Suggestions To Help Me Stay Asleep.

I have the problem of not staying asleep and will wake up throughout the night. Any suggestions as to how I can start to sleep better?

1. How often during the night do you wake up? Is it about the same time every time? Is it, for example, always 4 hours after going back to bed?
2. What is your diet like?
3. Do you keep the same wake up and sleeping time every day?
4. Are you overweight?
5. Where do you live and how much sun exposure do you get?

Theory: The first thing that comes to mind is a poor cortisol production timing. It's really common for people who have problems waking up or falling asleep to have their cortisol / melatonin timing all screwed up.

Theory: Liver glycogen being depleted early, resulting in cortisol spike to meet glucose needs, waking you up.

Relaxing music?

Banouin wrote:Relaxing music?

I would think something like this too, but I think his problem isn't falling asleep, but staying asleep.

I don't think I could help cause I have no problem sleeping through the night, it's waking up I find difficult.

Air wrote:I don't think I could help cause I have no problem sleeping through the night, it's waking up I find difficult.

So accurate it hurts.

"Oh, I should be up.... Nah."

I spent an hour and a half in bed this morning.

melatonin!!

Or life weights at some point during the early evening, or any physically exerting activity, and you'll sleep easily

amaterasu wrote:melatonin!!

Or life weights at some point during the early evening, or any physically exerting activity, and you'll sleep easily

You know, I generally don't like recommending melatonin use.

1. If my previous theory of poor melatonin / cortisol is right, then taking the melatonin would just kind of cancel out the cortisol, and you'd still be messed up.

Besides, he didn't mention problems falling asleep, but staying up, hence second theory. (Just added.)

2. It's a hormone, and getting the dosage right can take a while. Especially since hormones tend to affect each other.

3. It can screw with the body's circadian rhythm.

4. Melatonin on it's own may not necessarily improve sleep, so much as signal to the body that the sun has gone down and that sleep might be a good idea. (As we are a very sun-oriented species.)

5. Melatonin on it's own may not directly affect sleep quality.

Usually best to troubleshoot the cause and try to incorporate a proper fix.

well, you seem more knowledgeable than I so we'll just go with your explanation on melatonin

amaterasu wrote:well, you seem more knowledgeable than I so we'll just go with your explanation on melatonin

Melatonin has it's place, but I don't think that place is here. It's better to use in the instance of say... sleep-onset disorders or when traveling across time zone areas. But even then, there are other, usually better ways to handle it.

It's just, when it comes to hormones, I think they should be handled carefully. They have a very specific way of interacting with each other that makes timing very important.

Which is why I asked about what time he goes to bed, where he lives and how much sun exposure he gets.

A regular routine helps program sleep.
Sun exposure helps program circadian rhythm.
The further away from the equator you live, you are more prone to lack of Vitamin D (created from sun exposure in the skin, helping create the vitamin / hormone out of cholesterol) and has been associated with various mood disorders. In some cases, it requires more outside time to properly set the hormones of the circadian rhythm into motion.

Consuming some sort of sugar promotes sleep in those who have issues with high night-time cortisol levels, which might be why ice cream or warm milk before bed might be so popular (and effective).

Being overweight's effect on sleep appears to be a result of atrophied muscles under the weight, the hormonal effect of fat and has been shown (I know, correlation != causation) on sleep, primarily with sleep apnea.

If it's just one or two times a night, this is normal and is believed to be the natural pattern of sleep for humans.

Well, I am not overweight. I am only 119lbs. I tend to turn and toss in my sleep, and I am usually a night person but due to my schedule. I sleep in differet Times. For example: I stay up late if I have no work.

So, you mean like one day you'll work 9AM-5PM, but on another you'll work from 3AM-11AM? completely random? Or what?

Yes, some days, I work days and some I work nights. Like I work tonight but also get up and work the next morning.

Oooooh :OO i have the exact opposite problem XD

King_Of_Blades wrote:Yes, some days, I work days and some I work nights. Like I work tonight but also get up and work the next morning.

Blah. I swear I replied to this.

Honestly, that might be a big reason for it, so it makes recommendations difficult. That said, if you have zero problem with falling asleep normally, and the issue is only staying asleep, I'd think you might be better off consuming something sweet before bed.

This link may help explain why, if you're curious.

neon kun wrote:Oooooh :OO i have the exact opposite problem XD

Oh?

Wouldn't consuming something sweet before bed, actually be bad?

In what way would it be?

I've never had a problem with it.

And it doesn't have to be immediately before you go to bed. Could be a couple hours beforehand.

Well, I guess I could try that out.

King_Of_Blades wrote:Well, I guess I could try that out.

Honey should work best, or even just eating carb heavy before dinner.

But it's easier to say why it would be good or not if you actually told me why you thought it was bad. xD

Because sugar usually makes you hyper or have a sugar rush.

You could also just use sleeping pills.

King_Of_Blades wrote:Because sugar usually makes you hyper or have a sugar rush.

A sugar rush could be a sign of insulin problems. Those shouldn't happen, despite apparent commonality.

On that note, milk contains lactose, which is a sugar, and is often used as a sleep aid.