Tips on sleeping

[christoph clark]

Need some tips on sleeping. Twice this week I got up at 2am because my mind was turning and couldn't sleep any more. Last night the same. Up at 2 watched a film, listened to some music, had a cup of tea by then the rest of the family was awake.. :shock:

 

[Steve Maskery]

Christof
It's years since I slept properly, I'm often awake a t 3 or 4 and still awake when SWMBO's alram goes off at 6. I then get back to sleep and lose half the morning, or get up with her and feel knackered for the rest of the day.

I find drinking alcohol makes things worse (bummer).

But last Monday I had the best night's sleep I've had for YEARS. I couldn't believe how good I felt when I woke up. Why? I went dancing! I'd spent 3 hours on a ballroom floor learning Ceroc. It was great fun, good exercise and I slept like a log.

I reckon I'll be down to 10 stone by Christmas, too...

Cheers
Steve

 

[MikeG.]

I'm never sure whether it is the mind turning over and over that prevents you sleeping, or whether you wake up for some other reason, start thinking, then can't get back to sleep.

First tip........be tired when you go to bed. Sounds obvious really.........but I seldom wake up if I am truly physically tired when I go to bed. A game of squash in the evening and you'll sleep like a baby!

Second tip.......if you do wake up, design something in your mind. Puzzle every little detail out, make it in a number of different ways. Really get into it and do it thoroughly. You'll be amazed how positive this can be. I have resolved so many design issues in this way, buildings, furniture, and various inventions. It really prevents you lying there thinking all the negative stuff that will keep you awake for ever.

If your brain is doing something positive such as designing something, the time flies by, and I will always get back to sleep much quicker than if I lie there worrying.

I'll look out for your posting times on UKW...........if there are any at 2.00am, then you have ignored my advice!!!

Mike

 

[Gill]

Another vote for physical activity. I always sleep much better after a dance class.

Another idea is to establish a sleep routine. I like to fall asleep listening to the radio but it disturbs my husband. So instead, I download podcasts to my MP3 player and fall asleep listening to that instead. I find that just putting the ear pieces in my ears now makes me feel drowsy. If I still don't drop off, at least I can listen to something I find interesting.

There are certain things that are guaranteed to make me wakeful so I try to avoid them. Alcohol is one and computing is another; so is television. I try to read a book last thing before I go bed instead of watching TV.

Gill

 

[Woodmagnet]

Look at the times of my postings and you'll see
i'm a terrible sleeper, it's been going on for a couple
of years now and it's a pain in the backside.
I can sleep right through if i have a drink, only trouble
is i've gone off drinking for some reason. :shock:

 

[harold]

Need some tips on sleeping. Twice this week I got up at 2am because my mind was turning and couldn't sleep any more. Last night the same. Up at 2 watched a film, listened to some music, had a cup of tea by then the rest of the family was awake.. :shock:

Hi Christoph. Sleep difficulty is a real pain and very frustrating. As a first step I'd very much recommend two things. The first is avoiding anything to drink within a couple of hours of bedtime: tea,coffee chocolate (and Cola etc) all contain theophyllines, which are primitive diuretics, so they'll disturb sleep by waking you with a full bladder. They're also alerting substances (everybody knows that strong black coffee is, but the others are too) so, even if you get to sleep your EEG patterns will be up the creek. Secondly, make sure that you're not taking hassle to bed. If you've got unresolved problems needing sorting while you're trying to get to sleep, it's not going to happen. One method is to allow some wind-down time in the evening. Some people find that making a list helps. They can then leave the hassle on a bit of paper downstairs. It sounds very new-age arty-farty but for many it works. I was going to go on about sleep hygiene but then found this website which does it very nicely: http://www.umm.edu/sleep/sleep_hyg.htm

Beware of the unremmiting drivel content of health-related stuff on the web, though.

HTH

H

 

[mailee]

I find that working 16 hours per day helps. I sit down after coming up from the shop and have a shower and something to eat. Then it is on the computer to you guys for a while and then settle down with a drink and watch some TV until I fall asleep on the couch or feel tired enough to go to bed to a sound sleep until 4am the following morning. Sleep problems, not me. :lol:

 

[Losos]

Harold, what a good summary, I was going to mention tea also and I've given up on hot chocolate etc late at night.

I agree that if you're really physically tired you'll sleep well but for me now that is not so easy to achieve.

Reading a book or mag. in bed generally gets me to sleep. As you say if I'm worrying about something then it's definately much harder.

But the thing that gets me up at any hour between midnight and 6am is the big wet kiss from my dog :lol: :roll: usually because she's too hot and wants to go outside to cool down or because she suspects there's something lurking in the forrest and she needs to go bark at it :!: She can be very insistent, if I don't respond she'll get her head under the duvet and start on my neck, back,...........wel any part of me she can :roll: :lol:

 

[tnimble]

And if everyting fails, give up sleeping altogether. Apparently being awake for days at a time before going to sleep doesnt make you tired, physically weak or having a lack of concentration, but has the opposite effect. According to the people who practice this, most people can do this with the proper training and meditation.

Might give that a try one day. Until then its being busy all day upto about 12pm - 2am and sleep to about 5 to 6am. If I go to bed earlier I toss and turn all night long, if I stay longer in after waking up (I never have to set any alarm clock as a side effect) I have the baddest day possible, from general tiredness, splitting headaches, lacking apitide, to not being able to hold in any food. :shock:

 

[Hitch]

Might give that a try one day. Until then its being busy all day upto about 12pm - 2am and sleep to about 5 to 6am. If I go to bed earlier I toss and turn all night long, if I stay longer in after waking up (I never have to set any alarm clock as a side effect) I have the baddest day possible, from general tiredness, splitting headaches, lacking apitide, to not being able to hold in any food. :shock:

Im glad its not just me that has that problem! Somehow managed an 11 till 8am last night, got up and have been feeling crap all day.

I dont suffer from sleeping problems often, but when i do its normally beceause theres something going over and over in my head, will it fit... what if....how will i...
I normally enjoy a couple of pints of an evening, that and a hard days work sees me through the night normally. But if i find myself having problems, i do get up for a while, keeping minimal lighting on. An hour or so and im ready for bed again. Then if i still cant switch off, counting works, but try it backwards, seems to take more concentration counting down from 1000. Last time i did it (last week) i got around the nine hund....zzz....zz....zzzz....

 

[Tusses]

I have a bad back and haven't slept well for about 15 yrs

however - I had a MRI scan a few weeks ago and they found they had miss diagnosed.

They though AS ( sort of arthritis ) and were treating for inflammation. it helped a bit - but I still woke up more tired than I went to bed !

anyway - the scan showed disk damage as opposed the inflammation, so they changed my tablets - experimental as pain control , but added benefit of sleep control too.

its dead weired - its like waking up 15 yrs ago ! I get a full night sleep - or if I wake up , I'm right back off to sleep again. In the morning I get up, and within 15 mins I'm awake and ready for the day !

but apart from all that - worrying is no good for sleep ! so if you are worrying about something ... DONT ! .... then you will sleep better

Rich

 

[RogerS]

Much of what's already been said.

Keep a room just for sleeping. Nothing else. No reading, no MP£ players and definitely no TV. Keep a pad and pencil by the side of the bed and so if you do wake up with something or other churning round in your mind then make a note of it. With a little bit of luck that will quieten your brain.

If you're not sleepy then don't fight it. Get up. leave the room. Do something else.

Establish a sleep routine.

 

[Woodmagnet]

Talk about opening your mouth, i slept for a solid
8 hours last night :?

 

[woodbloke]

I'd sleep better if SWIMBO didn't snore... - Rob

 

[Grinding One]

Try the cheap sleep noise machine,waves crashing on shore,or raining ...you`ll either get up to pee or fall dead to sleep.

 

[filsgreen]

Human performance manual for flying states that for every hour you sleep your good for two hours of being alert when awake. I awake every morning between three and four am, just after my four hours deep sleep. Sometimes I fall asleep again but lately I've been awake for over an hour with crap flying round my head

Phil

 

[Steve Maskery]

Only an hour. I wish!
S

 

[RogerS]

......Sometimes I fall asleep again but lately I've been awake for over an hour with crap flying round my head

Phil

Note to self. Must stop sleeping in the loo.

Sorry ..couldn't resist it

 

[filsgreen]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Rich]

I find that eating late, say 2100hrs and 2/3 tinnies makes me drop off straight away and sleep soundly, last night I slept like a log, woke up in the fireplace, DOH. :lol:

Rich.