How can I cure my tiredness?

[Charlotte]

Ah. That's quite anti-social. There's no need for an alarm to be going off for 2 hours.

 

Can you have a word with your neighbours about it? Explain to them that it makes you tired during the day, would they be able to turn the alarm volume down or reduce the time it goes off for, etc etc.

 

I know that approach can be a real rats' nest now that most people get uber-defensive if you ask them to do anything, but it's a suggestion...

 

It's sporadic. Some days it will literally go off for all that time with no stopping, like this morning when I thought they must have died over night. Then other mornings it will go off and then they'll snooze it for an hour.

 

On Sunday it was "oh get off me darlin" "you know you love it really babe" at 8am which was rather pleasant.

 

But then I start to feel paranoid and think, am I annoying them with my late night wanderings and switching of switches next to their bed.

 

I don't like confrontation though so I'm loathed to go round there.

[Charlotte]

On serious note, Sex seems to mean I get a good night sleep and feel good next day. I have no idea if this medically proven or whether its just a placebo lol

 

Trust you to lower the tone.

[Whitesupraboy2]

Trust you to lower the tone.

 

Im just throwing an idea out there.

 

I even tried to say it in it in a way which didnt make it sound filthy

[Charlotte]

Im just throwing an idea out there.

 

I even tried to say it in it in a way which didnt make it sound filthy

 

Thanks for the idea, I'll consider it next time I'm sleepy.

[Lbm]

Do you have a physically active job Charlotte or is it more office based?

[Alex]

2L's first thing is a bit excessive...an OJ and a glass of water will suffice till you get to work + some good fibrous breakfast (good for the digestion).

 

Personally I am lazy and can't be ar$ed to get drinks - so I tend to buy a 1L bottle of water and refill it during the day.

 

I do feel for you, I lived in a flat and could hear a mouse fart in the flat above, countless sleepless nights...your best bet is to move but that's obviously quite hard to do! So in the mean time I'd say, get some black out curtains or an eye mask + some ear buds.

[marbleapple]

I seem to be in a permanent state of zombie until about 4pm.

 

Its what we do for a job

 

2pm-3pm is my worst time.... straight after lunch... I could just curl up on my desk and sleep

[RedM]

What about Havard's Lemsip and w*** trick?

[marbleapple]

What about Havard's Lemsip and w*** trick?

 

Not in the office at 2pm though?

[TLicense]

You may well be getting enough sleep, but you may be waking up at the wrong point in your sleep cycle....

Whilst you sleep you'll cycle from light sleep to deep sleep and back to light sleep. The process takes approximately 90 minutes. If you try to wake up in the deep sleep part of the cycle, then you'll feel terrible and really sleepy. If you time your alarm clock to wake you up when you're in the light sleep part of the cycle then you'll feel a million times better.

 

Also as has been said, try to wind down at the end of the day. Disassociate "sleep time" from "awake time". Take a shower just before you go to sleep to get rid of the smell that your body has created / absorbed during the day. Make the room as dark as possible (your body will react to light and dark - you will naturally become more sleepy when it's dark) and ensure the temperature isn't too hot. Your body temp will rise whilst you're asleep, and if you're too hot you'll become uncomfortable.

 

When you wake up, again make sure that your body is receiving "it's time to wake up signals". Make the room as light as possible (open the curtains or turn the lights on in the darker mornings). Take a warm shower and make yourself a coffee / tea. (Be careful not to drink too much caffeine though - your body will become more and more use to it and so will respond it less)

[stevie_b]

What about Havard's Lemsip and w*** trick?

 

 

I think she's already tried that: http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/showpost.php?p=2113512&postcount=3

[tbourner]

You may well be getting enough sleep, but you may be waking up at the wrong point in your sleep cycle....

Whilst you sleep you'll cycle from light sleep to deep sleep and back to light sleep. The process takes approximately 90 minutes. If you try to wake up in the deep sleep part of the cycle, then you'll feel terrible and really sleepy. If you time your alarm clock to wake you up when you're in the light sleep part of the cycle then you'll feel a million times better.

I thought I already said that:

 

if you wake up with an alarm clock which I'm guessing you do, I'd suggest going to bed an hour later! Seriously, try it for a few nights.

 

Lots of people have trouble with getting up in the morning, and simply going to bed LATER (which is against what your brain tells you is a good idea) usually makes them feel a load better in the morning.

[Charlotte]

You may well be getting enough sleep, but you may be waking up at the wrong point in your sleep cycle....

Whilst you sleep you'll cycle from light sleep to deep sleep and back to light sleep. The process takes approximately 90 minutes. If you try to wake up in the deep sleep part of the cycle, then you'll feel terrible and really sleepy. If you time your alarm clock to wake you up when you're in the light sleep part of the cycle then you'll feel a million times better.

 

Also as has been said, try to wind down at the end of the day. Disassociate "sleep time" from "awake time". Take a shower just before you go to sleep to get rid of the smell that your body has created / absorbed during the day. Make the room as dark as possible (your body will react to light and dark - you will naturally become more sleepy when it's dark) and ensure the temperature isn't too hot. Your body temp will rise whilst you're asleep, and if you're too hot you'll become uncomfortable.

 

When you wake up, again make sure that your body is receiving "it's time to wake up signals". Make the room as light as possible (open the curtains or turn the lights on in the darker mornings). Take a warm shower and make yourself a coffee / tea. (Be careful not to drink too much caffeine though - your body will become more and more use to it and so will respond it less)

 

Thanks for all your advice, some good stuff there!

 

I managed to sleep the whole night last night but I was on morphine based tablets.

[carl0s]

Provigil (Trade name for Modafinil). Enjoy :-)

 

Nobody seemed to pick up on this! I had read about modafinil and adrafinil years ago when I was playing with nootropics, but I always try to avoid stimulants because I feel I am never too far away from anxiety and jitters.

 

Since the mornings have lost their daylight, I have think I have become aware of what can only be winter depression, and a general lack of motivation or willingness to do much during the day. I am probably getting about a third of what I should/could get done in a day, just because I can (I can make excuses, put jobs off etc.).

 

I ordered some modafinil last week, after seeing your post. I'll see how I do on 50mg at a time.

 

Dave Pearce's research doesn't seem to highlight any obvious concerns: http://www.modafinil.com/ , and this sounds interesting: http://www.modafinil.com/article/index.html

 

Cheers

[juanchan]

eat properly, drink lots of water, no more alcohol, etc.

 

If all else fails, nytol?

 

I was recommended lots of water at the start of the summer. I always ensure I drink lots now and that alone helped me feel slightly less sleepy, and more alert.

 

Get more exercise.

 

 

sod the exercise that just makes you more tired

 

I'd disagree with that entirely. I started hitting the gym regularly at the start of the summer and now I have far MORE energy than I ever used to do when I was lazy.

 

Eat some soft cheese (stilton) if you like it, has been proven to cause the release of the sleep chemical. A couple of hours before bed though.

 

Glad you added the "couple of hours before bed" bit! Cheese gives me the strangest of dreams, and they can be so vivid in my mind that it can take minutes after waking up to realise they're not real!

 

Lots of people have trouble with getting up in the morning, and simply going to bed LATER (which is against what your brain tells you is a good idea) usually makes them feel a load better in the morning.

 

I tried that. Yes, it made me feel more alert, but only for about a week. After that a lack of enough sleep caught up with me and I entered a zombie like state where I slept for most of a Saturday. Surely going to bed half an hour/an hour earlier would be better?

 

[Gazboy]

How do you increase your energy levels when you are simply suffering from sleep deprivation?

 

I haven't had more than 3hrs unbroken sleep for two years and consider myself lucky to have more than 5 hours of broken sleep.

 

More sleep is a non-starter. I eat well, am otherwise fit, don't drink or smoke but just generally feel awful- way past zombie, I feel physically sick all the time and my arms and legs and especially my shoulders feel like they are on fire.

[Rich]

And please don't suggest sleeping because I don't have time!!!

 

Discuss.

 

as said before,plenty of cardiovascular exercise,a nice balanced diet with not too many carbs late on.

 

Plenty of fluids but not too much caffeine,watch your sugar levels too as these can make you very tired.

 

Good luck with it Charlotte!

[Axle]

Havent read the whole thread so it may have already been mentioned, but do you perhaps have an Iron deficiency?

[MrRalphMan]

How do you increase your energy levels when you are simply suffering from sleep deprivation?

 

I haven't had more than 3hrs unbroken sleep for two years and consider myself lucky to have more than 5 hours of broken sleep.

 

More sleep is a non-starter. I eat well, am otherwise fit, don't drink or smoke but just generally feel awful- way past zombie, I feel physically sick all the time and my arms and legs and especially my shoulders feel like they are on fire.

 

That is not good dude, I feel some of that as our little one (21months) has had maybe 3 nights where he has slept through. Working nights at the same time doesn't help.

 

Some days I feel that Zombie feeling, but not everyday thank god.. But the Mrs does get the hump when I sit still and then just fall asleep.

[Muffleman]

How do you increase your energy levels when you are simply suffering from sleep deprivation?

 

I haven't had more than 3hrs unbroken sleep for two years and consider myself lucky to have more than 5 hours of broken sleep.

 

More sleep is a non-starter. I eat well, am otherwise fit, don't drink or smoke but just generally feel awful- way past zombie, I feel physically sick all the time and my arms and legs and especially my shoulders feel like they are on fire.

 

I too haven't had 8hours straight for years as I've two very young boys, plus I can't seem to stop thinking at night so the brain goes over and over and over and over. Then it's 5am and one of the boys gets up

 

But I don't feel physically sick all the time and nor do my arms, legs and shoulders feel like they are on fire ! Look after yourself mate, don't quite know what to suggest but that doesn't sound normal.

[Pot]

I'd love to be able to have a regular routine of waking up, and going to bed, but sadly my job means I get interrupted at anytime...

 

Plus, I've always had trouble actually going off to sleep, I can't drop off unless I'm completely shattered, which is usually around 5-6am, it's common for me to spend 4 or 5 hours trying to sleep...

 

I've put part of it down to my bed, which was only a 'double', (I'm 6'4", and 19st, and it creaked, lots...), so as of today, I've got a King Size, with a £400 mattress, I'm hoping that'll help - But all of the sleeping additions I've taken (Nytol, and herbal things) haven't worked - The stretching and relaxing movements did nothing...

 

But that's not to say they won't work for anyone else...

[TLicense]

Thanks for all your advice, some good stuff there!

 

I managed to sleep the whole night last night but I was on morphine based tablets.

 

No probs, hope it helps. It's all stuff that I was told when I saw a specialist about the insomnia I used to suffer with. Now when I get into bed I'm asleep and snoring in minutes flat.

[tbourner]

I tried that. Yes, it made me feel more alert, but only for about a week. After that a lack of enough sleep caught up with me and I entered a zombie like state where I slept for most of a Saturday. Surely going to bed half an hour/an hour earlier would be better?

 

 

True, depends who you're advising though really, if Charlotte gets 8 hours a night already, and has a reasonably regular pattern then getting 7 hours a night shouldn't screw up her weekends! Also, attempting 9 hours a night would probably result in waking up at 4 in the morning or something silly.

People who don't have a lot of free time also when they try to get to bed an hour earlier end up doing it for 2 days then something comes up and they stay up 3 hours late, and it screws up the whole thing.

[ufop]

I know for me that I dont sleep well when I have things on my mind that I cant stop thinking about and then will suddenly wake up during the night and it will be right on my mind.... if its that then try and sort out things which then will hopefully return you to sleeping normaly :-)

[Charlotte]

So far this weekend I've been woken up by next door and their antics both days. Yey.