What's your sleep like?

I am a chronic insomniac... basically have been since birth. On average I probably get around 4hrs/night. I suppose the good thing is I never really tired from sleep deprivation aside from the occasional nights that I don’t sleep at all.

My mom is a doctor, so growing up she made my doctors try every medication from A-Z to get me to sleep like a normal person. They all either didn’t work, left me incredibly hung over, or would make me sleep for like 16 hours. Eventually one of doctors said “maybe you just don’t require 8hrs of sleep”... something I had intuitively known for years. I suppose we’re all wired differently.

Interestingly one of my grandfathers was the same way. I suppose the benefit of only sleeping 4hrs a night is that I’m that much more productive in life.

 

Just be careful with it. Melatonin-related side effects can creep up slowly. Took about ~2 months for me, but I ended up getting really screwed up nightmares with it, cut it off and was back to normal instantly. Asked my doctor and he said it is fairly common, as too much melatonin can really mess up your natural sleep cycles. I was taking the smallest pill I could find.

 

Any time you'd like. Just message me okay?

I recently got a memory foam mattress topper, that seems to be helping a little. I'd buy a whole new bed but we just moved a month ago.

Now to get my mind and body to give me a break. 3 hours a night is giving me massive anxiety. Which leads to more insomnia. Terrible cycle I'm stuck in currently.

 

For those who have difficulty getting their mind to calm down so they can sleep, have you tried or considered trying meditation? There are nice apps like Headspace that might be of use.

 

Yes, meditation for sleep....and for awakening...enlightenment
Can’t recommend it enough. Even search for a meditation thread here.
Nothing active it seemed.

I am using https://insighttimer.com and have done so a long time. Since the app was fairly new.
It’s the only app I actually seriously considered to subscribe to, as there is a payed version these days.
And I generally do hate subscriptions of software and apps. See how it gets with it.

I am actually up to 700 consecutive days tomorrow. I’m really proud of that.
The benefit of making it a steady daily habit is effectful. To me it have been life changing.
I learned meditation in youth, and kept learning more and more over the years. Always had it to lean on in smaller crisis and changes I went through.
I got seriously into it when the biggest crises I’ve had, came up ~ 10 yrs ago.
There is a huge benefit of meditation, better sleep is only one of them. But there’s also losses to be prepared for. We do get attached to certain illusions. And meditation peel them away for us.
So keeping a meditation practice going is not for the weak. But meditation also reveals and make our strengths stronger and clearer.

 

I don't have issues with falling asleep, but I use the Headspace meditation app to de-stress. I find it is most helpful with continued practice.

 

The comparison is kinda meaningless unless the actual point is only use medication if you truly need it. Well, that makes good sense.

Otherwise, those who can sleep naturally probably don’t use a sleeping pill. Those who cannot sleep naturally yet use a sleeping pill get more restorative rest than if they didn’t.

 

Good point. I agree with what you are saying other than in today’s modern life, often sleep deprivation is a life style.

I think the idea is if there is a chronic condition that leads to inability to sleep that its better to find a path to natural sleep if that is possible. I admit I don’t actually know what the specific benefits of natural sleep are when it comes to health and disease, or a general ability to function, other than associated fatigue. What struck me from this interview is was the statement that people who regularity get less sleep than their body requires usually don’t live as long, and that most health issues are exaggerated by lack of sleep.

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I am intrigued by this. How much time does it take? Do you ever fall asleep during meditation? Downloading now (from App Store), the app is free with in app purchases.
https://www.headspace.com/science

What kind of in-app purchase are there and are they required to advance?

 

Honestly, it is not too great. Mostly due to work problems. However, I am quitting next month and turning a new page. Hopefully, the sleeping problem will sort too.

 

Yes, agreed; it is preferable to find a way to sleep naturally without the use of a sleeping pill. But for those who can’t - their standard of living can be richly improved through the short term or extended term use of them.

 

At the moment not so good
Too much to stress about

 

l just did the day one exercise, Choosing 3 minutes, but now wished I had picked the 5 minute one. It gave me the feeling of well being that I have associated previously with exercise and natural highs. Looking forward to continuing. So at the end of 10 days, what will they be selling?

Update: it looks like they want a monthly subscription for access to their library.

Do you subscribe?

Is what you learn in the free program good enough to meditate regularly?

Most of the meditation apps include in app purchases, I assume subscriptions? I am open to the possibility of subscribing if there is adequate benefit.

 

Yes, I pay the annual fee so I save a small percentage. You get out of it what you put into it I suppose. I know people who just use the free version and repeat the same 10 sessions over and over and that works for them.

Though I do enjoy the themed sessions and the daily ' Everyday Headspace' sessions as well.

I think one of your questions earlier was about if I fall asleep during them or not. I've done either 45 or 60 minute sessions in the past and I've found I became so relaxed that I dozed off during it. But typically I'll do between 5 and 15 minutes and takes care of me fairly well.

 

I’m checking out both Headspace and Insight Timer. I maybe mistaken, but it appears the latter has a large free library and it’s items are for purchase not subscription. I’ll report back after I get through both of theses app’s lessons phase.

 

Sleep? What’s that?

I have had a lot of trouble attempting to sleep in the hospital, am hoping once I move to the rehab wing tonight that will change.

 

In Insight Timer EVERYTHING IS FREE and will always be the appdev says. And that is over 10,000 guided meditations.
What's the difference between free and paid has nothing to do with access to all the material. Everyone has!
If I pay for Premium, I can download any material and enjoy off-line mode, higher quality audio and a different audio player with more settings.
I still haven't decided if I want to subscribe. But maybe I do it because I actually like their commitment. The world and people so need meditation

 

i try to sleep 8 hrs aday. im a sleepy head and im not a morning person. i do notice that when im unemployed i become a insomniac but i guess thats normal. sometimes i take Melatonin to help with my sleep, its natural and its not bad like sleeping pills. im a side sleeper and i put a pillow between my knees and i hug the other pillow, thats my normal sleep position. i also sleep with a nite light and i gotta have some water next to me cause my mouth tends to get dry when sleeping. i also like to blow my nose when i get up for a bathroom break so my nasals can be clear and i can sleep better

 

Slightly more sleep in rehab and unfortunately the only dud nurse thus far.

 

Really enjoying the new Memory Foam pillows. Lot more relaxation for both head, neck and shoulders.
Got a deeper an better sleep quality too regarding to my sleeping software. Everything good.
The ones I bought have these kind of small pieces of foam. Wouldn't even consider those block pillows. Memory foam are heavy enough, these are more fluffy.

I bought 2 and fortunately I can take out foam because they were too high for me and my sleeping patterns. I knew that before, but as they are very good quality, they came with double pillowcases. So I am taking out some of the foam and putting it in an empty pillowcase. So right now I have 2 and 1 flatter one. Most definitely I would have all 4 pillows replaced in the bed if I buy another one, I'm considering it.

 

I contacted Insight timer bevause I did not understand their pricing. I was told that the premium where you can download sessions was a subscription, but maybe the terms are different from the States to Europe.

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Several years ago, we went with shredded latex pillows and love them .

--- Post Merged, Jul 31, 2018 ---

Hope you are feeling better.

 

My sleep used to be excellent for the most part until relatively recently; my mum passed away just before Christmas, and, since then, my sleep has been most irregular and fitful.

For the first week after she passed away, I hardly slept - perhaps 3-5 hours a night. It has improved since then, but I have rarely had a full night of restful sleep, instead, usually wakening once, or, occasionally twice, during the night.

 

For many of us, sleep is a fragile thing. I’ve gone through periods where I woke at 3AM every morning, like clockwork, and fell back asleep at 5. It was miserable.

For the most part during the last few years, however, I’ve been sleeping well, and am grateful for it.

Losing a parent is rough, any way you look at it. You’re adjusting to a significant life change and will hopefully return to your formerly excellent quality of sleep. It takes time.

 

Thank you.

Agreed, that losing a parent is a significant thing - (and losing your mother, your first relationship and primary carer) is a cosmic thing - neither my sleep nor my appetite have returned to anything like they were before my mother passed away. I am aware that I should just give it time, and allow myself the time and space to grieve and heal.

But, restless and fitful sleep is not something I have ever suffered from before now - sleep always came easily to me.

 

Thank goodness for Ambien. I’m sleeping restfully. I still wake up a dozen times but can fall back to sleep quickly. It has been a miracle for me.

 

Agreed.

My sleep is slowly improving, but still restless and fitful a few nights a week.