[mr.supervideogoodfd]

I have difficulty sleeping most of the time . . . getting to sleep and staying asleep. When I was in my early 20's I could fall asleep easily, and get back to sleep easily if I was awakened. Those were the days! Not any more, and I don't know exactly when the change happened, but I'll guess somewhere around 28.

Like others have said, it seems like 2:30 AM is my time to wake up for no good reason. It would be more ominous if we were in the same time zone, but we're not, but I still find it interesting. I try to get to bed early, because no matter when I get to sleep, I wake up at 7 ish. It's hellish for myself and those around me if I haven't had my quota of zzzzz's.

BrewTech, thanks for explaining your lack of imbibing. In the "what are you drinking thread" I was stunned at your answer. For me, a little bit of alcohol (1-3 drinks drinks) helps with sleep, but any more than that seems to make my sleep time worse. I have had the panic in the middle of the night when the alcohol wears off too. It sucks.

Old Herb Lady, the health food dude told me that Calcium and Magnesium would help me sleep. What do you think about that? (I have been taking it, but don't notice a difference.)

My guess and it is a guess .......too much fluoride or low blood sugar


http://www.historyofwaterfilters.com/fluoride-2.html

5) Fluoride disrupts the activity of normally functioning hormones. Fluoride can reduce levels of melatonin, the sleep hormone, in the body, causing chronic insomnia (Hileman, 1988).

[HaroTaure]

My guess and it is a guess .......too much fluoride or low blood sugar

I don't think it's fluoride - I have well water (so I don't ingest fluoridated city water and it doesn't touch my skin), I drink only reverse osmosis water, and use fluoride-free toothpaste.

I will look into low blood sugar. Thanks!

[Agehoobionibe]

I have sleep apnea and had all the problems you folks talk about, that and I never had dreams. The sleep study confirmed no REM for me. (well to be exact 0.82% of the night I had REM)

Now I got the CPAP machine that gives me the best sleep ever 6 hours now is better rest than 12+ before. Only thing that has ever come close is being way way out in the mountians for a few weeks. (like 100 milies from the nearest power line way out there).

[lidersontop]

Try exercising.

Wear yourself out.

I can't sleep sometimes due to stress but then i exercise and I'm out like a light.

If you exercise and do so that you are sweating bullets and still can't sleep then there could be some health issues.

[Sarah Armstrong]

I sleep a lot these days, but I am waking up very tired...

[NumsAmenniams]

k-os, do you get very tired during the afternoon? I do and I'm pretty sure it's because I usually get short sleep so I'm in a biphasic sleep pattern.


Comparison of sleep patterns

[18]




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polypha...sleep_patterns
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyphasic

[ErnestTU]

k-os, do you get very tired during the afternoon? I do and I'm pretty sure it's because I usually get short sleep so I'm in a biphasic sleep pattern.


Comparison of sleep patterns

[18]




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polypha...sleep_patterns
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyphasic

I get tired in the afternoon, but I usually can't fall asleep.

The different sleep patterns look really interesting. Thanks!

Kali, I need to try getting some sweaty exerciseto see if that helps. Good idea for all of us.

[Gromiaaborn]

Intensive farming has drained the soil of nearly all its magnesium, which is very important for good sleep. I suggest everyone with trouble sleeping buy some magnesium citrate, get 40+ minutes of low intensity exercise (walking the dog), and install f.lux (google it). Also, turn off all your lights within 3 hours of when you want to sleep. Lights screw up your natural sleep patterns.

[Elissetecausa]

no!

[Enalsebeerkawl]

Dunno wtf is going on. It's 2am and I'm wide awake.

Puts me to sleep too. And between 2 and 4 AM the alcohol wears off and I wake up in a panic... what I'm panicking about varies but the schedule is always the same.

Like others have said, it seems like 2:30 AM is my time to wake up for no good reason.

It could be your cortisol levels going up when they shouldn't be:

"The primary stress-response hormone produced by your adrenal glands is called cortisol. It is even more potent in some ways than adrenaline, but at normal levels it is not agitating, rather it is strengthening. It's your wake-up-and-tackle-life's-challenges hormone. Cortisol levels are supposed to be highest in the morning and lowest between about midnight and 4:00AM. If levels are too high, you'll feel wired, tense and hyper-vigilant. Our cortisol levels always rise above the normal level to help us cope with severe stress. This can happen, for example, during a divorce or as a reaction to withdrawal from medications, like benzodiazepines or antidepressants, often causing severe agitation and insomnia. [Or thinking too much about DOOOOM!!!] Cortisol levels should return to normal after the stress is relieved, but sometimes chronic stress goes on for so long that the adrenals make a permanent adaptation to a new, hyper level of cortisol production. Eventually, our adrenals can become so exhausted by this constant demand for extreme cortisol production that they are no longer able to produce even moderate levels. Their cortisol output can drop too low throughout the day, especially in the late afternoon. This can be experienced as a sudden crash or a gradually increasing fatigue. But, surprisingly often, 1 - 5 AM cortisol surges persist for years, causing chronic insomnia.

Testing:
Whether you are in sudden or chronic over-stress. A simple one-day (4-sample) home saliva test will reveal your bedtime and early morning cortisol levels as well as your mid-morning and late afternoon levels. See the Adrenal Tool Kit, for details on testing the levels of this vital indicator. If you wake up between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00a.m., ask for an extra (fifth) test vial. The reference range should be the same or lower than the bedtime range.

Sleep disturbance:
If cortisol levels are too high at night, instead of very low, as they're supposed to be, you'll be kept up too late with a "second wind." Or your cortisol levels could rise too high early in the morning and wake you up prematurely. Or you could wake up between 2:00 and 4:00AM and not be able to get back to sleep easily. Are you a night owl? Testing may show that your cortisol is above normal levels between 10:00PM and midnight when it should be dropping to allow you to get to sleep.
From "IDENTIFYING AND CORRECTING ELEVATED CORTISOL LEVELS" which is a section in The Mood Cure book.

[Daleman1984]

Intensive farming has drained the soil of nearly all its magnesium, which is very important for good sleep. I suggest everyone with trouble sleeping buy some magnesium citrate, [snip other good non-magnesium-related info.]

I agree. I've been taking some Enzymatic Therapy Krebs Magnesium-Potassium Chelates. I've also heard Magnesium Glycinate is good too.

Old Herb Lady, the health food dude told me that Calcium and Magnesium would help me sleep. What do you think about that? (I have been taking it, but don't notice a difference.)

How much are you taking? And what form of the supplements are you taking? Calcium carbonate and magnesium oxide are really cheap supplements that the body has a hard time absorbing. But these are the most common forms that are sold, especially in multi-vitamins or in calcium-magnesium combos.

If you consume dairy foods and a lot of greens, it's likely that you're not calcium-deficient. It seems like most people are magnesium-deficient.

One of the best ways to find out if you're magnesium deficient is to monitor your chocolate cravings. When I'm consuming enough magnesium, I don't even think about eating it. And I'm usually a choco-holic!

Magnesium Deficiency Triggers or Causes The Following Conditions:

1. Anxiety and Panic attacks- Magnesium (Mg) normally keeps adrenal stress hormones under control.
2. Asthma- Both histamine production and bronchial spasms increase with Mg deficiency.
3. Blood clots- Mg has an important role to play in preventing blood clots and keeping the blood thin-much like aspirin but without the side effects.
4. Bowel disease- Mg deficiency slows down the bowel causing constipation, which could lead to toxicity and malabsorption of nutrients, as well as colitis.
5. Cystitis- Bladder spasms are worsened by Mg deficiency.
6. Depression-Serotonin, which elevates moods, is dependent on Mg. A Mg-deficient brain is also more susceptible to allergens, foreign substances that can cause symptoms similar to mental illness.
7. Detoxification- Mg is crucial for the removal of toxic substances and heavy metals such as aluminum and lead.
8. Diabetes- Mg enhances insulin secretion, facilitating sugar metabolism. Without Mg insulin is not able to transfer glucose into cells. Glucose and insulin build up in the blood causing various types of tissue damage.
9. Fatigue- Mg-deficient patients commonly experience fatigue because dozens of enzyme systems are under-functioning. An early symptom of Mg deficiency is frequently fatigue.
10. Heart disease- Mg deficiency is common in people with heart disease. Mg is administered in hospitals for acute myocardial infarction and cardiac arrhythmia. Like any other muscle, the heart muscle requires Mg. Mg is also used to treat angina, or chest pain.
11. Hypertension- With insufficient Mg, spasm of blood vessels and high cholesterol occur, both of which lead to blood pressure problems.
12. Hypoglycemia- Mg keeps insulin under control; without Mg episodes of low blood sugar can result.
13. Insomnia- Sleep-regulating melatonin production is disturbed without sufficient Mg.
14. Kidney Disease- Mg deficiency contributes to atherosclerotic kidney failure. Mg deficiency creates abnormal lipid levels and worsening blood sugar control in kidney transplant patients.
15. Liver Disease leading to liver failure- Mg deficiency commonly occurs during liver transplantation.
16. Migraine- Serotonin balance is Mg-dependent. Deficiency of serotonin can result in migraine headaches and depression.
17. Musculoskeletal conditions- Fibrositis, fibromyalgia, muscle spasms, eye twitches, cramps and chronic neck and back pain may be caused by Mg deficiency and can be relieved with Mg supplements.
18. Nerve problems- Mg alleviates peripheral nerve disturbances throughout the whole body, such as migraines, muscle contractions, gastrointestinal spasms, and calf, foot and toe cramps. It is also used in treating central nervous symptoms of vertigo and confusion.
19. Obstetrics and Gynecology- Mg prevents Premenstrual Syndrome; prevents dysmenorrhea (cramping pain during menses); is important in the treatment of infertility; and alleviates premature contractions, preeclampsia, and eclampsia in pregnancy. Intravenous Mg is given in obstetrical wards for pregnancy-induced hypertension and to lessen the risk of cerebral palsy and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Mg should be a required supplement for pregnant mothers.
20. Osteoporosis- Use of calcium with Vitamin D to enhance calcium absorption without a balancing amount of Mg causes further Mg deficiency, which triggers a cascade of events leading to bone loss.
21. Raynaud’s Syndrome- Mg helps relax the spastic blood vessels that cause pain and numbness of the fingers.
22. Tooth decay- Mg deficiency causes an unhealthy balance of phosphorus and calcium in saliva, which damages teeth. Material excerpted from Dean, Carolyn. The Miracle of Magnesium (2003 Ballantine Books: New York, NY), 2003. pp. 5-7.

From "The Magnesium Miracle"

[12dargernswearf]

Yep.
Something's in the air...

Double Yep.

Despite doing all the "right" things like eating well, exercising and taking magnesium, I often wake up with a sense of dread. It is part of the reason why I started smoking, which is the only thing that takes the edge off for me. However, I have noticed that I don't "need" to smoke as much now that the holidays are over, especially Kitschmas.

The other day I completely forgot to smoke. Yesterday I had a couple and today I've only had one (some effing "heroin-like addiction"). But I have noticed that when I don't smoke a cigarette in the evening, I'm most likely to wake up with heart-pounding anxiety and the fear that something bad is about to happen. I guess I should be glad it's usually 7 or 8 a.m. rather than 2.

[Lidawka]

it could be all the doom we all know it coming but when

[Clielldub]

Take a couple of puffs on a fatty, that'll put you to sleep. Works for me.......... Its all natural and organic too, regardless of what the "government experts" say.

[Jwskwhdo]

Take a couple of puffs on a fatty, that'll put you to sleep. Works for me.......... Its all natural and organic too, regardless of what the "government experts" say.

It makes me lazy, but doesn't let my mind rest . . . so I don't get sleepy . . . just lazy and paranoid. I am so envious of people who relax (and sleep) from smoking pot.

[WFSdZuP3]

I am actually sleeping through the night for the past week! But it's not without some complications. . .

I resisted long enough, and decided to try sleeping on my back. Before, I normally slept on my stomach with one arm over my head. Now I am sleeping on my back with a pillow underneath my knees. Within the last week I have just developed some sciatic nerve symptoms (lower back/leg pain) and even stayed in bed a whole day because of it. Ouch! Not sure about the correlation/causation, but the timing is a little too coincidental for comfort. I tried sleeping without the pillow underneath my legs, but my legs were asleep when I woke up. The painful, pins and needles kind (not the pun intended kind).

It's a testament to how much I love sleep that I'm still sleeping on my back - sciatica be damned - I'll just stretch more.

What's weird (and not painful) about my new sleep position is that when I wake up, one or both arms are over my head.

[iroxmxinau]

Arms over the head is the bodies way of trying to increase the chest cavity to increase O2 levels becasue they are low. Well that is what the sleep DR told me anyway when I explained to him I can't sleep any other way.