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Do you sleep through the night?

Discussion in 'General Discussions' started by genuinemommy, Apr 13, 2017.

?

Do you sleep through the night?

  1. Yes, always / often

    7 vote(s)
    36.8%
  2. No, never / seldom

    12 vote(s)
    63.2%
  1. genuinemommy

    genuinemommy Moderator Staff Member

    Let's talk sleep.

    How well do you sleep?

    How often do you wake?

    Do you battle with insomnia?

    What are your evening routines?
    What apps, products, people, etc, help you wake in the morning?

    Do you feel there's room for improvement with your sleep habits?
    Why / why not?

    Share whatever you want about sleep, that was just a writing prompt to get folks thinking.

    --__--

    A friend really struggled with getting her daughter to sleep through the night. She realized it wasn't really improving no matter what she tried. She didn't care, she was functioning fine with disrupted sleep. Eventually her daughter grew out of it. But a bunch of people seemed to ask her along the way about her daughter's sleep habits, unsolicited questions likely due to her apparent exhaustion.

    If someone asked her, "Does your daughter sleep through the night?" She would turn the question back at them and respond, "Do you?"

    It was effective at getting people to stop bothering her, but it also led to some interesting conversations that got people thinking differently about sleep.


    --__--

    I used to operate on very little sleep. 5-6 hours at night with an occasional nap during the afternoon. I used to only crash to sleep as I felt like falling down from exhaustion. I would sleep through until whenever my alarm went off, pop out of bed, and get back to work.

    I'm not that way anymore. Not unless I have something crazy like this draft that due in 2 weeks that's totally impossible. Then I do it. But I always pay for it the next month. The concept of a sleep deficit has finally caught up with me.

    I don't sleep through the night anymore. Children changed me. I sleep for about 3 hours at a stretch, get up, pee, check on people, and get back into bed and crash back to sleep. It doesn't seem terribly healthy, but at least it is consistent. I figure as my kids age, I might be able to sleep longer without waking, but who knows. It's not that I'm worried about them so much as I'm out of practice, forcing myself into another sleep cycle without getting out of bed is no longer something I'm used to doing.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  2. cynthetiq

    cynthetiq Administrator Staff Member Donor

    Location:
    New York City
    I finally sleep through the night. I got to bed around 11 and fall asleep relatively quickly. It's only when I'm anxious that I stay up all night.

    Tonight I'm anxious. I have an appointment at 11 AM. I want to buy this house tomorrow. I'm researching the right price. I'm trying to make sure that I buy it properly. So I'm up researching this small little village and just how many properties are moving in it. I wish I could give the family what it needs to heal. Brother passed away. Mother is executor. There is a mortgage. There are kids. They want to tidy this up quickly and move on. They need some money to walk away with. I'm trying to figure out just how to do it.
     
    • Like Like x 4
  3. Good luck and sorry for your loss.

    Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
     
  4. cynthetiq

    cynthetiq Administrator Staff Member Donor

    Location:
    New York City
    Thanks. Not my loss, but still I feel bad for the family. They need to sell the house. I need to buy it. We need to find a middle space that it makes sense for everyone to walk away with what they need.
     
    • Like Like x 2
  5. Fangirl

    Fangirl Very Tilted

    Location:
    Arizona
    I have not slept more than two hours at a time for about 20 years.

    I'm on three heart medications, some with diuretic qualities, so I get up to pee.
    I also struggle with anxiety, if there is something big coming up the next day it keeps me awake.
    I love to fall into bed at night, it is such a great feeling but the night is endless waking.

    What do I do? I have a noise cancelling machine and a humidifier (I live in the desert). I try to go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each day. If I have a really important task the next day, I may smoke some Indica weed about 2 hours before going to bed, to help induce sleepiness.

    Frankly, since the 2016 election my sleep quality has decreased markedly. I tend to mainline the news and then ruminate about it. I've also gained about 5 lbs with an increase in refined carb consumption. These are two obvious things I'm doing wrong and need to correct. On the plus side, I was medicated with Klonopin for nearly 20 years and I've gotten off of that. It was supposed to help me sleep and it may have but ceased to do so long ago. Since getting off the Klonopin, instead of getting to sleep about 4 a.m. and sleeping until 1:30 pm, I'm down around 12 midnight or so and up at 8:30 am. I may not be sleeping better but I'm happier with being more in sync with daytime hours.
     
    Last edited: Apr 14, 2017
    • Like Like x 1
  6. Borla

    Borla Moderator Staff Member

    How well do you sleep?

    Most of the time I think I get enough sleep. Maybe not ideal sleep, but enough that I'm not dragging all the time. But I don't think I sleep as "well" as I used to. Somewhere in my early 30s my quality of sleep did a nosedive.

    How often do you wake?

    On a good night I'll wake up maybe once, around 4am. Usually to pee, and on a good night I'll fall back asleep right away. Most nights I tend to wake up 2-3 times at least. And several times a week I struggle to fall back asleep.

    Do you battle with insomnia?

    Yes. Probably not as bad as many do, but I often find myself lying awake, physically tired, but my mind completely engaged. On some occasions I am anxious over a problem or the next day. But usually it is just that my mind won't stop thinking, wandering, whatever. I'll wake up at 3-4am, try to go back to sleep, and it's like my mind thinks it is 8am and I've already had two cups of coffee. Sometimes I have trouble falling asleep too, but this occurs less often.

    What are your evening routines?

    I'm sure that some of my routines contribute to my sleep issues. I spend far too much time in front of a screen (computer, tablet, phone, etc.) than I should. I often read on my tablet before bed, which I know isn't the best idea. Other times I'll play computer games for 30-90 minutes before bed, which probably keeps my mind more active than I should have it before bed.

    Maybe two years or so ago I started taking a little melatonin before bed. This has helped me fall asleep, and usually helps me fall back asleep when I wake up in the wee hours of the morning.

    What apps, products, people, etc, help you wake in the morning?

    Usually just coffee. I use an alarm to get up at whatever time I need to (usually within the same 30 min window), then have a cup or two of coffee.

    Do you feel there's room for improvement with your sleep habits?

    Absolutely.

    Why / why not?

    I should be more regimented. I should stop with the electronics late in the evening. I also carry around a 32oz insulated mug full of water all day, including in the evening. Sometimes I'll drink 64oz or more of water with/after dinner. I'm sure this doesn't help me any.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  7. rogue49

    rogue49 Tech Kung Fu Artist Staff Member

    Location:
    Baltimore/DC
    Well, that poll is a bit lop sided for me.
    Because NOW I sleep better.
    But I've worked at it.

    I'm a natural vampire...staying up late at night easy.
    But since my mid-30's I've gotten up before 7:30 without an alarm.

    So I was getting on my better nights...between 5 to 6 hours of sleep.

    But for a long time, I was waking in the middle of the night.
    And then not being able to get to sleep again...until just a couple of hours before I "had to" get up to commute to work.

    I can't go to sleep before 10, otherwise I'll wake up in the middle of the night.
    My brain has to "let go"...it just doesn't stop sometimes.
    And I was tossing and turning...a restless sleep.
    Grinding my teeth

    I was exhausted all the time...at least during most of the day...and that's not good, I use my brain for a living. (high-level tech work, with the expectations that go with it)

    Initially, I thought I may have sleep apnea, like my cuz (which I would hate, since I wouldn't be able to deal with those air masks...I would have gone for the surgery)
    I did ALL the sleep studies... (damn those wires are a pain, I'm shocked I slept at all with them)

    I slowly figured it out...

    First, I'm light sensitive...so I have to turn off ALL lights, otherwise it throws off my circadian rhythms and stimulates my mind.
    Second, I have to sleep naked...I run hot, clothing of any kind burns me up and entangles me. (plus I keep the temp down LOW)
    Third, I make sure there's nothing that stimulates me before bed and I make sure to wind down.
    Last, I've changed jobs so it's not toxic and stressful. (working at home now allows me to sleep until needed and not have to catch trains, cars, etc to get to work with schedules)

    I think this is the best sleep I've gotten in a long time.
    I still go to bed later, after 10 and only 5 to 6 on average.
    But it's a BETTER sleep. :cool:

    I always say, "I work hard to be lazy" (y'know be proactive and efficient at work)
    But here, I really worked for my rest.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  8. redravin

    redravin Cynical Optimist Donor

    Location:
    North
    Nope.
    I live in an apartment with super thin walls and wake up at least twice a night.
     
  9. Charlatan

    Charlatan sous les pavés, la plage

    Location:
    Temasek
    Unless I am suffering with jet-lag, I sleep well.

    I am in bed by 10-10:30 and asleep by 11 at the latest. I usually read for a bit (either on my iPad or from a book) and find that my eyes get heavy. So I go to sleep. I also find that doing some breathing exercises as I am trying to sleep, works wonders.

    I usually get up at 5:30am, on weekends, when I don't use an alarm, I am up no later than 7:30.
     
  10. snowy

    snowy so kawaii Staff Member

    I often have split sleep if I don't take something to keep me asleep. I'll wake up around 2 and not go back to sleep until 3. I have pretty severe allergies, so I usually take a Benadryl at night during allergy season. Then, I sleep through the night.

    I use the Android app Sleep to track my sleep. It works well for me. I've found it helpful in understanding my sleep patterns.

    I usually take a shower or bath, brush my teeth, and read for a bit before going to sleep. It helps get me in the right frame of mind for sleep.

    Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
     
  11. Japchae

    Japchae Very Tilted

    My sleep is a disaster. Always has been. Three times in the past four months, I've slept through the night. But, I'm up to a little more than 5.5 hours a night now, on average. I typically wake up around 2 - 4 am and it's a crap shoot if I'll go back to sleep.
    I take 1mg of sublingual melatonin to actually get me to sleep, which used to be a big issue. Now it's the secondary insomnia that gets me.
    What it used to look like.
    And then what last week looked like, after I passed my exam and could relax more. [​IMG][​IMG]
     
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  12. rooster New Member

    Location:
    UK
    According to my Fitbit I sleep 5 to 6 hours a night.

    I think probably only 3 or 4 times in my life have I not slept at all in a night and spent two days awake - 1 of those times was intentional.

    I just started taking "Alpha Brain" pills to try and become cleverer - and whether its placebo affect or no - I 100% have been remembering my dreams a LOT more since I started taking them.
     
  13. Baraka_Guru

    Baraka_Guru Möderätor Staff Member

    Location:
    Toronto
    I usually wake once in the night, but this is mainly because I have a geriatric cat (she's, like, 24) who wakes me up for either attention or food (or both). I usually get up for about 5 minutes and then head back to sleep. I fall asleep again pretty quickly regardless of what time it is.

    My long-term average is about 6.5 hours of sleep each night. Some nights, it's as low as 5.5 or 6, but I sleep in an extra hour or two on the weekends, which makes up for some of it.

    About a month ago, I decided to make a concerted effort to get more sleep. I've been reading the recent revisions on health sleep times, and I figured I should try to hit the 7 to 9 hours of sleep for my age group.

    I started using the iPhone's "Bedtime" app, which gets you to set a bedtime. You can only set one bedtime and one wake time because that, apparently, is the best practice. I use it during the week only, as I'd rather get some catch-up sleep on the weekends. I go to bed the same time every night now though.

    I would normally go to bed between 12:30 and 1:30 a.m. and get up at 7:30. I now go to bed around 12 or 12:15 a.m. and get up at 8 a.m. I've been averaging between 7.5 and 7.75 hours of sleep a night now. This means I'm now getting 5+ more hours of sleep each week. That's a pretty big chunk. I still feeling like I'm paying off my sleep debt, but I've noticed already that my concentration is a bit better and that I'm less drowsy at certain times of the day. I'm also wondering if it will help my recovery between bouts of exercise.

    It's a work in progress, but I think over the next few weeks I might see even more benefits of sleeping enough. I'm hoping it will improve my mood and allow me to concentrate even better.

    Now if only my cat would let me sleep through the night.
     
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  14. My sleep patterns have deteriorated greatly in the past two months since the breakup, I get between 2-5 hours a night. Ironically, the three nights we were dating I slept very well, especially when we spent the night together.
     
  15. Japchae

    Japchae Very Tilted

    I did an experiment this week with taking a hydroxyzine and tramadol at bedtime (chronic headache was back and not responding well to just the headache meds). Instead of the melatonin.
    Got almost six to just about seven hours this week. A night! Not in total! When the headache resolves, I'll stop the tramadol. But the hydroxyzine is awesome. I don't wake up panicky and if I do wake, I end up going back to sleep fairly easily. It's heaven.
     
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  16. gruffman27

    gruffman27 New Member

    Location:
    Tennessee
    Congrats Japhae, I was diagnosed with chronic insomnia years ago. On top of that, my ears started ringing (tinnitus) on September 27, 2010. Makes for some long nights. But, I'm lucky, I have quiet days on occasion. Some people never get to experience that.

    Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
     
  17. snowy

    snowy so kawaii Staff Member

    Tramadol ruins my sleep. I have it for a variety of reasons, but I rarely take it because I wake up every hour when I do. It gives me wacky dreams. No thanks.
     
  18. Japchae

    Japchae Very Tilted

    I take the tramadol knowing that I'm going to be awake earlier than usual. It's the only thing that will eventually break the headache cycle unless I want to do nimodipine again. Which I'd really like to avoid. I think it might be the Lamisil or allergies that are triggering this one. No tramadol tonight, and I'm still up at almost 2am with a nagging, irritating headache. Just bad enough to keep me awake, not enough for meds. Stupid insomnia.
     
  19. POPEYE

    POPEYE Very Tilted

    Location:
    Tulsa
    1502064405162-1239301701.jpg I drink a pint after meal time, vodka, wiskey, gin or some alcohol similar to that. No problem sleeping. Problems waking if I drink more than that
     
  20. During my hiatus away from TFP I've been diagnosed with sleep apnea. for those that know me, you would know that I'm active, fit and healthy. so I'm one of the rarer cases of non obese people having sleep apnea.

    I've found out that there are several relatives that share this disorder with. I did a sleep test at a specialist sleep centre and it turns out that I held my breath 80 times that night. once up to 76 seconds. the lack of oxygen bumps me out of sleep and is a cause for my insomnia.

    bummer but that's life I guess. I'll sleep 6 hours a night..but I never get that in reality.



    Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
     
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