I can't sleep again. The temps are getting higher again, well into the 90s and I'm not prepared to turn the a/c on yet. Too hot to sleep. I feel puffy. After two weeks of water retention and fluctuating weight, massive carb cravings overtook my resolve to stay on track Friday and on Saturday morning, the jungle drums were beating in my ovaries, telling me my period had finally arrived. What a diva!!!
So very tired all day Saturday, but I still had to function as parent. Was really hoping to get to bed early tonight, but the kids and the dog kept me up again. And now I feel too wired to sleep, on top of the heat, cramps and puffiness.
Just saw this, via Mark's Daily Apple, all about the effects of poor sleep on our ability to burn fat.
Quote:
Compared to the control group, the bad sleep group saw their lean body mass losses increase by 60% and their fat mass losses decrease by 55%. Markers of fat oxidation were reduced as well, suggesting that lean mass was being broken down into amino acids for energy.
Poor sleep has been an issue for me for years. Too little sleep last night made this thread catch my eye this morning.
Georgia - I hope the cortisol tests reveal something useful for you. Is it a 24-hour panel that will show your pattern throughout the day? For me, part of my sleep problems are rooted in my body's tendency towards a 'bad' rhythm in my cortisol levels -- too high when I should be asleep, too low in the AM. A customized transdermal cream has proved helpful for this over the past 10 years, though my body will apparently revert to that pattern without vigilance...
Wanted to also mention F.lux to you -- it's a free program you can download that will alter the light spectrum being emitted by your monitor/laptop, depending on the time of day. I know you said you've got the amber glasses - same principle. A lot of people really love it. I *think* it helps me a bit. Can't hurt.
I've had good luck with melatonin over the years - doesn't eliminate the issue, but helps control it. A few years ago my doctor had me add nightly l-theanine caps and that was a positive step as well. (Theanine promotes a relaxation response - might be worth looking into if you're anxious or have an unquiet mind.) During some really bad rough periods, my doctor also gave me samples of something called Kavinace - it is REALLY strong with grogginess issues, but worked for me. Very few other things do - even barbiturate sleep aids have little effect on me!
Sorry for all the unsolicited advice, especially since it's all so individual - my heart just went out to you reading your posts on this thread. Sleep management seems to be so much like weight management - it's not enough to settle one big aspect, but rather a constant balancing act between a lot of variables... and you're so right that poor sleep has terrible consequences for weight loss and health. I really struggle with putting it as my #1 priority sometimes, but it's so foundational...
haha, sorry for the sleepy rambling. Good luck
Last edited by Desiderata; 05-02-2013 at 10:59 AM.
Awww, thanks so much for the concern and support. I had a talk with my youngest last night about the study I cited earlier. He found it very interesting, especially since he's a high school freshman football player and wants all his training to mean something. He promptly went to bed at 10. But of course, I didn't. But I did get in the bed before midnight. So over 6 hours of sleep last night. I am taking naps during the day when I can. I really need to stop letting my kids' sleep patterns dictate mine. When they're up late on the weekends gaming, they make a lot of noise and keep the dog up. Which in turn, keeps me up. My best night's sleep is often when I'm away on business trips and staying in a nice hotel room.
Falling asleep is really the hard part for me. My doc suspects my cortisol isues are similar to your's, Desiderata. I am trying to take a truck-load of supplements these days, and one of them has the L-theanine in it. When I remember to take it, I'll see if it does anything for me.
That's one of my issues related to lack of sleep...remembering to do stuff!
I was talking with a healthcare professional yesterday about my sleep issues. She told me to try some pm version of a pain killer. I was concerned with having to rely on taking a pill, but she pointed out to me how not getting enough sleep was going to be far worse for me.
Duh! Wish I'd thought of that! I went right out and bought some Motrin PM. Took some at 8 and went to bed. It took me an hour to fall asleep, but this woman told me my body really just needed to be in bed. I would eventually get used to it. I slept till 5 a.m., and stayed in bed till 6.
This morning I feel pretty alert. Not full of energy since I think I ate too much for breakfast, but still doing well. I feel like doing some yoga.
I have trouble sleeping but at other times during the day, I oversleep. I find that taking a hot bath before I go to sleep helps me relax and that allows me to go to sleep more easily. I also take a prescription muscle relaxant that my rheumatologist prescribes every night which makes me sleepy. Sometimes I can't fall asleep but my main problem is staying asleep, usually I awake up to 3 or 4 times in the middle of the night, which is so frustrating. Sometimes I nibble and get a beverage in the middle of the night too, so that's not good either but I do have dry mouth.
Well, that's a wrap for me. I am glad that we have this thread.
Seabiscuit, that does sound VERY frustrating. My dearest friend suffers from that and can't seem to find the right solution. I deal with that if I've had any alcohol. Seems to really disrupt my sleep. Intact, I had two cocktails earlier this evening and now I'm worried that tonight will be a sleepless night. I don't think I want to take a Morton PM tonight, but I will take the melatonin.
Thanks, geoblewis for your support. Yup, weird, vivid dreams tonight and this must be the 3rd time I've been up in the middle of the night tonight, ugh.
It's also really irritating and frustrating that I can't get a script for Ambien out here from anyone yet I have taken it before! I know someone who will give me some but I shouldn't have to resort to that.
Since taking the Motrin PM and sleeping longer, I've noticed more vividly dreaming. Maybe that's why I have been avoiding sleep, because it's all about the two most difficult people in my life, the mother and the XH. And why are they in the same dream?! I don't want to see them during the day, ever! So annoying.
I have such vivid dreams too! They are so freakish, weird and annoying!
I'm honestly not sure why I have such a hard time getting a script for Ambien. My psychiatrist says he doesn't write scripts for them and another health care professional that I asked won't give it to me either. I guess it could be because I have bipolar but I won't abuse the pills, my bipolar is well controlled, so I don't know why! It is really annoying.
But I did get in the bed before midnight. So over 6 hours of sleep last night. I am taking naps during the day when I can. I really need to stop letting my kids' sleep patterns dictate mine. When they're up late on the weekends gaming, they make a lot of noise and keep the dog up. Which in turn, keeps me up. My best night's sleep is often when I'm away on business trips and staying in a nice hotel room.
