OOT - help me sleep soundly - Page 4

garcia1000 · #31 08-02-2007, 09:21 AM

Maybe you will sleep better if you get a good quality pillow. For example, I got a Tempur-pedic pillow for around $150 but it is really good. I can get by with only 7.5 hours of sleep now. Before, I needed 8 hours.

jws43yale · #32 08-02-2007, 11:47 AM

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I can't believe you medicine-happy Americans can't think of anything other than drugs.

It sounds cheesy, but eating healthy and working out will go a long way. I'm one of those types that always has bags under his eyes, trouble falling asleep, feeling ridiculously tired in the morning regardless of whether I slept enough etc.

The best period in my life sleep-wise was when I was in wrestling. I ate healthy, busted ass in practice, and fell asleep at nine PM, to wake up well-rested the next morning.

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This may be true for some people but not all. I am a college athlete who goes through killer workouts much of the week and eats healthy and have still had problems falling asleep through my entire life. I am really tired right after workout, but after a shower and meal, I am wide awake again. I have a legitamite issue with sleeping and have since I was much younger. It is not normal to lay awake for 1-2 hours each night. I also am the person who has stayed up for 48 hours straight only to not be able to fall asleep for at least an hour.

hamsamich · #33 08-02-2007, 11:56 AM

I have had trouble sleeping my entire life. I do not have insomnia, but more of a reverse body clock. My body just naturally wants to be awake and is most alert from around 10PM until about 6AM.

For almost 1.5yrs now I have been taking Tylenol PM every single day. Two pills at about 10PM and by midnight I can lay down and go to sleep like a normal human being. This is like a miracle for someone who has suffered through more sleepless nights in 35 years than many people experience in a life time.

I have done some cursory research and aside from the inevitable dependency and immunity to the drug (which thankfully has not happened yet) I cannot find a strong medical case to not continue doing this. If you are not a regular drinker (which I am not) and do not take any other medications there is no evidence that they pose any significant risk to your long term health.

Fast Food Knight · #34 08-02-2007, 12:10 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I can't believe you medicine-happy Americans can't think of anything other than drugs.

It sounds cheesy, but eating healthy and working out will go a long way. I'm one of those types that always has bags under his eyes, trouble falling asleep, feeling ridiculously tired in the morning regardless of whether I slept enough etc.

The best period in my life sleep-wise was when I was in wrestling. I ate healthy, busted ass in practice, and fell asleep at nine PM, to wake up well-rested the next morning.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hmmmmm, you're from the Netherlands right? I wonder why people in the Netherlands might have less stress and better sleep than we "medicine happy" Americans...

Annual work hours (source: OECD (2004), OECD in Figures, OECD, Paris.

gumpzilla · #35 08-02-2007, 12:18 PM

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Hmmmmm, you're from the Netherlands right? I wonder why people in the Netherlands might have less stress and better sleep than we "medicine happy" Americans...

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Meh. Take off 3 weeks vacation and 1777 still turns out to be about 36 hours a week. At that level I don't think overwork is necessarily the main factor.

Dale Dough · #36 08-02-2007, 12:36 PM

Just commenting on the fact that out of 25 or so replies, maybe 2 didn't involve some kind of medicine. I'm no doctor, but I'm pretty sure that no medicine >>> medicine if the solution is effective and practical. Of course I do concede that there just isn't any other option for some. But the ease with which people take medicine appears to be a cultural trend.

Re: your retort: I don't know about sleep problems, but AFAIK, in Holland you get to sit on your ass and receive 100% of your pay if you have a so-called 'burnout' from working too hard. So I'm pretty sure the poor bastards are all very, very stressed.

Sherpa · #37 08-02-2007, 01:36 PM

I used to have terrible insomnia attacks when I was in college. I don't much anymore (latest girl troubles non-withstanding), but what really helped me was either spraying my pillows with lavender, or using a lavender candle or aroma gel by my bed at night. You can also try lavender tea, or any tea that is labeled as "Relax" or "Calm".

suzzer99 · #38 08-02-2007, 02:11 PM

Weird bump. FYI - I got some ZMA. I didn't really notice if it helped me sleep better. But I did starting having a lot of vivid, stressful dreams. And I usually never remember my dreams. So I would wake up all tense over some dramatic struggle or decision I was having to make in my dreams.

I sleep ok. I just would like it if there was something that helped me be one of those people who sleeps like a rock, w/o any side effects. As it is I don't think ZMA is worth it for me. But I may give it one more shot.

Also I've been doing this boot camp thing 3 times a week and getting more exercise than I have since football in HS. Sometimes I'm so wound up I wake up at 4am. But generally the exercise is helping me sleep better.

bisonbison · #39 08-02-2007, 02:45 PM

36 hours a week.

36 hours a week. I'm not sure if I can handle being at work from 9:00-5:12 every day with an hour for lunch.

Klompy · #40 08-02-2007, 09:55 PM

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Weird bump.

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Yeah, I've been having trouble sleeping recently, even more so then normal and I was sure there'd been threads done before on it so didn't feel like starting my own.

Does anybody use any sleep aids that aren't prescription that work well? I have melatonin and find it helps with actually getting to sleep, but I usually wake up after about an hour and won't be able to get back to sleep.