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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
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    10,889

    Exercise-induced insomnia

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    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...

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    SW Ohio
    Posts
    145
    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?
    “Hope is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul, and sings the tune without words, and never stops at all.”
    - Emily Dickinson

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
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    10,889
    Quote Originally Posted by artifactos View Post
    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?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Posts
    321
    Melatonin might help you.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Riding my Luna & Rivendell in the Hudson Valley, NY
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    8,408
    Quote Originally Posted by Catrin View Post
    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.
    Lisa
    My mountain dulcimer network...FOTMD.com...and my mountain dulcimer blog
    My personal blog:My blog
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Between the Blue Ridge and the Chesapeake Bay
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    5,203
    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.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
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    10,889
    Quote Originally Posted by BleeckerSt_Girl View Post
    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
    Last edited by Catrin; 07-13-2010 at 07:37 AM.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Riding my Luna & Rivendell in the Hudson Valley, NY
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    8,408
    Quote Originally Posted by Catrin View Post
    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.
    Lisa
    My mountain dulcimer network...FOTMD.com...and my mountain dulcimer blog
    My personal blog:My blog
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Looking at all the love there that's sleeping
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    4,171
    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.
    2007 Seven ID8 - Bontrager InForm
    2003 Klein Palomino - Terry Firefly (?)
    2010 Seven Cafe Racer - Bontrager InForm
    2008 Cervelo P2C - Adamo Prologue Saddle

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    northern Virginia
    Posts
    5,897
    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.

    - Gray 2010 carbon WSD road bike, Rivet Independence saddle
    - Red hardtail 26" aluminum mountain bike, Bontrager Evoke WSD saddle
    - Royal blue 2018 aluminum gravel bike, Rivet Pearl saddle

    Gone but not forgotten:
    - Silver 2003 aluminum road bike
    - Two awesome worn out Juliana saddles

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Riding my Luna & Rivendell in the Hudson Valley, NY
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    8,408
    Yeah I used to have a great 'sleep noise' machine when I lived in an apt right near the railroad crossing.
    Worked great, and I could adjust the volume (unlike a fan) and cue in crickets, wind, surf, rain, owls, doves, tree frogs..... I loved it, and it sure beat listening to screaming train whistles.
    Lisa
    My mountain dulcimer network...FOTMD.com...and my mountain dulcimer blog
    My personal blog:My blog
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Hillsboro, OR
    Posts
    5,023
    Quote Originally Posted by ny biker View Post
    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 use this too and LOVE the rain setting. It's a life saver for me because I go to bed earlier than my husband during the week and he likes to wind down by watching TV (in the other room, but our house is small and not even slightly sound proof). This thing drowns out the TV and the bonus is that it also drowns out the coyotes so that the dogs don't hear them. Another plus!

    Our window fan also works for me, but it's huge and directly over my head so it's quite loud. We can't use it every night though because even in the summer, it's sometimes too cold outside (like last night).

    I'm a terrible sleeper and I can't get over how much better I am doing with this sound machine. Why it took me 42 years to try it is beyond me.
    My new non-farm blog: Finding Freedom

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    10,889
    My alarm clock has something like 17 "nature sounds" to use like this. I haven't found it helpful in the past to cover up the walking sounds from upstairs - but I also have not tried the white noise option. Will try it tonight. The fan doesn't help at all.

    I am preparing to have a little chocolate milk - relax with a nice mystery - and try to wind down a little before - hopefully - going to sleep. I appreciate all of the advice... will likely also try the magnesium - sometimes I "almost" have leg cramps at night so that would help that as well, I am sure.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Indianapolis
    Posts
    164
    +1 for melatonin. Also, make sure your room is cool. Reading in bed helps me... Like you said, that "downtime" before going to sleep really helps. I also like to have something to eat right before bed - a stick of string cheese seems to help me fall asleep. I also think Sleepytime tea can help with that wind-down period.
    ~ working mom to 3 little girls ~


    Roadie... 2010 54cm Trek Madone 4.5, Bontrager inForm

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Uncanny Valley
    Posts
    14,498
    Reading in bed has the opposite effect on me. One of the cardinal rules of sleep hygiene is to use your bed for nothing but sleep and sex.
    Speed comes from what you put behind you. - Judi Ketteler

 

 

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