Sleep disorders anyone?

[Neemer]

About the same time I retired, my brain decided my body needed only 4-5 hr of sleep each night. I have no problem falling asleep at all, but staying there is a challenge. Most nights I’ll awaken between 0130-0230. Sometimes I’m able to fall back asleep, most times not. If I do fall back asleep, I will reawaken several times and the dreams I have during those periods are straight out of a Picasso.

I do have sleep apnea, but that has been addressed and I know for a fact that is not why I am waking up.

Anyone else dealing with this? Any proven remedies?

 

[Dan_Frisbie]

Military background?
My PTSD took over 25 years to surface…

 

[Neal]

I deal with this too but the main culprit for me is going to bed too early and then I'm up and at it at 6, which isn't a bad thing. Today I fell back asleep until 8 which was odd. I believe social media is part of the issue too, too much screen time may be a factor. My brain is non stop problem solving with software, personal, finances, etc. Elli is about to leave me, every time I wake up and can't go back to sleep she's snoring and I end up waking her up.

Try forcing yourself to go to sleep later such as watching a movie at night, etc. to force yourself to stay up. I tend to watch YouTube and that puts me to sleep. When I fire up Netflix, I'm typically riveted to the movie and it keeps me up later. Try watching Hacksaw Ridge, that will either keep you up or resurface all PTSD at the same time. But good story, just watched it, warning - gory!

EDIT: I can tell you what a doctor would say to me:

• Caffeine - none after X O'Clock
• Exercise - (insert laugh)
• Mobile device down, although I minimize social media and screen time, that damn thing next to my bed will always be an issue and as we don't have land lines that's not an option anymore
• Time of last meal (i.e. eating dinner too late)
• Bedtime

EDIT 2: If you have an Apple watch it has sleep study and there are also sleep study apps. As I was concerned I had sleep apnea (can't test being a pilot, it's grounding) I used the Apple watch app and another app to test with a few nights. The health data on the Apple watch is pretty impressive. It warned me of high heart rate twice. I've preached on here before it's a good safety device to have if you're an iPhone user.

 

[Joe Hogan]

I suffered a similar issue.

Now I use a CPAP machine which helps in quality of sleep.
Also, I take vitamins at night that help. B1, B3/K2, Magnesium Before bed.
and to Neal’s point if I go to bed too early I’m up at 5 or 6 ready to go.

 

[Rollin Ollen]

About the same time I retired, my brain decided my body needed only 4-5 hr of sleep each night. I have no problem falling asleep at all, but staying there is a challenge. Most nights I’ll awaken between 0130-0230. Sometimes I’m able to fall back asleep, most times not. If I do fall back asleep, I will reawaken several times and the dreams I have during those periods are straight out of a Picasso.

I do have sleep apnea, but that has been addressed and I know for a fact that is not why I am waking up.

Anyone else dealing with this? Any proven remedies?

My sleep pattern never left me when I retired. Probably for the last thirty or forty years I have gone to bed at midnight and been wide awake and ready for action at 6:00 AM. That's all I seem to need. I don't have your dream issue though but now I do get up for pee break or three.

Darrell

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Magnesium citrate, B-6, selenium!!! All three at every meal, as well as moderate meat consumption to reduce acid reflux.

Should you only desire to treat symptoms, melatonin when you wake up to early. Saundra said she had to sleep off melatonin!

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Welcome the dreams! The your spirit is likely talking to you!

 

[Neemer]

Military background?
My PTSD took over 25 years to surface…

Yes, there is military in my history, but I didn’t have any experiences that would logically lead to PTSD. On the other hand, I am married, so…

 

[mjeds]

diagnosed with clinical insomnia when I was 13, 55 now, 4-5 hours a night is all I typically sleep. in bed by 9:30 up by 2:30-3:00am.

my father had the same issue, his half-brother has the same issue. Seems to be a genetic trait.

I have prescription sleeping pills, but I try not use them often, they are addicting and can cause liver and kidney issues. typically, a 30-day supply will last me a year.

 

[Rich W.]

About the same time I retired, my brain decided my body needed only 4-5 hr of sleep each night. I have no problem falling asleep at all, but staying there is a challenge. Most nights I’ll awaken between 0130-0230. Sometimes I’m able to fall back asleep, most times not. If I do fall back asleep, I will reawaken several times and the dreams I have during those periods are straight out of a Picasso.

I do have sleep apnea, but that has been addressed and I know for a fact that is not why I am waking up.

Anyone else dealing with this? Any proven remedies?

I’m in exactly the same boat after decades in the fire service and commonly wake at 3am even if I put off going to bed until after 11. I tried 4 or 5 rx sleep aids and hated all of them. I tried melatonin and found it only marginally helpful. My neighbor says cannabis gummies are the answer although I’m reluctant to go down that road. So again this morning, I was awake just after 3am.

 

[team bradfield]

I have the same issue, worked construction my whole career, up at 4am every day, since retiring i can usually make it to 5:30, the cannabis gummies work for me, I take a 1/4 to 1/2 of a 10 mg gummy, sleep all night until 7, only if I'm not driving the bus the next day, I'm a little foggy for the first hour awake, note I have a IL medical marijuana card for migraines

 

[Neal]

I tried the melatonin 10mg I think and it will sometimes work, maybe it does work, but I hate feeling drugged. I will be dragging the next day until it wears off and that stuff sticks around it seems. I'm sensitive to any type of medication, hate feeling under the influence as such.

 

[Rich W.]

I have the same issue, worked construction my whole career, up at 4am every day, since retiring i can usually make it to 5:30, the cannabis gummies work for me, I take a 1/4 to 1/2 of a 10 mg gummy, sleep all night until 7, only if I'm not driving the bus the next day, I'm a little foggy for the first hour awake, note I have a IL medical marijuana card for migraines

Legal of course here in Ca. People are smoking dope in public, putting out their stink with impunity and apparently proud of it. Cigarettes on the other hand are shunned everywhere, not that I smoke, but….really!

Edit: Yes, Grass Valley is aptly named!

 

[John&Andrea]

Wow I guess there are a lot of us having the same problem. I am using melatonin and helps some night but some nights I’m awake 2:00-3:00 am and in the recliner trying to go back to sleep. Crazy crap running through my brain make it had to fall back to sleep. I gave up the stress this is supposed to be easier.

 

[Scooterfan]

Says the guy from "GRASS VALLEY" Just kidding Rich...what I'm noticing at campgrounds here (In CA) is the odor of weed. My oak wood BBQ is offensive to many campgrounds, but the smell of burning cannabis is OK. I'm not a fan and really don't care either way, but it IS hard to deal with the double standard of some. Blessings...Oh, this is the sleeping thread...so I'm down at 9:00 and up at 4:00. Wish I could adjust that but the Almighty must like it that way...so do the dogs

 

[Buc]

My sleep patterns are thoroughly shot thanks to my kids. After I let the dogs out at 12:30 AM last night, I locked the door only to turn around and see my six year old standing in the hall complaining that he couldn’t sleep. I was up until near 3:00.

Aside from that, I often wake up in the wee hours of the morning (4-5:30) and am unable to get back to sleep.

Cutting caffeine helps, but then I can’t focus as well during the day.

 

[Joe Hogan]

BTW did you know that, even if you have a legal permit to use cannabis, it is illegal to purchase a firearm If you use cannabis.
Apparently this trips up many vets that have a cannabis permit.

 

[team bradfield]

BTW did you know that, even if you have a legal permit to use cannabis, it is illegal to purchase a firearm If you use cannabis.
Apparently this trips up many vets that have a cannabis permit.

The law is pretty vague, If I have a valid FOID card it can be revoked if I have a medical card, but they really don't enforce this, I've have a FOID card and MMC card for many years, I have not purchased another firearm, but have purchased ammo, which in Illinois requires a FOID card, so i guess its which way the wind is blowing??

Edit: recreational marijuana is legal in Illinois, no permit, MMC required, so maybe they cant enforce the gun purchase, how would they know you use it legally?

 

[A-Texan]

About the same time I retired, my brain decided my body needed only 4-5 hr of sleep each night. I have no problem falling asleep at all, but staying there is a challenge. Most nights I’ll awaken between 0130-0230. Sometimes I’m able to fall back asleep, most times not. If I do fall back asleep, I will reawaken several times and the dreams I have during those periods are straight out of a Picasso.

I do have sleep apnea, but that has been addressed and I know for a fact that is not why I am waking up.

Anyone else dealing with this? Any proven remedies?

I have been sleeping that way for over 25 years. Moving to a quiet neighborhood has helped (I used to live in Dallas and there was always sirens and noise going on night after night), but it is still an issue even now that I left that area, it just happens less frequently. It seems like the days I do a lot more exercise and activities I wake up less in the middle of the night, but sometimes it just doesn't matter. Of course my wife of 25 years has gotten used to me and sleeps right through my tossing and turning and pacing around the house during odd hours of the night.

Don't know if that helps, but lots of exercise before bed seems to help me.

 

[Buc]

Edit: recreational marijuana is legal in Illinois, no permit, MMC required, so maybe they cant enforce the gun purchase, how would they know you use it legally?

Don’t they scan your ID/Drivers License when you purchase? Or maybe they’re only checking that you have a valid ID and are of age?