How well do you sleep? I need more/better sleep

[WhatExit?]

Older I get the less I sleep and the more often I seem to wake up. A good night's sleep is a wonderful thing.

I've been taking melatonin for some time and it helps but my sleep quality & hours are suffering. I've been seeing info on Gaba - anyone take it?

Taken alone or with other natural sleep aids, GABA supplements help address anxiety, stress and an overactive brain, three main offenders that make it difficult to fall asleep. Its calming effect puts the mind in a relaxed state, so you're in the right headspace to drift off to sleep.

Low GABA levels have actually been linked to sleep deprivation, as one study found participants with insomnia had 30% lower levels of GABA in their systems. Another small-scale study by Frontiers in Neuroscience involving middle-aged adults found that taking 300 mg of GABA before bed for at least a week can reduce sleep latency (the amount of time it takes to fall asleep).

This Natural Sleep Aid Might Be the Best Way to Improve Sleep

Naturally found in certain foods, gamma-aminobutyric acid is a sleeping aid that might be better than melatonin supplements.

www.cnet.com

 

[Icky]

not sure if this is a gummy ad and I should report it

 

[beaverretriever]

I feel you.

I have had sleep issues my whole life. Not only do I just struggle to get to sleep, I am the lightest sleeper on earth which really sucks. I travel for work two weeks a month and hotel sleep is usually louder than our home and unfamililar beds etc lead to more issues with me.

Nothing seems to work except a hard day of work and exercise. I have foind, the more I exercise, the more and better I can sleep. My fall back is once in a while I'll take one of those pink over the counter Costco allergy pills which are basically benadryl. Very rarely though and even one makes me quite drowsy.

I try and get to bed by 10 but I'm usually up about 4am to 5:30 am every day. I have so much on my mind and that is probably the main reason for lack of sleep. My company headquarters is in Florida so I'm usually up working anyways to be on their clock.

 

[Not So Fast]

Ive tried everything imaginable with very minimal results!!!!!!! If I can somehow get 3 hours a nite i figure im doing good, sometimes I go almost sleepless for 3 days & nites. I sit down to watch TV and almost immediately fall asleep, but only for short periods of time. Last nite was exceptional having gone to bed at 11 and slept till 5, WOW, and today I feel terrible, go figure huh!! But Im 80 so maybe thats it, I dont know
NSF

 

[4Waters]

I take Gabapentin for restless leg syndrome but I don't take very much, 200mg. I slept good before but I kept my wife up, I feel like I sleep the same as before but my wife sleeps better now

 

[Ziggy]

Meletonin can give you some whacky dreams, Valarian Root is another herb you can try.
I sleep much less hours than I used to. Age certainly is biggest factor. I watched my dads sleep hours decrease the older he got to the point of "sundowners"......hardly realizing the difference between day/night.
My wife has gotten into meditation more but honestly I don't think it's improved the hours slept. Still gets up once or twice a night.
I turn on a white noise or singing bowls Youtube & black screen the tv with a timer. This helps me get to sleep at least. Whatever the case, once I wake up after 4 or 5 hrs I rarely am able to go back to any kind of restful sleep...flip flop like a pancake til daybreak.

 

[Caydens Cat]

If you want non-prescribed, Magnesium Glycinate helps too. I’ve taken everything under the sun to get good rest. My sleep cocktail is quite a handful.

 

[River Runnin]

Have you been tested for sleep apnea?

 

[BabyRay]

Timely topic for me this morning, as last night sucked! I haven’t consistently slept well for years. Although there are other causes as well, I’ve found that the worst thing for me is alcohol. I can handle one beer, wine or hard liquor, but sometimes after two and definitely three drinks I’m destined to have a bad night. I’m a stubborn old bastard and still haven’t taken the lesson to heart though.

 

[4Waters]

Timely topic for me this morning, as last night sucked! I haven’t consistently slept well for years. Although there are other causes as well, I’ve found that the worst thing for me is alcohol. I can handle one beer, wine or hard liquor, but sometimes after two and definitely three drinks I’m destined to have a bad night. I’m a stubborn old bastard and still haven’t taken the lesson to heart though.

I'm the same way with alcohol, 1 drink and I'm fine, if I get a buzz or more I will not sleep for shit

 

[monkeyswrench]

My brain goes mach 5, but my body shuts down around midnight. Melatonin did not work for my son...quite the opposite. He started some CBD drops, 7am and 7pm, and that seems to have helped him. I started some of those drops as well for pain. I learned I can't take them right before bed. For the most part, I am a dreamless sleeper. When I did them before bed, it was not a pretty scene! I think they worked, but too well, allowing me to sleep deeper. Not always a good thing.
Chamomile tea, and other antioxidants are supposed to help as well.

 

[monkeyswrench]

I'm the same way with alcohol, 1 drink and I'm fine, if I get a buzz or more I will not sleep for shit

I must be more messed up than I thought...I used to drink, just so I could sleep Now I don't drink, and have trouble sleeping.
Sounds like I need to start drinking again

 

[shintoooo]

If you want non-prescribed, Magnesium Glycinate helps too. I’ve taken everything under the sun to get good rest. My sleep cocktail is quite a handful.

Yes. I started taking Magnesium Glycinate 500mg a day and I am sleeping so good. Really helped. Deep sleep too.

 

[pronstar]

I have sleep trouble and my migraine trigger is lack of sleep...go figure.

Basically insomnia, no matter how tired during the day, when the sun goes down I'm wide awake.

Conversely, I can stay awake all night, but the moment I see the sun rise I can't keep my eyes open and will fall asleep.

I'm a heavy sleeper but often have trouble staying asleep. Then it's a bitch falling back to sleep.

I take Trazodone, melatonin and some edibles every night before bedtime. Seems to work the best for me.

Only noted side effect is that I don't remember my dreams, if I dream at all.

I've tried Ambien and it didn't do shit. Stared at the ceiling all night.
Then my doctor said "let's not take that anymore"

My two boys also have some sleep troubles

 

[lakemadness]

Exercise and diet is a major factor. Stop eating 2 hours before you want to get to bed, I've noticed a big difference just by doing that. For the last two years I have worn two different fitness/health/sleep tracker. Eating before you fall asleep kills the quality of your sleep- your body is still working and it needs to shut down.

Alcohol will wreck your sleep too. Go a few days without any booze and your sleep will noticeable improve.

Biggest help is being at your correct weight, eating healthy and have regular exercise. There is really not a condition for a c-pap machine other than being overweight and out of shape.

 

[TrollerDave]

Last night, Went to bed about 10:30 and was wide awake at 1:30, alarm goes off at 4:30. I’m usually up at 3:30, but only days I go to work. Friday and Saturday I can sleep 7-8 hrs. Not as bad as some of you, but it takes it toll trying to get stuff done.
Dr just said I have sleep apnea. I also notice if I eat too much at dinner, my stomach wakes me up. Working out, when I can, really helps to get a solid nights sleep, but not guaranteed. I haven’t tried any meds. I think stress is a factor subconsciously.

 

[RCDave]

Caffeine, electonic lights, alcohol, etc have a negative effect on sleep. Sleep hygiene includes a number of helpful items

 

[Desert Whaler]

x2 on the booze.
Quit back in November and my sleep is a thousand times better.
Easier to 'get' to sleep, and the 'quality' of it is WAY better.

Was reading an article recommending 'no screen time' an hour before bed. No tv, computer, phone, etc. said it lets the brain wind down.

 

[RCDave]

Get the following book. https://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Sleep...t=&hvlocphy=9029600&hvtargid=pla-542231888375

It is great explaining sleep

 

[fat rat]

I take Trazodone, I hit the bed around 9:30 and don’t wake up till 8:00-8:30. I get a sound sleep, without the hangover the next morning. I tried Ambient, but didn’t like the way I feel the next day.

 

[BIGRED9158]

I take Trazodone, I hit the bed around 9:30 and don’t wake up till 8:00-8:30. I get a sound sleep, without the hangover the next morning. I tried Ambient, but didn’t like the way I feel the next day.

X2 on the trazdone asleep no more then an hour after taking it

 

[Familyties]

For me I would fall asleep during the day anytime I just would relax, I went to my doc and they did a sleep study on me and ordered a CPAP machine for me and now I sleep great.

 

[brgrcru]

Exercise and diet is a major factor. Stop eating 2 hours before you want to get to bed, I've noticed a big difference just by doing that. For the last two years I have worn two different fitness/health/sleep tracker. Eating before you fall asleep kills the quality of your sleep- your body is still working and it needs to shut down.

Alcohol will wreck your sleep too. Go a few days without any booze and your sleep will noticeable improve.

Biggest help is being at your correct weight, eating healthy and have regular exercise. There is really not a condition for a c-pap machine other than being overweight and out of shape.

This 100%
Plus the no electronics 1-2 hours before bed

 

[stephenkatsea]

I can only say, after watching that grossly overweight old broad moan and snivel, over and over, about Relaxium Sleep, I’d never even think about trying that stuff. Huckabee must be hurting for money.

FWIW - some low volume white noise and a couple Tylenol PMs work well for me.

 

[2Driver]

The antihistamine in Nyquil that makes you so groggy can be bought anywhere by itself as a sleep aid. I take 1/2 a pile and I’m gone and I don’t get a sleep hangover either.

doxylamine

 

[retaocleg]

i've tried every gummy, from high thc, high cbd, to the melatonin stuff........the best i found, and by a long shot is healing resources full spectrum blend gummies........cbd, cbg, cbn(the chems in mj that relax without the buzz) gummies (almost zero thc), and at half strength of recommended........no buzz, but i sleep till an hour before wake up time, no hangover effects

send me a pm and i have a full jar i can give you to try, after that, you have to find.......the second best is baked bros purple, but i wake up a bit buzzy, that is a no go on work days, being sloggish in the am is a deal killer for me

Havasu Dispensary Menu | Harvest House of Cannabis

Welcome to Harvest House of Cannabis. Since 2013, we’ve been improving lives through the goodness of cannabis across the country.

www.harvesthoc.com

and i take half a gummy at night......instead of 1

or these to trip balls in your dreams........wife says she dreams in technocolor vividness

Dispensary Menu Dispensary Menu | Harvest House of Cannabis

Welcome to Harvest House of Cannabis. Since 2013, we’ve been improving lives through the goodness of cannabis across the country.

www.harvesthoc.com

 

[DUNEFLYER]

Cant argue with the eating healthy and exercise but for those that have sleep apnea the c-pap machine is a total game changer.

Biggest help is being at your correct weight, eating healthy and have regular exercise. There is really not a condition for a c-pap machine other than being overweight and out of shape.

 

[retaocleg]

Cant argue with the eating healthy and exercise but for those that have sleep apnea the c-pap machine is a total game changer.

here here for the diet thing..........

 

[RiverDave]

So I thought whatexit account got hacked and this was some spams thing..

Apparently he wrote it and quoted some web page.. .

 

[WhatExit?]

not sure if this is a gummy ad and I should report it

HA HA - sorry - it may have read like a gummy ad but I wrote it and included text (in italics) from a CNET webpage about GABA - I'm wondering if anyone has taken it to help them sleep?

 

[WhatExit?]

I can only say, after watching that grossly overweight old broad moan and snivel, over and over, about Relaxium Sleep, I’d never even think about trying that stuff. Huckabee must be hurting for money.

FWIW - some low volume white noise and a couple Tylenol PMs work well for me.

We've done white noise for years (can't sleep in absolute silence especially out in the desert!).

I was taking Tylenol PM but started to see serious side effect (see below) issues so I'm looking for a safer alternative.

From the internet:
Tylenol PM Extra Strength (acetaminophen / diphenhydramine) is typically taken on an as-needed basis (only when you need it) and not every day for a long period of time. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine doesn't recommend using diphenhydramine, an ingredient in this medication, for long-term sleep problems. Taking too much diphenhydramine can lead to serious heart problems, seizures, coma, or death.

 

[Ultra...Good]

Good luck. I can barely go down for two, maybe three hours.

 

[lakemadness]

Cant argue with the eating healthy and exercise but for those that have sleep apnea the c-pap machine is a total game changer.

Maybe a deviated Septum, other than that, I've understood weight or being overweight usually leads to a c-pap. Damifino

 

[WhatExit?]

I'm the same way with alcohol, 1 drink and I'm fine, if I get a buzz or more I will not sleep for shit

If I have more than 1 drink - wine or booze (not beer) - I'll fall asleep nicely but then I'll wake up at 1 or 2 (or 3) AM and feel like I got a great night's sleep - then I look at the clock and see I've only slept for an hour or 2 and I know I'm fukked

 

[HB2Havasu]

Have you been tested for sleep apnea?

This was must first thought also. I use to wake up 4 or 5 times a night to take a piss. I thought I was having a bladder issue. Turns out I was choking in my sleep and waking myself up. I'd have a sleep study done to rule this out first off.

I would cut out all caffeinated drinks. I find if I go for a walk (1 to 2 miles) after dinner I sleep like a baby now. When I don't, I wake at 1:30pm on the dot and wide awake. Pisses me off to no end, lmao.

 

[jetboatperformance]

I wake up EVERY fricken nite at 3 AM grrrrr

 

[RVR SWPR]

The antihistamine in Nyquil that makes you so groggy can be bought anywhere by itself as a sleep aid. I take 1/2 a pile and I’m gone and I don’t get a sleep hangover either.

doxylamine

ZzzQuil could help develop normal sleep hours.

 

[EmpirE231]

Magnesium glycinate helped! rarely take anything anymore, and overall get what I would consider good / decent sleep.

Toolkit for Sleep

The first Neural Network newsletter provides actionable tools, including a 12 step guide, to improve sleep.

hubermanlab.com

 

[rivermobster]

This thread is depressing...

 

[retaocleg]

i wake up every morning at 2:30........but i think it is my internal clock knowing it is time to go to work used to summer hours, my internal clock says fock you, it is summer no matter................seems to be working till then...........going to bed at 7 is another issue tho, it sucks, but what are you going to do

 

[HALLETT BOY]

THC Cbd gummies , sleep like a baby for 9 hours …plus exercise

 

[boatnam2]

35 years rotating 12 hours shifts, I eat Ambien like m&m's, might get 2-3 hours at a time, tried every trick in the book.

 

[rrrr]

Have you been tested for sleep apnea?

This. Severe sleep apnea can wake you out of REM sleep hundreds of times an hour. You don't know it, but your body does. I was waking up an average of 138 times an hour. That's more than two times a minute.

One more thing about sleep apnea. It can kill you. My bud Glenn, a photographer I met at Indy, was 52 when he died from an apnea induced heart attack. His weight was normal for his height, and his job kept him walking all day long. He also shot NHRA events.

Find a sleep clinic, pick up the phone and make an appointment. It'll change your life.

 

[rrrr]

Biggest help is being at your correct weight, eating healthy and have regular exercise. There is really not a condition for a c-pap machine other than being overweight and out of shape.

That's not true at all.

 

[oldschool]

Check out the Huberman Lab podcast with Andrew Huberman, lots of interesting, informative stuff regarding sleep, diet, exercise, etc.

 

[Smupser]

Have you been tested for sleep apnea?

This. Are you overweight or has a thick neck size?

Ever since I was a kid, I had a thick neck and naturally large tonsils. Plus I have a deviated septum in my nose. Over the last few years, I’ve put on more weight than I am, proud of which doesn’t help. I always wanted to get my tonsils out to see in my nose fixed to see if this would help correct the problem but the older I get I hear it’s even worse of a recovery.

A couple years ago it got really bad to the point that I would wake up in the morning and my head would feel really foggy after a night of tossing and turning and sometimes even jumping out of bed from choking. I knew then I had to do something about it, so I did a sleep study. They say 30 or more events in an hour is severe. I tested at 62 events an hour. I was literally dying a little bit every single night.

that’s when I decided to give CPAP a try. The first couple months were difficult adjusting. But after finding the right mask and having the pressure adjusted to the perfect level I can honestly say it has changed my life for the better. I sleep soundly through the night and wake up feeling refreshed. I can’t even sleep on my back wish I was never able to do before. Best of all my wife doesn’t bitch and complain about me snoring anymore. you should really get tested and see if you have sleep apnea and maybe give CPAP a try if you do. It might be something that changes your life too.

 

[4Waters]

That's not true at all.

^^^^THIS^^^^

 

[SpeedyWho]

I used earplugs for a long time when I was on swing shift they seem to help me. I try to have at least two hours between eating and going to bed as well. And like others have said if I’ve been drinking I can’t sleep for shit anymore.

 

[DUNEFLYER]

For those with apnea the C-pap machine really is a life changing machine. I take my machine with me even if I am solo and only away for 1 nite. It is the difference of sleep or no sleep.

 

[angiebaby]

I apologize for the book I'm about to write, but I've learned a lot about my sleeping issues in the past year.


I've suffered for the past 8-9 years with sleep. I've slept more in the past 6 months than I've slept in all of that time. I totally understand the frustration—couple that with menopause and night sweats. I tried red wine, Benadryl, lavender, and valerian root. Arthritis in my shoulder didn't help either. I'd wake up with it aching.

I'd wake up sweating and then get cold because I was sweating. It was a vicious cycle. But once awake, it often took what felt like hours to return to sleep. This was every night. I noticed it was worse when I drank and tried to identify if it was red wine, bourbon, vodka . . . LOL. It's really just drinking that makes it worse for me. I love drinking socially, but I've cut back a lot. It's easier when your spouse quits cold turkey.

Phase I

So, my first success was found after listening to a commercial by JP Sears (the redheaded conservative comedian) on something called Magnesium Breakthrough. It's a PITA to buy on their website because they REALLY want you to "subscribe and save." But you can get it on Amazon and at Wal-Mart now. Anyway, I tried it. One bottle. I started with one capsule in the evening, though they recommend two. I wanted to make sure it didn't upset my stomach. It didn't. So I take two a night. This product has all 7 types of magnesium in it. I know some people who have had success sleeping with other kinds of simpler magnesium products, but this one works for me so I'm sticking with it. It works so well, I keep a 6 month supply on hand at all times because I do NOT want to run out. Now, let me tell you. Even while taking this, I STILL woke up all night long with night sweats or an achy shoulder, but I was able to fall back asleep almost immediately. An unexpected side effect was that my blood pressure went down, and I'm no longer taking HBP meds at all.

Phase II

We went back to Tennessee in November to visit some friends. The wife told me about these bio-identical hormones she got inserted under her skin and what a difference they made. Her hair had gotten thicker, she was sleeping again, no more night sweats, more sex drive, no more brain fog . . . . Immediately, I think, "WAIT! Brain fog is a symptom of menopause? Is that what I have? Loss of memory, feeling dumb, can't remember simple things, making stupid errors like forgetting car doors are open and leaving the BBQ on all night? This is because of menopause??" Let me tell you, I STRUGGLED with my master's thesis over the past couple of years. Seriously struggled. I googled early Alzheimer's symptoms scared to death. So I asked a lot of questions and looked in her supplement cabinet. I ordered the BrainMD supplements my friend was taking and got in touch with a Naturopathic doctor both in Missoula and Havasu. By Christmas, I had the hormones and the supplements. Three nights after having the hormones inserted, I slept straight through the night for the first time in years. I was so happy I almost cried. The hormones last three months before they dissolve. I got my second dose yesterday. I sleep through the night about half of the time. If I don't, I only wake up once and immediately fall back to sleep. It has been an absolute life changer. My hair is already thicker, as judged by my hair clips. Brain fog is considerably better. The doctor says that takes more time because it is the testosterone that affects that, and it takes longer for my body to get on track with it. I can have intelligent conversations with people without losing my train of thought or forgetting key points that I know are buried somewhere in my brain. Oh, and the aches and pains of arthritis are gone. I can't remember the last time I took an Aleve or Tylenol. It's been months.

Phase III

SW and I have started listening to a podcast by a neuroscientist named Dr. Andrew Huberman, from Stanford University (mentioned above by @oldschool ). You can check him out on Instagram, as well. Huberman labs, I think. He has done a lot of studies on sleep and shares what he has learned with the public. We found his information on low horizon light (sunrises and sunsets) very interesting and have been trying to catch as many as possible in an effort to help get better sleep. He also emphasizes the importance of a dark room. Close your blinds. Of course, limit your screen time before bed, we all know that. Don't eat within 3 hours of trying to go to sleep. The cool thing is that he explains WHY these things are important and how they affect your brain. I highly recommend his podcast on alcohol. They are all fascinating.

https://hubermanlab.com/category/podcast-episodes/

In closing, alcohol between dinner and bedtime will still cause me to wake up, sometimes with a hot flash, sometimes with anxiety (Huberman discusses the anxiety piece in his alcohol podcast-it totally hit home). So if I want to drink, I try to stop after dinner. Sometimes I make poor choices, and that's okay, too. A lousy night of sleep isn't the end of the world anymore because I know what I need to do to ensure a good one. I just purchased some N/A wine that I intend to try this weekend. I don't have high expectations, but it won't hurt me to try it.

Good luck in your journey to a better night's sleep. Feel free to message me with any questions about anything I've mentioned here, even if it's for your wife.