A Sleep Problem
May 24, 2007 by laura
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
It’s become very apparent that I have recovered from my bout of pneumonia. I am almost breathing normally. I am even able to do some mild exercise. Today I walked almost 3 miles….finally! However, the most obvious way I can tell that I am feeling a lot better, is that I have stopped sleeping again. Yes, I have gone back to my old patterns. I sleep between 40 and 90 minutes at a time, and then wake up. I can manage to go back to sleep easily enough….until about 3 am. Clearly, 3 am is my witching hour. I am wide awake at that time. So, I get up and do some stuff for a little while (dishes/light house cleaning), until I crash at 5:30. The problem with this is that I must absolutely get up before 6:15 am in order for me to get to work on time. As you can probably guess, this is impossible. I am pretty sure that my boss is getting a little fed up with me, waltzing into work at least 1/2 hr late everyday. As for the afternoon naps that I am most desperately craving, I can safely say that he none too impressed.
Anyone have any solutions to my crappy sleep situation? I need to do something fast. This cycle is dangerous.
Have you had another go with the aromatherapy oils? At a sensible distance from you nose? Another thing I can recommend is a cup of warm milk before bed, and if you’re sensitive to noise, some good comfy earplugs. I find I sleep so much better with ear plugs than without. I think sounds is the one sense that wakes me most at night. But they must be comfy.
Ellie,
I can always count on you for great recommendations. Actually, I am trying a little aromatherapy action. I suspect, I could use professional help.
I bought a small amount of a balancing infusion, and i mixed it with a whole lot of water, and put it in a spray bottle (used to have skin toner in it). Part of the reason I wake up is from fever (and night sweats), I spray a little on the back of my neck…and hands and feet. It cools me off better than regular water, and the scent relaxes me….oh and its super good for dry skin (my skin looks much improved already..especially on my hands). I am not certain, but I think the scent is ylang-ylang.
I had tried a bit of lavender underneath my pillow, but it was giving me a headache, so i am giving up the lavender for now.
I really did try to experiment with some pure oils, but it was causing me some problems in the store…and I started to panic a bit, and ran for the door really fast.
As for the earplugs. My apartment, is pretty quiet. I don’t think I am waking up from the noise, I think its just that I have a screwed up inner time clock.
Hey that sounds like you need to “re-set” your body clock?
Another suggestion is to try and understand what wakes you up around that time. It could be something like the cold (it’s always coldest at night around 3am)? Or maybe a neighbor going to work?
It’s funny how things might wake us up, but we don’t realize straight away that it was “such-and-such” that woke us. Have you had that?
Hi Coops,
I have spent a lot of time trying to understand my lack of sleep problem. This isn’t the first time that it’s happened. Back in January, I pretty much stopped sleeping altogether for a few weeks. The way I broke that pattern, was to get pneumonia.
I WILL NOT DO THAT AGAIN!!!!
You may be right, that it could be temperature related, since I have been experiencing night sweats. But I suspect that is a result of not sleeping well, and not the other way around.
Noise is definitely not an issue here. I have never lived in a more quiet place (or neighborhood). And since I have been here for 3 years plus, I am fairly used to it.
Going to check out some of your ideas on your blog though.
Hey, pink!
Sounds like you have what I have–”liver heat.” That’s from Chinese medicine. I believe it is an excess of “yang” energy in the liver that causes the body to overheat during “liver time” (1-3 a.m.). I just started taking herbs for it–not sure if it’s helping yet. It is apparently a particular problem in spring, which is liver season. My doctor has seen lots of people with it. I find if I drink some mint tea when I wake up that it cools me off. A little popcorn before bed seems to help too, but I haven’t experimented enough to know for sure. Perhaps a little food in the belly keeps the liver busy at night and bleeds off some of that excess energy? Anyway, I don’t know if there is a “cure” but if you see a TCM practitioner it might be worth mentioning.
P.S. I agree about the earplugs. Even if it’s not noisy, it seems to lull my brain into a sense of coziness and protection that lets it relax and sleep soundly.
Hi Sylvia
Isn’t the pink excellent??? Makes me look sooo healthy.
Really interesting that you say its an excess of yang, because my acupuncturist said the exact same thing.
I will try the mint tea suggestion. I like that one.
How does the popcorn work? I LURVE popcorn
I have been thinking on the earplugs, but I am a little afraid to try them out.
I don’t know really how popcorn works. They say a bit of carbs before bed is relaxing. Just a bit, mind you. A full stomach will keep you awake very effectively!
What worries you about earplugs? They’re quite safe. There’s no problem with infection or them getting stuck (they don’t go all the way in). They don’t completely block your hearing, so you can still hear your smoke alarm or the phone. They just muffle sounds so they’re easier to tune out. They’re great for daytime naps too.
Hi Laura,
My ideas aren’t many yet, but I hope at some stage you find the answer! I’ll keep thinking about it and let you know if I come up with anything else.
I guess my first approach would just be finding out what is waking you. Once you fix that, you have a good chance at re-setting that body clock!
I had to finally resort to Ambien CR, it’s the only way I could sleep all night.
Auricular therapy seems to help a bit as well (aka ear acupuncture, though mine doesn’t use needles)
A sound/white noise machine plus a fan are a must for me–I have a bad case of tinnitus though.
I’ve heard that tart cherry juice is supposed to help, but I didn’t notice anything different.
Hope you get some sleep soon!
Sylvia,
I am going to try the popcorn tonight. I rented the first season of Grey’s Anatomy shows 1-5 (have never seen it before…I KNOW!) and I think popcorn might just be the right accompaniment.
As for the earplugs, I think I am afraid of my ear swallowing them up, and not being able to get them out. I know its irrational. But what do you expect from a girl who is more than slightly afraid of squirrels ~ I just don’t think they are a good idea for me.
hello,
I’m new to your blog and have been reading through your post and enjoying them very much.
I can relate to the sleep problem and I have suggestion that may seem insignificant but it has really helped me.
I too am a 3am waker and have been for years. I used to get up and read or putter around the house until I felt sleepy. Someone suggested that instead of waking myself up more by being active, I just lie there in bed, resting my body and daydreaming (or I guess you would call it nightdreaming), until I felt naturally sleepy and drifted off.
It took a lot of willpower to just lie in bed and not get up, but I found as I accepted that I was awake and didn’t do anything about it, my mind became relaxed and drifted off to various places and gradually my body followed along. I still wake up at 3am, but I usually am asleep again in a short time.
This is just an idea that may or may not help you, but I thought I would pass it along.
cheers
mary anne
Coops,
I read some of your ideas on your blog this morning…you have some good ones.
I have been thinking about what could possibly be waking me up, and I am not sure that its just any one thing. However a bunch of cumulative stuff keeps waking me up at the same time every night. Its a dangerous cycle, since we all know lack of sleep will bring on severe illness. If this keeps on, I will never get well. And that will just not do.
I do however, appreciate you spending your energy thinking about ways to solve my problem.
Thanks
Angel,
its interesting that you mention auricular therapy, when I go to the acupuncturist he puts 2-3 needles in each ear. Its quite relaxing. And it is true, that at least for the night of the acupuncture session I do sleep quite well. That state just doesn’t last terribly long for me. They have left an ear tack in for about 24 hrs….and that did help with my chi flow - but not specifically for sleep. I wonder if you can leave them in for longer than that. I will have to ask him, next time I see him.
I haven’t experimented with white noise machines, what is it about them that is helpful to you?
I will definitely look into the cherry juice. I love juice, not too fond of cherries though….maybe it can be mixed with another type of juice. Blueberry or pomegranate perhaps.
Actually it is physically impossible to put ear plugs all the way in your ear. The outer ear canal is very narrow. Ear plugs are designed to just wedge in the outer opening, not to go inside. You’d need an assitant and surgical implements to get one lodged in your ear! Still, if it makes you uncomfortable it probably won’t do much for your sleep!
Like I said, its an irrational fear.
Just like how I would never be able to wear contact lenses, because I cant stand anything near my eye, let alone in it. I get all squeamish when something goes near my ear. It took me months to get use to the earbud earphones for my ipod. And I still get uptight, when the needle approaches my ear, for acupuncture….I cant even see it go in, but somehow I can sense it. once its in, I am fine.
I know its ridiculous sounding. Especially since I have never actually tried them….but a fear (no matter how ridiculous it is) is still a fear. and I wont be able to conquer it, until I am good and ready.
Hi Mary Anne, thanks for stopping by and leaving such a lovely comment.
Your suggestion about not getting out of bed, is a familiar one to me. I have a friend who actually gets quite annoyed at me, for leaving my bed in the middle of the night. He feels that even if I am not sleeping, I should be able to get some rest by being still, and eventually the comfort of my bed and the stillness should lull me into sleep.
So far though, I just get restless and frustrated that I can’t sleep. but I haven’t completely given up hope that his (and your) suggestions will one day work.
Is it just me that finds it amusing that you can’t stand ear buds but acupuncture is okay?
If I walk past one of those places my knees go weak! We all have funny things like that I guess!
You said, “a bunch of cumulative stuff keeps waking me up at the same time every night.” I guess part of the issue is figuring out how to fix them.
Actually one idea that pops to mind is the array of nutritional supplements so many of us take might be making us drink too much water. Or simply that we do drink too much water in the evening (because of course, we should have drank more during the day — so we will make up for it in the evening!). That can wake us up pretty much every time without fail!
Coops, regarding the earbuds vs acupuncture - in case you haven’t figured it out just yet, I am about as quirky as they come!!!!
I am ok with earbuds, now. But it took a long time to get there. As for needles in the ear (acupuncture) I dont mind them once they are in, but when he is just about to put them in (when he hasn’t even touched my ear) makes me squeamish, eventhough I know it doesn’t hurt.
The water is a really good point. I keep 1.5 litres next to my bed…..and some nights I actually drink that much, and don’t realize it until I get up in the morning. So for sure, liquid intake is a part of it. But that is definitely NOT an every night occasion. Smart thinking though, and I think I will change from leaving a bottle of water next to my bed, to a glass.
I’m avidly reading all the suggestions! I’m a 5am waker (since I normally sleep until 10am, this is a bad thing), with two or three other rouses before then that I usually manage to get back to sleep after. Funny how I can sleep 6:30 or 7am to 10 with no troubles at all.
A few things I know that have an impact: HABIT - for some reason the ‘falling asleep’ habit never happens for me, yet as soon as I wake up one night (for a specific reason), I continue to wake up that time for days, weeks… Same with morning wake up times, but that’s cool. So far I’ve had some success breaking habits by changing what I do when they happen (don’t get out of bed to pee when I don’t have to this time, don’t start panicking about nightmares that I’m not having, don’t start cleaning or reading or making lists like I did last time…), by guided meditation or self-hypnosis, by just being too damn tired this time :P. HUNGER - I do sleep better, or wake less forcefully if I eat before I go to bed. I have before kept nibblies right beside the bed so that I didn’t fully wake up or get the hungry-tummy feeling before there was something in there (hmmm, should try that again). HYPERSENSITIVITY - which of course, gets worse with lack of sleep. That’s when it’s too hot under the blanket/sheet, yet too cold outside. When every brush of the fabric is itchy. When knocking your hand against your arm is really painful… Haven’t yet figured out a solution to that besides screaming…
I have an eyemask and earplugs that sometimes I use as ‘talismans’ - because they are associated with sleep, even when I’m in a dark and quiet place, they put me in that frame of mind. Do you have anything from your pnuemonia days that you can use as power-of-association?
Re: TV - this may just be how my mind works, but I find evening tv will wrap my sleepy brain in knots - first by making it harder to get to sleep (that one’s been scientifically proven), but also the storylines or characters get into my dreams and I can end up waking up from trying to sort it all out. Maybe I’m just too tired at night to file the input properly? I’ll read interesting books up until about 1/2 hour before sleep, then switch to soothing ones.
OK guys…..
I managed to stay in bed all night. I did pull my laptop into bed with me for about 15 minutes though (i keep it turned off during the night, in case you are wondering).
Still was wide awake, but was totally determined to stay in bed this time….and I did it.
I have to get up now and start my day, but keep the comments and suggestions coming, and I will answer them all this evening, when I get back.
Thanks for all of your help and support on this….I appreciate you all.
Jenna, the only thing that worked for me during the pneumonia days was Nyquil. I had severe reactions to all other meds, that I was stuck living with pneumonia without any real help. While I was having no real sleep issues at that time, I was waking up to cough, and Nyquil kind of put an end to that.
Now that I am feeling better, I am hesitant to keep on with it. I would like to try something a little more natural and healthy than relying on a cough suppressant/sleep aid that tastes like fake cherries.
soothing books to read before bedtime. thats a good idea, do you have any suggestions?
Can I jump in? I’ve gotten the bed-time book down to a system. No non-fiction (it gets me thinking), and no fiction that is overly violent or dramatic (too exciting). Jane Austen fits the bill exactly–too bad she only wrote 6 before she died!
Another thing I do is to listen to a meditation CD (when I can remember to do it!). Usually knocks me right out.
Sure Sylvia, jump right in. I am always looking for reading selections. I am a book junkie.
I love Jane Austen. Emma has been one of my favorites since about the 10th grade. Pride and Prejudice is up there as well. Although, I will confess that I like the A&E mini series slightly more, but that is entirely due to the fact that Colin Firth stars as Mr. Darcy.
Guided meditation is a great idea. I will be trying that tonight. After I watch part 1 of P & P.
whenever i cant sleep i grab a warm drink, blanket and go sit outside. i sit and think until i get lost in my thoughts- i sort of fall into a trance!
i like to draw and write so i also do tht. eventually i cant keep my eyes open and fall asleep.
oh make a regular sleep pattern.
Ladyzee (great name, btw)
Good suggestions, thanks. I do sit and think (like you have suggested) and it does help me fall asleep…now if I could just stay asleep.
Do you have your artwork posted somewhere so we can see it?
The suggestion on a regular bedtime is a good one…and one that I follow. But for whatever reason my inner time clock just doesn’t let me get enough sleep. Maybe my body thinks it lives in another time zone.
Here is a little something that I learned last night.
Watching a movie about the Holocaust will not help any sleep issues that you may have.
While the movie succeeded in stopping me from feeling sorry for myself ~ every time I did drift off to sleep, I was rewarded of very intense images from the movie.