Do you have a watch to record sleeping pattern, breaking down into rem, core and deep sleep? Maybe you lack deep sleep.
Do some blood tests, to see if everything is alright, thyroid, hormones…or at least you know exactly what supplements you need.
Some people said herbal teas like lemon verbena works for them. Me, I need to full stomach to be able to sleep well (Digestion?) Not eating enough is a challenge to fall asleep. Banana may help, with magnesium and potassium, it helps muscle relaxation.
A shower before bed definitely helps to sleep, at least for me.
I was so glad I had my iPad with me when I was in the hospital. I cranked that white noise all the way up every night. Hospitals are noisy - plus they wake you up a thousand times to torture you anyway.
Exactly what I came here to say. I am actually booked for an onsite sleep study next week. I did an at-home one about 18 months ago and got a diagnosis of mild obstructive sleep apnea, and I want to confirm it. I am not at all the typical sleep apnea patient (I weigh 113 lbs) but according to my sleep doctor, the condition frequently goes undiagnosed in women. If it makes sense, I am willing to give the CPAP a shot and see if it works.
Yes they do!
I wore my earplugs + the noise canceling headphones while in the hospital. They were slightly better than trying to cancel out my home freight train roomate, but hospital noise is non stop! Every freakin’ 45 minutes for something. It was the worse when someone in another room’s IV pump would go off…
Sunshine has some issues sleeping, so her doctor ordered a sleep study. It was actually really easy and convenient. They provided this oversized ring she put on her finger, the ring was a bluetooth device which connected to her phone. Then we downloaded an app to her phone (easy step by step instructions were included) which somehow gathered information. This information was sent in real time via a wifi connection between her phone and my modem/router.
So the doctor got all of the information he needed and she didn’t have to go to one of those sleep centers.
My in clinic SS was a disaster. I couldn’t sleep at all…their bed, their noise, lights out at 10pm, and I had to work the next day. I failed it big time. The best thing to come away from the whole Dx was…I finally was allowed to graduate to a dental appliance (it is a two part retainer type thingy) after a few years of horrible face marks and humidity issues with a CPAP machine. I’d not been having any ‘events’ for the majority of the time, according to the little chip I had to bring in every few months. Convincing them to let me get the piece was like pulling teeth, but I finally got the Rx to have my dentist make it and after five years of wearing it, I still sleep like a baby. Unless I’m having ‘monkey mind’. I highly recommend the dental piece. It was tricky to get the insurance figured out since it is a medical device made by a dental lab and fit by a dentist, but they worked it out. I’m due for a new one this year.
Do you snore? A friend of mine (who snores like a freight train) recently introduced me to mouth taping, which I still can’t really believe is a thing, but she claims it has improved her sleep tremendously. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/snoring/mouth-taping-for-sleep
Food wise, for me, eating a light dinner, not too late, helps.
When I know I have to get up at o dark thirty and I haven’t been restricted on food the day before, I’ll have some veggies and a snack-like light meal.
Tea… Ironically, as I’m typing this, I am sipping my first cup of Sleepytime Extra tea. The “extra” is apparently the addition of valerian root to the chamomile. We will see. Doesn’t taste like Jaegermeister…
Been there, done that, and my new Resmed is dialled in.
Unless my recent weight loss has thrown the settings off, it’s not apnea. I have missed a CPAP night or two, and it wasn’t any different.
@kaleokahu I’ve been taking valerian for years with great results, although I take capsules (valerian has its own funk). It’s safe, not habit forming, and very difficult to take too much. I find it allows me to gently sink into restful sleep, and be clear headed when its time to get up.
(Fun fact…valerian is a catnip alternative for the moggies…I have to fight the spicy brat off when I open the bottle of valerian. I break open a capsule and give him a hit, as he likes it better than catnip. Yes, its safe for them.)
As a lifelong allergy sufferer I avoid Benadryl…even after taking it since I was a kid I dont like how fuzzy and out-of-it that it leaves me. (And it still all but puts me into a coma…I am out for 8-10 hours)
We shall see. The at-home one was a disaster for me, so I’m going to give this one a try. I take sleep meds (either Ambien or Dayvigo) and I’m allowed to bring them, plus my own pillow and my iPod that I use for sleeping, so hopefully I’ll sleep during it. I have heard of those dental appliances—I’ll see what my doctor has to say. There are CPAP masks now that are much less cumbersome than they used to be, also. Some people swear by their CPAPs…I kind of hate the idea, but I also hate not sleeping.
Since I am a mouth breather with multiple respiratory allergies, I was put on the full mask machine. Ugh, I hated it, but I found it helped me ‘get to sleep’ by listening to my breathing. Now with the dental thing, I can’t get to sleep at night without it. If I need to nap during the day, I can do that without the device.
I wish you the best of luck in finding the method that will be the best fit for you!
