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← Return to To sleep, perchance to dream
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Good morning, 1995victoria (@1995victoria)
I'm sure you've tried the basics of sleep hygiene, like having a regular bedtime, avoiding screens (TVs, phones, computers) before bed, and maintaining a cool bedroom temperature, etc.
One other thing that I learned through trial and error that helps me get a relaxing night's sleep is having no (what I call) "overhangs" from the previous day. By "overhangs," I mean unfinished business, and the unfinished business that most often interferes with my getting a good night's sleep is those "uncomfortable" (difficult) phone calls that I skipped making. Of course, if I'm going to rid myself of these sorts of overhangs, I have to remember to take cate of them earlier in the day. If I find myself tossing and turning because of overhangs at 2 am or 3 am, it's a little late to get rid of them then. I'll have to do a better job of ridding myself of all those pesky overhangs the next day. 🙂
Good luck to you in finding a good night's sleep!
Ray (@ray666)
Replies to "Good morning, 1995victoria (@1995victoria) I'm sure you've tried the basics of sleep hygiene, like having a..."
@ray666 I love your term "overhangs". Also, unresolved problems should not be brought
up right before bedtime. My husband will sometimes do that . I tell him to wait until the morning. Take care.
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@ray666 Good advice above.
Usually we awaken due to cues. They can be thermal, they can be from increased serum cortisol AND glucose, endocrine irregularities, and due to intractable problems or ones we've been putting off. Those problems can be relational, financial, maintenance (house, yourself, a vehicle needing fixing or attention, health concern and visit to specialist...)
The bedroom can have too much ambient light (this is a big one). It might be a noisy environment if urban, even if in the 'burbs. Industrial noises, noises caused by blood movement, particularly in the neck, noises from gut processes and bowel gas, and even the sensations of peristalsis and gas movement and buildup in one spot can arouse us. Slow bowels that cause discomfort. Eating too late, say after 2000 hrs (those going to bed shortly after 2200 should have eaten about three hours earlier.....minimum!). Snacking late, say after 2100 hrs. Or, how 'bout going to bed hungry with those nasty sensations? [I know, you can't win!]
How much exercise do you get? Do you move throughout the day, lift stuff, grunt a bit now and then due to a heavy lift? Is your physical self getting enough stimulation? If limitations preclude all that, there isn't much you can do, but it still might be a factor in how poorly you sleep.
Lastly sleep aids: use them, but sparingly. Tough it out for two/three nights and then resort to an aid that has at least a 50% chance of helping you when you do take it. If you use something every night, your body and brain will adapt to them and neutralize them in time....sometimes inside of three or four nights running.
I have begun to use the 'OLLY' brand of gummies with 2.5 mg of melatonin and50 mg of L-Theanine. They also contain passion flower and chamomile and lemon balm, about 8 mg each. For me, they work somewhat better than simple melatonin. But I only use one a week, and then have one other gummy with nothing but melatonin. Twice a week should tell you that I'm going three days between.....anything.