating a constant, relaxing noise to fall asleep to.

Ultimately I think that when I allow myself to get into a poor sleeping pattern, like I am currently (up all night til 5/6am, sleeping in until 1/2pm) I don't really snap out of it until I absolutely HAVE to get up early for work/college etc. I know it's very easy to say when I'm going to sleep that "This time, I'm getting up when the alarm goes off at 10am", but invariably I always hit snooze, or advance the alarm to give me "just one more hour".

I definitely agree with the advice given so far:
- Exercise
- Avoid alcohol, caffeine and sugary drinks for a few hours before bed
- Set aside an hour or so before you need to sleep for relaxing and winding down.
-If you're up all night, try your best to stay awake the following day and go to bed at a normal hour the following evening.

[InsertHandle]

Damn the snooze button and the evil mastermind who invented it ... grrrrrr

Sleepy

Sleepy wrote:

• Don't use a computer for a couple of hours before going to bed

I have got to start taking my own advice...

NotMe

Don't use a computer when you're in bed. :rolleyes:

Dizzyblabla

I'll agree with all the people who said excercise!! normally my head hits the pillow and I'm asleep, but for a few weeks last year, I had the same problem, lying in bed wondering why on earth I couldn't sleep, so I started walking to work, problem solved!

Right now I'm on shift, so I do days and nights, and yet I can adjust quite easily, I've now been up since 12 yesterday, but will sleep til maybe 5 this evening (when I get home), then when I'm finished my nights and I'm about to go back to days, I'll go out, have one or two drinks (they don't have to be alcoholic) maybe even go dancing, and go to sleep when I get home at 2.30/3am, back to normal again, up for say 8am first, and then for 5.30am just in time to go to days! it's quite easy once you get into it...

Next time you decide to stay up all night and the next day too, try getting to bed at a more resonable hour, say even 9 or 10pm, then make yourself get up early, not even too early, but say 9 or 10am, that way you've gotten a decent nights sleep, and you should be able to go to bed at 12 or 1 that night... works for me anyway!

Also make sure your bed is comfy and you have nice pillows!

Skank

Personally i like being awake all nite its nice theres no one buging you or distracting you i just study and work away and have good muisc on.

personally i think its fine and some people i no think im a bit wierd but then other people who are really creative are the same they find worken at nite esser .

but if i do have shift my time table i just stay awake for 24 hours or try bust my patteren till i sleep till about 7.30 pm and then stay awake for 28 hours . and i sleep
six hours that next night.

just exercise more go for a walk every day and you will sleep .

billy the squid

although medical intervention might seem abhorent to you i would suggest you see your doctor and ask for professional advice. lack of sleep will eventually affect your imune system so i would not take this issue too lightly

go see your general practitioner

declan_lgs

Kernel wrote:

Sorry Gordon, I read it in a newspaper which is, in all probability, in a recycling centre now.

It's in that article aliveandkicking posted.

http://www.mattresses-uk.co.uk/science.asp wrote:

The critical function of sleep is dramatically illustrated in experiments in which rats chronically deprived of sleep eventually die (usually within 2.5 weeks).

Oryx

Going to upset the apple cart a little here re: the exercise. Couple of years ago, I got seriously into the gym, five nights a week, 3-4 hours a night, (yeah I know, no social life) it gave me really bad insomnia, at one stage I didnt sleep at all apart from catnaps for 3 weeks. It took about 18months to say I was fully back to normal. (I was stressed too, but Im stressed since and sleep like a baby ) So basically dont overdo it

What worked for me was not trying to sleep, but staying in bed anyway and relaxing. Dont get up and watch tv or drink cups of tea. Read a book, but make sure its pretty boring. I also used lavender oil, just a small amount on a tissue under your pillow helps, and taking valerian and hops. They dont have a strong effect, theyre just a bit relaxing. And like the others said, get up when your supposed to, its the only way to begin getting your body clock back into kilter. It will take a while, so be patient. Ive heard that even the change for daylight saving takes our bodies two weeks to get used to.

larryone

I used to suffer from insomnia.

The exercise thing is very important... I now cycle everywhere I go.

Also, a habit I got into for helping my sleep patterns:
Drink a glass of warm milk before hitting the sack.
Bring stuff for breakfast with you, and leave it beside your bed.

The second one I found particularly useful. I now bring a sandwich, a kettle, a mug and a teabag to my bedroom every night.
I now wake up when the alarm goes, I switch off the alarm clock and switch on the kettle, and snooze for the couple of minutes it takes to boil, then pour my tea and eat my sandwich.
Because I have something to do immediately after waking up, I've knocked out the problem of oversleeping, which has helped enormously.

Give it a go, it might just work =0)

LegacyUser

I feel your pain on this one... used to sleep really badly for a good few months last year. A mate of mine told me a good relaxation technique you could try out. (It certainly helped me relax anyhoo)

>Get into bed, (at a reasonable hour... before midnight) and make yourself as comfy as possible. Complete darkness... no tv, music etc...

> Lie on your back. Take a deep breath in, hold it and stretch out your entire body, like the best stretch you've had. Hold it for 5 seconds, the breathe out and release the muscles in your body.

> Repeat this 4 or five times and see if your body feel more relaxed.

As someone said earlier, its much harder to sleep if your body isn't relaxed, and you obviously have exams coming up from what you said in your post (college or school?), so your anxiety levels are probably high up already...(which is why a good dose of fresh air, or a gentle walk/malty drink before bedtime always does the trick too).

It worked for me, so maybe it will for you. Also, whats your diet like? it might have something to do with it... if you're not doing so already, try drinking water during the day, and one or 2 pieces of fruit... It'll help with any mental fatigue too, which can only be a good thing with any sort of exams coming up, right?

Always try and get to bed at a reasonable hour, and get up earlier than you have been.... I always found sleeping in late more than once a week threw my body clock waaaay off!!! So now I try to be up outa the bed/house and off on my bike before midday.... It'll be easier once the summer comes in too...

HTH..

LegacyUser

I find 'knocking one out' helps me sleep like a baby afterwards.

neuro-praxis

I should really practise what I preach here, but as a lifetime poor sleeper, this is what works for me when I actually do it.

1) Exercise during the day and a warm drink (Horlicks is great) before bed
2) Making sure the bed is made with clean sheets, and my bedroom is clean, uncluttered and softly lit when I get into bed
3) Keeping a window open a crack, no matter what the weather
4) A bath/shower before bed (which also saves time in the morning)
5) Allowing some time before sleep to actually unwind and get lay the day's stresses aside...you can do this through meditative breathing, or praying, or reading.

Good luck. Being a slave to sleep sucks big monkey ass.

smileygal

Check out your curtain/blinds - make sure thick/dark enough to block out all light. you can get blackout lining to add to existing curtains.
I found curtains always poor in rented accommodation. A bare Velux is the worst poss...and make sure no gap in middle of curtains - a bit of light can leave me awake for hours.

Also pillows- try one less, one more, a new one if yours is ancient. I went back to a feather one for softness

Then mattress - this could be causing it all.New ones can be expensive but are worth it. If yours is older tah anyone can remember, throw it out!