Are You a Good Sleeper?

Luckily I am not faced with these type of challenges even while I might be affected by heavy stress every now and then. So I feel I am blessed. 

Things which help I think help:

- doing regular sports

- trying to avoid dinner in the evening (I almost always have my warm meal in the afternoon)

- fresh air in the sleeping room

- regularity in your pattern, during the week I am always in the bed between 10.30 and 11.00 and I get standard up at 5.40

- drink enough water - at least 2/3 liters a day

i guess you can go on with the list forever. But I also have the feeling that it has a lot to do with genetics and age.

Bert's suggestions make good sense. In addition to exercise/activity, routine, and hydration three things help me get restful sleep:

1) deep, prolonged stretching for 30-40 minutes with a concentration on the legs and back and a focus on completely relaxing the muscles. My own routine done in the dark immediately before hitting the bed.

2) white noise. I have chronic tinnitus and always sleep with the exhaust fan running in the adjacent bathroom.

3) comfortable firm pillows, two of them stacked to keep my head and neck straight as I sleep on my side. Reduces my snoring and sleep apnea. Proper pillows are so important that I take mine with me when traveling overnight by car.

I have frequent spells where I can't either get to sleep or stay asleep.  It's usually at times when my mind is working on work issues and, to be honest, I often benefit from some really clear thinking at the cost of stumbling around like a zombie for days on end afterwards.  The only thing I have found to help is to not try and force sleep if it isn't happening - I'll get up, listen to some light music and read an easy book for an hour or two and this often allows me to get back to sleep, eventually.  

Google 'sleep hygiene'. Some of it may seem obvious but many people don't follow it consistently. Sleep is a habit, to be learned and practised.

I am a dreadful sleeper, and have adopted various tricks over the years that keep it more or less acceptable.

Bruce

Having just awakened at 5:00 AM and not gone to bed until midnight, I would say no.

Which I can usually do a bit better than that, but on the balance I have a terrible time.

Of note - studies show that those who use sleep medications as few as 18 time annually have a much higher all cause of death than those who don't.  (I want to say 3 times but the exact value escapes me.)

If my issues are on the front end of a night's sleep I do partake of the occasional diphenhydramine, although reading a few pages in a book usually does the trick.  More often it is staying asleep that is at issue.

This is unfortunate because good sleep is linked to weight loss, reduced cardiac problems, lowers chance of type-2 diabetes, and a litany of other health improvements.

Chaps

When I was working and running various departments with all the stress and responsibility that went with it, I would drop off like a log within minutes.

Now that I am retired and the biggest decision of the day is agreeing with Mrs Mick what to have for dinner, I can take ages to nod off.

Somehow that does not seem right.

Regards

Mick

I've never had a problem getting off to sleep. However, if I've something on my mind I tend to wake up in the middle of the night & think things through. I then fall asleep & have disturbing dreams.

I find I still need eight hours' sleep a night, even though I'm retired. I do agree with Bert about going to bed & getting up at the same time every day. I also think it's good to go to bed & get up early.

3/4 hours a night and sometimes 1 hour in the afternoon because of parents health etc

So sleep is a dream. Or a nightmare if you like

Hi Graham , I found this in the Times .

The midlife sleep guide

Don’t go to bed too early 
Older people go out less and tend to go to bed earlier. So they’re probably going to wake up earlier, even in the early hours of the morning. Retired people often get into a habit of taking a rest in the afternoon so they’re not as tired at bedtime. So if you’re tossing and turning from 10pm onwards, or pinging awake with the dawn chorus, the solution could be to stay up a little later. 

Even the middle-aged may find themselves gently nodding off in front of the news — in which case, don’t immediately head to bed. Have a bath, do the washing-up or read a book for another hour.

It’s good to feel very tired when you go to bed. If you don’t, you’re probably going too early.

Don’t drink alcohol just before sleep 
It’s supposed to be the stressed middle-aged who are knocking back the booze, but older people may be drinking too much without realising it, to ease pain and aid sleep. There can be a tendency to drink a bit more as we age. It’s easy to open a bottle of wine with dinner and finish it. But while drinking alcohol can initially be a sedative, it disturbs sleep. Alcohol has arousal properties, including an increased heart rate, sweating, waking up to go to the loo and dehydration. There’s no need to quit, altogether, but have your drink earlier. If you have a glass of wine or two at around 7pm it can be out of your system by 9.30 — in plenty of time for bed.

Is your medication preventing sleep? 
There is a rise in medical conditions as we age, and some medications can have side-effects that include insomnia. If you used to fall asleep as if you were dropping off a twig and are now wide-eyed in the early hours, check the leaflet that came with your pills. Blood pressure or cholesterol medication can certainly affect sleep quality, so you need to be savvy about what you’re taking. Talk to your GP, and don’t assume there’s no other options. There may be an alternative prescription you could try which won’t keep you awake — although, of course, you should never stop taking medicine without talking to your doctor first.

Don’t drink too much water 
We’re always being told to drink more water but too much can keep you rushing to the loo all night. It’s all about moderation. It can be difficult enough for middle-aged people — and after childbirth, many women can suffer froma weakened bladder, which makes you think you need to go to the loo even when you don’t — while men might have prostate problems. Many older people have bladder trouble, too, and so it can be as bad to drink water too close to bedtime as it is to be dehydrated in the night. I have clients who don’t drink anything after early evening— but elderly people do need to be hydrated, particularly if they’re taking medication as well. A small glass of water by the bed should be enough.

Eat light at night 
I’m a big believer in the old saying: “Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dine like a pauper.” You don’t want to be going to bed with a very full tummy because indigestion will keep you awake more effectively than any stimulant. Then again, the scourge of the old adverts “night starvation” is equally unpleasant and an empty stomach can wake you in the early hours. A banana or a glass of milk will stave off hunger, not biscuits or chocolate because they’ll give you a sugar rush and wake you up. Go for a low-GI (glycemic index) snack and never make a cup of tea — it contains enough caffeine to keep you wakeful.

Do some exercise, but not too much 
A recent study at the University of Illinois found that yoga can improve brain function in older people. Over 24 sessions, participants demonstrated improved mental agility and competence in daily tasks. And it can also help to enhance sleep. Gentle stretching, yoga, walking — from a sleep point of view that sort of movement can only be a good thing. Overdoing it won’t help you sleep, but yoga is very good because, as we get older, our bodies require more maintenance and yoga can keep joints flexible and calm anxiety. For anyone in mid-life it can be an excellent preventive measure for insomnia, too.

Open your bedroom window 
Older people can suffer from the cold and may also be nervous of leaving windows open, while many middle-aged couples argue nightly over the hot/cold bedroom dilemma. But trying to sleep in a stuffy bedroom can seriously impair sleep quality. There’s a tendency when you’re older to stay indoors more, and lack of fresh air can mean a stuffy environment, more snoring and worse-quality sleep. So try to have at least some fresh air in the room, even if it means simply opening a window while you get ready for bed and then closing it. Getting air circulating in the room will improve sleep quality and stop you overheating.

You may be more sensitive to caffeine as you get older 
It sounds obvious — but while plenty of people avoid coffee in the evening there’s caffeine in green tea, soft drinks and a comforting cup of tea before bed. We don’t know for sure if older people are more sensitive to substances such as caffeine, but it’s feasible. Our bodies change as we age, so it’s likely we become less tolerant of stimulants. It also affects people differently — some can fall asleep after an espresso, while for others a cup of tea at 8pm will keep them awake half the night. So try cutting it out altogether and having herbal tea or a milk-based drink such as Horlicks instead.

Don’t accept snoring 
Most older people snore, at least occasionally — medication, being overweight and dehydration can all cause rattling “geese to market” sound effects. But it’s not inevitable that snoring should ruin your sleep. We’re configured to predict snoring, so it’s the anticipation of it that keeps you awake as much as the reality. You get caught up in reacting to the noise, rather than just listening to it.

Snoring is a difficult issue but it can be reduced by looking at your medication, avoiding too much alcohol, not smoking. Also, antihistamines relax the airwaves and can cause snoring, so ask your GP about alternatives. If all else fails, if people have been together for a long time they can be OK with sleeping apart. 

Sleeping in the spare bed is, for couples, a way of controlling the situation. Many people can sleep alone but can’t share a bed. If you want to share, simply be aware of any discomfort without giving it the power to affect your emotions. Consider getting a bigger bed, separate duvets or a better mattress to minimise disturbance to each other in the night.

Practice mindfulness 
I avoid teaching people relaxation exercises. They’re a bit of a trap, because if they don’t work you lie awake fretting about why not. We like to control things, but sleep is a natural process and you can’t force it. Pulling against it feels as if we’re doing something to solve the problem, but what do good sleepers do to get to sleep? nothing. Insomniacs do everything.

That’s why I’m an advocate of mindfulness, the idea of living within the moment. If you’re lying awake worrying you can end up in a cycle of insomnia where you’re exhausted all day. Mindfulness teaches you to focus only on the moment: how the pillow feels, the sounds you can hear, your own breathing. It’s a hugely effective way to train yourself to fall asleep and it works for any age, no matter how fretful you are. Make space for your thoughts, allow them to happen. Stop fighting them . I always say, why actively challenge a negative thought? It’s just a thought.

Plenty of us by the look of it. Perhaps we should start a late night, I can't sleep, thoughts and music thread

I have been sleeping much better recently after suffering from the 4am wake up for quite some time .

1-  I changed from sleeping in my loft conversion to the main bedroom which has higher ceilings and is cooler. 

2- I invested in a very good mattress and pillows .

3- I am much fitter after taking up boxing (training) last summer . 

4- I try not to drink alcohol and especially red wine too close to bedtime during the week . 

5- I have acupuncture about once a month as one of my best friends is a practitioner and it makes me feel like i've been re-wired . I didn't go to see him for sleep problems ,I was just curious and his 'mates rate ' is very fair but I definitely feel better for it .

6- Stop worrying about upgrading my Hifi   . 

I'm not sure which of these had the most effect but If I had to it would be the quieter and cooler room . Hope some of this helps . 

Peter . 

You beat me to it Minh about the acupuncture , funny you mention the liver as my friend always refers to me having a lot of 'heat' in my liver ? This is his focus when I see him so yes that may be the key . 

Peter .

My shout is KLF - Chill Out. 

Get away from PC screen/TV at least an hour before bed. Read a book or 'unwind' with softer toned lights.

As also mentioned, a good bed and pillows is key.  My Hypnos bed was well worth the money. 

Hi Graeme,

I don't know what kind of body type you are but one condition that can seriously affect your sleep, and your health, is sleep apnoea. It's very common and commonly associated with obesity but not necessarily so. There is a common association with having a neck size greater than 16.5". 

I have had it for about 20 years and I'm certainly not built like a truck driver. All the sport I've played over the years has left me with a large neck size (17.5"). I sought investigation and treatment because I'd wake up more tired than I went to bed and my wife would panic because I would appear to stop breathing. I needed a few ops on my nasal passages, as a result of a deviated septum after having my nose broken on more than one occasion, and then started using a CPAP machine which blows air into the nasal passages whilst you sleep. This has transformed my life and can't imagine sleeping without one. 

If you think you could possibly have this I would urge you to go to your GP and be referred to a local Sleep Clinic. So many men ignore conditions like this.

ATB

Steve

Another thing I have read along the lines for Guy007's point is if you do read, read a paper book and not the kindle device; supposedly that glare is detrimental to falling asleep.

Yes DrMark, I should have clarified the book/magazine of the paper kind, not screen based.  So Kindle/iPad/iPhone/iDevice et al all keep the brain active due to the glare from the screen.   

Seriously?

with some fava beans and a nice chianti... :-)

+1 here. I never sleep for more that 2 - 3 hours without waking and wake up several times during the night. Sometimes I go back to sleep easily but other time I can be awake from 3:00 am onwards. Sleeping tablets work but I only use them very rarely, when I have an important day the following day. I wish I had an answer.

Ken