Author Topic: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?  (Read 8167 times)

soccerluvof4

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Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« on: January 10, 2018, 02:30:41 AM »
I literally don't sleep a 6,7 or 8 hour night. And over the last couple years since being fire'd it seems like its got worse. Over the course of the day I get plenty of sleep but Occasionally I will sleep 6 hours tops in a row. Otherwise its typically I seem to take a 1-2 hour nap in afternoon,  fall asleep in my chair 8. Get up at 10 and go to bed and wake up anywhere from 2:20 to 4ish.  I dont feel tired or like an insomniac  but it strikes me odd.  For the longest time I struggled to stay up till 10 and got mad at this but now I just get up and enjoy the quiet.  Anyone else like this

wenchsenior

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2018, 09:26:41 AM »
I've always been an erratic sleeper from my late 20s on.  In my 30s it was chronic insomnia.  In my 40s I randomly started sleeping much better with fewer insomnia nights, but then in the past few years I have new sleep patterns resulting from having a very elderly cat.  She does most of her eating at night but wants fresh food each time she wants to eat (usually 3x per night); and she is somewhat mentally impaired, so she will also sometimes cry in the middle of the night (I guess because she wakes up confused); or just meow for attention because she is awake and bored.

Luckily, I usually get up 2-3 times per night to pee anyway, so MOST nights, I sleep in bursts of 2-4 hours and get up and attend to her with food or a brief petting session in between.  Occasionally, though we get very little undisturbed sleep because of her.  It's annoying, but it is hard to feel too bad when our 20 year old cat's only major health issue is her 'annoying-ness'.  Presumably, this won't go on too much longer.

I have not noticed any problem with my energy level, as long as my overall sleep amount is 8-9 hours.

A Definite Beta Guy

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2018, 09:41:18 AM »
I do have sleeping problems, but I get all my sleep at once. My issue is that I wake up every 2 hours at night. I think I might have some sleep apnea.

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #3 on: January 10, 2018, 09:48:19 AM »
I literally don't sleep a 6,7 or 8 hour night. And over the last couple years since being fire'd it seems like its got worse. Over the course of the day I get plenty of sleep but Occasionally I will sleep 6 hours tops in a row. Otherwise its typically I seem to take a 1-2 hour nap in afternoon,  fall asleep in my chair 8. Get up at 10 and go to bed and wake up anywhere from 2:20 to 4ish.  I dont feel tired or like an insomniac  but it strikes me odd.  For the longest time I struggled to stay up till 10 and got mad at this but now I just get up and enjoy the quiet.  Anyone else like this

What you describe is exactly what my sleep pattern is like.  When I patch all the sleep times together I usually end up with 6 - 7 hours of sleep a day.  Most days I don't feel tired.

The only time I start to feel exhausted is when I can't fall asleep right away at 10 at night.  If I have anxiety and stress that won't let me go to sleep, I miss those two to three hours right at the beginning of the night.  If I miss that opportunity to sleep I feel very tired the next day and within a couple days I'm completely exhausted. 


soccerluvof4

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2018, 09:58:26 AM »
Thanks for replying all.  Don't get me wrong its good to know I am not alone!  I dont get up more than once a night to pee but if I do I cant fall back asleep.  The odd thing is if I travel with my kids for soccer or something I can sleep on and off 8-10 12 hours. At home its so typical and I just think I have fell into this pattern. Eat lunch hour later fall asleep an hour. Eat dinner watch some TV fight to stay up but never can. But the closer I can stay up till 10 the later I will sleep.  But yea I have gotten use to it and overall as mentioned it adds up to some good hours. My DW said when I sleep I dont make a noise and I am out so thats good i guess. She also said I dont snore at all. Very seldom do I have problems falling asleep but when I was younger that was the bigger issue because i had work etc.. I think now being fired i am more like an old man when it comes to sleep from what i hear at 53.

I do have sleeping problems, but I get all my sleep at once. My issue is that I wake up every 2 hours at night. I think I might have some sleep apnea.
   


I'd get that checked out! better to be safe than sorry!!!

@wenchsenior  thats almost a duplicate of me. 20's and 30's insomniac. 40's I slept great or at least more regular. 50's this crap. No cat to blame though! lol

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #5 on: January 10, 2018, 10:10:16 AM »
I sleep only a couple hours at a time as well. I'll suddenly wake up, look around a minute, then go back to sleep.  The only time this doesn't happen is when I am utterly and dangerously exhausted. I'm not a morning person (which my job requires), and unless I had a physically tiring day I'm not tired until 11pm.

soccerluvof4

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #6 on: January 10, 2018, 10:20:35 AM »
I sleep only a couple hours at a time as well. I'll suddenly wake up, look around a minute, then go back to sleep.  The only time this doesn't happen is when I am utterly and dangerously exhausted. I'm not a morning person (which my job requires), and unless I had a physically tiring day I'm not tired until 11pm.

I'd take that! lol.... Probably for me is once I wake up the slightest I am not falling back to sleep

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #7 on: January 10, 2018, 11:29:14 AM »
There are different sleep cycles. My understanding is recent history (past 500 years) we've gravitated toward the solid 8 hours of sleep. But there are other sleep schedules and some may be more natural to you.

I tend gravitate towards biphasic cycle (which you seem to be describing). I sleep 5-6 hours at night. Go to work. And I may need a short nap later in the evening.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biphasic_and_polyphasic_sleep

http://www.collective-evolution.com/2013/07/13/alternative-sleep-cycles-7-10-hours-is-not-needed/
« Last Edit: January 10, 2018, 11:30:51 AM by caffeine »

wenchsenior

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #8 on: January 10, 2018, 01:27:59 PM »
Thanks for replying all.  Don't get me wrong its good to know I am not alone!  I dont get up more than once a night to pee but if I do I cant fall back asleep.  The odd thing is if I travel with my kids for soccer or something I can sleep on and off 8-10 12 hours. At home its so typical and I just think I have fell into this pattern. Eat lunch hour later fall asleep an hour. Eat dinner watch some TV fight to stay up but never can. But the closer I can stay up till 10 the later I will sleep.  But yea I have gotten use to it and overall as mentioned it adds up to some good hours. My DW said when I sleep I dont make a noise and I am out so thats good i guess. She also said I dont snore at all. Very seldom do I have problems falling asleep but when I was younger that was the bigger issue because i had work etc.. I think now being fired i am more like an old man when it comes to sleep from what i hear at 53.

I do have sleeping problems, but I get all my sleep at once. My issue is that I wake up every 2 hours at night. I think I might have some sleep apnea.
   


I'd get that checked out! better to be safe than sorry!!!

@wenchsenior  thats almost a duplicate of me. 20's and 30's insomniac. 40's I slept great or at least more regular. 50's this crap. No cat to blame though! lol

A couple things you could check medically that can really affect sleep: insulin/blood sugar levels, and hormones (if you are female).  Both of these play/played huge roles in my insomnia.   

Even if you are not diabetic or prediabetic (I'm not), improper insulin function screws up sleep patterns, usually by creating a huge spike in blood sugar after a meal that makes  you sleepy (sometimes severely sleepy), followed by a  hypoglycemic crash a couple hours later that dumps adrenaline into your system and wakes you up.  If you are eating carb-heavy, this can be a problem for sure and I would recommend scaling way back on sugar/simple carbs and seeing if it makes a difference.  This helped my insomnia quite a bit, though didn't fix entirely.

The other thing for women is that some (like me) are incredibly sensitive to hormone levels, and particularly changes in those levels.  Too little estrogen, or a sudden drop in estrogen (like at ovulation...ugh) will bring on migraines and severe flu like body pain along with insomnia and restless sleep.  Too much estrogen (rare anymore, but used to be a common problem for me) made my hyper and agitated.  So that is something to track if you are female.

soccerluvof4

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #9 on: January 10, 2018, 01:37:51 PM »
Thanks for replying all.  Don't get me wrong its good to know I am not alone!  I dont get up more than once a night to pee but if I do I cant fall back asleep.  The odd thing is if I travel with my kids for soccer or something I can sleep on and off 8-10 12 hours. At home its so typical and I just think I have fell into this pattern. Eat lunch hour later fall asleep an hour. Eat dinner watch some TV fight to stay up but never can. But the closer I can stay up till 10 the later I will sleep.  But yea I have gotten use to it and overall as mentioned it adds up to some good hours. My DW said when I sleep I dont make a noise and I am out so thats good i guess. She also said I dont snore at all. Very seldom do I have problems falling asleep but when I was younger that was the bigger issue because i had work etc.. I think now being fired i am more like an old man when it comes to sleep from what i hear at 53.

I do have sleeping problems, but I get all my sleep at once. My issue is that I wake up every 2 hours at night. I think I might have some sleep apnea.
   


I'd get that checked out! better to be safe than sorry!!!

@wenchsenior  thats almost a duplicate of me. 20's and 30's insomniac. 40's I slept great or at least more regular. 50's this crap. No cat to blame though! lol

A couple things you could check medically that can really affect sleep: insulin/blood sugar levels, and hormones (if you are female).  Both of these play/played huge roles in my insomnia.   

Even if you are not diabetic or prediabetic (I'm not), improper insulin function screws up sleep patterns, usually by creating a huge spike in blood sugar after a meal that makes  you sleepy (sometimes severely sleepy), followed by a  hypoglycemic crash a couple hours later that dumps adrenaline into your system and wakes you up.  If you are eating carb-heavy, this can be a problem for sure and I would recommend scaling way back on sugar/simple carbs and seeing if it makes a difference.  This helped my insomnia quite a bit, though didn't fix entirely.

The other thing for women is that some (like me) are incredibly sensitive to hormone levels, and particularly changes in those levels.  Too little estrogen, or a sudden drop in estrogen (like at ovulation...ugh) will bring on migraines and severe flu like body pain along with insomnia and restless sleep.  Too much estrogen (rare anymore, but used to be a common problem for me) made my hyper and agitated.  So that is something to track if you are female.



Not a Women but your totally correct on the sugar levels. I am not diabetic I get physicals every 6 months BUT it is the bigger full meals with carbs that for sure makes a difference. Back when I said I wasnt sleeping I actually started eating a yogurt about an hour before bed but then that led to putting something in it like a cookie or 5 and so on.  Ironically today I cut my lunch way back and at parts of  it 3 hours apart and I am not tired. Big meals do make me sleepy!  Another thing I changed when I lost all my weight was I dont eat my dinner past 6 and I kinda have slipped so I am going to try and get back to that as well as not eating breakfast till 10am.  Eating most or all you calories in a shorter window really helped me as it kinda puts your body in a daily "Fast" mode. Thats when I was doing my best.

CupcakeGuru

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #10 on: January 10, 2018, 03:31:52 PM »
I have very similar sleep patterns as you. I even went to a sleep specialist. I do have some sleep apnea but the kicker was the specialist said that getting all the sleep at one shot is relatively new. Here is an article about it.

http://www.history.vt.edu/Ekirch/sleepcommentary.html

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #11 on: January 10, 2018, 06:29:28 PM »
I sleep only a couple hours at a time as well. I'll suddenly wake up, look around a minute, then go back to sleep.  The only time this doesn't happen is when I am utterly and dangerously exhausted. I'm not a morning person (which my job requires), and unless I had a physically tiring day I'm not tired until 11pm.

I'd take that! lol.... Probably for me is once I wake up the slightest I am not falling back to sleep

When I have an issue (maybe twice a month or so?) it is this. Once awake, doomed.

We also have two cats who prefer to let us know it is 4:30am and they might possibly be thinking they want to eat.

Abe

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #12 on: January 10, 2018, 09:25:23 PM »
Your sleep pattern describes those commonly seen in societies without electrical power. It's actually thought to have been the normal pre-industrial pattern in adults (adolescents and elderly have slightly different patterns). Waking up at 2-3am is common in these societies, and the time between 3-sunrise was called "second sleep". I think it just means you aren't dependent on external factors on setting your schedule.

soccerluvof4

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #13 on: January 11, 2018, 03:41:23 AM »
Your sleep pattern describes those commonly seen in societies without electrical power. It's actually thought to have been the normal pre-industrial pattern in adults (adolescents and elderly have slightly different patterns). Waking up at 2-3am is common in these societies, and the time between 3-sunrise was called "second sleep". I think it just means you aren't dependent on external factors on setting your schedule.


Thats interesting.  Definitely doesn't matter for me if its dark or light out. When I am tired I sleep solid just not long. I use to think a third shift job would of been best for me.

So my attempt failed as it was such a struggle. Yesterday being up from 2:45 to 10pm I figured I'd sleep and no nap. I had no trouble not napping as eating less and spread out helped. Besides I shouldnt be eating a big carb loaded lunch anyways.  But long and short I stayed up which wasnt easy and woke up at 3:30.  So today I am going to let myself take a nap but stay up till 10 . I dont think my naps hurt if I dont go over an hour and for the first time in awhile now i do feel really tired!

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #14 on: January 11, 2018, 05:12:26 AM »
If I nap in daylight hours, I don't sleep so well or as long at night.  If I get enough sleep (like 9+ hours/night consistently) I will start to go into a nocturnal biphasic sleep pattern sometimes. What I've learned is that I need much more sleep than I ever thought to feel good.

Mediterranean cultures have long had a siesta in the middle of the day, go back to work in the afternoon, and are up til midnight or so. So maybe that's your pattern?

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #15 on: January 12, 2018, 04:25:15 AM »
If I nap in daylight hours, I don't sleep so well or as long at night.  If I get enough sleep (like 9+ hours/night consistently) I will start to go into a nocturnal biphasic sleep pattern sometimes. What I've learned is that I need much more sleep than I ever thought to feel good.

Mediterranean cultures have long had a siesta in the middle of the day, go back to work in the afternoon, and are up til midnight or so. So maybe that's your pattern?


Yea, I am thinking that is it. Yesterday after working out I came home had a light lunch and a 90 minute power nap. Was able to stay up till 10 no problem and slept like a rock till 2 then lightly till 3:30 BUT feel alot more refreshed then what i tried the day before. Just odd how its changes so much over the years. Went from alway getting up at 6am to couldnt sleep past 5am then 4am.   But I am not going to lose any sleep over it anymore! pun intended.

Cowardly Toaster

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #16 on: January 12, 2018, 10:47:45 AM »
I think the only real test is whether you feel rested and energized. If you feel fine, you're probably getting enough sleep.

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #17 on: January 16, 2018, 05:53:29 AM »
I generally have no problem falling asleep. But I do wake up several times a night.
 Being a 62 yr old male, I think it's common to get up twice to urinate. So that
explains a couple of wake ups, but I'm not sure if I wake up and decide to pee
or if I wake up because I need to pee.
 I have a pillow speaker and always slide it under my ear and listen until I fall asleep.
I may even change the preset channel if I'm not interested in what is on.
 I have slept with a talk radio on a pillow speaker for more than 30 years.
 Probably not ideal, and I never have gone without it.
 I'm never really sure how much sleep I actually get.
 I have always favored a short nap in the afternoon and often had a job
where I could jump in my car for a 20 nap. Now that I'm semi retired I
can set in front of the computer and fall asleep, then I often get up and take real nap.
 All that said, I don't seem to run tired or low on energy during the day.

soccerluvof4

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #18 on: January 18, 2018, 03:16:57 PM »
I generally have no problem falling asleep. But I do wake up several times a night.
 Being a 62 yr old male, I think it's common to get up twice to urinate. So that
explains a couple of wake ups, but I'm not sure if I wake up and decide to pee
or if I wake up because I need to pee.
 I have a pillow speaker and always slide it under my ear and listen until I fall asleep.
I may even change the preset channel if I'm not interested in what is on.
 I have slept with a talk radio on a pillow speaker for more than 30 years.
 Probably not ideal, and I never have gone without it.
 I'm never really sure how much sleep I actually get.
 I have always favored a short nap in the afternoon and often had a job
where I could jump in my car for a 20 nap. Now that I'm semi retired I
can set in front of the computer and fall asleep, then I often get up and take real nap.
 All that said, I don't seem to run tired or low on energy during the day.



Never heard of a pillow speaker. I do set tv for 3 hours and have a ceiling fan but maybe i need more white noise.  I feel fine other than the nights i wake up before 3am.  Makes for a long day! but i get plenty of nap time so that does help. I just would like to try and get a little longer at night so thats what i am kinda working on. Like sleep from 10-4am would be fine.  Then a 1 hour nap.

soccerluvof4

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #19 on: November 06, 2019, 02:27:20 AM »
This has been a long stretch for me of getting up at 2 am and not being able to fall back asleep. I need to change it but cant figure out how.

I cant stay awake in my chair so fall asleep usually around 8pm then wake up to got to bed around ten. But then I only sleep till 2am. I dont feel overly exhausted but this stretch is longer than usual so wearing on me a bit. I went a couple months it was a non issue. I tried a advil pm which worked in the past and did nothing. Frustrated but still going. Sucks waiting for 4-6 hours to start my day. I know the easier answer maybe is to get up and move around as i feel sleepy in my chair but usually it doesnt matter what time I go to bed the same thing happens.

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #20 on: November 06, 2019, 03:24:02 AM »
Did you ever get a sleep test?

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #21 on: November 06, 2019, 04:48:19 AM »
I think these long daytime naps contribute to not sleeping through the night. You might just not be sleepy enough to make many enough hours.

Also things like needing to visit the loo or feeling hungry or thirsty can wake you up. So try to prepare yourself as good as you can.

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #22 on: November 06, 2019, 08:49:52 AM »
Since this thread was last active, I gave up alcohol after 20 years of wine-with-dinner and my sleep has improved GREATLY.  I had no idea what havoc even 1-2 drinks wreaks on the sleep cycle. I had essentially been depriving myself of REM sleep and setting myself up for 3-6 a.m. insomnia for the past two decades (!)  Now, I do have some trouble winding down in the evening, so tend to stay up 1-2 hours later, but I am sleeping through the nights with no problems (except for right before my period, when the drop in hormones triggers insomnia).

The other thing I note is that I had started doing more consistent vigorous aerobic exercise, as opposed to just brisk hour-long walks, and that has really improved sleep as well. 

Things to consider, if they apply.

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #23 on: November 06, 2019, 12:30:27 PM »
I've always been an erratic sleeper from my late 20s on.  In my 30s it was chronic insomnia.  In my 40s I randomly started sleeping much better with fewer insomnia nights, but then in the past few years I have new sleep patterns resulting from having a very elderly cat.  She does most of her eating at night but wants fresh food each time she wants to eat (usually 3x per night); and she is somewhat mentally impaired, so she will also sometimes cry in the middle of the night (I guess because she wakes up confused); or just meow for attention because she is awake and bored.

Our cat is elderly and blind and does the same. She'll cry and cry multiple times at night to get fresh food or because she's afraid she's alone. I make up for it by taking naps during the day.

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #24 on: November 06, 2019, 12:49:00 PM »
I've always been an erratic sleeper from my late 20s on.  In my 30s it was chronic insomnia.  In my 40s I randomly started sleeping much better with fewer insomnia nights, but then in the past few years I have new sleep patterns resulting from having a very elderly cat.  She does most of her eating at night but wants fresh food each time she wants to eat (usually 3x per night); and she is somewhat mentally impaired, so she will also sometimes cry in the middle of the night (I guess because she wakes up confused); or just meow for attention because she is awake and bored.

Our cat is elderly and blind and does the same. She'll cry and cry multiple times at night to get fresh food or because she's afraid she's alone. I make up for it by taking naps during the day.

Yup. It was shockingly hard when we finally had to put her down last spring (we thought we were emotionally well-prepared...turns out, not so much), but we do enjoy sleeping through the night now.

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #25 on: November 06, 2019, 01:03:22 PM »
This has been a long stretch for me of getting up at 2 am and not being able to fall back asleep. I need to change it but cant figure out how.

I cant stay awake in my chair so fall asleep usually around 8pm then wake up to got to bed around ten. But then I only sleep till 2am. I dont feel overly exhausted but this stretch is longer than usual so wearing on me a bit. I went a couple months it was a non issue. I tried a advil pm which worked in the past and did nothing. Frustrated but still going. Sucks waiting for 4-6 hours to start my day. I know the easier answer maybe is to get up and move around as i feel sleepy in my chair but usually it doesnt matter what time I go to bed the same thing happens.

What I'm finding for myself is that sleep problems are mostly due to an overactive brain. The main problem I face is to calm myself down. About eight years ago discovered by accident that listening to a steady voice is a powerful sleep inducer. In particular, listening to audio books really seems to help. But not just any old books - they have to be absorbing books in a subject of interest. In my case, that is mostly scientific topics such as consciousness, evolution cosmology etc. I have a set of about a dozen audio books, mostly about science and philosophy that I listen to in a cycle. My audio book collection includes:
  • Darwin's Dangerous Idea: Evolution and the Meanings of Life, Daniel Dennett
  • Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking, Daniel Dennett
  • From Bacteria to Bach and Back, Daniel Dennett
  • The Fabric of Reality, The Science of Parallel Universes - and Its Implications, David Deutsch
  • The Strange Order of Things, Life, Feeling, and the Making of Cultures, Antonio Damasio
I listen to the books on a timer and within 15 minutes, I am fast asleep again. No chemicals necessary!

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #26 on: November 06, 2019, 01:04:56 PM »
Since this thread was last active, I gave up alcohol after 20 years of wine-with-dinner and my sleep has improved GREATLY.  I had no idea what havoc even 1-2 drinks wreaks on the sleep cycle. I had essentially been depriving myself of REM sleep and setting myself up for 3-6 a.m. insomnia for the past two decades (!)  Now, I do have some trouble winding down in the evening, so tend to stay up 1-2 hours later, but I am sleeping through the nights with no problems (except for right before my period, when the drop in hormones triggers insomnia).

The other thing I note is that I had started doing more consistent vigorous aerobic exercise, as opposed to just brisk hour-long walks, and that has really improved sleep as well. 

Things to consider, if they apply.
True for me too.  Can't drink wine after 5 pm.

OP, you don't say if you are still eating a big lunch?  I discovered (by accident really, when messing with my eating habits to lose baby weight):

1.  I need some carbs for breakfast for energy and to get my brain working.
2.  I cannot have a high carb lunch, or I get really sleepy.  So, for lunch I eat a salad.  Every day.  Occasionally it might have beans on it, but for the most part, my lunch is veggies, fat, and protein only.

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #27 on: November 06, 2019, 01:18:26 PM »
I literally don't sleep a 6,7 or 8 hour night. And over the last couple years since being fire'd it seems like its got worse. Over the course of the day I get plenty of sleep but Occasionally I will sleep 6 hours tops in a row. Otherwise its typically I seem to take a 1-2 hour nap in afternoon,  fall asleep in my chair 8. Get up at 10 and go to bed and wake up anywhere from 2:20 to 4ish.  I dont feel tired or like an insomniac  but it strikes me odd.  For the longest time I struggled to stay up till 10 and got mad at this but now I just get up and enjoy the quiet.  Anyone else like this

You may have a natural tendency toward segmented sleep, and being FIRE'd means that you don't have to fight it so much. If you feel well-rested and it isn't impacting your life negatively, it's probably fine.

I think my husband probably has this tendency. He seems naturally to sleep in shorter blocks of time, including naps, than to sleep a full 8 hours at night.

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #28 on: November 06, 2019, 03:18:12 PM »
My sleep was crummy for a long time - shallow sleep, waking up every hour.  It is a tricky thing because there are many things that affect it.

My BIL is a board certified sleep doctor.  The main thing he said was set a schedule.  I chose midnight to 9am.  Sticking with that, I've gone from waking up every hour to sleeping through the night completely most every night.

Other things:

1.  Alcohol, as mentioned.  I don't touch the stuff, almost exclusively because of sleep issues.

2.  Caffeine.  Even a decaf cup of tea in the morning can be enough to cause problems.

3.  Exercise.  Aerobic exercise and lifting weights.

4.  Avoiding carb-heavy meals.  I can guarantee a nap about an hour after pasta.

5.  Sleep room temperature.  I do 69 degrees.

6.  Melatonin.  I'm taking 3mg nightly.  I may wean myself off this.

7.  Medications.  Check all of your meds.  Many interfere with sleep.

8.  Hydration.  Oddly, if I'm dehydrated I don't sleep well.  I was dehydrating myself to avoid getting up at night to go to the bathroom, but if I'm hydrated I don't have that problem.  If you are getting up at night to go to the bathroom and you're male, have your doctor check for BPH and get treatment if you want.

9.  Heavy blankets.  Having something weighty on top of myself helps.  I used to sleep under a thick down comforter, which weighed nothing.  I switched to a thin microfleece blanket, which is about the same in terms of warmth but much heavier, and I noticed a difference.

For me, except for the sleep schedule and caffeine, these are all little things.  The fact that they are all little means that they're subtle, so if you're not focusing on it, you might not notice the trends and associations.  But added together they make a big difference.  I still have some other things to work on - allergies, and my bed may not be the best - but I've made a lot of progress and it's only taken about three or four weeks.

Oh, and they also say not to have the TV in the bedroom.  If you can move it out that might help.  They say the bedroom should only be for sleep and sex.

Good luck.

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Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #29 on: November 06, 2019, 08:50:53 PM »
With three little kids including a newborn I’m  lucky to get two 2-hour stretches of sleep a night. Usually I am woken up every hour.

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #30 on: November 07, 2019, 12:28:53 AM »

Oh, and they also say not to have the TV in the bedroom.  If you can move it out that might help.  They say the bedroom should only be for sleep and sex.


I have been telling my DH this for years, and he still comments sometimes that he would prefer to have a TV in the bedroom. Luckily I have been able to convince him that I can't sleep with a TV and so far we never had one.

I remember from our earliest years together. DH used to listen to well-known tapes with standup comedy to fall asleep with. He would indeed fall asleep within 10-15 minutes, while I lay awake for the duration of the tape. And if I ever stopped the tape earlier, DH would wake up.
DH also have a tendency to lay down on the living room couch on a Sunday afternoon, put on sports on the telly, and promptly fall asleep. Then I, being considerate, need to tiptoe around the living room to not wake him up. If I don't care about the sports, I cannot turn it off without him waking up from it. I dislike this particular habit.
Nowadays, when he wakes up in the middle of the night, he often goes listening to a podcast i bed, but with his earplugs in. Then it doesn't bother me.

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #31 on: November 08, 2019, 07:48:33 AM »
I struggle to get a good night's sleep if I eat any red meat in the evening.

Cats, mmm. Ours used to get breakfast when we woke up. This resulted in them either waking us, or sitting staring at sleeping us, looking for an eye to open. They now eat at 08:30 sharp, well after we are up and about.

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #32 on: November 08, 2019, 08:11:56 AM »
I wake up at 3 or 4 in the morning most nights. The difference lately is that I've had more luck falling asleep again afterward, though there are still some long early-mornings staring at the clock and/or my phone. In my 20s I had terrible insomnia as a side-effect of anxiety, and in my 30s it was still pretty hit-and-miss. There have been some changes in my life and health recently, and I'm thankful that they seem to have tamed my sleep issues for the most part. But by no means am I an 8-hour sleeper.

There's definitely some genetics involved; my mom is anxious and an insomniac, while my dad can sleep anywhere, anytime, and for as long as he wants. My late brother inherited dad's sleep habits, while I got my mom's (I'm not sure where my other brother falls, somewhere in the middle I guess?).

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #33 on: November 13, 2019, 08:39:38 PM »
If you can’t stay awake in your chair, you are not getting sufficient quantity or quality of sleep.  The Epworth Sleepiness Scale is commonly used to screen for sleep disorders.

http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/narcolepsy/diagnosing-narcolepsy/epworth-sleepiness-scale

I would see your PCP and consider a sleep study.  What you are describing could be a sleep disorder, so I’d get checked out.

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #34 on: November 14, 2019, 04:49:13 AM »
Almost 30 years ago I collapsed at the Y and ended up in the hospital for almost 2 weeks. Did every study there was and basically determined that I probably havent slept in months. I was put finally on 3mg of Clonazepam and have been on it ever since. Was diagnosed with having OCD but just the non-stop thinking part of it. My Doctor says at this point its more a crutch then anything that I dont need it and I have never raised the amount in all those years. Usually its not as bad as its been of late but we are buying and selling a house so there is some stress there and I am a worry wart. I have good runs and then usually like now when something like moving comes up is what starts it. Last year around the same time my DS decided to transfer colleges for his sport and he had like 2 months to get in the transfer window, talk with coaches and visit so I was stressed about that because he was on a good scholarship.

I know naps are part of it but I naps have been what has saved me. And i dont nap anywhere near as long as I use to. My fitbit couple days ago said I averaged Almost 7 hours of sleep so that was pretty good as usually its closer to 6.

I have a physical coming up in the next two months so I am going to bring it up to my Doctor and see what he says. But for the most part its like I said been part of my life in one way or another forever so really I think the thing I need to do is just not fall asleep in my chair at night. Then half hour/hour nap when I get it I dont think its the issue as is staying up till 10pm. I dont have problem falling asleep its waking up and thinking as someone mentioned. Anyhow that is where I am at.

The funny thing about it all is people at least once a week say "I wish I had your energy your always doing something" so maybe part of it is self evaluation to much creating stress about it as well. One last thing which is odd, there were stretches since being fire'd I was really lazy and read alot , pretty much a couch potato and seemed the more idle i was the more I slept at night as well.
« Last Edit: November 14, 2019, 04:53:08 AM by soccerluvof4 »

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #35 on: November 14, 2019, 07:08:39 AM »
The funny thing about it all is people at least once a week say "I wish I had your energy your always doing something" so maybe part of it is self evaluation to much creating stress about it as well. One last thing which is odd, there were stretches since being fire'd I was really lazy and read alot , pretty much a couch potato and seemed the more idle i was the more I slept at night as well.

Maybe you need some downtime during the day, to avoid the night being the only time available for you for thinking.

For it often helps to spend the last part of the evening doing something that requires some concentration, but is a bit boring.  Makes me very sleepy.

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #36 on: November 14, 2019, 12:38:40 PM »
The funny thing about it all is people at least once a week say "I wish I had your energy your always doing something" so maybe part of it is self evaluation to much creating stress about it as well. One last thing which is odd, there were stretches since being fire'd I was really lazy and read alot , pretty much a couch potato and seemed the more idle i was the more I slept at night as well.

Maybe you need some downtime during the day, to avoid the night being the only time available for you for thinking.

For it often helps to spend the last part of the evening doing something that requires some concentration, but is a bit boring.  Makes me very sleepy.



Funny you mentioned that. Trying an experiment, I took about a 45 minute nap before noon and see if there is a bigger spread so I can  Stay a wake till ten and then sleep through the night or till 4am. I just think if I could do it for a week or two then it would become the new habit.

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #37 on: November 15, 2019, 03:27:34 AM »
11/15

Well last night was a bit better I did wake up at 2am exactly but was able to go back to bed and slept till 3:30. So the difference was I took a slight nap before noon and I stayed up longer though I still only made it till 8:30 ish woke up at 9:20 but went to bed at 9:30 instead of ten. So going to keep experimenting and not obsess about it but talk here or journal till i get it figured out. One thing I should add is my DW gets up at 3:45. The only difference is she can sleep anywhere anytime. She falls asleep on the couch gets up goes to bed and sleeps through the night and needs and alarm clock to wake her up. So with that it would be hard for me anyhow to sleep much longer than that and I do like getting up early just not 2am. Also going to get a book today at the library as actual reading from a book vs reading on the internet seemed to slow down my thinking a bit and I slept alot better when i was reading.

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #38 on: November 15, 2019, 03:10:18 PM »
I work a rotating shift, so it's impossible to set up a true schedule.  Fortunately, I usually work nights for longer stretches (I sleep much better when I work nights), and then do a day stretch, instead of doing a constant back-and-forth every week (which other locations require).

I'll often wake up every couple hours when I have time off, then have a hard time falling back to sleep.

I recently bought a weighted blanket.  I don't know that I wake up less often, but I am able to go back to sleep much easier when I do (at least, so far).  I'm hoping that pattern holds.  It does get a little warm, so I'm thinking of turning the thermostat down even more when I'm sleeping (I would do it now, except my son is often home when I am sleeping, so not sure I should make the house 62° during the normal daytime.)


soccerluvof4

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #39 on: November 16, 2019, 02:50:44 AM »
I work a rotating shift, so it's impossible to set up a true schedule.  Fortunately, I usually work nights for longer stretches (I sleep much better when I work nights), and then do a day stretch, instead of doing a constant back-and-forth every week (which other locations require).

I'll often wake up every couple hours when I have time off, then have a hard time falling back to sleep.

I recently bought a weighted blanket.  I don't know that I wake up less often, but I am able to go back to sleep much easier when I do (at least, so far).  I'm hoping that pattern holds.  It does get a little warm, so I'm thinking of turning the thermostat down even more when I'm sleeping (I would do it now, except my son is often home when I am sleeping, so not sure I should make the house 62° during the normal daytime.)


My DW has one of those weighted blankets and I dont want it touching me. Its so heavy I feel like it would suffocate me! lol
I often though over the years I was built to work third shift. I can sleep during the day no problem.

sparkytheop

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #40 on: November 16, 2019, 11:09:55 AM »
I work a rotating shift, so it's impossible to set up a true schedule.  Fortunately, I usually work nights for longer stretches (I sleep much better when I work nights), and then do a day stretch, instead of doing a constant back-and-forth every week (which other locations require).

I'll often wake up every couple hours when I have time off, then have a hard time falling back to sleep.

I recently bought a weighted blanket.  I don't know that I wake up less often, but I am able to go back to sleep much easier when I do (at least, so far).  I'm hoping that pattern holds.  It does get a little warm, so I'm thinking of turning the thermostat down even more when I'm sleeping (I would do it now, except my son is often home when I am sleeping, so not sure I should make the house 62° during the normal daytime.)


My DW has one of those weighted blankets and I dont want it touching me. Its so heavy I feel like it would suffocate me! lol
I often though over the years I was built to work third shift. I can sleep during the day no problem.

It's definitely heavy!  I might get one with less weight and give this one to my son (it's below the 10-12% of body weight recommended).  I at least need to make a new cover for it.  The one it has is nice and fuzzy, but the material isn't breathable and traps too much heat.  If I make a quilt duvet type cover, it should breath easier.

I'm definitely made for night shifts, but our boss won't let us work straight nights, even though there are people willing to trade day shifts for night shifts (or reverse).  He's afraid we'd "lose too much knowledge".  I have the shift with the second most nights though, so it helps.

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #41 on: November 18, 2019, 04:21:20 AM »
I work a rotating shift, so it's impossible to set up a true schedule.  Fortunately, I usually work nights for longer stretches (I sleep much better when I work nights), and then do a day stretch, instead of doing a constant back-and-forth every week (which other locations require).

I'll often wake up every couple hours when I have time off, then have a hard time falling back to sleep.

I recently bought a weighted blanket.  I don't know that I wake up less often, but I am able to go back to sleep much easier when I do (at least, so far).  I'm hoping that pattern holds.  It does get a little warm, so I'm thinking of turning the thermostat down even more when I'm sleeping (I would do it now, except my son is often home when I am sleeping, so not sure I should make the house 62° during the normal daytime.)


My DW has one of those weighted blankets and I dont want it touching me. Its so heavy I feel like it would suffocate me! lol
I often though over the years I was built to work third shift. I can sleep during the day no problem.

It's definitely heavy!  I might get one with less weight and give this one to my son (it's below the 10-12% of body weight recommended).  I at least need to make a new cover for it.  The one it has is nice and fuzzy, but the material isn't breathable and traps too much heat.  If I make a quilt duvet type cover, it should breath easier.

I'm definitely made for night shifts, but our boss won't let us work straight nights, even though there are people willing to trade day shifts for night shifts (or reverse).  He's afraid we'd "lose too much knowledge".  I have the shift with the second most nights though, so it helps.


Last couple of nights I actually have slept alot better. I have been able to stay awake a little later and when I start dozing off just go to bed instead. So one night I went to bed at 8:30 and last night like 9:20 and even slept a little later in. So for now thats working

AnnaGrowsAMustache

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #42 on: November 18, 2019, 05:04:02 AM »
It's a relatively recent thing to expect to sleep 8 hours a night. Animals don't sleep in long uninterrupted lumps, and neither do we. If you're a history buff, it's pretty common to see references to getting up in the night for quite substantial periods. It was considered normal. Now it's just another bizarre expectation that we put on ourselves. People make money out of these expectations!

https://www.sciencealert.com/humans-used-to-sleep-in-two-shifts-maybe-we-should-again

ysette9

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #43 on: November 18, 2019, 11:46:20 AM »
I found the concept of first sleep and second sleep really interesting when I first learned about it. When I am in a more normal condition with no one waking me up all night long I can recognize first and second sleep in myself with a wake up between where I am more alert than my other wakeups. Hopefully this is something I’ll rediscover with FIRE and punk kiddos getting older.

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #44 on: November 18, 2019, 04:26:50 PM »
Since this thread was last active, I gave up alcohol after 20 years of wine-with-dinner and my sleep has improved GREATLY.  I had no idea what havoc even 1-2 drinks wreaks on the sleep cycle. I had essentially been depriving myself of REM sleep and setting myself up for 3-6 a.m. insomnia for the past two decades (!)  Now, I do have some trouble winding down in the evening, so tend to stay up 1-2 hours later, but I am sleeping through the nights with no problems (except for right before my period, when the drop in hormones triggers insomnia).

The other thing I note is that I had started doing more consistent vigorous aerobic exercise, as opposed to just brisk hour-long walks, and that has really improved sleep as well. 

Things to consider, if they apply.
True for me too.  Can't drink wine after 5 pm.


I'm curious as to how long it took to sleep better after you quit the wine-with-dinner thing?  I've done dry months and then some, and it didn't seem to make a difference.  I do 1 to 1 1/2 hours of vigorous exercise three days (afternoons) a week (cardio and weight training), and I wake up, like clockwork, at 3 AM after an 11 PM bedtime.  I then lie awake until 7, and try (and most often fail) to sleep.  I've also tried breathing exercises, mindfulness, etc.

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #45 on: November 18, 2019, 05:00:05 PM »
Since this thread was last active, I gave up alcohol after 20 years of wine-with-dinner and my sleep has improved GREATLY.  I had no idea what havoc even 1-2 drinks wreaks on the sleep cycle. I had essentially been depriving myself of REM sleep and setting myself up for 3-6 a.m. insomnia for the past two decades (!)  Now, I do have some trouble winding down in the evening, so tend to stay up 1-2 hours later, but I am sleeping through the nights with no problems (except for right before my period, when the drop in hormones triggers insomnia).

The other thing I note is that I had started doing more consistent vigorous aerobic exercise, as opposed to just brisk hour-long walks, and that has really improved sleep as well. 

Things to consider, if they apply.
True for me too.  Can't drink wine after 5 pm.


I'm curious as to how long it took to sleep better after you quit the wine-with-dinner thing?  I've done dry months and then some, and it didn't seem to make a difference.  I do 1 to 1 1/2 hours of vigorous exercise three days (afternoons) a week (cardio and weight training), and I wake up, like clockwork, at 3 AM after an 11 PM bedtime.  I then lie awake until 7, and try (and most often fail) to sleep.  I've also tried breathing exercises, mindfulness, etc.

For me it was about 2 weeks before I started to sleep better after stopping a 2 drinks/day habit (formerly I had the same insomnia pattern you did).  But I do tend to be back to being more night-owl-y and stay up a bit later, which is how I was as a teen and young adult, before my adult sleep problems kicked in.  Aerobic exercise helps me (esp swimming) and supplemental magnesium helps me (possibly b/c I have a tendency to suffer chronic fibro-type muscle and joint pain, and it seems to help with that).

It does sound like you are doing everything correctly and alcohol might not be the primary culprit if you are doing dry months and not seeing any change in the last few weeks of the month. But when I first quit drinking, my sleep definitely worsened the first 10-14 days, and didn't improve until after that.

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #46 on: November 19, 2019, 01:20:34 AM »
Since this thread was last active, I gave up alcohol after 20 years of wine-with-dinner and my sleep has improved GREATLY.  I had no idea what havoc even 1-2 drinks wreaks on the sleep cycle. I had essentially been depriving myself of REM sleep and setting myself up for 3-6 a.m. insomnia for the past two decades (!)  Now, I do have some trouble winding down in the evening, so tend to stay up 1-2 hours later, but I am sleeping through the nights with no problems (except for right before my period, when the drop in hormones triggers insomnia).

The other thing I note is that I had started doing more consistent vigorous aerobic exercise, as opposed to just brisk hour-long walks, and that has really improved sleep as well. 

Things to consider, if they apply.
True for me too.  Can't drink wine after 5 pm.


I'm curious as to how long it took to sleep better after you quit the wine-with-dinner thing?  I've done dry months and then some, and it didn't seem to make a difference.  I do 1 to 1 1/2 hours of vigorous exercise three days (afternoons) a week (cardio and weight training), and I wake up, like clockwork, at 3 AM after an 11 PM bedtime.  I then lie awake until 7, and try (and most often fail) to sleep.  I've also tried breathing exercises, mindfulness, etc.

If you wake up after a day of heavy exercise, could that be cause by being dehydrated? Are you thirsty when you wake up?

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #47 on: November 19, 2019, 04:23:43 AM »
It's a relatively recent thing to expect to sleep 8 hours a night. Animals don't sleep in long uninterrupted lumps, and neither do we. If you're a history buff, it's pretty common to see references to getting up in the night for quite substantial periods. It was considered normal. Now it's just another bizarre expectation that we put on ourselves. People make money out of these expectations!

https://www.sciencealert.com/humans-used-to-sleep-in-two-shifts-maybe-we-should-again



That was a very interesting article and for me at least makes alot of sense. Fortunately for me I had another good night of sleep a nap in the day and then 6 hours so feel good in that regard. They key lately is not falling asleep in my chair before going to bed. So kinda a mini split sleep .

AnnaGrowsAMustache

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #48 on: November 19, 2019, 03:13:11 PM »
It's a relatively recent thing to expect to sleep 8 hours a night. Animals don't sleep in long uninterrupted lumps, and neither do we. If you're a history buff, it's pretty common to see references to getting up in the night for quite substantial periods. It was considered normal. Now it's just another bizarre expectation that we put on ourselves. People make money out of these expectations!

https://www.sciencealert.com/humans-used-to-sleep-in-two-shifts-maybe-we-should-again



That was a very interesting article and for me at least makes alot of sense. Fortunately for me I had another good night of sleep a nap in the day and then 6 hours so feel good in that regard. They key lately is not falling asleep in my chair before going to bed. So kinda a mini split sleep .

There's a lot of information on sleep out there if you look. I'm talking real information, not sleep clinics that want to convert you to 8 hours just cos, or ten handy tips on becoming a morning person! I've spent a lot of my life being so profoundly annoyed by the whole sleep issue. I'm a night owl. Left to my own devices, I go to sleep at around 2 and sleep until 11am. I wake during the night for an hour or so. That's my natural pattern. I could no more become a morning person than they could become me. Of course, morning people have taken over the world and I have to live on their schedule, but I don't have to believe that it's natural for me or to take on board that I am somehow lacking in willpower or whatever by not enjoying their bloody early mornings! Who do they imagine stood guard and kept the fires going in the night back in the cave???

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Re: Does anybody else seem to sleep only a couple hours at a time?
« Reply #49 on: November 19, 2019, 03:52:19 PM »
Since this thread was last active, I gave up alcohol after 20 years of wine-with-dinner and my sleep has improved GREATLY.  I had no idea what havoc even 1-2 drinks wreaks on the sleep cycle. I had essentially been depriving myself of REM sleep and setting myself up for 3-6 a.m. insomnia for the past two decades (!)  Now, I do have some trouble winding down in the evening, so tend to stay up 1-2 hours later, but I am sleeping through the nights with no problems (except for right before my period, when the drop in hormones triggers insomnia).

The other thing I note is that I had started doing more consistent vigorous aerobic exercise, as opposed to just brisk hour-long walks, and that has really improved sleep as well. 

Things to consider, if they apply.
True for me too.  Can't drink wine after 5 pm.


I'm curious as to how long it took to sleep better after you quit the wine-with-dinner thing?  I've done dry months and then some, and it didn't seem to make a difference.  I do 1 to 1 1/2 hours of vigorous exercise three days (afternoons) a week (cardio and weight training), and I wake up, like clockwork, at 3 AM after an 11 PM bedtime.  I then lie awake until 7, and try (and most often fail) to sleep.  I've also tried breathing exercises, mindfulness, etc.
I never really was a huge drinker in the first place, so I'd say... right away.  Since I probably only had a drink a few times a week, I started noticing that the crappy sleep/ wake-ups were aligning with those nights.

When I stopped having wine mid-week, I noticed a huge difference, with a few caveats: I still sleep like crap when ovulating (1-3 days a month), and sometimes right before my period (1-3 days a month), and since I'm in peri-menopause and my cycles are anywhere from 2 weeks to 7 weeks long, I don't always recognize where I'm at.

Other details - I get 3-4 days a week of heavy cardio (running, swimming) and 2 days a week of weight training.  I set my alarm for 5-ish MTThF to work out, and "sleep in" on W, Sat, Sun. 

I go to bed at 8:45-9.  I wake around 11-ish to use the bathroom.  This is usually when I have a hard time going back to sleep, then or around 3 am.  If I recognize that it's one of those "times", and I am awake for at least an hour, then I either take 1/2 a unisom or pick up my book, or both.  I try not to stress too much about it because it doesn't help.  Sometimes I just wake up at 4:30 and cannot go back to sleep, but that's 7.5 hours, so good enough.

Mindfulness, breathing, counting backwards from 1000 by 7...sometimes that works for me, but usually if I've got some really rough insomnia, it's because I'm stressed out and cannot turn off my brain, so counting backward just doesn't work.  I've been considering magnesium, haven't pulled the trigger.
« Last Edit: November 19, 2019, 03:54:11 PM by mm1970 »

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!