What has to happen for you to be able to fall asleep?

Ronni

Ronni

Well-known Member
Location
Nashville TN
Once I actually turn off the light to go to sleep, everything has to be right...the pillows have to be in a certain order, my body has to be in the right position, my legs and arms a certain way. On good nights I just flip into position and I'm out like a light. On bad nights I spent what feels like forever awake and adjusting everything. My top pillow feels like there are rocks in it. My outstretched arm is angled wrong. My knee is bent too much or not enough. My hand is too heavy on my other arm where it rests. The covers feel like they're strangling me. I have a persistent itch between my fingers, or toes, or behind my knee or somewhere else hard to scratch and annoying. It just goes on and on. I flip and flop and rearrange and think Ah..this is it, finally right. But then within 60 seconds something else is screaming at me. I HATE those nights!

What about you? Does that happen to you too?
 

I have sleep apnea, so that takes priority before bedtime. I have to clean my "nasal" mask, my "distilled" water holder, add more water, check all the hoses, make sure my nose drops are in place (so there's no clogging or air pressure). After 15 yr of this, I've got it all down to about 2 minutes.
If all else fails, I use my MAD device (a mouth piece that keeps my jaw from collapsing backward, closing my airway)

After that, make sure my noise machine is on, the shade is pulled down, and I have my little nano earbud recharged and ready to place in my ears (for relaxing music).

Sleeping has become an issue for me, and I am lucky if can get 5 hours of sound sleep. Before I was diagnosed, sleep had never been a problem. I hate it, but I guess it has been a life saver for me and allowed me to keep my health into my later years (I think). I also had to buy a new mattress about 6 years ago, and after lots of research, I decided to get a latex (much more expensive, but worth it for my back)

Fortunately I live on a quiet street that has only about 4 or 5 barking dogs. Unless they bark at night, that is o.k. with me because I have to have quietness and darkness at night.
 
oh yes indeed -- has to be perfect on the side' legs tucked up 'pillows just right ' duvet right in my back '
one arm under the pillow zzzzzzzzzz-then I get the nights where I lay awake nothing feels right ..
 
I have to have a cool room... I have to have a really supportive medium firm 14 inches deep mattress, I have to have cool sheets , and feather pillows with cotton p/cases... I sleep with only one thin coverlet/duvet on even in winter because I feel the heat so much...

Before I settle down to sleep I prop myself up on 2 pillows and read a book or kindle...

I sleep with one pillow but I have a smaller pillow between my knees to take the pressure off my lower back..

The room has to be completely dark, ( I have blackout lined blinds)... and even the slightest noise will wake me

I get off to sleep without problems , staying asleep after about 4 hours is a different matter... although since retiring my brain is getting better at resting for longer...
 
I often find myself still a bit "wound up" at bedtime....thinking about things I need to do, etc. A couple of years ago, I started taking a nip of flavored Vodka....about 1/2 shot....about an hour before bedtime. That works great for me, as I quickly fall asleep, and usually get a solid 7 or 8 hours. When we go to the city and hit the casinos, I have the beverage server bring me a small glass of wine about 10PM, and by 11, I'm ready to go up to the room. That's about the only "booze" I drink, and it seems to do the trick.
 
Camper6 said:
I need someone to hit me over the head with a sledge hammer.

People who can't sleep live a longer life. Plenty of time to sleep when you're dead.
Click to expand...
trouble is your body needs sleep to carry out necessary repairs to your body . There are some schools of thought and study which says that those who don't get enough mental rest are more likely to suffer dementia type illnesses... not certain that it's been proven but it's been reported a lot.
 
Because of severe tinnitus, I have to have the TV on at low volume, set to shut off after 30 minutes. If I haven't fallen asleep, I re-set it. My usual sleep time is 2:00am to 8:00am.
And (after weight loss), I'm always cold. I sleep in thick socks, polyester sweat pants & 2 polyester sweaters. And a polyester blanket.
 
I usually fall asleep by 10:30 or 11 o’clock, I try to concentrate on my breathing and that usually helps me to drift off to sleep, I also have a small fan in my bedroom for white noise. I need a medium soft mattress and two pillows to elevate my neck as I have severe osteoarthritis in my neck and everywhere else and there is significant pain if I don’t do that. I have a habit of waking up very early and sometimes will wake up in the middle of the night but can usually fall back to sleep sometimes I can’t and that can be pretty rough.
 
My routine makes my hubby tired just watching me.
The room has to be completely dark, I have black out drapes that I doubled just to make sure.
No noise. I stay awake listening for it.
Extremely cool. More like ice cold
My pillow has to be just so and I have a smaller one for my knees. It helps keep them from clanking together because I sleep on my side.
Finally, I have the blanket placed so it covers my eyes but not my nose. Very difficult position to achieve. I don't know why I have to have my eyes covered but I've been doing it for as long as I can remember.
If all this fails I take my Ambien. Then nothing matters.
 
Room quiet, dark and me reading an interesting book on a back lit Kindle. Book must be interesting enough to keep my brain engaged but not one that makes me anxious to see what's on the next page. Otherwise, I'll read all night and be dull the next day. I'm now reading a Tami Hoag mystery that is just right.
 
Use to be able to sleep whenever, very nice ability earlier in life. Now lucky enough to have found the CBD that takes from 2 or 3 hours to about 6 per night. Get a tad grumpy there for about 15 years.
😪💤
 
Some nights,if I can't stay awake to watch the entire hour of my favorite news cable show,"The 11th Hour with Brian Williams on MSNBC I go to bed
As soon as I lay down on my back,say my nightly prayers,turn onto my left side,I drift off into 'la la land'
 

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