Thanks for the advice. There’s definitely some stuff here I can try. I have a stressful computer job so cutting back on caffeine makes sense along with several other tips you mentioned!
Comment on Massive issues with sleep and desperate for a solution.
Boozilla@lemmy.world 6 months ago
Apologies for giving you a boring canned answer when you are sleep-deprived and looking for help. But I swear these things really helped me.
Number one: think about getting a sleep study done by an actual sleep doc (pulmonary doc or neurologist). This was life changing for me. Don’t go to a chiropractor or whoever the fuck and get a CPAP machine.
Also, and this is important: Have you looked into tips for “sleep hygiene”? None of them are a quick fix like Xanax, but they can be powerful when used together.
These include things like:
- going to bed and getting up at the same times every day. this means getting up at your normal time, even if it’s a weekend, even if you didn’t sleep well that night, just make yourself do it
- when sleeping…making sure the room is dark, cool, and quiet (ear plugs are a big help here). by cool, I mean 68-69F (about 20C).
- cutting way back on caffeine and/or eliminating it…and absolutely no caffeine after lunch (the older we get, the longer it takes to metabolize caffeine)
- not looking at any glowing screens (TV, phone, computer, tablet, etc) before bed time… for at least 15-30 minutes
- avoid eating / drinking a couple of hours before bed time
- using your bedroom only for sleeping and for sex
And when you have trouble sleeping, it’s a very good idea to get out of bed, go to a different room (one that is not to bright) and do something boring like read a text book for 15-20 minutes then go back to bed and try again.
When we stay in bed and aren’t sleeping, we’re training our brain that it’s OK to do that. You want to beat it into your subconscious brain that the bed / bedroom is for sleeping.
Anissem@lemmy.ml 6 months ago
Boozilla@lemmy.world 6 months ago
I hope you find something that works. Not getting sleep is the worst!
Anissem@lemmy.ml 6 months ago
100%. It’s all I look forward to these days. I know that fact in itself is a huge problem though.
fine_sandy_bottom@discuss.tchncs.de 6 months ago
A few things to add to this great list:
Magnesium supplement before bed. They’re not all the same. Don’t just take a pill. Get one of the proper powdered ones magnesium citrate or threonate. I really like this one.
Also, pod casts and audiobooks. I use headphones and turn the volume down just far enough so I really need to concentrate to hear the words.
Anissem@lemmy.ml 6 months ago
Thanks!
AA5B@lemmy.world 6 months ago
Also the exercise thing. I find that when stress from the computer job is likely to keep me awake, a fast walk before bedtime is enough to help smooth that out
Anissem@lemmy.ml 6 months ago
Definitely need to exercise more so I’ll give this a shot, thanks
weariedfae@lemmy.world 6 months ago
Caveat: doctors will only let you have a sleep study if they suspect sleep apnea. Other sleep studies that capture off-the-wall sleep disorders don’t seem accessible, at least in my local health system which is a Catholic-run local monopoly. Perhaps HCA, or Kaiser, or others may have a different philosophy.
GBU_28@lemm.ee 6 months ago
This is not universal. I have average US insurance in Colorado and my GP sent me for a sleep study after we tried just a few things for my insomnia.
Boozilla@lemmy.world 6 months ago
I wasn’t aware of this. That is discouraging. I think there are like 30-something sleep disorders. Though apnea is extremely common. Some insurance plans will also push hard for an “at home” sleep study first, which is fine if you just need a CPAP machine. But it’s no bueno if you need someone to monitor you and hook you up to all those Star Trek devices like they did to me.
Melobol@lemmy.ml 6 months ago
To add to the ‘canned answers’ here is one more:
As non medication, Magnesium has a muscle relaxation effect. With a big cup of water before going to sleep it could help falling asleep. (Tho make sure you are using the right kind of magnesium pill that actually gets absorbed into the body)Onii-Chan@kbin.social 6 months ago
Magnesium threonate cured my insomnia, it's fucking wild how well it works. I'd tried everything until I discovered it, from melatonin, to antihistamine sleeping pills, all the way to downing 350ml of whiskey every night just to force sleep.
Magnesium works better than every single thing I've tried (but you HAVE to let yourself fall asleep when you feel it starting to work.)
Boozilla@lemmy.world 6 months ago
Thank you! Today I learned. (I’m usually kind of skeptical about supplements but what I’ve been able to find supports what you’re saying here).
Boozilla@lemmy.world 6 months ago
And I should have included exercise. The best sleep I ever get is when I get in a really good amount of exercise during the day. I won’t lie to you, I’m pretty lazy about it myself. You don’t want to do this close to bedtime, either. Go for a really long walk / jog / whatever in early afternoon if you can squeeze that in somehow.
GBU_28@lemm.ee 6 months ago
Seriously. Nothing puts you to sleep better than 10 hours of hiking.
Obviously that’s unattainable most days, but I struggle with insomnia all my life, and one of the things I look forward to most from backpacking trips is the restful call of sleep when I “actually” feel like I “need” it.