Sleep Tips- Not waking up at same time so early!

[Crankin]

Melatonin has worked for several of my clients, both adult and children. The psychiatrist I work with recommends it a lot.
I could never exercise at 9 PM. In fact, if I exercise after 4-5 PM, it will keep me up.
I find it ironic that 4:30 AM is "waking up early," for most. I wake up at that time, regularly, especially in the summer, when I ride early. I get up at 4:50 2 days a week all year, to go to the gym at 5:30. I go out and ride at 5-5:30 at least one day a week, until the snow flies. Other days I sleep until 6 or so, but when I stopped teaching, it felt very indulgent to sleep to 7 AM as I started doing (and staying up later). I go to bed around 10-10:30 and have no trouble getting up early.

[Catrin]

Melatonin has worked for several of my clients, both adult and children. The psychiatrist I work with recommends it a lot.
I could never exercise at 9 PM. In fact, if I exercise after 4-5 PM, it will keep me up.
I find it ironic that 4:30 AM is "waking up early," for most. I wake up at that time, regularly, especially in the summer, when I ride early. I get up at 4:50 2 days a week all year, to go to the gym at 5:30. I go out and ride at 5-5:30 at least one day a week, until the snow flies. Other days I sleep until 6 or so, but when I stopped teaching, it felt very indulgent to sleep to 7 AM as I started doing (and staying up later). I go to bed around 10-10:30 and have no trouble getting up early.

I normally rise at 4 am during the week, and settle down at night shortly before 10:00, earlier if I am tired. I've long had problems both going to sleep and staying asleep, so I've been experimenting recently with winding down an hour or so before bed. No electronic stimulation for at least a full hour - two hours is better, I lower my lights and I installed Flux on my computer that automatically dims/changes the tint on my monitor an hour before scheduled sunset. I've been told it works even better to move to candlelight that last hour as apparently the color of candlelight doesn't interfere the way that bright white light does, but I've not gone that far. The result is I am now sleeping until my alarm goes off, and going to sleep is much easier. I started all of this at the same time I started my Primal/Paleo experiment a month ago (which is no longer an experiment but permanent) so it is difficult to know if it is a combination of giving up all grains which certainly does change my insulin patterns or just my particular style of winding down. Low blood sugar can also wake us up at night. I also try to sleep in during the weekend without an alarm, but am generally up by 6:30. I cannot exercise any later than 7:00 or I can't get to sleep.

[jyyanks]

If I had a choice, I wouldn't exercise so late but it's the only option I have if I want to get any exercise in during the week. I work full time in NYC and with my commute, I end up leaving my house at 7 and coming home about 7:30.
I also have 2 kids at home and have to get them ready in the morning. My husband goes yo work at 5 and also commutes into NYC and usually works 12-14 hour days. Basically, in the morning, I'm trying to get the kids and myself ready. When I get home at night, I cook dinner, help with homework, tidy up, prepare for the next day and then puthetis to bed which is around 9. After they go to bed is when I have 'me' time. Since I'm trying to get fit, I've been trying to ride or do exercise during that time and them I will take a shower and go to bed. Totally not ideal but got to make do. I've tried exercising in the morning but found that I am more motivated at night.
When the kids get a bit older, I'm hoping that I can start exercising at a normal time but for now I have to sacrifice my sleep a little to get fit. I know that many of you probably go through a similar routine as we are all busy but I did find that yoga has been very helpful. On the nights that I pop in a yoga DVD, I tend to sleep better.

I have tried melatonin but didn't realize they make quick release! That is what I need as the issue for me is staying asleep.....

[Melalvai]

I think low blood sugar wakes me up about that time too. Actually I think what happens is one of the sleep cycles comes to an end about then, and if I've been eating sugar a lot, instead of going into the next one I wake up. And I feel absolutely insane. The world is so dark & angry. I know it's a chemical imbalance thing going on, and I know it's because of the sugar & insulin highs & lows getting out of hand.

I've been struggling to start a sugar detox. I really hope this weekend is the one that will be successful!

[tulip]

I will wake up at exactly the same time, and it's usually because I'm thirsty. I take a swig from my bedside water bottle and feel much better and usually fall back to sleep quickly. Lavender oil also helps. I put a dab on my temPles and I'm out.

[tulip]

I've been struggling to start a sugar detox. I really hope this weekend is the one that will be successful!

It will take more than just a weekend. Sugar detox is a great thing. Not just refined sugars, but white carbs: pasta, potatoes, bread, rice...it took me 8 days of feeling pretty bad, but after that it's really great. Much more energy, sleep better, wake up happy, lost almost 10 lbs. give yourself 30 days and see how it makes you feel.

[Mr. Bloom]

As Crankin suggests, Melatonin. Experiment taking it 60 to 90 minutes before you plan to go to bed.

[limewave]

I had a similar issue and my doc thought it could be low blood sugar. He recommended eating a small snack witha bit of fat and protein: like a hardboiled egg or a couple of almonds. It did help . . . Hope you find a solution!

[ehirsch83]

I have been having horrible issues with sleep and have found that Valerian root tea(I do have to drink 2 servings) + melatonin(I also take more then the recommended dose) + sleep related herbal capsules(multiple natural herbs to help with sleep aid).

Otherwise I wake up at about 2:30 and am up for a few hours and am worthless the next day......

[Melalvai]

It will take more than just a weekend. Sugar detox is a great thing. Not just refined sugars, but white carbs: pasta, potatoes, bread, rice...it took me 8 days of feeling pretty bad, but after that it's really great. Much more energy, sleep better, wake up happy, lost almost 10 lbs. give yourself 30 days and see how it makes you feel.

Sorry, I didn't mean it would happen in a weekend, I meant I hoped I would be more successful quitting sugar this time (which started this weekend). So far I'm doing better at staying away from it. It 'helped' that I had a horrible panic attack in the middle of Sunday night. Not 100% sure of the cause of the panic attack but a strong suspicion that all the crap I've been eating the last few months contributed, so I have a strong motivation to do whatever is necessary not to repeat that horrible experience.

In the past, I haven't paid attention to how quitting sugar affects my sleep. Everything else that improves does so dramatically over 2-3 months.

My daughter wanted to make me a mug-cake last night. I didn't want the sugar but she really wanted to do something for me and she had already made me a fruit smoothie. (My panic attack scared her as well as me & her dad; taking care of me is how she copes.) My 'rule' is no sugar or HFCS, unless someone makes something for me, because she loves to bake desserts, and she gets a lot of enjoyment out of baking them for us. However, I decided I would only try her desserts, not use them as an excuse to eat 3/4 of the pan of brownies. I told her she could make the mug cake but she would have to eat most of it herself. She was ok with that. Interestingly, I was pretty tired (from not having gotten much sleep due to the panic attack), and the sugar crash of the small bit that I ate put me to sleep at 8:30 pm, and I didn't wake up until 5 am. So that actually worked out pretty well.

[Crankin]

Panic attacks are not caused by food.