Falling asleep

Cramps during the night here. In the arch of my feet or the calves. Not always, but severe enough to wake me and jump out of bed to walk them off. Scares the heck out of 99!

I know-drink more water.

 

If you are not a bible reading person or hymn singer, the book Weather Ways and Works issued by the Canadian government for a pilot ground school course is enough to send anyone to sleep. Our copy is really old but I somehow think the new versions are probably just as dry.

 

That good, eh?

 

I used to have calf cramps a lot of nights when I was younger (20's), I now eat bananas on a regular basis and haven't had those cramps in at least 25 years. Of course, I also quite drinking gobs of milk in there too - no longer have migraines since then (I can have cream in coffee and a bit of cheese and yogurt, but no glasses of milk for me).

 

My problem ain't fallin asleep but rather staying asleep. I wake up if a mouse farts and once I'm awake, it takes quite a while to shut my mind back off

 

I'm a Yankee fan so watching them play this year will put me to sleep, works everytime!

 

I watched a documentary on tornadoes a while ago that shut me down hard in about 10 minutes. The narrator's voice could be used for general anesthesia.

 

After 10 years working 2 jobs while my wife went back to school, the night shift and 8-4 at construction, I'm stuck in a nasty rut.

My doctor tells me that the night shift really through my sleep cycle off. After my wife was done with school and working again (June of 15')
I ditched the night job and stuck to the day shift. It's been 13 months and I still can't sleep through the night (unless I'm seriously drunk)
My doc prescribed Trazadone and it has worked for the most part. Just when I think I'm going in the right direction I wake up at 3 am staring at the ceiling
It's a work in progress...

 

Biggest things I have found is mental stimulation keeps me awake for hours. My heart rate is elevated during and after these events 20+ bpm or more. My main triggers are action movies and exciting books (I can't stop watching or reading even if it's hours after when I need to go to bed) others stressor are work stress, unresolved conflicts and reading/ watching the news prior to bed.


I don't know where I first learned the technique (prior to 2004) but it can really help is moderate exercise prior to bed takes your mind off your problems. Some people exercise can keep them awake try both ways. Then deep breaths in through the nose, pause and slow breathing out through the mouth. As you breath out don't focus on the thoughts in your mind instead focus on exhaling the tensions that are keeping you up. Start counting down from 10 slowly with each breath focus on making both your mind and body relax, I saw it had been previously mentioned start at your toes and work your way up can work well. Muscle tension release endorphins, enkephalins, and adrenalin which are the fight or flight response and inhibits sleep. Relax all your muscles more and more with each breath out, don't focus on sleep instead focus on relaxing.

White noise can help I use a fan, the bedroom is for sleeping only tv's and books are not allowed.

I usually am asleep in well under 5 minutes without any focus on falling asleep, unless one of the triggers has me worked up then I find I have to work at settling down.

Ps a regular schedule also helps!

 

Some nights all I worry about is sleep, which in turn winds me to to much to get any sleep, which in turn makes me worry more, with a long day or weekend ahead of me it turns into a viscous sleepless cycle and all can think of is not being able to wake up to my alarm, which in turn makes it worse. I need to remember this for those nights..