I have a confession. But it's not exactly marvelous for Marvelous Monday.
But hopefully a marvelous person could give me some pointers?
I have a very hard time falling asleep.
I'm not going to sit here and write on my blog that I am happy and healthy all of the time. That is not true, and I plan on being open and honest with each and every reader that comes across this little old blog.
I have tried everything under the sun to get myself to go to sleep at night. I could name a list of things I have tried and still, not much works. It takes me about two, sometimes three, hours to fall asleep at night. No bueno.
Here's what I have tried:
- Not working out three hours before bed time -- I used to go to the gym three hours before I went to bed. I have heard that this can keep your heart rate elevated and keep you up at night. I changed my time, but still, nothing.
- Taking time off from exercising -- I was concerned with overtraining, as I am aware that there are numerous symptoms of overtraining including the inability to sleep. I have taken a few consecutive rest days and still, nothing.
- Turning off technology 30 minutes before bed -- Yep, I have tried this. For a teenager, it was hard! But I did it and I still felt like I could not go to sleep.
- Trying different bedtimes -- I've experimented with perhaps tiring myself out and going to sleep near 10 or 11 so I could fall asleep easier. Nope. I have tried falling asleep at 8 or 9 (my usual bedtime is about 9:30; I know I am "lame"). Still, nothing.
- Taking a sleep aid -- Trust me, this was my last resort but I was (and still pretty much am) not falling asleep as easily as I should be. It's more of a placebo effect then the pill actually working.
- Drinking chamomile tea -- I have read numerous studies about how chamomile tea is supposed to calm your senses and help you ease into a relaxed state. So far, I would have to say this is the only thing that partially works.
- Staying away from energy drinks or supplements -- I occasionally will have a zero-calorie Monster, but that is usually much earlier in the day and before a workout. Even if I don't drink one, I STILL have the same sleep issues, so I'm not sure I could blame it on that. Plus, before I even had my first Monster, I was still having these issues. I also do not take any pre-workout supplements so that is out of the picture.
- Changing what I eat and when I eat it -- Let me just get this out there: coffee does NOT work for me. Ridiculous, right?! Nor does green tea to give me an 'energy boost' from its caffeine content. Some people get jittery and energetic, but that is not the case for me. I could still be sluggish even after three cups of coffee. Also, I have tried changing up my foods to see if it is a certain food that does not put me to sleep. I have even gone as far as removing sweet potatoes and nut butter from my diet (my favorites!) for a day. Nope. I have a nighttime snack usually and have changed what I eat before bedtime as well as removing that snack, but that was disastrous because a) it didn't help my sleeping issue and b) I would wake up in the middle of the night starving as my stomach would be rumbling and eating itself screaming "GIVE ME FOOD. NOW."
- Trying different sleeping positions, blankets, pillows, places to sleep, etc. -- I have tried sleeping on my back, on my side, on my stomach, etc. I have switched the pillows I sleep with, the pillowcases, and the number pillows I use. I have slept with different blankets and a different amount of blankets. I have slept on the opposite side of my bed and even on my yoga mat on the floor (yes, yes I did). I have also tried switching the settings on my fan and using different fans, no fan, etc. NOTHING WORKS!!!
Okay, so clearly you can see I am frustrated. I NEED SLEEP. I love sleep, and I understand the necessity of it. I am not a happy camper with no sleep. I should also mention that my body wakes upt at 5:35 a.m. like clockwork. And my mom deals with the same issue (I know, like mother, like daughter)--once we are awake, you would be kidding yourself if you thought we could go back to sleep. I try. I try to sleep in. I will sleep in on a VERY rare occasion, like if I am out in the early hours and get home at a time like 3 a.m. Even on occasions such as that one, I can't sleep in past 8 a.m. Not because I want to be up and at it, but because I just simply can't go back to sleep.
UGHHHH.
I have considered insomnia, but I don't think it is that serious. I hope not, at least. I do plan on taking a good long break from my training soon to see if that is any help. I also hope to go see a doctor soon as I need my 'check-up' anyways.
Let's get myself better.
Oh, and as a sneak peek for a future post all about ABS coming this week, check out my abs from Friday! Wowza, never thought I could get that that chunky. ;)
Question: Do you have any tips or tricks for me? Do you suffer the same issues or are your lights knocked out right when your head hits the pillow?
For me it took lots of trial and error as you talk about above.
ReplyDeleteIn the end for me it's all about the wind down routine.
Emphasis on routine :-)
As much the same nightly as possible.
I will try to find a routine! I am always changing things, that is my issue... lol. I will let you know how this goes. :) Thanks!!
DeleteI agree with Miz! Routine is key :) It works for me! (I used to be inconsistent with my sleep schedule and now that I've put in place a routine (wind down), my body knows when it's time to shut down.
ReplyDeleteOkay, I'm going to set a routine. 9:30 every night, no technology before bed. Drink some tea. Windddd dowwnnnnn. Thank you :)
DeleteYes — routine is great!
ReplyDeleteOne thing to note is to not freak out about not getting sleep. I realized that I had so much anxiety around it that I wasn't sleeping at all.
Reading does it for me. Find a book that you like, but not a major page-turner, and relax and read until your eyes feel droopy. I try to get in bed an hour before I need to sleep to wind down and relax.
I'd also say increase technology turn off to an hour before bed (even TV).
Also — don't quit working out before bed. 3 hours before shouldn't be a problem. You should wear yourself out.
Not eating at least 2 hours before bed should help too.
This is great, thank you! The whole anxiety thing is on point. I think by freaking out about not getting enough sleep I am putting more pressure on myself and in turn... not sleeping even more. :/ My mom suggested the reading thing too! It puts her out. I need to do this, but when I read I become so engulfed in the book and end up staying up until like 1 to finish it... LOL. I will increase the no technology thing up to one hour, thanks! I like working out at night better anyways... all about trial and error! As for the food, I need a bedtime snack or else I am ravenous throughout the night and wake up due to hunger :/// Thank you so much!
DeleteIt sounds like you've tried a ton of stuff! The only tips I would suggest is routine (like the others said) and usually what helps me is listening to Pandora stations on my phone with soothing music :) Sorry to hear you've had a hard time sleeping :( I hope you can get some z's pronto!
ReplyDeleteBTW your abs are KILLA!
Yes! I have tried out the "Relaxation" station on Pandora (hey, it's rhyme time!) and it was really soothing. I listen to that during yoga, I should use it for bedtime too! And thank you <3
DeleteI have been having the same sleep problems and no idea what is wrong. I just know I am sick of waking up in the am feeling unrested, that is the worst.
ReplyDeleteUgh, I know. :( I think it's partially due to my anxiety issues. It sucks :( I wake up EVERY DAY feeling sluggish and like I didn't sleep at all. I will let you know what works for me :)
DeleteWooooo look at them ABS girl!!! SO JEALOUS!
ReplyDeleteHaha thank you! :)
DeleteI always turn off any overhead lights about an hour before bed. Nice abs!
ReplyDeleteAhh yeah and I get migraines easily so lights are not my friend. And haha thanks! :)
DeleteTo me technology and reading puts me out!
ReplyDeleteI usually take an evening run but i know thats not your thing(:
I have never really had trouble sorry i couldnt be of much help but i am the same without having a snack!:D
Thanks Alek :)
DeleteI have a hard time falling asleep! Sometimes stretching/yoga helps a ton!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, that's a brilliant idea, thank you! Usually when I do that it puts me in such a relaxed state of mind. This is a perfect condition for sleeping :)
DeleteMake sure your room is really dark! That makes a huge difference for me especially with the quality of sleep I get! I hear you though, struggling with not sleeping is a tough one! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteMy room is quite dark, though in the summer it stays lighter out so I really have to force my blinds and curtains to hide the light lol! Thanks for the advice! :)
DeleteI have had the same problem my whole life. I've gone through bouts of legit insomnia. It's horrible. I take melatonin every night and my bedtime snack is pretty big with lots of fat :) That REALLY helps me sleep. I know you've tried a lot but you're young and your hormones are changing and your body is still growing, especially those abs ;), and so it might just be a teen problem. Normal, but crappy.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you have to deal with it. It sucks :( Does the melatonin help? And my snack consists of either cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, or casein 'pudding' with about 2 tbsp. of some type of nut butter and if I had a really intense workout, I'll have a carb source. And you're right--I'm still youn so hopefully as I grow older, this won't be so much of an issue!
Delete