joeylittle
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What sleep hygiene do you practice? what sleep routines do you use?
- Post starter ms spock
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Friday
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Standard sleep hygeine practices freak me the hell out and pretty much guarantee I won't be sleeping.
My Best Practice Includes :
- Having my bed in the middle of my living space // using it for lots of things
- A very serious amount of both physical & mental exercise throughout the day
- Staying active until the moment I go to bed (including sex if possible, or pushups on the bed frame if I don't have someone to tangle with, or don't want to break a sweat. I have a dream of Lara Crofts bungie harness in pajamas before bed on nights I'm sleeping alone. But barring falling into a large vat of money -and three story bouncy place in my house- push-ups or gymnastics will just have to suffice. LeSigh. ).
- Lots of caffeine &/or other mild stimulants throughout the day (but especially right before bed... Opposite stimulant reaction, stimulants are soothing).
- Adding natural sun light or Blue Light (I sleep best during the daytime, but screen light is better than nothing).
- Add a nap, if possible. (If I'm overtired it's very difficult to fall asleep.)
- Avoiding the cold (the recommended 60-65F / 15C will have me pissed the hell off, which is never helpful for even lousy sleep, much less so called "optimal" sleep. I hate-despise-loathe sleeping cold. That's a trauma thing, though. We could add cold-wet-hungry and make it even worse, but cold along is enough.).
- Avoiding white-noise & noise blocking anything. Rocketing anxiety if I can't hear.
- Avoiding bedtime routines (if I don't mix things up on a regular basis? Again, anxiety skyrockets. Far more effective for me is to slightly vary what/when/where/how I do things. Also durn useful... Because as I said, this is my best practice, and best isn't always possible. So being able to sleep during times when I can't do best practice? Molto Bene. Besides. Camping, hotels, stargazing, sleepovers, etc. are fun.).
Most of these things are the exact opposite of what's "recommended". Shrug. I'm backwards about a lot of things, in life. That's fine, though, because what matters is that it works! :D
My Best Practice Includes :
- Having my bed in the middle of my living space // using it for lots of things
- A very serious amount of both physical & mental exercise throughout the day
- Staying active until the moment I go to bed (including sex if possible, or pushups on the bed frame if I don't have someone to tangle with, or don't want to break a sweat. I have a dream of Lara Crofts bungie harness in pajamas before bed on nights I'm sleeping alone. But barring falling into a large vat of money -and three story bouncy place in my house- push-ups or gymnastics will just have to suffice. LeSigh. ).
- Lots of caffeine &/or other mild stimulants throughout the day (but especially right before bed... Opposite stimulant reaction, stimulants are soothing).
- Adding natural sun light or Blue Light (I sleep best during the daytime, but screen light is better than nothing).
- Add a nap, if possible. (If I'm overtired it's very difficult to fall asleep.)
- Avoiding the cold (the recommended 60-65F / 15C will have me pissed the hell off, which is never helpful for even lousy sleep, much less so called "optimal" sleep. I hate-despise-loathe sleeping cold. That's a trauma thing, though. We could add cold-wet-hungry and make it even worse, but cold along is enough.).
- Avoiding white-noise & noise blocking anything. Rocketing anxiety if I can't hear.
- Avoiding bedtime routines (if I don't mix things up on a regular basis? Again, anxiety skyrockets. Far more effective for me is to slightly vary what/when/where/how I do things. Also durn useful... Because as I said, this is my best practice, and best isn't always possible. So being able to sleep during times when I can't do best practice? Molto Bene. Besides. Camping, hotels, stargazing, sleepovers, etc. are fun.).
Most of these things are the exact opposite of what's "recommended". Shrug. I'm backwards about a lot of things, in life. That's fine, though, because what matters is that it works! :D
Changing4Best
VIP Member
I don't have Borderline Personality Disorder. That was a mis-diagnosis.
desiderata310
VIP Member
:blackeye: sleep hygiene?
For the last decade, my work schedule usually included load outs till 2am. Followed by either
a trip to the bar for a couple of beers and then a 30 min drive home
a trip to OMG EAT and have a beer and then a 30 min drive home
a trip with the artist to the damn hotel or airport or both and then a 30 min drive home (sometimes with a drink in between)
a night where there was a 1:30 nap between the last load out and the next load in. (yes, we all smelled wonderful)
a 30 min drive home, a drink, a laptop and a couple of hours of writing for grad school
ALL of this involved to some greater or lesser extent, the desire to avoid my ex and try to wait him out till he'd gone to bed for the evening and staying awake till around 3 or 4, sleeping 2-3 hours (or less if I am wired) and then doing everything again.
It's only really been different in the last couple of years that my bed was in anyway... safe? ish.
I don't have a routine other than to stay up till I am ridiculously exhausted (per instructions by my neurologist who insists that this will force my sleep into one block). THAT part SORT Of works.
The snoring dog helps... sometimes. if HE's Not sleeping well then we are both f*cked. Nothing like being kidney stomped on by a 90 lb dog who can't settle down and is turning in circles for the 1000th time
I get that stimulants are soothing thing. I've been drinking coffee right before bed (with a great amount of success) for decades. I sleep better with it but it's all about amount and timing. Too much and the heart rate spikes and sleep is history.
@Friday I get what you mean about cold (wet and hungry) too. I lived in the south much of my life so I'm better off with cold- I can't stand stifling heat, poor air circulation, and yeah.. hungry. Otherwise? Let me sleep with the damn window open in the dead of winter.
For the last decade, my work schedule usually included load outs till 2am. Followed by either
a trip to the bar for a couple of beers and then a 30 min drive home
a trip to OMG EAT and have a beer and then a 30 min drive home
a trip with the artist to the damn hotel or airport or both and then a 30 min drive home (sometimes with a drink in between)
a night where there was a 1:30 nap between the last load out and the next load in. (yes, we all smelled wonderful)
a 30 min drive home, a drink, a laptop and a couple of hours of writing for grad school
ALL of this involved to some greater or lesser extent, the desire to avoid my ex and try to wait him out till he'd gone to bed for the evening and staying awake till around 3 or 4, sleeping 2-3 hours (or less if I am wired) and then doing everything again.
It's only really been different in the last couple of years that my bed was in anyway... safe? ish.
I don't have a routine other than to stay up till I am ridiculously exhausted (per instructions by my neurologist who insists that this will force my sleep into one block). THAT part SORT Of works.
The snoring dog helps... sometimes. if HE's Not sleeping well then we are both f*cked. Nothing like being kidney stomped on by a 90 lb dog who can't settle down and is turning in circles for the 1000th time
I get that stimulants are soothing thing. I've been drinking coffee right before bed (with a great amount of success) for decades. I sleep better with it but it's all about amount and timing. Too much and the heart rate spikes and sleep is history.
@Friday I get what you mean about cold (wet and hungry) too. I lived in the south much of my life so I'm better off with cold- I can't stand stifling heat, poor air circulation, and yeah.. hungry. Otherwise? Let me sleep with the damn window open in the dead of winter.
EveHarrington
VIP Member
Exercise------I'm walking 6 miles a day now. Go me! Not sure if I'll up it at some point, just can't right now as the humidity is killer!
"I wear my sunglasses at night!" True story. It keeps the light down as I'm exercising outside in the evenings. (Well lit public park.)
"I wear my sunglasses at night!" True story. It keeps the light down as I'm exercising outside in the evenings. (Well lit public park.)
DharmaGirl
VIP Member
Wow, Eve! Way to go!
- Post starter
- #19
ms spock
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I think I need to get back into more exercise. I am fighting off the frozeness, or am I noticing it more? Not sure! But I went to bed at 7.45pm last night and woke at 5am this morning. Much better. Woke up a few times during the night. Managing better!
- Post starter
- #20
ms spock
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Me too!
I have done this for periods of time as well.
Physical may be where I am falling down at the moment.
The moving target thing? I have to go to bed earlier myself - when I put off going to bed I end up staying up too late or all night.
I have given up on standard things as well - it just isn't working.
But I am trying to do my own sleep hygiene and sleep routines.
Last edited:
- Post starter
- #21
ms spock
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It has only been a short time since my bed has been safeish as well.
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- #22
ms spock
VIP Member
I didn't make my bed last night, when I took the sheets off to wash them, and that didn't assist with the non sleeping and poor sleeping of last night.
None except for semi-safe location.
As in I'm just happy to fall asleep. Establishing sleep routines just led me to freak the hell out about all the trauma that's sleep related and not sleeping because ApocalypseApproaching, totally, stay awake.
So dropping asleep whenever I feel sleepy and it's doable, and staying asleep, for a goal.
As in I'm just happy to fall asleep. Establishing sleep routines just led me to freak the hell out about all the trauma that's sleep related and not sleeping because ApocalypseApproaching, totally, stay awake.
So dropping asleep whenever I feel sleepy and it's doable, and staying asleep, for a goal.
joeylittle
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