Go back to sleep

[v15u4l_3rr0r]

For a while now I have been trying to tackle my sleep problem. I still find it very difficult to sleep at night and nod off at a sensible hour even after wearing myself out. On the rare ocassions that I do get to sleep early, I end up waking up again after about 4 hours and then I can't get back to sleep

Comments

[earthlingmike]

You'd probably be interested in this: http://earthlingmike.livejournal.com/375085.html

Sometimes I set my alarm for about 4 hours after I go to sleep, to make sure that my first sleep ends soon enough for me to go back to sleep again and it seems to work, as long as there's not something else, like being to warm, that would keep me from falling back to sleep.

[v15u4l_3rr0r]

How is that working out for you? Do you find you are feeling more refreshed and productive during the day?

[darkwaterfairy]

"... rather than having a set time to go to bed as well as waking up, only keep a rigid waking time and only get into bed when you actually feel tired."

I've been in the care of an NHS neuropsychiatric sleep clinic for something like a year now, and the Sleep Therapist there gave me this very same advice (amongst other things). Although other disruptions have prevented me being able to put it into action for any length of time.

[darkwaterfairy]

Oops, hit the wrong reply button. Oh well.

[v15u4l_3rr0r]

I'm having a hard time will cutting out too much stimulus like reading too much before I sleep. If I stop reading too early, my brain starts screaming that it isn't done yet and then gets its revenge by thinking loudly at me.

I'm hoping that my nap period will teach me how to fall asleep faster without my brain over thinking. I've found using meditation techniques to be very helpful so far.

[earthlingmike]

It's working well. I used to wake up after like 6 hours, and it was hard to fall back asleep, and light would start coming in the window. Last night I went to bed at 10:30 and set the alarm for 2:30. I didn't feel like getting up at 2:30 even though I had planned to finish watching a movie, so I just went back to sleep probably within a few minutes. I guess it meant that I didn't wake up later and have more trouble going back to sleep. I feel like I slept well and I'm not sleepy at all, and it works when I do get up as well. But you have to go to bed earlier, keeping in mind that whatever you might have wanted to do before bed you might be able to just shift to the middle of the night.