Meditation prior to sleep

Posted by pollingtest1 @pollingtest1, Aug 28, 2017

Has anyone ever tried meditating prior to sleep? Is it difficult to incorporate into your schedule?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Sleep Health Support Group.

@maureercria

I have had two tests for sleep apnea and was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea, about six incident a night. The masks seemed to make me wake up more frequently so I passed on them as the mask would slide over and block my breathing. I also have hiatal hernia, acid reflux, IBS with constipation, urinary urgency, and hemerrhoid. I never know which thing is waking me up. I sleep with elevated pillows which bothers my IBS. I recently had surgery on my nose - 90% blocked left septum, my enlarged turinate, and plastic surgery on my collapsing nostril walls. I hoped this would help my sleep apnea but the nose is still healing and I mostly breathe through my mouth. It is hard to sleep on my sides for the sleep apnea and to sleep raised up for my acid reflux when laying down flatter would help my IBS or else the IBS pressure keeps me awake. Since I retired at the end of 2016, I thought the relief from job stress would help, but the IBS and sleep apnea have gotten worse. Any thoughts?

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I have used the wedges under my pillows. I also have Barretts syndrome with pre-dysplasia. I have tried the blocks under the head of the bed. I kept sliding down the mattress. These were blocks made for that purpose of Barrett's Syndrome. I make bathroom trips at least once an hour and ususally totally get about 5 to 6 hours of sleep at a time, sometimes less. I found that I did lessen abdominal pain or spasms by eliminating the Tylenol PM because I was only sleeping about 4 hours altogether at that time. It was nice lessen that. I am now trying out a urinary urgency blocker and full strength of IBS with Constipation pills. They say I have to keep taking them for several months to see if they help.

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@jimhd

Tonight, I'm afraid to go to sleep. I've been waking up with a panic attack, feeling smothered, like death is imminent. Peripheral neuropathy pain in my feet keeps waking me up. I have a BIPAP, using nasal pillows, which I am liking after more than 15 years with a full face mask, but I wake up with my mouth so dry I can't swallow. I usually get back to sleep after an hour or so, out of sheer exhaustion. I think I might be getting the flu or something, with aching, diarrhea and no energy. Or it could be depression. I have a therapy appointment today. Well, back to the bathroom, and maybe then another stretch of sleep.

Jim

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I'm with all of you. 22 years of sleep disorder and still need medication. Now need the Bi-Papmachine also that I am so grateful I was told I was snoring and did not know it. Tests showed I needed it and have it now. Supportive to you to try different options.

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@jimhd

Tonight, I'm afraid to go to sleep. I've been waking up with a panic attack, feeling smothered, like death is imminent. Peripheral neuropathy pain in my feet keeps waking me up. I have a BIPAP, using nasal pillows, which I am liking after more than 15 years with a full face mask, but I wake up with my mouth so dry I can't swallow. I usually get back to sleep after an hour or so, out of sheer exhaustion. I think I might be getting the flu or something, with aching, diarrhea and no energy. Or it could be depression. I have a therapy appointment today. Well, back to the bathroom, and maybe then another stretch of sleep.

Jim

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Makes me feel sad that you can you can't do your water exercises. That's what i've heard the circle of sleep deprivation is all about.
No sleep, do not eat well, drink too much caffein to stay awake that makes one not sleep, exercise to help you sleep is not done so we are more stressed, Stress adds to not sleeping, and pain so one can't sleep...got to get it solved. Started a sleep program at Mayo that was very helpful, no TV, computer, in bedroom, not even pets in bed. Sleep journal and charted when sleep was available in those circumstances. Works for most people. And, here I am on the bright lights of a computer so I am not following the program today.
But feels good to communicate with you. Feels good and it's so good to feel emotionally good when we go to sleep, thanks, Kristina

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@maureercria

I have had two tests for sleep apnea and was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea, about six incident a night. The masks seemed to make me wake up more frequently so I passed on them as the mask would slide over and block my breathing. I also have hiatal hernia, acid reflux, IBS with constipation, urinary urgency, and hemerrhoid. I never know which thing is waking me up. I sleep with elevated pillows which bothers my IBS. I recently had surgery on my nose - 90% blocked left septum, my enlarged turinate, and plastic surgery on my collapsing nostril walls. I hoped this would help my sleep apnea but the nose is still healing and I mostly breathe through my mouth. It is hard to sleep on my sides for the sleep apnea and to sleep raised up for my acid reflux when laying down flatter would help my IBS or else the IBS pressure keeps me awake. Since I retired at the end of 2016, I thought the relief from job stress would help, but the IBS and sleep apnea have gotten worse. Any thoughts?

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@maureercria - Myrbetric has helped me a lot. No more extreme urgency, and fewer nighttime bathroom runs. I never expected sleep to present such challenges. I can see how the blocks would make you slide down. I wonder if there's a solution for that.

Jim

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@jimhd

Tonight, I'm afraid to go to sleep. I've been waking up with a panic attack, feeling smothered, like death is imminent. Peripheral neuropathy pain in my feet keeps waking me up. I have a BIPAP, using nasal pillows, which I am liking after more than 15 years with a full face mask, but I wake up with my mouth so dry I can't swallow. I usually get back to sleep after an hour or so, out of sheer exhaustion. I think I might be getting the flu or something, with aching, diarrhea and no energy. Or it could be depression. I have a therapy appointment today. Well, back to the bathroom, and maybe then another stretch of sleep.

Jim

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@101082101082 - Kristina, after discovering I have sleep apnea, my mother told me that when we were traveling, and I was sleeping, she would wonder when I was going to start breathing again. I wish I'd known that decades earlier. But then, I don't know how much information was available for apnea 50 years ago. I'm happy to have made the change from CPAP to BIPAP, and from full face mask to nasal pillows. They're more comfortable and less bulky and leaky. And quieter, which makes my wife happy.

Jim

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@maureercria

I have had two tests for sleep apnea and was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea, about six incident a night. The masks seemed to make me wake up more frequently so I passed on them as the mask would slide over and block my breathing. I also have hiatal hernia, acid reflux, IBS with constipation, urinary urgency, and hemerrhoid. I never know which thing is waking me up. I sleep with elevated pillows which bothers my IBS. I recently had surgery on my nose - 90% blocked left septum, my enlarged turinate, and plastic surgery on my collapsing nostril walls. I hoped this would help my sleep apnea but the nose is still healing and I mostly breathe through my mouth. It is hard to sleep on my sides for the sleep apnea and to sleep raised up for my acid reflux when laying down flatter would help my IBS or else the IBS pressure keeps me awake. Since I retired at the end of 2016, I thought the relief from job stress would help, but the IBS and sleep apnea have gotten worse. Any thoughts?

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Grateful for your suggestion.  Will take information to my MD.   Jim, this web site is just amazing!
It's just joyful!  

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@jimhd

Tonight, I'm afraid to go to sleep. I've been waking up with a panic attack, feeling smothered, like death is imminent. Peripheral neuropathy pain in my feet keeps waking me up. I have a BIPAP, using nasal pillows, which I am liking after more than 15 years with a full face mask, but I wake up with my mouth so dry I can't swallow. I usually get back to sleep after an hour or so, out of sheer exhaustion. I think I might be getting the flu or something, with aching, diarrhea and no energy. Or it could be depression. I have a therapy appointment today. Well, back to the bathroom, and maybe then another stretch of sleep.

Jim

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Jim, same with me. Someone has to give us the information that we are snoring so we can do something about this.  The lavender head band and pillows are so easy and noise does not bother anyone.

People do not realize the serious results on one's cardiovascular system with snoring.

How can we help with that?

Appreciate you.  Kristina

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@jimhd

Tonight, I'm afraid to go to sleep. I've been waking up with a panic attack, feeling smothered, like death is imminent. Peripheral neuropathy pain in my feet keeps waking me up. I have a BIPAP, using nasal pillows, which I am liking after more than 15 years with a full face mask, but I wake up with my mouth so dry I can't swallow. I usually get back to sleep after an hour or so, out of sheer exhaustion. I think I might be getting the flu or something, with aching, diarrhea and no energy. Or it could be depression. I have a therapy appointment today. Well, back to the bathroom, and maybe then another stretch of sleep.

Jim

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@101082101082 Thanks for the kindred feelings on sleep. It’s always some comfort to know that our problems are shared by others.
When it comes to not using the computer I think i’m an anomaly. I sit up in bed with my iPad and it literally puts mr to sleep!
JK

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@maureercria

I have had two tests for sleep apnea and was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea, about six incident a night. The masks seemed to make me wake up more frequently so I passed on them as the mask would slide over and block my breathing. I also have hiatal hernia, acid reflux, IBS with constipation, urinary urgency, and hemerrhoid. I never know which thing is waking me up. I sleep with elevated pillows which bothers my IBS. I recently had surgery on my nose - 90% blocked left septum, my enlarged turinate, and plastic surgery on my collapsing nostril walls. I hoped this would help my sleep apnea but the nose is still healing and I mostly breathe through my mouth. It is hard to sleep on my sides for the sleep apnea and to sleep raised up for my acid reflux when laying down flatter would help my IBS or else the IBS pressure keeps me awake. Since I retired at the end of 2016, I thought the relief from job stress would help, but the IBS and sleep apnea have gotten worse. Any thoughts?

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@jimhd. Myrbetric was prescribed for me once but I didn’t end up using it. It was when my health problems were not yet diagnosed and I didn’t want to add anything else to the mix. I think I will ask my transplant team if it’s ok for me. At the time I was considering it I heard that it was quite expensive. Is it, and if so does your insurance cover it?
JK

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@jimhd

Tonight, I'm afraid to go to sleep. I've been waking up with a panic attack, feeling smothered, like death is imminent. Peripheral neuropathy pain in my feet keeps waking me up. I have a BIPAP, using nasal pillows, which I am liking after more than 15 years with a full face mask, but I wake up with my mouth so dry I can't swallow. I usually get back to sleep after an hour or so, out of sheer exhaustion. I think I might be getting the flu or something, with aching, diarrhea and no energy. Or it could be depression. I have a therapy appointment today. Well, back to the bathroom, and maybe then another stretch of sleep.

Jim

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Thank God I am not working anymore either but so often I would go into work on 3 hours of sleep. I sleep a little better when I exercise which I think I will do now.

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