Being sick for three days threw off my already crummy sleep schedule. I was up way too late last night, and I got tired way too early this evening (5:30ish). I ate some dinner and got a second wind. I sure hope it lasts until a decent hour to go to bed, but not too late that I will need a second wind to get through tomorrow. Does that even make sense? Or are these the ramblings of an exhausted individual?
Someday I would love to get on a semi-normal sleep pattern. This stay up late, get up early, get to sleep earlier, get up even earlier pattern is not very good. Any hints that don’t involve some sort of medication would be appreciated.
I wish I could help, but I’m a very light sleeper. I actually wake up several times during the night so I am almost always tired.
You and taylhis should compare notes. I hope this sleep cycle devastation is not contagious. 😉
Well, I highly doubt it’s contagious since mine seems to be brought on by pregnancy and stress. I was a heavy sleeper until baby #4…
And I really don’t have any advice that doesn’t involved medication – works (kind of) for me…
Maybe a trip to the sleep lab? Especially after my rave review?
What do you think about herbs and homeopathy; do you consider them medications? Then I really got nothing…
I can feel for your situation….however mine is flipped. Without any medication (I use Tylenol PM sometimes….it isn’t habit forming) I lay down and read. Nothing too interesting, of course, otherwise I will want to stay awake and read the whole thing. Or sometimes I will listen to music. In the summer time, I’ll turn on a fan….of course, I know people who have a fan on in their room all year long….brrrrr…..and then lastly, if nothing else works, all I have to do is put a NASCAR race on and I’m out before the first lap is done…. 😉 Good luck!
@Mare. Those are all wonderful suggestions! I know people who must have a fan on year round, too. The NASCAR suggestion is priceless!
@mary911, nice suggestions, but I usually can’t pick up any book and expect to sleep. I don’t care how boring it is. I sometimes fall asleep on the book, but that is bad on the book and my face. Most sounds, I don’t like when I try to sleep. Now if I could get the sound of a vacuum cleaner moving back and forth.. I tend to get sleepy when I hear vacuums.
Okay, we could tape the next time we vacuum the living room… Try hot milk. Your “lucky son in law” makes me hot milk with nutmeg and cinnamon and vanilla extract. It helps.
When I was in college, my roommate had earlier classes than I, but her alarm would always wake me. I couldn’t fall back asleep until she started using her hairdryer – then I was out like a light; strange how loud appliances seem to have that effect upon people. I think it’s the comfort of knowing there won’t be any sudden loud noises to wake you up since you wouldn’t hear it over the vacuum, hairdryer, etc.
I can give you the little booklet the sleep doctor gave me – it has all the usual advice: don’t do anything stimulating just before bed including reading an exciting book, watching tv (don’t leave a tv on while you sleep either), and cut yourself off of caffeine at least 6 hours before bed. Get yourself into a routine and do the same things before bed each night and lay in bed even if you’re not tired – just to get your body into a routine, I guess. I really like melatonin, which is not a medication; it’s found in the body naturally and sold as a supplement, but if you’re not a pill-taker, bananas have melatonin in them as well. The doctor suggested giving Sammie a banana and warm milk before bed when we were having trouble getting her to go to sleep, although the booklet also says to limit your fluid intake since you don’t want to be woken by having to go to the bathroom. There are also homeopathic herbs that work well, but again, they usually come in pill form. The other thing they were adamant about at the sleep clinic was NO CLOCKS in the bedroom! I am a nightime clock watcher (how much time do I have left to sleep?), so this is advice I do not follow. Whatever you choose to try, good luck!
No clock in the Bedroom? Just where do you put your alarm so you can hear it? If mine isn’t loud enough to wake the neighbors (and it is in my room), I don’t generally get up….
Well, ok, you can have an alarm in the bedroom, but you’re supposed to cover or turn the clock around so you can’t see it even if you’re tempted to look.
Ok, but then I still don’t know if I woke up with the alarm or it has been ringing for 15 minutes and I’m running late….
Hey, it’s not my advice, I’m just passing it on. But at the sleep clinic when I asked about a clock, they laughed at me, and this was also one of the first things the sleep dr said to me. I feel that until I try everything they advised that I can’t really complain about lack of sleep…
You should try seeing the sleep dr and bringing up your concerns to him – he’s a nice guy 🙂