Health Issues The Art and the Science of Sleep

[Amy SF]

Judging by what I've read from forum members over the years, and from what I've posted myself, a lot of people have problems with sleep. As in, not getting enough of it.

This thread will be the place to discuss sleep: What we do to attempt sleep. Why we can't get enough sleep, why attempts to sleep fail. What scientists are doing and discovering when it comes to sleep. And why not getting enough sleep is Bad For Us.

How many of us have sleeping pills in our medicine cabinets? I do. They're over the counter pills from Rite-Aid. They don't really work too well for me, although they contain Benadryl. My sleep patterns are all over the map these days. Sometimes I get three hours of sleep, sometimes I get 7 or 8. It depends on the environment and circumstances, and whether I'm feeling ill or not.

I've learned that in past centuries (before industrialization), sleep patterns were different from the modern age. People would go to bed at dusk, and sleep around 4 hours. Then they'd get up, have a meal, do stuff, sit around and talk, go visit neighbors, then get back in bed and sleep another four hours or so. Then they'd get up at dawn and go about their daily business. I notice that when I take naps, I tend to sleep anywhere from 2 to 4 hours, so maybe we humans are hardwired only to sleep in short bursts, and not one long continuous sleep, such as 7 or 8 hours. It's only when I'm very tired that I sleep 7 or 8 hours.

 

[Renee1]

Awesome thread!

Me, I have struggled with severe insomnia for the past 8 years. It's a part of post traumatic stress disorder. There are few things that grind my gears more than unhelpful people who find out about my insomnia and tell me I should 'get some sleep' because 'your body needs it'. Yeah. Thanks. I'll get right on it.

I can only sleep when things are exactly the way I need them to be - quiet, but not too quiet, cold room. Dark, but not too dark. On my stomach, knee out, no one touching me. Blanket covering up to my neck, but sometimes my knee has to poke out. Need my own (ten year old) pillow. Except even if this all happens, I often cant' sleep anyways. I can't have caffeine, sugar or alcohol any time even close to bed time because that is a guaranteed way to keep me up. Also water and herbal teas will keep me up because I'll have to pee too much.

I go through phases. If I manage to catch a good night's sleep; I can usually keep that up for several weeks, but as soon as I have a bad one, I'm done for months. I take melatonin in spurts because even if I don't sleep with it, I get up in the morning and feel less rough. I was on allergy meds that knocked me out for a few months, but they made me gain too much weight, so I've stopped. No matter what phase I'm in I always go to bed (at the same time) and get out of bed (at the same time) because I foolishly hope one day the schedule will help. Sleeping pills leave me rougher in the morning than not sleeping, so I avoid them as often as I can. Even when my anxiety is low (as it is lately) it doesn't help my sleeping. Just the cards I've been dealt.

 

[Amy SF]

Renee. I'm sorry you've been having a rough time with sleep.

 

[CrowCaw]

That sounds awful, Renee Just terrible to read.

 

[RabbitLuvr]

I'm pretty much the same as Renee.


I've been fighting insomnia for at least ten years. I also go through periods when I'll be sleeping just fine, then periods when I sleep very little even when everything is perfect.

The newest things I do to "help" me sleep are replacing lightweight curtains in my bedroom with heavy cellular shades to reduce noise and light from outside, and wearing a sleep mask that I periodically dab with lavender essential oil.

I use my phone as a noise machine, and every so often I have to switch the noises- currently I use the sound of strong wind, before that was gentle ocean waves.

I also use a sleep tracker on my phone. It doesn't do anything to actually help my sleep, but it gives me feedback on sleep patterns. (For example, when I look at the data for this year, I can see that the period of time I was most depressed matches the time I was sleeping the least.) I can keep daily notes with it, so I can see if things I do during the day correlate with poor/good sleep. Idk if I'll ever sleep properly again, but I use the tracker in hopes that someday I'll figure it all out and somehow sleep!

I think a main problem is that I sleep best from about 2am to about 10am. Unfortunately, that just doesn't fit with my work schedule.


I hate hate hate when anyone complains about being cranky or uncoordinated or "useless" or just plain tired after not sleeping well for just one night. I honestly have zero sympathy for them. I haven't slept well for ten years, one night is nothing.

 

[ledboots]

I'm going to look for a sleep tracker app, that's a great idea.

 

[RabbitLuvr]

I use one called Sleep Cycle. It is a paid app ($1 on iOS). I activate it then place the phone face down near my pillow (has to be plugged in so it doesn't run down overnight). The app uses the phone's accelerometer to measure how much/when you move. It has a "notes" section that comes up when you start it, and you can add in your own fields to check off. It has graphs for sleep quality over time, sleep notes affect on sleep quality, sleep time per week day, time went to bed, and some others.

It has an ambient noise for falling asleep, and alarm settings, too.

I'm sure there are probably others that do the same thing, this is just the one I use.

 

[Amy SF]

I hate hate hate when anyone complains about being cranky or uncoordinated or "useless" or just plain tired after not sleeping well for just one night. I honestly have zero sympathy for them. I haven't slept well for ten years, one night is nothing.

I understand your frustration and I'm sorry about your sleep problems.

But when you don't sleep well, you ARE cranky, uncoordinated and/or useless. I can understand it from their point of view: When you're generally a good sleeper, and then something happens and you don't sleep well, you're not used to the lack of sleep. Your body is thrown for a loop. It's like jet lag when you're on vacation: You're trying to "be there" but your brain and body just aren't functioning. I know for you, one sleepless night is nothing. But for the "good" sleepers, one sleepless night is pretty significant. That's why they complain. I'm sure if they know about your long time insomnia, they'd be understanding.

 

[RabbitLuvr]

I understand your frustration and I'm sorry about your sleep problems.

But when you don't sleep well, you ARE cranky, uncoordinated and/or useless. I can understand it from their point of view: When you're generally a good sleeper, and then something happens and you don't sleep well, you're not used to the lack of sleep. Your body is thrown for a loop. It's like jet lag when you're on vacation: You're trying to "be there" but your brain and body just aren't functioning. I know for you, one sleepless night is nothing. But for the "good" sleepers, one sleepless night is pretty significant. That's why they complain. I'm sure if they know about your long time insomnia, they'd be understanding.

But I've been cranky, uncoordinated, and useless for ten years and I still manage to get on with going to work, keeping up the house, social obligations, being friendly when necessary, etc.

It's like the six-year stretch of time when I had massive sinus polyps, which caused me to have a constant headache. When someone would complain that they couldn't do (whatever) because they had "a headache" (not a migraine), I just couldn't. I functioned with a headache for every waking moment for years. "A" headache, lol.


Maybe I'm a ***** for it, but I just don't feel anything nearing sympathy for someone who complains about one bad night of sleep. I know things like this are all relative to what is "normal," but maybe I'm just too cranky and useless.
I have a coworker who misses the occasional night of sleep, almost always his own doing, and will literally whine like a spoiled child about everything, all day long.

I. Just. Can't.

 

[hungryraccoon]

Insomnia, the bane of my life.

It has genuinely ruined my life. But anyway, you get on with it because what else can you do? It's not as bad as it used to be due to me learning what makes it worse/better etc.

(I also can't be dealing with people who moan about being 'tired' when they've missed a night of sleep or only had a few hours...quit your complaining! Jeez.)

 

[thefadedone]

To all those suffering from insomnia. I can't imagine living with chronic insomnia. I seem to have the opposite problem lately. I have issues staying awake. I can very easily nod off in the oddest places and at the most random times. I used to not understand people who could fall asleep in waiting rooms or other public places, but now I've become one of them! I have to fight the urge to fall asleep most of the time.

 

[Catherine1]

Yeah i'm also suffering from insomnia..

 

[Forster]

Routine, routine, routine. Go to bed at 10pm, read for an hour, fall asleep, wake up at 6:30-7:00am. If I stick to that all is well.

 

[MrsSchu2u]

I struggle from time to time, but am thankful that it isn't a chronic issue for me. I decompensate quickly with less than about 6 hours per night. My ideal is about 7 1/2. My own experience is that my sleep is worst when my my anxiety is highest. My anxiety is highest when I am most depressed. It's a cycle that can easily get out of control, so I manage it very closely.

 

[KLS52]

My sleeping pattern has been better but I don't really know why. I don't, currently, have any cats that are sleeping with me. It could be that. I also have white noise, in the form of water sounds, playing softly all night long. That seems too simple to be the solution. Whatever it is, I am grateful. I only have 1-2 nights a week where I don't get enough sleep to feel refreshed. I seem to be able to handle that.

 

[Amy SF]

Soooo...how's everyone sleeping these days?

 

[KLS52]

Apparently I was correct. Having some sleep issues again and I have the kittens with me most nights. I also seem to not sleep as well this time of year. I think it has to do with the upcoming holidays and my loving this time of year...makes me very hyper.

 

[RabbitLuvr]

At night I feel like I'm sleeping, but I'm super super tired constantly. My sleep tracker is reporting under 50% sleep efficiency this week. So whatever I'm doing, it's not sleeping very well.

 

[KLS52]

Been lying here since 2:15 am...it's now 4:04. And I have plans to visit the grandchildren today. Tomorrow I have to attend a wake for my uncle who died Thursday morning and the funeral is Monday. I don't see much rest for me in the near future.

At least it will only be a three day work week as I have Friday off.

 

[SuicideBlonde]

I always have a bad sleep pattern. It has been since I was young. I was put on sleeping pills when I was a teen, but was a zombie most of the next day. I get maybe 3-5 hours a night normally, then once a week I pass out, for about 10 hours.