What sleep hygiene do you practice? what sleep routines do you use?

[ms spock]

Four or five hours! My sleep is shiteful even with medication.

 

[DharmaGirl]

Maybe different meds? I really think (if you want my opinion) that you are doing so much and need more time for decompression. I'm finding this out. I had a radical hysterectomy and felt better after than I have in years. I wasn't able to rest the first 4 days since they gave me steroids and it's like I'm on amphetamines. It has been a week and a half since surgery, still doing too much because I feel well, but am back to the audiobook at bedtime, lavender incense, and a light meditation before the book. I trained myself with the book and use the same voice actor when I want to sleep. I had sleep problems for years, and eating carbs helps me get to sleep too. Can you maybe add some carbs to your last meal to see if that helps? I had a therapist that said to meditate when I couldn't sleep. I never tried that, but it worked for him. You have changed so much in your life the past several years, it's amazing to me the way you are managing. Even with the frustrating sleep problems, you have turned so much around!

 

[ms spock]

Thanks for seeing me @DharmaGirl. Thank you for seeing me. Yeah I need to update my meds. I also have made incredible progress from where I was!

 

[DharmaGirl]

Yep, you have.

 

[ms spock]

My sleep has completely fallen apart. So this has not been the best for me. It just fell apart.

 

[DharmaGirl]

My best sleep hygiene is to bathe, put on cozy pajamas, do a short meditation, then listen to an audiobook on a timer to go to sleep. The only ones I follow regularly are the cozy pajamas and audiobook. The audiobook helps so much I fall asleep very quickly, and if I wake, I listen again. I'm sorry you are having so much trouble, but I think this is what the illness is. It gets out of control and you reel it back in. Because you have the tools, you don't completely fall apart anymore. I'm using you in the general sense. I also do this.

You don't have to get down on yourself for this happening, I truly think it's just how the illness works. We are managing it by being alert to when it gets worse, and reeling it back in. It isn't anything I would have chosen, and between having cancer and having PTSD, I would choose the cancer over PTSD every day of the week. Not that I would choose either, but as an example.

 

[Ronin]

I practice catnap when you can, sleep it out if possible, relax & rest otherwise, one. :D :smug:

Or: beating yourself up for bad sleep sure doesn't make resting easier.