I’ve had trouble staying asleep for the last couple of months and I wondered if this is normal. For the better part of my life I’ve had trouble falling asleep. I can remember when I was in school, I would lay there and lay there and not be able to fall asleep. Then it got to the point I was just counting down hours until I had to get up and then worrying about how tired I was going to be. It was a horrible problem for me for most of my life. Lately, I can fall asleep but keep waking up every hour. Sometimes I’m wide awake and have to force myself to stay there and go back to sleep.
I find I need 8 hours of sleep to feel my best. I don’t get 8 straight hours though even on really good nights. I wake up rolling over a few times each night but I don’t think I really “wake” up doing that. I can handle life with 6 or 7 but I don’t feel as well. Then I wonder how much sleep everyone else gets and needs. Paul goes to bed an hour or two before me but he gets up that much time before me so it equals out to how much we get.
Then I wonder “how” everyone else sleeps. I sleep in VERY cold conditions. I like it COLD and DARK and I have a big fan going so the noises are consistent. I can’t stand a tv on or a radio. The sounds can only be a consistent sound that stays the same, or has a type of “hum” or I lay there and listen. I can’t sleep on my back ever. Only on my sides or stomach. I like to use the same blankets and sheets year-round. It’s the same temperature year-round. Well….it’s colder in the winter but I do have it pretty cold in the summer too. I know people shiver in my room and sometimes in the winter, I can see my breath. There were a few times last winter that I could see frost on the walls and ceiling so I turned on the heat. I didn’t think that was to good for the house. I do have an electric blanket and I turn it on 2 hours or so before I go to bed but I don’t sleep with it on. I also have a down comforter on my bed and I’m ridiculously spoiled with my sheets. I don’t even want to talk about my sheets because I know I sound stuck up when I talk about them but I LOVE THEM.
I was off the oxygen for a long time when I came home from the hospital but I have to admit that when I went off that last medication, I really haven’t felt as well so I went back to using the oxygen at night and there are times I just have to take that off me. I can get wrapped in the tubes and it hampers my sleep more than helping. But the other medication was playing games with my vision and that I couldn’t have.
What I’m really wondering is this, how many hours of sleep do you get each night? Can you sleep with windows open and hear all those “outside” sounds or do you have to have it quiet with a fan or another consistent sound? Do you have special blankets and sheets that you use year round? What temperature do you like it in your room when you’re sleeping? Do you have trouble falling asleep or do you have trouble staying asleep or do you only sleep for a few hours and give in and just get up? Do you then find yourself napping all day and do you think maybe it puts your schedule out of whack? Do you love your pillow and how often do you replace it?
Sorry if I got to nosey but I’ve come to think I have weird sleeping habits! Sleep tight everyone.
Us Girls..Our Views 
Oh my gosh Joy!As I am reading how you sleep Im thinking your talking about ME!I like it very cold for sleeping too,have a large fan on every night.My poor hubby has had to get used to this ,I can NOT sleep when its warm(well Im warm under the covers but like the room cold).Have to have GOOD sheets for sure!!I can not sleep listening to ANY other noises.I have a little fan I bring with me when I travel in case there is no fan in the room.About a month ago I started a new medication and I literally will sleep 12 hours if Im not woken up.Its aweful!Before though I would usually wake up ALOT,sometimes on the hour.Or wake at 3 or 4 and just toss and turn till morning came.Very frustrating.When I worked all I did was lay there thinking how tired I would be for work.Ive never been a good sleeper and I too have a hard time functioning without 8 hours of sleep.I think it runs in my family.My Mom was that way too and I know other family the same.
That’s funny how alike we are Karen. If it’s on your mom’s side, you got a double does because my dad is like this also. I mean about the trouble staying asleep. He’s up sometimes at 5 AM. I also take a fan or something when I travel. Sometimes I take a small humidifier. They really have a soothing sound. I have two air purifiers in my room too.
Thats what I need ,an air purifier!Writting it on my shopping list.Always meant to buy one,think it would help with allergies.I get so stuffed up at night.Your Dad was the same?No wonder Im this way.Mom was always up at 4 or 5 am.
I need 8 hours of sleep ideally, and I rarely have any trouble sleeping once it’s my bed-time. I am a night person, so bed-time has to be at least midnight for me to fall right to sleep. Now, in reality, I frequently stay up much later than 12, and my kids wake me up by about 7:30, and sometimes I cut my sleep to a few hours in order to get work done. So a nice, straight eight-hour sleep is a luxury. But it’s not because I physically can’t sleep. Sleeping is one of my strong points.
There is something about my body – I’m not sure how to explain it – but basically my joints are loose, which is cool in some ways, uncool in others. If I sleep in any position other than flat on my back with no pillow, I will get a severe stiff neck, backache, etc. When I sleep correctly, I grow about an inch during the night. I have a u-shaped neck thing that I use to keep my head facing the ceiling all night. If my head flops this way or that way, I am screwed.
I use flannel sheets year-round, and a relatively thin comforter. In the winter, I add one or two layers of flannel sheet or fleece blanket or wool afghan. I think my preferred room temperature is about 65. I tend to get really cold feet while I sit working, so when I go to bed, I need to try to warm my feet up. So I’ll start the night with extra warm layers, but some hours later I’ll feel too hot and throw stuff off. I usually keep a window or two at least partly open all the time. I like the sounds and air coming in at night. Lights are out. I don’t use any electronics in my room other than my computer (closed when I sleep) and my stereo. Sometimes I like to play soft international music (in languages I can’t understand, so I don’t try to “listen”), but nowadays, I rarely do that.
Brrrrr.. sleeping in your bed room sounds COLD!!!!
how many hours of sleep do you get each night?
This varies greatly depending on how much work I have to do and how much I procrastinated. I rarely get more than 7, usually more like 6. I can survive with less than 3 hrs… as long as I can crash the following night. Ideally, I would get 7-8 a night.
Can you sleep with windows open and hear all those “outside” sounds or do you have to have it quiet with a fan or another consistent sound?
I actually hate fans and consistent noise and totally love it when the window is open and I can hear the outside noises. We sometimes use a humidifier during the winter and I always have to get used to that sounds. I used to fall asleep to music every night when I was younger… and when I lived by myself. My boyfriend can’t fall asleep to music… so I haven’t done that in years.
Do you have special blankets and sheets that you use year round?
Summer: sheets and thin blanket
winter: sheets and comforter.
What temperature do you like it in your room when you’re sleeping?
I m flexible. I don;t mind it when it;s cooler in the room and the window is open. But I really don’t like it being much below 60. (as long as I have my warm comforter). But I HATE getting up in the morning when its cold in the room. It makes it soo much harder to get out of bed. I also like the room warm and often have the heat set to 72 or 73….
In the summer its usually hotter because we don’t want to spent 100’s of dollars on AC. I dont mind though… just use sheets to sleep.
Do you have trouble falling asleep or do you have trouble staying asleep or do you only sleep for a few hours and give in and just get up?
It usually takes me 20-30mins to fall asleep. I usually use that time to think about things that need to get done the next morning/day. I also use it to spoil/pet my cat who snuggles up with me every night.
I do usually wake up at least 1-2 times a night…usually when the aforementioned cat decides to lick my face, eat my hair, or walk on my head….
Do you then find yourself napping all day and do you think maybe it puts your schedule out of whack?
I can’t nap during the day…too much work. I drink more tea on days I sleep less 🙂
Do you love your pillow and how often do you replace it?
I LOVE my pillow.. its the foam kind. Had it for a year now and have not replaced it. My b’f and I also invested in a foam bed… best investment ever. I used to wake up with the worst back ache and used to toss and turn for HOURS. My sleep has improved dramatically since we’ve got the new bed 🙂
🙂
You did such a good job of answering all my questions Lucy. I haven’t always been this way about the coldness of my room. I think it started 10 years ago or so at the start of menopause. The older I get, the colder I seem to like it. I’m sure it will go the other way when I get older and the blood gets thinner and doesn’t flow as much but now, the colder the better. It makes me love to crawl in bed and it’s always warm in there. I can’t even imagine sleeping in the 70’s.
PS. I love what your cat does to you. It’s cute.
Joy, it’s interesting how things change with time/age. I used to live in Colorado and was definitely always used to sleeping in the cold (partly cause I was a broke college student that couldn’t afford the heat). However, since moving to TX I;ve become a wimp. As soon as its less than 60 out I feel like its sooooooo cold.
Although my cat can be cute… its also rather annoying at 4 am 🙂
I like getting 8 hours of sleep to feel my best also, but it’s usually between 6.5-7 hours. I go through phases that I have trouble sleeping too. Either falling asleep or waking up during the night. That’s usually my cue to check my sleep number bed and adjust it. When was the last time you did that? You may be surprised how a simple adjustment can make the difference.
I can sleep in silence ( I do at work) but I like to have a fan on. I can sleep with the windows open too but Toby hates that! He hates listening to the birds in the morning! I have found that I prefer it cooler in my room but yet have a heavier comforter to snuggle in.
I do check my number quite often actually. Probably because of Maddie and Willy. They’ll come down with guilty looks so I always check to make sure it’s plugged in. They’ve been playing before and unplugged it.
I love listening to the birds and outside sounds but not when I’m trying to sleep. I think it’s because the sounds aren’t consistent and I end up laying there waiting for the sounds. Man, does that make sense?
I think I need a new pillow, one of the contoured ones for bad necks. I think that’d help. It takes me about an hour to fall asleep. I’m constantly waking up to re-adjust my pillow. We goto bed way too late, most nights not until midnight. Jason has to get up 5am! I don’t know how he does it. I get up at 7 so I average 6-7 hours a night of sleep. BUT I don’t have to leave my house to work so it is different. IF I wanted to lay down I could. I do sleep in on the weekends if we have no plans, usually till 10 or so. If I sleep past that I feel like I’ve slept too much.
I have to have the room dark, cool and a fan going. If it’s nice a window open for sure!!! I cannot sleep without my electric blanket! Thanks Ma!!!! 🙂
My son is a funny sleeper…he’ll sleep through anything and everything and he wraps his head up in his blanket! Freaks me out! He also will get up at 6am on the weekends because he says it’s a waste of time sleeping. So much like his father!
Nikki,
I have one of those countoured foam pillows and love it. I sleep so much better since I bought it.
I don’t understand those morning people… sleep is not a waste of time 🙂
Does Tylenol PM or any other sleeping aid work for you??? I have to take something occasionally.
If you think you need a new pillow, I have some new ones you can check out. They’re upstairs. It may help you. It’s worth a try. I take Advil before bed but have never taken anything else. You’re welcome for the electric blanket. I love mine too but I only warm my bed up before I go to sleep. I could never sleep with it on.
I need a new pillow also! I found one at Penney’s that I kind of liked, but it’s already lost it’s support 😦 I need to call that hotel we stayed in, I loved their pillows!!!!
I don’t think I will be much help to you Joy. I have the god given talent of being able to fall asleep virtually anywhere at any time. TV’s, radios, dogs whining or barking, cars, people talking or whatever doesn’t bother me. I can tune things out with no problem including light. I prefer to be in the dark but if there is light, no problem.
I DO consider myself lucky and I know MOST people can’t do this. My wife is amazed that I can sleep through things like this.
I generally get about 6-7 hours of sleep at night. Sometimes I take a nap during the day if it wasn’t enough. 😀
People like you amaze me Gary. I so wish I could just go to sleep anywhere. I love taking a nap but for me to get a half an hour nap, I need two hours!! Everything has to be “perfect” and all it takes is one phone call for it to be over. If I really need a nap, I have to go upstairs to my room and sometimes when I do that I sleep to long and it messes with my nights sleep so I don’t like doing that unless I really need to. If I want to nap in my living room I have to shut the blinds, turn everything off and unplug the phone but something almost always manages to wake me up. I love to nap but if I do it for to long, I feel worse. But if I’m “almost” there and something wakes me up, then I get so mad and then I’m tired AND mad. It’s not pretty.
Jason is just like you, he could fall asleep during a tornado and I swear he can fall asleep within minutes!
I have bouts of insomnia so I feel your pain! I have never tried to figure out what causes it I just deal with it when it comes!
Once I am tired I usually fall asleep quickly. I have to have the TV on, the ceiling fan on medium and the air is at 70-72 degrees. I usually sleep on my stomach but I flop around like a darn dog at night. I flop onto my back and then flop right back over to my stomach. It drives my husband nuts!
I also have to sleep with a fan.I need the noise 🙂 I like the room cooler with all my guilts.I snuggle in and use a huge soft teddy so I can sleep on my side/stomache.I usually fall asleep right away.As long as I dont drink to much in the evening,I dont wake up to go to the bathroom.I sleep best if I dont have to wake up to a alarm 🙂
I get maybe 3 hours of sleep a night. I am up and down and over and over and just can’t get a sleep pattern. I am still in xanax withdrawal even though I haven’t lowered the dosage anymore ..but it’s a constant battle roayal in my head every night.
I sleep on my side on the couch in the front room. I sleep with the tv on until I know I MIGHT fall asleep and then turn it off.
I have a night light in the kitchen so I don’t fall over shit when I get up and down up and down.
I am a person who turns the heat on and off all night. I can’t find a happy medium. My son sleeps with his window cracked all friggin winter which then sends a draft down the hall and that bothers me..even when he puts something in front of his door I feel the chill and crank the heat..then I get hot and turn it down.
I’m a mess when it comes to sleep and one of the reasons I am a snarky bitch most of the time 😦
I work the night shift. I live on the opposite side of the clock as the rest of you and… frankly, I’m getting too old for this!
If I have to nap and the kids are home, two words — EAR PLUGS!
If I happen to be home for a few nights, I have to take Tylenol PM to fall asleep and sometimes even xanax.
One thing, ever notice how when you are outside doing yard work or whatever, that night ya sleep a little better? I think being outside, walking or hiking is a great way to get exercise but also tire yourself out. It’s hard to think when your whole body and mind are worn out….
That’s why I love having my dogs so much. I probably wouldn’t walk for myself, but I feel like I have to for them. Dogs need exercise every single day or they are just not right in the head.