Trouble falling asleep for 58 years - Sleep Matters

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Trouble falling asleep for 58 years

Moonsts profile image
10 Replies

I've always had trouble " letting go" to fall asleep most of my life. I am 64 now. I wake up a couple of times to go to the bathroom, and drop right back to sleep after.

Now I wake up and feel like I'm the walking dead. It's a round robin. I use a fitbit charge and my rem and deep sleep varies, but looks good. I dont seem to get a continuous 8 hours of sleep.

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Moonsts profile image
Moonsts
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10 Replies
watergazer profile image
watergazer

My sleep problem started when I was 40- now 65 - and i'm sure the fitbit doesn't read my sleep properly as when I feel I've slept quite well it tells me 3 hours and when I feel I've been awake most of the night it can say 7 hours!!

watergazer profile image
watergazer in reply to watergazer

Same with me x

4fishylady profile image
4fishylady

Many things go into our ability to sleep. I have been through a sleep clinic and was told to sleep on my sides not my back as I have "many awakenings" while lying on my back. Things like cutting off all electronic devices including TV 1 -2 hours before going to bed. No caffeine after noon, lower your lighting in the evening, read something calming, or do a puzzle to tire the brain. In addition, my Neuro has given me zanax to help calm me so I can relax and sleep. A new article on MS has shown that our sleep affects the myelin sheaths in our brain and that lack of sleep is a big contributor of "cog fog", heavy legs, fatigue and other symptoms that are so prevalent in our lives. If these suggestions don't help, ask your doctor for something to aid your sleep. For years I have used, ambien or temazepam to get more sleep, but now only take 1/2 of a .5 mg zanax.

Moonsts profile image
Moonsts in reply to 4fishylady

I do take 2 to 3 xanax and it helps. Otherwise I wouldn't fall asleep until 6 in the morning.

Bassman65 profile image
Bassman65

Have you tried mindfulness? I have used an app called insight timer and there are a lot of guided meditations that help to clear the mind an help to fall into a nice deep sleep, I particularly like “whole being relaxation into deep sleep” it is a 21 minute long session and I often fall asleep before it finishes. There are simple 5 minute ones there as well and a lot of the content is free unlike some of the other apps

in reply to Bassman65

I love insight timer, it has saved me in terms of sleep. I have been listening to it almost every night for a couple of years.

Moonsts profile image
Moonsts in reply to

Can you explain what it is?

Moonsts profile image
Moonsts

That is hard for me to do. Having adhd, my mind skips around and its hard to stay focused.

As the person stated before me, it is an online app . Good to have it on your phone which makes it easier to practice anywhere. The guided meditations are broken down into different categories. There are a lot on sleep. And I just choose the ones that resonate with me. I know it is working when I fall asleep before it ends!

Moonsts profile image
Moonsts

Thank you! I'll download it and look into it.

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