Sleep help

[EleanorS3]

I’m able to fall asleep with relative ease but I wake up around 2:00am every night and have a very hard time falling back asleep. Does anyone have a remedy for this problem? I’d rather not take prescription drugs if possible and melatonin doesn’t work for me. 

Many thanks!

Elle

[ShelleyS651]

Hi Elle, this would depend greatly on your age. Menopause causes these types of wake ups for example. Otherwise as a nutrition coach/personal trainer I would suggest good sleep hygiene. That is, a dark room with a comfortable temp and no electronics or exercise close to bedtime. Also limit or cut alcohol and added sugars. No caffeine after 4 pm and no naps. I worked closely with a sleep psychologist for years before Covid. Hope that helps!

[LynnB140]

Comprehensive and sensible advice - relax with warm (not hot) shower before retiring can also help. Lynn

[Jojo3]

@EleanorS3 - I am sorry you having trouble sleeping.  Have you tried the deep breathing technique?  Focus on the inhale and exhale, inhale and then hold for a second or two, then exhale.  Kind of feel the breathing and focus on that.  I hope you find sleep soon!!

[beverlybrown]

@EleanorS3 The deep-breathing technique @Jojo3 describes has helped me. @ShelleyS651 has some good tips too. Something that works for me, which is really counterintuitive, is lying flat on your back and resting your legs against a vertical surface for 1 minute. You might also try walking outdoors where you can see the sunrise and sunset; I understand that exposing your eyes to both helps reset your circadian rhythms. I've noticed I sleep the best while on vacation, when I can do that.

[Birding_babe]

Ugh, not being able to fall back asleep is the worst. My pets usually wake me in the middle of the night, or I get up to pee. Sometimes it helps me to put on my eye mask. It forces me to close my eyes and darkens any lingering lights. It also helps me resist looking at the clock or phone.

[MaryDrill]

There is a breathing practice called 4-7-8 Breathing that is reported to help people go to sleep and go back to sleep simply because it conditions the mind to relax.  This link is a short explanation and tutorial on how you do it.  It is recommended you invest literally 1-2 minutes per day to build your practice and condition the brain.  Some people enjoy benefits sooner than others.  Fascinating, simple tool that could help as could other breathing and meditation practices. https://www.drweil.com/videos-features/videos/breathing-exercises-4-7-8-breath/

[Vanessa]

Oh no!! sleep issues are the worst, @Jamilia_B, do you have any advice? Also have a library of sleep resources that may help you out -- check them out here. Wishing you some rest @EleanorS3!! ❤️

[MaryS787]

I recommend Healthy Cell REM which was a lifesaver for me and binaural beats 

[AnneH224]

I get it.  I fall asleep pretty easily, but pop awake around 4:00 in the morning. I live in a state where THC is legal and the best things I've found for staying asleep are gummies with THC, CBD, and CBN.  Apparently, it's the CBN that lasts and keeps me from popping awake.  The dose of THC in the gummies I have is pretty small.

[DebMarPir]

Hi Elle! Do you have an idea what might be the cause of your insomnia? If not, you might consider going to a sleep doctor, as insomnia is hard to treat. I have been trying to for 15 years. However, in my case I know stress makes it worse. I recently went to a sleep doctor who gave me a list of things to do, including no caffeine after 1pm. No light in the bedroom at night. No video screens, etc. And I have also tried variious meds, the lastest of which I think is finally working sometimes. (But if I am very stressed, I can still lie awake a long time.) Don't give up, keep working on it. I am in menopause, and it's true the problem began when I entered perimenopause. At the beginning it wasn't a big problem, it was easier to treat. Good luck!

[beverlybrown]

That's a good list. I recently learned that fasting can cause you to have so much energy, you don't need as much sleep. That was eye-opening (haha). I healed my metabolism in part using time-restricted eating and occasional water fasts. During the water fasts especially, falling sleep takes forever. Gonna get an Oura ring to see what the data says.

[LizL203]

I used to have the same issue - wake up at ~3am and not be able to fall back asleep. I have to say, a weighted blanket has made a world of difference for me. Not sure if you have tried one, but honestly - it was a complete game changer. 🙂 Good luck!

[beverlybrown]

+1 on the weighted blanket. I got one as a present recently; it does make a difference!

[DianeS634]

I also find that a weighted blanket helps me sleep deeply!

[DianeS634]

I'm not sure if this advise was already given, but I find that if I don't drink any liquids after dinner, I don't wake up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom.  Also, putting away the cell phone and not watching tv for several hours before bed also contributes to my getting a full night's, deep sleep.  Writing in a journal and/or reading in bed is my pre-sleep routine, and I try my best to turn off the lights by 10pm as I have heard that our most restorative sleep occurs between 10pm and 2 am.

[JuliaB596]

What works for me: I put on an eye mask and play crystal bowls sound bath off my music app or YouTube. I also like sleep stories on the Breethe app. Works every time.