Insomnia

[Matt Rogers]

I realise the importance of sleep for weight-training success (my best gains have been when I have been able to get 8-9 hours along with ample food and heavy lifting). Unfortunately as of the last couple of months my sleep has been erratic and not refreshing. I find it impossible to switch off at night. Part of this is due to it being exam season, with my mind being very active and buzzing, and part of it just part of my highly strung, nervous system which finds it hard to relax.

PLEASE HELP ME

Cheers
Matt

 

[marqZAL]

Smoke weed
valarian root
kava kava
benzodiazapams
jerking off before bed
warm milk
there are a million ways to help u fall alseep!!!!

 

[enkai]

look into melatonin, it'll put your ass to sleep quick, and no side effects either, peace out G

 

[Smooth as Anything]

This may seem "out-there" but look up sleep apnea.. See if it at applies at all.

Do you snore?

 

[JohnGalt]

If you want to learn all about sleep I suggest you read this book Power Sleep, by Maas, one of the leading sleep experts.

 

[Reto]

I use melatonin. It works for me. Just get the time released version. When I use the regular, I tend to wake up when it wears off. 3 hours or so. But, I do go right back to sleep....

No wierd chemical feelings in the morning. However, you do have some vivid dreams...

 

[Matt Rogers]

I don;t snore, and unfortunately cannot obtain melotin, and other sleeping drugs do more harm than good. My main problem is relaxing and winding down in the evening. I guess in most areas of life I am too uptight and highly strung and this transfers to sleep.

 

[marqZAL]

Start working out!!!! If your that high strung, hit the weights...youll be so sore for your first 2 weeks that u wont want to move...

 

[sonick182]

Nyquil.. Jk...

Go to some support groups, and cry. Maybe you really are asleep, but then your alter ego wakes up when you're 'asleep' and does weird sh!t like piss in food at a hotel restauraunt, or splicing pornographic frames of film into a 'G' cartoon. Be careful about who you meet on a plane. if your condo explodes, dont call that guy.

 

[JoE BoXeR]

Haha nothing like crying into some fat guy's "b*tch tits" to put me to sleep

Geeze insomnia must be like the worst disorder ever. Sleeping is one of those everyday pleasures that we take for granted. In my case I can never get enough because I procrastinate and end up going to school on 7ish hours of sleep.

-Make sure your room is totally dark (maybe invest in one of those sleep masks if a street light or whatever is bothering you)

-Make sure your hands and feet are warm (there was some scientific study on the benefit of this)

-Invest in a quality pillow and mattress

-Clean your pillow case and sheets once a week

-Do some physical exercise about an hour before you plan to hit the sack

-Warm milk has a magic way of working (make sure you're full before you go to sleep but don't eat right before going to bed or it causes digestion problems)

-Wack off! (it releases hormones that causes your body to relax as well as relaeasing a lot of tension...so my friend says)

-Watch a boring movie until your eyes get tired

-Get some fresh air before going to bed

-Avoid any and all caffeine after supper

-Read a novel and you're eyes will start to drift off

-Take a bath (usually works like a charm!)

-Learn some simple yoga/meditation exercises that clear your mind

-Eliminate background noise or maybe get one of those white noise machines (it's all about preference)

-Get in a routine where you do the same thing every night before going to sleep

-For those of us with the luxury of sleeping in, don't stay in bed any longer than after your body naturally wakes you up or else you become lazy and lethargic

-See a doctor

-Buy yourself a yearly supply of elephant tranquilizers or a bottle of chloraphorm (works in the moooovies)

All simple things but try them out and see if they work for you. Hope I helped...

 

[Reto]

Good suggestions Joe.

I also like a fan blowing on me.

"White" noise cann help too. (Similar to radio static)...

 

[marqZAL]

-Do some physical exercise about an hour before you plan to hit the sack

bad idea...your blood pressure and heart rate will be to high to sleep!

 

[Foreigner]

Hey Matt,

You should get tired PHYSICALLY and RELAX you'll sleep well. Consequently your concentration on the studies should gradually improve either.

Perhaps endurance training (lower weight, more repetitions) will be an effective cure for your insomnia, however keep in mind that you should do it at least couple of hours before you go to sleep.

Also, from my experience swimming and going a couple of times to a dry sauna will also help a lot, as well as reading something that is not related to your studies before you shut the lights. These will help you relax.

Good luck!

~Foreigner.

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- "Life is a witty riddle, so why not have some fun solving it?" --Foreigner

-"SHOW her that you WANT her. NEVER show her that you NEED her." --Pook

-"If one does not think about right and wrong, then the mind is naturally at ease.
If one has no thought of peace of mind, that is true peace" --Chuang Tzu

 

[Matt Rogers]

Thanks, guys, some great suggestions. I will implement them this evening.

I do train with weights and do some cardio, although I skimp on the cardio, so I may do more of that. Oddly I sleep better at home, where I have less on my mind than I do at university, especially with exams round the corner, so it might just be all the work, that is making my mind buzz and never switch off.

Another thing is my body clock. For most of my life I have been in a 10-11 until 7 routine. When I went to college too many late nights at 2 ish and too much sleeping in late has disturbed my body clock. I might in the future just make sure I always wake around 7 regardless of the few nights where I am out late, so that I get in the habit of feeling sleepy around 11 ish.