Wondering how many of you have sleep problems

[HawkEye244]

Many here are of the older variety so I'd expect them to have this nailed by now. I feel that I don't. It takes me ages to get off to sleep and when I wake I rarely feel refreshed. Often I'll wake at 2-3 am or 4am and won't be able to get back to sleep. BY 12pm mid-day I'm ruined, a complete zombie, and catching up with lost hours at the weekend often makes me feel worse.

My diet is ok, I don't think tea or coffee, or junk food, so caffeine not a problem. I do have a tendancy to overthink though, my mind races at night, and I worry about upcoming things. Definitely not good at coping with stress. I would say most of the time I am over-tired and have not had enough sleep. I look at some of my past posts on here and can see where perhaps I was over-tired and stressed and it's reflected in my posts. I have skin problems as well that are definitely related to my stress levels because I've seen how they get worse.

Just wondering if anyone shares this problem and what I can do to get on top of it? I was thinking about attending a sleep clinic to see how I'm doing and whether there's something underlying that needs addressing. Also seeing a endocrinologist and a few hormones are out of wack so I'm waiting to hear back on a few things.

Thanks

 

[Ian H]

I'm the same but no stress.

Mind always racing, hard to get to sleep and never feel fresh in the morning. After being up a few minutes I feel fresher and by lunch I'm back to normal.

 

[noseall]

I read myself to sleep. Works too. I get between 5 and 7 hours sleep per night.

 

[Ihavenojob]

https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/does-blue-light-ruin-sleep-we-ask-an-expert/
May be an issue

 

[Brigadier]

I tend to drop off very quickly, sometimes have broken sleep, and probably get around 7 hours of half-decent sleep, on average.

Eat well, drink regularly, drink a lot of tea throughout the day, hard exercise (swimming) twice a week.

Yes, I too can suffer from racing mind, but consciously settle it down.


I always thought I had next-to-sod-all sleep for years, until I had kids: when you keep getting roused from complete zonk out, you have to admit that you actually were deep in sleep, a lot more than you thought you were!

 

[blightymam]

Sounds like it's all stress related. If you can find a method of getting on top of that then you'll probably find everything else falls into place.

I know therapy gets a lot of stick, but I recommend cognitive therapy. It's less about talking what's wrong, and more about changing the way you deal with things that are wrong, recognising downward or circular patterns of negative thoughts and stopping that circle. It's very useful method of learning to cope with the daily rubbish that is life.

Other methods is vigorous exercise every day, just for half an hour would help. No surfing or watching TV before bed because of the light. Try a warm bath and a book, a bit of 'me time' to unwind - oh and always go to bed & get up at the same time to set your body clock, even at weekends. Also could try st john's wort, a lot of people find it good for anxiety and sleep problems. It can interact with other medications tho so would need to check if you're on any.

Good luck, it's grim being shattered and fed up all the time and being so tired will make dealing with stress so much harder too - and around and around you go..!

 

[DaveHerns]

Get yourself checked out for sleep apnoea. I was waking every 90 mins and needing a wee , and now I can go 5 to 6 hours . Still permanently tired and I suspect stress is an issue.

 

[pete50]

I'm the same. takes me ages to drop off and then I awake 3 or 4 times during the night either because my bladder is full or I just wake for no apparent reason. I overthink stuff and have suffered from panic attacks in the past. I don't think that I am, particularly, stressed but if I sit down and think about stuff then a lot of, potentially, stressfull things come to light. It's all very well to say that this and that treatment will help and it does. The problem is getting that treatment and, more importantly, actually getting people to understand how bad it is for you. Even doctors do not really understand how extremely ill and bad you feel inside whilst there are no apparent symptoms outside.

 

[bernardgreen]

Other methods is vigorous exercise every day, just for half an hour would help

it sure does...

Physical an hour or so before bed and/or mental exercise with results during the day to tire the brain. Completing a crossword or difficult puzzle is good, leaving it un-finished will leave the brain trying to solve it while you are trying to sleep.

A word of caution on St John's Wort, it can in some people aggrevate stress and other emotional problems. Been there and seen the damage it did to a friend.

 

[Ian H]

a bit of 'me time' to unwind -

I find that good for easing hangovers too

 

[blightymam]

I shall take your word for it - I don't drink (anymore)!

Where's that halo?

 

[Aquaheat]

Many here are of the older variety so I'd expect them to have this nailed by now. I feel that I don't. It takes me ages to get off to sleep and when I wake I rarely feel refreshed. Often I'll wake at 2-3 am or 4am and won't be able to get back to sleep. BY 12pm mid-day I'm ruined, a complete zombie, and catching up with lost hours at the weekend often makes me feel worse.

My diet is ok, I don't think tea or coffee, or junk food, so caffeine not a problem. I do have a tendancy to overthink though, my mind races at night, and I worry about upcoming things. Definitely not good at coping with stress. I would say most of the time I am over-tired and have not had enough sleep. I look at some of my past posts on here and can see where perhaps I was over-tired and stressed and it's reflected in my posts. I have skin problems as well that are definitely related to my stress levels because I've seen how they get worse.

Just wondering if anyone shares this problem and what I can do to get on top of it? I was thinking about attending a sleep clinic to see how I'm doing and whether there's something underlying that needs addressing. Also seeing a endocrinologist and a few hormones are out of wack so I'm waiting to hear back on a few things.

Thanks

I have a similar issue and it sounds like you can't actually shut down as when you are meant to be relaxed you then naturally have more time to think which then keeps you awake! It's a vicious circle.

I've overcome this by popping some headphones in and listening to something. Depends on what works for you but I drift between Radio 4 (I'm only 37!), Karl Pilkington podcasts on YouTube (the Manchester drone and his somewhat miserable demeanour which is similar to mine seems to do it) Stephen Fry reading audio books or just simply white noise (could be rainfall, thunder, sea/wave noises)

All are useful as it focuses your mind somewhere else to start with and then you actually don't think about stuff as your mind is occupied by something else. It's a sub conscious thing and you won't even notice it which is the whole point really.

Jon

 

[festive]

OK not that i have difficulty sleeping but in the past when ive been training hard ive taken these...

https://uk.bodybuilding.com/store/opt/zma.html;jsessionid=76A8B52BA2F2EC111091689A47F8D72D

And believe me ive slept like a bastard.. it feels like a really deep sleep, sometimes i have woken groggy for a bit though not sure if thats because ive crept into my next deep sleep phase due to the difference in sleep phasing this may cause.

Anyway just something to try or research more, they really work for me. 2 before bed and a glass of water i am 47 btw.

 

[noseall]

I always thought I had next-to-sod-all sleep for years, until I had kids

We didn't get a proper nights sleep for the first three years with our second child. You do start to crack up a wee bit when it is every single night.

 

[noseall]

I got stung on the eyebrow last month by a bee and took Piriton anti-histamine (evening only) and boy does that stuff knock you out! You still feel groggy in the morning. Glad to come off that stuff!