The FastDay Forum

Problems with sleep seems to be, from what I've seen, the only valid concern with regards to caffeine intake. If you are trying to sleep better, start there. What's your total daily caffeine intake, and more-importantly, do you do anything to consciously restrict/eliminate it after about noon on any given day?

The other advice I've seen on sleep is to get your body into a regular daily pattern. To start, you need to get away from all electronics (which includes, unfortunately, reading and posting on this forum ) for 30-60 minutes before going to bed. Then you go to bed at a set time, whether or not you are tired, and stay there until morning. Then you wake up at a set time in the morning, whether or not you got enough sleep in the night.

Repeat every day until it gets better.

Like 5:2, it's very simple and straightforward to describe how to do it, but in practice it's much more challenging.

Caffine, hmmm, I am a tea drinker, but do stop drinking tea for about 3 hours before bed. Just before bed I have a glass of water. I don't eat supper, but our evening meal can sometimes be as late as 8pm.
I do find that if I can get to be by or just after midnight, I sleep much more soundly than if I go to bed later. If I don't get to bed till say 2am I generally only get 3 or 4 hours sleep and its not a very good sleep. Getting to bed before midnight is my first priority and I have spoken to hubby about it today and we will start to implement some changes today.

Caffine, hmmm, I am a tea drinker, but do stop drinking tea for about 3 hours before bed.

It may help you, especially if you want to get to bed before midnight, to stop all caffeine intake by noon.

Everyone who has this problem has my sympathy. It doesn't matter what time I go to bed I nearly always wake up between 1.20am and 1.50am. I then keep looking at the clock nearly every 50 - 70 minutes - this morning it was 06.40 the last I looked. I doze off in between. I don't drink any caffeine containing beverages or alcohol at all, have no stressful situations and take no medication. Every afternoon I go for a walk. I find that late afternoon I could do with a sleep and after we have eaten (approx 7 - 7.45pm) I often fall into a deep sleep. Not keen on TV, computers or reading in the evenings either. Eventually I get so exhausted I do sleep the whole night through, but then the pattern starts again. Needless to say I don't function very well and quite often refuse to drive a car because I fear my reflexes wouldn't be quick enough!

http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleeping.htm
Interesting article here, particularly the section 'how sleep deprivation can add to your waistline'.

I've no knowledge to add, but just wanted to say how much I admire you Julie. I couldn't cope with a fraction of what you have to face.

HUGS

@BruceE I have no problem falling asleep at normal times, its got nothing to do with caffeine, its all got to do with not being able to actually get to bed because of my caring role. By the time 2am comes along I am overtired and starting to feel wide awake again, so I toss and turn to get to sleep.
So my first step is to get my husbands pain medications stabalised so he feels able to go to bed.

As Cary Grant NEVER said, Julie, Julie, Julie......I so feel for you and your situation, as I have the wonderful luxury of not having to get up if I have a bad night. Both hubs and I are really bad sleepers. He is on quite an aggressive drug regime for his progressive kidney disease but that said, I am not his carer, he does not need that YET but it is still very debilitating so I have a smidgen of understanding for your situation. I have to say that in spite of your situation you do seem to have a supportive family around you and your wonderfully refreshing relationship with your lovely husband seems to sustain you through difficult times, if only everyone who has such a difficult domestic situation could be as wonderfully happy and inspiring as you and your husband. Loads of hugs to all of you,

Ballerina x

@BruceE I have no problem falling asleep at normal times, its got nothing to do with caffeine, its all got to do with not being able to actually get to bed because of my caring role. By the time 2am comes along I am overtired and starting to feel wide awake again, so I toss and turn to get to sleep.
So my first step is to get my husbands pain medications stabalised so he feels able to go to bed.

Ah, gotcha. I wasn't trying to be thick or anything, just letting you know what seems to work for me.

I hope you work out the logistics of getting to bed before midnight. That article that callyanna linked had something interesting about 90 minute sleep cycles that might fit in to some sort of sleep-strategy-under-sub-optimal-timing-conditions. Maybe sort of a HIIT-equivalent to sleeping the whole night through?

Hi @julieathome good topic. Check out sleep and melatonin, and rather than taking the supplement one way to rejig your circadian rhythms is an early morning walk, might be a help

Bruce is correct about the simple things it is related to sleep routines. I haven't slept well in 22 years. Used to be a very sound sleeper until the confluence of a baby who didn't sleep well, menopause and work responsibilities. (Whacked on the weight too... Funny thing that) I figure I'd have gone over the edge if not that about every third night I sleep the sleep of exhaustion. Not reliable but any good sleep I will take. Things got particularly bad one time and I didn't sleep for some weeks, this when it got tricky.

Long story short I desperately read what the library had to offer on sleep and there is a sort of sleep hygiene. The steps seem simple but I followed them. One in particular was the early morning sunrise walk which rejigs your circadian rhythm. Relates to melatonin which you can get in tablet form. But hey why not let nature take its course. Just to make sure I was getting the right light I didn't wear my sunglasses. It is a wonderful time in the morning. Must be due to do it again as my sleeping is up the creek

This is very interesting and certainly makes sense in my situation. As an *ahem* older mother of one year old twins I am chronically sleep deprived and now battling with weight gain. Not sure when I'll sleep "normally" again but will plough on with 5:2/4:3 until I can shift some of this weight gain.

oh Julie, what a tough gig you have my dear! I really feel for you! It's amazing and inspiring that you can look after yourself as well as you do, good on you for being able to work the problems as you do!

thinking of you and sending you lots of warmth from a too hot sunny Melbourne!