I'm a 77 male and three months into this fun PMR journey! I have a very simple question. How many hours a day are my fellow travellers napping on an average day? Also, what factors typically lead to longer or shorter napping days?
Daily Napping Hours? : I'm a 77 male and three... - PMRGCAuk
Daily Napping Hours?
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soreoldbiker
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I don’t nap during the day. I get up at 8 a.m. and go to bed at 9 p.m. without the need to nap. But I would say if your body needs a nap then have a nap and for as long as you need. I do pace myself so I will go for a walk or do some housework or gardening and after half an hour sit and have a cuppa for an hour or so.
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I have never napped - I wake about 7am and used to go to bed at 10pm, these days it is nearer 11pm. I can be nodding off over the computer during the middle of the afternoon but as soon as I go and lie down, thinking I'll have a snooze, I am wide awake! No chance ...
Same here, find it so annoying!
So do I!!!
My body needs to collapse with the fatigue, but my brain won't switch off!
Happens to me at night sometimes too. No difference to my pre-bed routine but NO chance of sleeping until about 3am
Exactly the same for me, I want to go to bed right now, but my head won't switch off........
Washingmachine brain ...
Haven't heard of that but perfect description.....My son and my sister can't understand my problem, they can fall asleep on a linen line, any time of day!....
I could once upon a time. Think OH put paid to that ...
On spin cycle for me. I am asleep on my feet at 9 pm, but as soon as my head hits the pillow my brain goes into overdrive. I have to admit that every so often I take half a Zopiclone, but even that doesn't always work.
Spin cycle only goes in one direction - mine changes direction every few minutes!
Like a tumble dryer only faster 😅
I find listening to a story the answer to that. Audible on a timer. As long as the brain doesn’t think about me or what I have to do sleep envelops. Even if waking after a couple of hours. Turn on Audible. For me it is the only answer.
BUT now down to 4.5mg can’t stop overwhelming fatigue during the day especially after eating ☹️
I'm just the same. Not enough blood to fuel my brain and my digestive system at the same time. I've started delaying my lunch a bit to extend my usable hours in the day. I don't really notice anyway, as I have no appetite atm.
I do the same, no matter how hood the book is I’m asleep within 10minutes
I use the radio the same way and now have rechargeable batteries. As soon as anything interesting comes on or it is time to wake up - fall asleep.
I am exactly the same. I am awake for hours until something comes up and I think I really want to listen to this and bang I go to sleep.
Think they call it sods law
I thought it might have a name!
There is also an app called "Nothing Much Happens". A woman's soothing voice telling a fairly boring but slightly engaging story for about 30 minutes and that can put me to sleep (most of the time).
Have you tried listening ro the radio? Radio 4xtra is good. Try murder mysteries or something similar. I never find out who dunnit because I nod off when someone talks on the radio.
Think I will have to find a different station , most just discuss depressing things I just can't listen to anymore, I think I"ll get my old CD player out!......
I do enjoy the BBC World Service and do listen to BBC Sounds I think they call it now, so I can listen to the Archers in the middle of the night!
That’s good, I will definitely make some changes, only about four/five hours sleep last night! Spoke to a friend today, lots to talk about, but that will whirl round tonight I’m sure!
That’s me too. About twice a week I miss a whole night’s sleep because mind won’t turn off. After a while I get up and stay up. Follows few days of catch-up, but I never catchup completely, so tired. Tested positive for covid 23/8 and off to hospital for X-ray, I had right upper lung removed this year, so breathing is difficult. Down to 15mg day from 60mg in May. Sick and tired of being sick and tired 😪
Until I got down to about 10mg Pred I slept for 2 hours every day. I had to reinstate it when I suffered from adrenal insufficiency from about 7mg.
I’m currently tapering from 5 mg to 4.75 mg using the DSNS method. I find I need to nap in the morning for ~20 minutes (or at least have a rest) and again in the afternoon - up to an hour.
I'm finding I need to do this because of my adrenal glands taking their time getting back to work. As well, I've been off work for 2 years due to PMR and I've been doing up to an hour of work at home since March 2023. I'm lucky in that I get to choose the work I'm doing and can stop when I get tired or don't feel well. Before this time, I had no interest in work and didn't have the energy to do it. Since getting down to 5 mg, I am starting to get interested in the idea of returning to work.
The other day, I got stressed out by a work situation. I had to step back from it as it really upset me. I stopped work and the next morning, I dealt with it when I was able to be more clear minded. However, once I dealt with it, I was exhausted and ended up sleeping for several hours that afternoon, and then I had another nap around 6 pm! So I know that I have to continue to keep stressful situations at arm's length and not to do too much work while I continue to taper.
I nap for up to 2 hours in the afternoons. I need the full 2 hours if I’ve done a lot the day before
I’m a great believer in napping unless I’ve had a long deep sleep. I get up at 6-7 take breakfast with pred and do chores then go back for an hour if my back/hips are sore. Soon get bored so I manage my chores with as many naps as I need: often listen to talking books. If I’m well I go out and shop or see friends and always need to lie flat for an hour. I try not to nap after 5pm unless I’m I’ll. post viral weakness has taxed my patience so I try to Achieve something to deserve a nap. Listen to your body and keep checking if your meds are doing their job. Stress is very bad, so bring relaxed helps.
Your description of your lifestyle mirrors my own at this present moment in time 😃! I agree that stress is a determining factor in how well I am feeling.
I generally don’t nap either. Occasionally I have a day where I feel exhausted so I try to rest
Well I have a rest for an hour after lunch but I suspect I only nap for half an hour. This is mostly because I sleep so badly and am often wandering about and doing the ironing at 2.00 in the morning because I am very restless with twitchy legs and cramps in my arm where my shoulder joint is shot. ... I am sometimes worse at night if I don't have a rest. Except when I took methotrexate when everytime I paused I went to sleep and was tired all the time.
I lie down in the afternoon after I do my cleaning job but I doze rather than nod off completely. Guess every little helps! But I still feel exhausted a lot of the time!
I am up at 6.30 start work at 7 and work (online until 12.30. Eat and then collapse (doze, nap, do nothing but do listen to bBC radio 4 day and night) for about 5-6 hours! This has been my routine since I went down to 4 mg pred. Very tired all evening and then asleep at midnight. Fortunately with help of radio fall asleep v easily usually. I so miss the high doses od pred where I could have a normal day with no naps.
Hello Dear Sore Old Biker! I couldn't do without my daytime rest which is usually anytime from 11.30 onwards depending on what I have on for the day. I read first for a few pages and then, wearing a mask, I have a sort of sleep (I don't lose consciosuness as one does at night and I am totally aware of what is going on e.g the phone or a knock at the door) for around an hour. I can feel my brain going into a different zone but it's not sleep as such. However, I do feel refreshed when I get up. We are all so different and you need to do what works for you....
I've never had regular naps, I just needed them from time to time. Very rarely they would last a couple of hours but more typically 45 min to 1 hour. They would happen any time one would normally expect to feel tired (a lot of physical activity, late night, early rising, a carb meal etc) and when tapering and experiencing adrenal issue. With these the tiredness felt different. It was impossible to push trhoguh it; I needed to sleep almost immediately.
I'm just coming up to 77 and nap when I need to and never feel guilty about it.
I seem to go through periods of needing to nap more than at other times. Being a pensioner, I can just go along with what my body seems to need. I do try not to allow my nap to turn into a long sleep as I will pay for it later by not being able to sleep through the night.
We get up at 5.30 a.m. to go for a walk around the village. We live in Cyprus so this is the best time to walk. We get back to do some chores, go shopping, have coffee, etc. and then relax on the patio for the afternoon. This is when I may have a short nap, probably no more than an hour, but it does me good. I go to bed around 8.30 p.m. to read for an hour or so before falling asleep. I may sleep, off and on, until about 4.00 a.m. Cutting out the afternoon nap doesn't make me sleep any better or longer.
Yes, I take a one hour, approx, siesta every day. Essential to keep me going. I either fall asleep or just doze.
Wish I could nap!! Like others can nod off to podcasts for bout 10 mins but brain wide awake as soon as hits pillow!!
I have a rest every afternoon for at least an hour. Sometimes I fall asleep but not often. I put my feet up and watch an old favourite TV programme. So far I have watched all the episodes of Sherlock Holmes, Upstairs Downstairs, Call the Midwife,and have just begun Lark Rise to Candleford. This is over 18 months of PMR . I don't knit or sew while I am watching, just relax, and enjoy the moment. In this busy world I feel privileged to be able to do this. Before PMR I would have been too busy.
I can't watch anything without knitting at the same time! Currently watching Upstairs Downstairs for the first time and learning to knit in the round on double pointed needles. I'll probably have to go back and watch it all again as I'm constantly having to rip out and reknit dropped stitches 🙄
It is 9:39am and I am back in bed to have a nap! Feel I have to have a least one nap during the day defo flare up is a big factor it’s exhausting being in pain
Sometimes I might sit in the chair and “rest my eyes” for a few mins & that’s all! (But that doesn’t happen very often).
If I do try and have a proper nap it’s impossible, my brain is always thinking of something.
Everyone is so different though and you have to listen to your own body
I could sleep for England. Before taking pred, I was sleeping 14 hours a day. That normalised a bit when I started on 15 mg and I did not need to nap in the day. Have had no trouble sleeping since I dropped back to 10 mg. Down to 5 mg and I find I can't sleep longer than about 6 hours without having to get up to move about, so I get up and have a hot drink and take my meds and go back to sleep for 2 or 3 hours until I wake refreshed. After lunch, I become so tired that it is back to bed again for anything between 1 to 3 hours and then feel tired until bed time. Some days, I get a kind of second wind about 7.00 pm for a few hours and I use that time to head out for a swim, which guarantees that I will need another long deep sleep. Apart from the rare occasion when my brain won't switch off for some reason, I have no trouble sleeping whatsoever. If I nap in the day time, I am in a very deep sleep and stay there until I wake naturally. I would be too groggy to get up before I am ready. I reckon that if I am that tired to fall into such a deep sleep, then I need it.
For those people who say that they only lightly doze if they take a rest in the day, I would say go for it and not worry about not being deeply asleep. Lying down for as long as you need with your eyes closed and either listening to some favourite music or doing a meditation is still a restorative way to rest.
That reminds me, I wonder if the reason that I drop off so easily is because I practice meditation. The washing machine brain that some people have described is what I call my brain chatter and I started meditation to try and manage that as my anxiety has always been high, long before PMR, and I have become quite good at calming that insistent little voice. I don't have a special time or ritual. I practice whenever I don't have anything to do; shopping queues, doctor's waiting room, long journeys when I am not driving etc.
I nap after exercise for 30-90 min. My usual time to go to sleep is very late 1-1:30AM so nap does not hinder my sleeping. I think the "secret" to good sleep is to get tired from exercise or any physical activity, at least for me. Just the other day there was minor earthquake at 3am, shake 2, everyone else was up but me 
... that is how deep my sleep is.
After lunch I lie down and relax in bed, listen to Radio4/ BBC Sounds/BBC4Extra often I don't actually sleep but on low doses Pred I feel more fatigued and often sleep for about 2 hours. I started 'naps' 4 years ago when on 45mg for GCA and felt awful nearly all the time. If I'm away from home or there's something going on I can miss this routine and push through the fatigue but end up feeling really washed out. I listened to a radio programme about sleep that said napping was even better for the body than regular sleep, very good for brain function. I'm working towards genius!
If I feel really fatigued I have a lie down and a snooze for up to an hour. But that's only on the days I really feel exhausted! Otherwise my day is 7.00am-10pm ish.
I think it's a matter of how you feel on any given day.... 🙂
I take my Pred around 9:30 PM. Go to bed around 10:00. I go immediately to sleep usually. I wake up around 6:00 a.m. and take the rest of my medications at that time. Rarely do I rest during the day, but when I do I have usually just started weaning and my body wants to rest. I will say that it is necessary to get to sleep before the pred starts kicking in or there is no sleeping after that, as my mind will not shut up. The next day, a nap is in order. Lol.
Hi, I always think sleep is the best medicine as whilst we sleep our cells are healing, I am 76 and often have cat naps, and its not until I open my eyes that I realise I have dozed off🤣. I don't think there is any best time for naps, its obviously your body telling you to rest and that's what I do. Enjoy your naps.
I have always been an afternoon napper - right back to Uni. Genetically I am part Sloth. Before GCA/pred it was around an hour, now it's often 2 hours. This is too long and it takes me half an hour to stop feeling groggy, but when I recover I'm fine for the evening until bed around 12. Sometimes I need to go back to bed in the morning for an hour, which replaces afternoon nap.
Great post, really interesting hearing people's little ways.😊
How long do you nap, if at all?
Hi soreoldbiker, I’m just behind you on this journey, 2.5 months. I found initially I was napping a lot, possibly as I hadn’t slept well for a few months as the inflammation, pain and stiffness was building up. Once diagnosed I was napping for an hour or so, sometimes 2 or 3 times a day, or every time I sat down! I’m not napping quite so often now, but I think I nap more when I’m reducing the pred, not that I’ve reduced far yet (started on 20, failed attempt to go to 15 (GP accepted that was too big a jump) back to 20, then 17.5, another failed attempt at 15, now on 16mg). I don’t seem to be napping quite as much at the moment.
I’m finding I just have to listen to my body, and it doesn’t seem to be affecting my sleep at night so far🤞
I usually lay down for a couple of hours in the afternoon. Sometimes I sleep for an hour, sometimes not at all.
since my prednisone days, I wake up around 3 or 4 a.m. and enjoy the peaceful morning. If I find I need a rest or little nap around 2 p.m. I take it. Just do what your body/brain tells you it needs.
Always 90 minutes for some unknown reason.
Having read this thread I have come to the conclusion that my whole life is one big nap with the occasional gap for a glass of wine.
at the beginning of my journey with PMR my rheumatologist recommended I take naps everyday. It worked for me to relax and be calm, I’d start reading a book and before I knew I’d be dosing. I have kept up this habit for 3 1/2 years , and see the difference on the days I don’t. The nap in the afternoon is short but never over a hour. I am tapering now from 8 to 7 and depend on this respite everyday.
I’m almost 71 and have had PMR for almost 9 months.
I actually don’t nap at all while acknowledging that it’s a good idea. I’m just hopeless at napping. Best scenario, I read on the couch for an hour or two.
79 y/o male - PMR since September 2017, added GCA in July 2020. Currently reasonably comfortable on 5 Preds a day. Napping ? After a lifetime of flying - 17,800 hours, 10,000 of which on long-haul B747's, I have acquired an ability to 'nap' happily for a couple of hours every day - if I can...
Wow, what an interesting parade of responses! There is a lot less pattern to people's napping habits than I expected. Personally, I seem to need one to three hours a day of nap time, and the naps are often full on sleep cycles. The prednisone obviously squelches most of the symptoms. However, the underlying disease is presumably still chugging along full bore. I assume that the naps are simply my body's response to the underlying disease. Ironically, they are the only thing about PMR that I am really enjoying!
I am 70 and usually nap for 30 mins after lunch and sometimes before dinner - if I exercise I sit for 30 mins e.g. Nordic walk or pilates
Apologies that this is in Bold - I can't seem to turn it off!I'm 67 and 16 years into PMR journey. (Was very well on 1mg Pred 2019-2022 then came off completely, now back on 2mg as symptoms came back / disease never had really gone away.)
A few months after diagnosis I started napping every afternoon because I had school-aged children and found that the nap enabled me to spend quality time with them when they came home from school, whereas without the nap I was useless. I developed a routine of 20 mins gentle yoga, 1 hour proper sleep, 30 mins recovery time with cup of tea. So 2 hours 'out if action' though I'd prefer to rename that 'focusing on my wellbeing'.
Even though children now left home, I've continued as it really suits me.
I can do without if I really have to, though usually feel pretty ragged by 6pm. While it cuts out social activities in the early afternoon, it allows me to do things I really want to in the evenings.
When you type your post, there should be a line underneath with B I U @ etc under it. If you want Bold you hit the B, then hit it again to go back to normal.
Thanks Piglette. I tried that before and it didn't work. Seems to be working now though!
If you want to remove it from a post you have to block all the text you want to change. It is a toggle switch, turns it on or off from that point
I have learned from and enjoyed all the responses about napping. I wish I could be a napper like so many of you. It's a talent I've never learned. I often do push myself through the day so I will sleep at night. Now that I have to start lowering my dose (once again), I have to wonder what is ahead. Will I then feel the need to lie down? We'll see. I congratulate all of you who are able to nap (or doze) and I think you are doing a really good thing! We are all different as to how we handle things. Your posts have been educational. Even though I'm not napping, I'm often not really accomplishing that much. So, all of you nappers, just keep on napping. You are accomplishing a nap!
I sleep like a baby after lunch: 30-60min. It’s to make up the time I waste getting up at 2am to take pred.
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