Exercise-induced insomnia

[Catrin]

Having pretty significant problems with this right now as I am ramping up the intensity of my training both on and off the bike. Am listening to my trainer - he knows my tendency to push overly hard - so I don't think that is the problem.

The problem is that I have to rise at 4am to get ready for work. I have long hours in the office so the only time I can really exercise during the week is a little later than I should be exercising. Have been on this schedule for almost a year, but the intensity has changed greatly over the year.

My body will adjust, and I am making certain that I have two rest days a week so I get good sleep on those nights at least. Am trying not to have caffeine of any kind after 1pm - is there anything else that would be helpful? I am actually not overly tired so am not overly concerned right now - just ready for my body to adjust already

I have tried chamomile teas in the past for this and did not find it helpful. It doesn't help that I can hear every step that my upstairs neighbor makes, and she comes home about the time that I am trying to sleep, and she stays up until almost time for my alarm to go off. She isn't doing anything wrong, it isn't her fault that the floor creaks...

[artifactos]

I have heard from many people that taking a magnesium supplement helps a lot with being able to fall asleep.

I tend to stay awake due to sounds a lot, too, and it got to the point where I hadn't had a decent night's sleep in over a month. I started wearing earplugs to bed again (yes, I can still hear my alarm clock and the smoke alarm) and I'm sleeping a lot better. You might want to try it?

[Catrin]

I have heard from many people that taking a magnesium supplement helps a lot with being able to fall asleep.

I tend to stay awake due to sounds a lot, too, and it got to the point where I hadn't had a decent night's sleep in over a month. I started wearing earplugs to bed again (yes, I can still hear my alarm clock and the smoke alarm) and I'm sleeping a lot better. You might want to try it?

hmmm and you can still hear the alarm? I hate things inside my ears, but I need to do something different. Tried turning on the fan and that didn't help. Will also check out the magnesium supplement - and it seems to me that others have said here that it is good for cyclists anyway?

[rubywagon]

Melatonin might help you.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

The problem is that I have to rise at 4am to get ready for work.
.....Am trying not to have caffeine of any kind after 1pm...

This is a helpful page, read the part especially about caffeine:
http://www.sleepwarrior.com/what-are...es-of-insomnia
Caffeine can take a long time to completely leave your system. I've had days where I had a coffee at 4pm, gone to bed at 10pm, and not been able to get to sleep because of the residual caffeine, even though I didn't 'feel' any caffeine jitters anymore. Try eliminating any caffeine except for your first dose when you get out of bed.

[tulip]

I drink my tea, occasionally coffee, in the morning. One cup. Yoga before bed works for me. I have to have some quiet time-- I can't just go go go and then fall asleep.

I've also noticed that turning my computer off at 7 pm works wonders. I don't have a tv, so I read books, groom my dog, or just think about my day.

[Catrin]

This is a helpful page, read the part especially about caffeine:
http://www.sleepwarrior.com/what-are...es-of-insomnia
Caffeine can take a long time to completely leave your system. I've had days where I had a coffee at 4pm, gone to bed at 10pm, and not been able to get to sleep because of the residual caffeine, even though I didn't 'feel' any caffeine jitters anymore. Try eliminating any caffeine except for your first dose when you get out of bed.

This is helpful - and was also reading on a few pages about magnesium's role in sleeping. It seems a good thing to try - just have my early morning tea or coffee, then try a magnesium supplement at night. Even when I get to sleep I can't stay that way right now - and the supplement may help with that.

Tulip - I hear you, and that is probably part of the problem as well. I am active from the moment my feet hit the ground until bed time.... I do have a tv, but very few channels and it is off most of the time.

Stopping exercise/training would solve it - but that is not an option I found this page that deals with different nutritional options for insomnia. I found other pages as well, but they were all from the manufacturers of the supplement.

Tulip - good reminder - I do tend to be active from the minute my hand finally turns the alarm off rather than hitting the snooze button yet another time

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Even when I get to sleep I can't stay that way right now...

This sounds VERY familiar to me on days when I have that afternoon cup of coffee. Even when I can get to sleep, it seems to make my sleep very light and I keep waking up too easily- I can't get deeply asleep. It took me YEARS to recognize that this was due to having some caffeine a little too late in the afternoon. Now I know that I need about 10 hours after the caffeine for it not to affect my sleep at all. Your mileage may vary.
Your description really rings a bell with me on the subtle lingering effects of caffeine. Been there done that. I hope that's the answer for you, since it's pretty easily solved.

[7rider]

Chronic insomniac here.
Runs in the family.
I also eliminate caffeine after 2 p.m. Sugar, too, if I can. Also, no water or other drinks after 8 p.m.
I'm okay at FALLING asleep. It's the STAYING asleep that eludes me.
Melatonin helps. But if you have thyroid issues, I've read recommendations against it. I take thyroid meds, so I limit the melatonin I take to days when I feel the situation will be desperate.
Since I can't kick DH out of bed, earplugs are a given for me. Or rather...one. I sleep on my right side, so I get by with a plug in my left ear only.
A big glass of water helps when I'm twiddling my thumbs at 3 a.m. But that can create wake-up issues of its own.

[ny biker]

White noise machine. Works great. I can still hear some floor creaks when my upstairs neighbor is walking around, but not nearly as much as I used to. My bedroom window overlooks the parking lot for our condo courtyard but I don't hear any car noises. I am still able to hear my alarm clock and also the cell phone on my nightstand if it rings.

The one I have is a small clock radio/cd player that also makes a few different nature sounds. The babbling brook and ocean are nice, but the volume is not consistent so they don't work to mask neighbor noises. But there is a rain option that is very much like a constant static noise.

I know some people just use a fan, but the white noise machine is louder and therefore works better for me.

I also have insulated drapes in my bedroom that block almost all light from coming in, if that is an issue. I got them at Target -- I think the brand was Eclipse.

[arielmoon]

I have to have white noise of some kind. Normally that is my ceiling fan. I also use earplugs so I dont hear my roommate when he comes in at night.

[mamani]

I have severe case of excercise induced insomnia but recently right after my workout I try a 10-15 minutes dry saunna which has solved 99% of this problem!