Bible on youtube with headphones in.

CBN gummies solved this problem for me.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
You are going to bed too early IMO

As you age, you need less sleep or it’s been my experience. 7 hours for me is perfect, anything over that and my back starts to hurt.


Did you know that the concept of going to bed and sleeping eight hours straight through is a relatively new thing apparently? It seems to have come with the industrial revolution, before that people would sleep, more or less in shifts, there’s old writings from the middle ages all the way up until the 1700’s-1800’s of people going to bed at like 8- midnight, then getting up for a couple hours and doing stuff then going back to bed for a few more hours until dawn.


The forgotten medieval habit of 'two sleeps'

IME there's not much change in the amount of sleep required as you age. I'm sure it differs more so with individuals rather than on just age. Some will brag "I get by on 6 hours". BS, most of those dose off mid day, or are lacking energy as the day goes by. My wife sleeps less at night than I do by about an hour. When I wake she makes friendly remarks like "hello sleepy-head" Then, during the day, she watches the mid day news and nods out for 1 1/2 hours on the couch, then gets up all grumpy looking for some caffeine.

I go to sleep at 11:00 and wake at 7 with several potty calls along the way. I go to the gym 6 days a week and don't nap. I'm scaring the hell out of 80.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
...people going to bed at like 8- midnight, then getting up for a couple hours and doing stuff then going back to bed for a few more hours until dawn.


The forgotten medieval habit of 'two sleeps'

Could this be the source of the horror story trope of bad things happening at midnight?

I can't get too involved with doing anything like reading or cell phone usage. That seems to wake me up too much.

I just use restroom & walk the dog, back to bed.

I'm pretty sure that if you're an old guy, you're just supposed to get up and wander around the house for a while. (at least that's what I do)

quote:

2) Figure out your caffeine intake and possibly get it under control. I was having the same issue as you for years and it wore on me. Turned out to be caffeine.

I have sleep apnea so I have a doctor that specializes in sleep. For my sleep needs, it's not the just the quantity of caffeine but it's also the timing of caffeine. I used to have to cutoff caffeine 5 hours before going to bed. The last few years, I've had to cutoff caffeine 6 hours before bed and 7 hours is even better.

I'm also a migraine sufferer and have a neurologist that specializes in headaches. One of the first changes they made for is the same amount of caffeine every day (about 60% of my old intake) on roughly the same schedule. Too little and I can get a headache, and too much and I can get a headache.

My caffeine strategy fits both my sleep needs and managing my migraines. I have a cup of coffee at breakfast, I have caffeinated tea or soda at lunch, and I have coffee about 4 PM.

Three sleep techniques I use when I absolutely have to sleep:

1) Focus on your breathing. Do nothing but think about slowing your breathing, one tiny increment at a time. Imagine your heart rate dropping with each breath. Some zen masters reportedly are able to make their breathing so slow and shallow and their heart rate so slow and faint that they can appear dead. That's your goal. You'll fall asleep long before you get there.

2) Focus on each individual part of your body, starting with your toes and working your way up, and imagine relaxing each and every fiber of muscle so much that they feel like they are pressing into the bed (i.e, so relaxed that the body part is fully suspended/supported by the bed with no neuromuscular contribution). Work your way up to you scalp, then begin again at your toes. Over and over.

3) Gett your blanket, lay down on the floor, prop your legs up on a backpack. The additional blood pressure on your torso will help you sleep. Apparently, a trick employed by Navy SEALs for quick naps, but discovered by me when I used to sleep with my pack under my legs for warmth while backpacking.

My solution for sleep issues is rather simple. Years ago my Primary Doctor suggested that I start taking a 50mg dose on an anti anxiety med called Trazadone. Because it was found to cause drowsiness in low doses. After taking it for about a year my bosses wife suggested that I start taking melatonin. End result is I now take 5mg of melatonin with my 50 mg of Trazadone and I am sound asleep about 5 minutes after my head hits the pillow.

Note there are times when I'll fall asleep sitting straight up on the couch. When that happens there have been times when I'll wake up at 5:00 AM fully alert. When that happens I head for the basement and do some reloading until it's time to start the day. BTW, it's usually 410 shotshells because that's my practice caliber but any reloading activity is a good time burner and good alone time.

XBox

Trazodone is an antidepressant medicine not anti anxiety. A very rare side effect is priapism which is a medical emergency.
Glad it works for you.

I take a benadryl and listen to a YouTube documentary about Vikings or the crusades etc. I'm usually out in 20 mins

Kindles, phones, emit a light wavelength that tells your brain to wake up.

That being said, I put my insomnia to use and finished my degree online. Working on my MBA now. Might as well use the time since I am up anyway

The VA has an online course called "Path to Better Sleep". One of my wife's doctors recommended it to her.

Here is the link: VA Path to Better Sleep

Sex.

One of the good things that came out of my time in the Army was the ability to sleep anywhere, anytime. Takes me around 2 minutes or less to crash.

Take a 3mg dissolvable melatonin and lie there and pray for everyone I know . I go to sleep seemingly within minutes. I don’t get to cover everyone but hey…He already knows their needs

Option 1) Go to work early or start your day early if retired
Option 2) YouTube
Option 3) Read, that will put you to sleep if your body is telling you to do so but can't or don't want to, at least for me.
Option 4) Go on a 10 mile nature hike. That's a two or three hour walk.

My guess is a MD specializing in sleep medicine could figure it out PDQ. I doubt most sleep disorders they encounter are mysteries. I also doubt a Family Medicine doctor could help if all they do is hand out pills.

When I was experiencing pronounced periods of insomnia, I heard about a natural herb/plant/whatever it is, called valerian. You get it off the shelf at the drugstore. Not expensive.

It is in capsule form and when you open the bottle it has a noxious odor. No side effects and was quite effective for me.

I'm your opposite. I have the TV on 24/7 and sleep in a lounge chair facing it. I usually fall asleep around 0400 and will probably get up for bathroom detail around 0900. Back to the chair until 1100 or noon.

Of course I've been retired since 2006 and have few morning requirements (church on Sunday). My cats get restless if I haven't attended them by noon. (Usually have 2 or 3 sleeping on me.)

flashguy

I have a couple of audible audio books that I don't particularly like, or have listened to enough times that they aren't too engaging. Background noise helps me a lot.