For insomnia: move to the edge of the bed and you'll soon drop off

Tess might be dreaming of divorce but I am not dreaming at all because I am not sleeping. The attached chart(s) shows a typical night’s sleep for me, as illustrated/tracked by Sleep Cycle on my iPhone.  For some strange reason, since moving into our new flat, I have not been able to sleep. This has been going on for a few months now so needless to say I am getting pretty tired. A typical night I fall asleep rather quickly, only to wake-up about 90 minutes later. I will be restless for about an hour, fall asleep, and then awaken a while later for another hour of restlessness. Net effect: 4 hours and 21 minutes of sleep.

During the last few months I have cutback on coffee, since my new employer actually doesn’t provide coffee at head office. Therefore, I have a cup in the morning, finished on the way to work, a cup mid-morning from Pacific Coffee Company and maybe another cup at lunch or early afternoon. Typically I don’t drink coffee after 2 PM. (My previous employer had an awesome coffee machine and it was a real challenge staying away from it!) I have also lost about 4 – 5 kgs during the summer, started exercising again and cut out soft drinks. Since July 23rd I have had less than one can of Orange Fanta and only a few sips of Coke. I am also eating healthier – in the morning I have cut sugar out of my cereal, instead adding yoghurt. I am making a conscious effort to eat less junk, buying fresh fruit from a terrific fruit stand near work. Finally, I have cut back on lunch: I now eat half a sandwich instead of a whole sandwich, supplementing lunch with a salad of some sort and fruit. I am still not sleeping very well.

Yes, I saw a doctor and he said to me, “Anything I prescribe, you will only get addicted to.”  I have talked with friends about the East/West and North/South theory. I have tried running and exercising at night. I have eaten many bananas at night (they contain melatonin, in case you didn’t know) only resulting in more hair on the back of my neck and hands: I am still very, very restless each night.

Some people say that God wakes you to pray for people. I tried praying and that helped quite a bit. But finally last night I was so fed-up that I got up at 4:45 AM and stayed awake. This is my new strategy and I will let you know how it goes. Tonight if I wake-up... I am just going to get up.

Meanwhile, any suggestions?

Comments

[Edd]

Hey Charles. Try stretching before bed. Do about 20 minutes of a yoga type routine. It really helped me a few years ago, when i was having problems sleeping. Concentrate on your hamstrings when you stretch. Just a thought. Hope this helps. Edd

[gweiposter]

looking at your graphs, the one thing that strikes me is that you're going to bed at midnight. Ironically enough you probably need to go to bed earlier in order to sleep more, apparently around 10pm is best. It's the same with babies, if you cut down their afternoon / morning sleep in the hope they'll sleep at night they sleep less at night from from over-tiredness.
I suffer from insomnia myself, but it's definitely related in part to going to be too late. If I'm in bed by 10, I'll sleep through. If I stay up, I get my 2nd wind and then I have insomnia.

One thing that helps me is a meditation tape. There is a wonderful CD by Bodhipaksa, which has 3 nice meditations, the first two are good for relaxing and calming, the breath meditation and the lovingkindness meditation.
My children also regularly listen to it if they're anxious and have a problem getting to sleep.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1591797276/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=1278548962&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0972441409&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0WDYBX4WV5K1FY2ZMVCB

[joeinvegas]

I'll have to use that clip on my wife. I would rather go shopping with her, though I sit and wait I force her to buy things. On her own she doesn't get much.

[Maureen Lyons aka Mo aka Grandmother]

Some good advice here, Chuck. Hope it helps your sleeplessness...... : (

xox

[GDadLyons]

1) Concentrate on slow, deep, breathing,

2) Don't develop a sleep chart that looks like the NYSE,Dow,S&P,Nasdaq or the TSX.

Love to all...GDad Blake

[http://www.temazepam.biz]

really interesting post!! your article has an excellent point of view!!

[beelp]

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