Sleep deprivation on top of mental hell
- Thread starter Scubahood
- Start date
atypical_boro
Well-known member
I was going to say similar. If you can make your peace with the fact that lying on your bed is still “rest” and you don’t necessarily need to sleep, stick a podcast on and try to enjoy it rather than fight being awake, then it is weirdly easier to actually drop off. It’s the resistance to “being awake” that makes it so hard to go to sleep. You won’t sleep when you’re resisting.
Easier said than done I know.
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Colgates_shaving_foam
Well-known member
I find that reading helps massively, if i just try to go to bed and go to sleep i've got no chance as too many thoughts racing round. Reading shuts those thoughts out.
Definitely read on your side though otherwise dropping the book/kindle on yourself jolts you awake.
Definitely read on your side though otherwise dropping the book/kindle on yourself jolts you awake.
Borotommo
Well-known member
Hey Scubes, and everyone struggling. I've always had a "chatterbox" mind, and have struggled to get to sleep and get back to sleep if I get up to pee in the night.
For a number of reasons (anxiety and depression included) I've been trying to meditate for a year or so now, and find that very difficult to stick at, but have had some relief from doing that. It's too repetitive for me, but I decided to try the CALM app, after some recommendations, and have found it well worth the 30 odd quid a year.
Every day, it gives you a couple of short guided meditations (few minutes) and I tend to do one of those, followed by a daily "sleep story". These are usually half an hour or so long but I'm not exactly sure as they get me to sleep every single time.
I still struggle with my mental health issues, but a good night's sleep certainly helps, and gives you a fighting chance. I'd say
my anxiety levels have dropped from a 9/10 to a seven in the 3 months I've been using it. Worth a try, mate. Might just work for you, too.
For a number of reasons (anxiety and depression included) I've been trying to meditate for a year or so now, and find that very difficult to stick at, but have had some relief from doing that. It's too repetitive for me, but I decided to try the CALM app, after some recommendations, and have found it well worth the 30 odd quid a year.
Every day, it gives you a couple of short guided meditations (few minutes) and I tend to do one of those, followed by a daily "sleep story". These are usually half an hour or so long but I'm not exactly sure as they get me to sleep every single time.
I still struggle with my mental health issues, but a good night's sleep certainly helps, and gives you a fighting chance. I'd say
my anxiety levels have dropped from a 9/10 to a seven in the 3 months I've been using it. Worth a try, mate. Might just work for you, too.
Borobarmy
Well-known member
Scubes there seems to be great advice already and all I might add is not so much what to do but what not to do , and that’s drinking alcohol . I’m talking from personal experience and it seems a solution to getting shut eye , but it’s not really sleep it’s being ’knocked’ out hence the brain and body not being suitably replenished .
The next day you’re still tired and also have the additional woe of being a few bob down and likely upset someone in the process .
The next day you’re still tired and also have the additional woe of being a few bob down and likely upset someone in the process .
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Ingleby_Flash
Well-known member
Sorry I can’t add to anything above, but can share. I’ve fought sleep all my life, it‘s like I’m fighting the executioner every night, when I worked, which I’ve recently stopped, four hours was a good night - lads I worked with used to laugh at my Fitbit sleep log, one guy even told me it was a lie as no one could survive on that amount of sleep.
I‘m more relaxed since I gave up work, but still fight sleep, randomly I stayed up till 3.30 this morning, but because I’m chilled I’ll have a good day today. The sad thing is I cope with my sleep issue with wine, rather than podcasts or a good book as described above. But I figure other than probable long term health issues I’m not doing anyone any harm. I otherwise keep fit and healthy and left my real black dog days behind in my 20’s and 30’s the only advice I can give is to try and find peace with it. Which is rubbish advice I know.
I‘m more relaxed since I gave up work, but still fight sleep, randomly I stayed up till 3.30 this morning, but because I’m chilled I’ll have a good day today. The sad thing is I cope with my sleep issue with wine, rather than podcasts or a good book as described above. But I figure other than probable long term health issues I’m not doing anyone any harm. I otherwise keep fit and healthy and left my real black dog days behind in my 20’s and 30’s the only advice I can give is to try and find peace with it. Which is rubbish advice I know.
Redwurzel
Well-known member
Lack of sleep and poor mental health are I am sure correlated. Also I find my memory is very poor after a lack of sleep. Is as though the brain needs sleep replenishment to operate effectively.
I can understand about sleep deprivation over an exteneded period in captivity is used to break prisoners down.
My advice on sleep is get plenty of physical exercise, do things to talk to people (not easy in long down), read a book or magazine just before sleep, avoid electronic devices in bed, avoid alcohol unless its one small drink. Avoid very late nights say after 2am. Invest in a quality mattress, same with pillows and bedwear, put some lavender in the bedroom, keep the bedroom cool, have a warm bath before bed, buy blackout bedroom curtains.
I can understand about sleep deprivation over an exteneded period in captivity is used to break prisoners down.
My advice on sleep is get plenty of physical exercise, do things to talk to people (not easy in long down), read a book or magazine just before sleep, avoid electronic devices in bed, avoid alcohol unless its one small drink. Avoid very late nights say after 2am. Invest in a quality mattress, same with pillows and bedwear, put some lavender in the bedroom, keep the bedroom cool, have a warm bath before bed, buy blackout bedroom curtains.
atypical_boro
Well-known member
I'm not quite as bad as that but I can survive on way less than the recommended 8 hours. I never go to bed until I'm fighting it and falling asleep on the sofa, which can occasionally be as early as 11pm or sometimes as late as 1.30am (very rarely even later). But when I do go up I am asleep when my head hits the pillow. If I tried to turn over a new leaf and go to bed at 10pm every night "to get more sleep" I reckon I'd be lying for 2-3 hours wide awake and then complaining about insomnia. So it does depend on your whole approach to it, and as you say, being 'at peace' with whatever happens. One thing that will most definitely stop you sleeping is stress/resistance ie getting stressed about not getting enough sleep.
If you worry about getting enough sleep for work, don't, unless you operate dangerous machinery. Even if you didn't go to sleep at all you'd survive the next day with a few cups of coffee. You'd be absolutely fcuked come 6pm and your body would be desperate for you to catch up, but speaking from experience, its nowhere near as bad as it sounds. There you go scubes, problem solved
Boro in Devon
Well-known member
Sorry to lower the tone, but nobody has mentioned the obvious.
Knock one out before bedtime, or even better get someone else to do it for you.
Hope you get some sleep soon ;-)
Knock one out before bedtime, or even better get someone else to do it for you.
Hope you get some sleep soon ;-)
Konrad_the_Barbarian
Well-known member
I watched the Michael Mosely "The Truth About Sleep" documentary on iplayer and ended up ordering the pre-biotics that he found helped.
Organic Inulin Prebiotic Fibre
“It’s definitely improving sleep and food cravings are abating” -Julie, Organic Prebiotic Inulin customer. Organic Prebiotic Inulin a daily prebiotic for your digestive health* In the BBCs' 'The Truth About Sleep', Dr Michael Mosley took Prebiotic Fibre to see if it could help promote better...
www.greensorganic.co.uk
One spoonful in a cup of warm chocolate (Options) an hour before bed. I also read for up to an hour when I get to bed. I have found this combination a great help and my sleep has improved a hell of a lot.
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Borobarmy
Well-known member
Audio books are cracking as well . Just tuck yourself in and listen to a book that’s gripping yet calming . Something like the following are well worth a go
bookriot.com
especially H Is For Hawk , which is recommended on at least 4 Audi-sleep sites I’ve explored .
ps going to be a bit sanctimonious here but DO NOT light candles . Trust me I attended loads of fires that they were the culprit
Do You Read In Your Sleep? 13 Soothing Audiobooks To Fall Asleep To
Listening to soothing audiobooks can be a great way to quiet an insomniac brain. Here are 13 audiobooks with narrators soothing enough to snooze to.
bookriot.com
especially H Is For Hawk , which is recommended on at least 4 Audi-sleep sites I’ve explored .
ps going to be a bit sanctimonious here but DO NOT light candles . Trust me I attended loads of fires that they were the culprit
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Glover_elbow
Well-known member
i tried to watch on iPlayer line of duty two nights running and have fallen asleep both times.
Borobarmy
Well-known member
something I often do if I can’t sleep and as I live quite close to Yarm viaduct is I track ( pardon the pun ) the passing trains from start to finish , both passenger and freight and It’s the Iron Ore and potash etc and chronicles their route . Obviously you put your own location and times in and I know it sounds a bit nerdy but honest it’s very calming and does send you off .
It’s very similar to Flight direct where you pick up movement during the night ( usually East Mids ) . Great getting old innit , But don’t tell anyone you do it as they have a chuckle . I’m too old to care now
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
It’s very similar to Flight direct where you pick up movement during the night ( usually East Mids ) . Great getting old innit , But don’t tell anyone you do it as they have a chuckle . I’m too old to care now
Realtime Trains | Departures from Yarm around 0120 on 22/03/2021
Train information at Yarm around 0120 on 22/03/2021. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
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