insomnia details
Barbara will be fine for short; and yes, it’s Barbara Button. I’d
forgotten I’d impulsively entered the “memesrus” username once and
when it showed up I couldn’t exactly remember how to get rid of it. I
was reading Susan Blackmore’s book about memes at the time, I
guess….
Insomnia primary; gradual weight loss is a long-term goal.
I’m most concerned about overall balance and vitality right
now. Regarding the melatonin, I did seal off my bedroom so it’s
completely black/dark at night and I get better melatonin release
now (or at least I slept better). I have never taken it as a
supplement, though. I’ll try it and will look into 5-htp, too.
Thanks–the chart is especially helpful; I realize I instinctively do
some of the combining; plus eat hardly any starches anyhow….
Carbs are pretty low–mostly vegetables, one or two fruits, maybe 5-6
servings of grain per week, a little bit of chocolate, occasional
wheat-free treat of some sort. What are you getting at with the
question? I find if I eat more grain I sleep easier and am more
lethargic! Can’t win.
Fats–I eat small amounts of butter and olive oil, mostly on
vegetables or for saute-ing the game meats as they are so lean they
don’t really brown well without butter or oil and get too dry. Some
farmer cheese, hardly any TFA’s–rice or nut crackers are the only
chip-type thing I eat regularly. Nuts. I take flax oil as a supplement
but no others. Borage and black currant are sort of pricey–are you
thinking more EFA’s would help insomnia?
Thanks for the links; they’re very helpful.
Barbara
July 3rd, 2005 at 4:37 pm
In addition to Axel’s marvelous suggestions, I would include the
16.) Avoid trying to hard to go to sleep. If you’re not sleepy after 30
following ideas:
1.) Eat protein for breakfast (30 mins. after a fruit snack at rising).
2.) Eat protein for lunch.
3.) Eat fruit for snacks (alone and 4 hours after protein meals/30 mins
before anything else).
4.) Eat a carb dinner with plenty of vegetables and FAT. This will put
you to sleep faster than a duck on a junebug. Make sure to include
enough FAT because if you don’t, the carbs will metabolize too quickly
and your blood sugar will fluctuate too much.
5.) Exercise vigorously 6 hours (not any later) before you want to go to
sleep. If you exercise too much earlier, you will get tired too soon,
so make sure to keep it around 6 hours.
6.) Avoid any and all caffeine within 6 hours of bedtime.
7.) Practice relaxation breathing right before you go to bed. Dr. Weil
talks about different breathing techniques in one of his
books…Spontaneous Healing I think.
8.) Avoid alcohol near bedtime. A glass of wine before dinner is O.K.,
but avoid having any within three hours of bedtime.
9.) Take a warm bath before bed.
10.) Maintain a relaxing atmosphere in the bedroom: no arguing, no
watching exciting movies or news, no eating, no working, and no
balancing checkbooks. Keep the bedroom for sex, listening to music, or
reading a peaceful book.
11.) Establish a bedtime ritual: engage in a nightly ritual of reading
for pleasure just before turning off the lights. Find a good book, turn
off the room lights, use a reading light that can be gradually dimmed,
and take your mind off the days worries by venturing into the author’s
thoughts. When you’re fully relaxed or when drowsiness begins to lower
your eyelids, you’re ready to turn off the light.
12.) Have pleasurable Sexual Activity: this always helps me go to sleep
make sure it’s good though and relaxedthat is the key.
13.) Keep your pets (if any) out of the room.
14.) If you find that you cannot clear your mind, keep a journal and
record your thoughts on paper each night. If you don’t like to write, a
pocket dictation recorder works well too.
15.) Try some bedtime relaxation techniques: progressive muscle
relaxation (PMR), yoga, light a candle in your mind, mental imagery and
fantasies (I do this a lot), deep breathing, mind games, and if all else
fails, count sheep. No really, it works!
minutes in bed, get up and leave the bedroom. Do some light reading or
listen to soft music in a low-lighted environment until you get tired.
If you’re just too alert, do some light housework. You’ll get tired of
that soon enough. I guarantee it.
I these methods all fail, we can go (herbal) pharmaceutical. I’d prefer
not to, as it gets you dependent on them. I wouldn’t use melatonin
until you try some other methods. It is a hormone and your body can
become dependent. Let me know how things go.
Cheers,
Mr. Research
July 6th, 2005 at 5:00 am
These are great suggestions. You must be catching up on all the e-
mails!
Anyway, I find it difficult to exercise six hours before bed on work
days. I get home around 6:15, and go to sleep around 10:00. It hasn’t
affected me adversely in the past, but I am pretty perky until bed
time. Lunch is out because I sweat with any exercise (even moderate
walking), and we don’t have showers at work. Before work is even less
desired, because I already get up at 5:15 to make it to work by 7:00.
However, there are three days per week that the six hours is no
problem.
I also sleep with my cat, and it has never caused a problem. In fact,
when I’m away and have to sleep kitty-free, it’s almost harder to
sleep! Ah, well.
July 7th, 2005 at 2:58 am
Excercise elevates your core body temperature. An ensuing drop in body
temperature at bedtime, five or six hours after a vigorous workout,
induces drowsiness and deeper sleep. Atheletes and other physically fit
people have more delta (deep) sleep than do nonathletes.
Do not engage in strenuous aerobic or physical muscular activity within
three hours of bedtime. Physical exertion stimulates the release of
adrenaline. You’ll be too alert and might find it difficult to relax
your body enough to induce sleep.
The best time to exercise is in the late afternoon or at noontime.
Morning exercise has little effect on the quality of sleep that night.
if you must exercise in the early morning, do not do so at the expense
of needed sleep; make sure you get to bed in time to fulfill your sleep
quotient. In the morning allow yourself enough time to raise your body
temperature and become alert. Stretch before attempting a vigorous
workout. It’s easy to twist an ankle while jogging if you’re still
drowsy and not properly warmed up.
Do easy stretching before bedtime, but nothing strenuous. Move your
arms in a Raggedy Ann, spaghetti-like fashion and try to relax your neck
muscles by slowly rocking your head to the right and left.
Cheers,
Mr. Research
July 7th, 2005 at 7:05 am
Exercise elevates your core body temperature. An ensuing drop in body
temperature at bedtime, five or six hours after a vigorous workout,
induces drowsiness and deeper sleep. Atheletes and other physically fit
people have more delta (deep) sleep than do nonathletes.
Do not engage in strenuous aerobic or physical muscular activity within
three hours of bedtime. Physical exertion stimulates the release of
adrenaline. You’ll be too alert and might find it difficult to relax
your body enough to induce sleep.
The best time to exercise is in the late afternoon or at noontime.
Morning exercise has little effect on the quality of sleep that night.
if you must exercise in the early morning, do not do so at the expense
of needed sleep; make sure you get to bed in time to fulfill your sleep
quotient. In the morning allow yourself enough time to raise your body
temperature and become alert. Stretch before attempting a vigorous
workout. It’s easy to twist an ankle while jogging if you’re still
drowsy and not properly warmed up.
Do easy stretching before bedtime, but nothing strenuous. Move your
arms in a Raggedy Ann, spaghetti-like fashion and try to relax your neck
muscles by slowly rocking your head to the right and left.
Cheers,
Mr. Research