How to get better sleep.

[Vexorg]

I find myself waking up during the middle of the night for no reason, and it usually takes me a while to fall asleep. I was wondering if anyone else has had these rather common problems, and what have you done to sleep better at night.

[tidalwave]

Thanks for bringing this up, to me, sleep is an important aspect for fitness and beyond. We have a forum dedicated to training, and a forum dedicated to diet, but none for rest (well, i guess the lounge counts!).

There are many factors that could contribute to what you're describing. Changing bed/waking times, eating times, stress, depression, and environmental factors could all play a significant role. There are also more pointed medical reasons that may apply.

I have a difficult time with sleep occasionally, usually due to stress or some event throwing my schedule off. Some people like to workout before bedtime and claim that it helps them fall asleep after expending that energy. I'm the opposite; I'll be awake for at least 2 hours after working out. Then there are days where I feel like a zombie even though I got 9+ hours the night before. An intense lifting workout followed by a shower and a large, protein-rich meal usually help me sleep.

Your sleep troubles could be related to any number of things, so I couldn't really give conjecture on that without more info from you. Let us know what your afternoon-bedtime schedule is like.. that might have some clues right there. There are some resources that might help: 12 Tips for Better Sleep in Troubled Times

Additionally, there are supplements that may help sleep. Melatonin is very inexpensive and appears to regulate sleep cycles. ZMA (taken without calcium in the stomach) is purported to help produce a deeper sleep. Some people swear by the above supps, whereas I've only seen moderate effect, but they're worth looking into.

Try altering the temperature of your bedroom or adding/reducing bed sheets. Also, some people claim that having the tv/radio on helps them get to sleep. A sleep timer would be a good idea if you try this so that the noise doesn't prevent deeper sleep.

In short, try tweaking some of the above factors and see if there's any improvement. If not, I'd see a physician because it may be due to a medical condition.

[JarheadRI]

Been dealing with insomnia since I was a kid/teen. My mom has it really bad. Maybe gets 5 hours of sleep a night. I think a lot of it is inherited. My daughter is starting to exhibit it now too, and she is 10. The link provided below is pretty much what every site/book says.

One thing that seems to help me is just sitting in a completlely dark/quiet room for about 10 minutes before bed or so. Get everything you need to get done before you do it, ie: brush teeth, bathroom, whatever. I usually look out my front window for a bit. These seems to tell your body that it is time for bed. Now if you are stressed out or jumpy then you are pretty much screwed. Just something you have to deal with.

If you wake up and pretty much KNOW you are not going back to sleep then just get out of bed is another big one. Watching the clock is another big no no! I turn mine away from my head so I can't even see it. Hope this helps. Insomnia blows.

[cujo-1]

yea ive had problems with sleep also. even worse now. i get up everynight at least twice 2 use the restroom and usually dont have a problem falling back to sleep. but point being i dont get a good nights deep sleep. i have sleep apnea.

[bhen13]

After a good workout. I'll go home and hit the shower. One day I was sore and took some Percogesic and I slept like a baby..

What is Percogesic?
• Acetaminophen is a pain reliever and a fever reducer.
• Phenyltoloxamine is an antihistamine. It blocks the effects of the naturally occurring chemical histamine in the body. Phenyltoloxamine prevents sneezing; itchy, watery eyes and nose; and other symptoms of allergies and hay fever.
• Percogesic is used to treat aches and pains, headache, fever, and congestion associated with the flu, colds, allergies, and hay fever.

I'm not much into taking things to help me sleep but this worked. Just a thought.