How can I adjust my sleep habits?

[Tyme2fish]

Quitired the last of January 2008 after working 14 years on 3rd shift. Work a week off a week.
I was doing fine for a while, sleeping at night and awake during the day. Then my doctor wanted a sleep duty done on me for apnea. I couldn't sleep correctly during the study with the 3,000 electrodes attached all over my body. Came home that morning and slept all day.
Now I can't return to proper sleep pattern.
I set the alarm this morning for 9:00 A.M. to try and break the pattern. At noon I was so tired I went back to bed for 5 hours. That means I'll be awake most of the night.

Any suggestions? I will not take any meds (ie Ambien, Melatonin,alcohol, etc.) for this disorder.

 

[Geo2008]

Re: How can I adjust my sleep habits?

Quitired the last of January 2008 after working 14 years on 3rd shift. Work a week off a week.
I was doing fine for a while, sleeping at night and awake during the day. Then my doctor wanted a sleep duty done on me for apnea. I couldn't sleep correctly during the study with the 3,000 electrodes attached all over my body. Came home that morning and slept all day.
Now I can't return to proper sleep pattern.
I set the alarm this morning for 9:00 A.M. to try and break the pattern. At noon I was so tired I went back to bed for 5 hours. That means I'll be awake most of the night.

Any suggestions? I will not take any meds (ie Ambien etc.) for this disorder.

I know how to do it.

1. Do this, get up at the same time every single day no matter what, something like 7:00am or so, what ever suits you best. This is one of the most important steps.

2. Stay up until at least 8:00pm no matter what, even if you get tired at 1:00pm, do whatever you need to do to stay awake, mountain dew, coffee, walk around, whatever....just don't nap.

3. If you can stay up later, then do it, even it it is 3:00 in the morning. Just stay up to at least 8:00pm but do not go to bed until you are tired and sleepy.

This will self regulate eventually IF you get up at the same time everyday. IN other words, if you stay up till 3:00am and get up the next day at your regularly scheduled time then you WILL be sleepy by 8:00pm the next night.

It works, try it....


PS - Your AVATAR looks like Uncle Jesse from DOH

Just a good ole boy, never meaning no harm!

 

[Ross J]

Re: How can I adjust my sleep habits?

It sounds like a very accurate diagnosis of "Sleep Apneoa" to me. If that is the case then the Dr would have suggested either a CPAP machine to help breathing whilst asleep or possibly a mixture of this and minor surgery.
What was the outcome of the sleep tests, did they fit you with a CPAP machine?
Without mine I am a mess, I can sleep OK at times but only occasionally. A CPAP machine has saved my life!
If I'm way off course then I apologise and withdraw, but if on the correct track then I cannot stress enough the importance of not ignoring this as a serious health issue. My whole family says I'm a much better man/father/friend etc because of the treatment.
Ross

 

[Tyme2fish]

Re: How can I adjust my sleep habits?

I personally have not received the results of the sleep study. The study was ordered after a sleep time "Oxygen" level test was done and I "failed".
MD wants me to do another test with the finger study at home to once again determine my sleep time oxygen level.
Depending on those results, I might have to get a CPAP ordered but the stay at the hospital sleep test was a torture for me.

I would really rather just pass in my sleep

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: How can I adjust my sleep habits?

2. Stay up until at least 8:00pm no matter what, even if you get tired at 1:00pm, do whatever you need to do to stay awake, mountain dew, coffee, walk around, whatever....just don't nap.

I don't agree with the caffine part. Matter of fact there was a suggestion made by a doctor at one time that if you would like to sleep better don't drink any caffine past 2pm in the afternoon.

I like my sweat tea but I also like water, I try not to drink sweat tea at night. I worked 3rd shift for 4 years, I had friday and saturday nights off, so when I got home friday morning I would stay up all day and go to bed early so I could enjoy the day saturday.

There was a list of things to do to get better sleep listed on a TV comercial at one time, I'm sure with a little research you could find something on the internet if you haven't searched yet.

 

[Geo2008]

Re: How can I adjust my sleep habits?

I personally have not received the results of the sleep study. The study was ordered after a sleep time "Oxygen" level test was done and I "failed".
MD wants me to do another test with the finger study at home to once again determine my sleep time oxygen level.
Depending on those results, I might have to get a CPAP ordered but the stay at the hospital sleep test was a torture for me.

I would really rather just pass in my sleep

Remember the doctor has a vested interest in saying you have a disorder. You have it within yourself to correct this on your own.

 

[JustJason]

Re: How can I adjust my sleep habits?

i was perscribed ambien when i was in my early 20's. i took it for 2 months then threw the rest away. it was awefull, i was sleep walking like crazy, having conversations i didn't remember, feeling lousy the next day, unrefreshed.

Now i just drink. I don't get too blasted or anything. Just enough vino to make me sleepy. I don't sleepwalk anymore, every once in a while i'll still have that conversation that i don't remember but i hardly feel lousy the next day and I actually do feel refreshed in the morning.

For me it only works with wine. If i drink beer, and it's usually stronger/microbrew beer. I end up farting all night and usually do wake up once to take a leak, then have a hard time falling back asleep, both because the beer wore off... and that everything smells like farts. It's awefull in the winter when the windows are closed and the heat is on.
If i do booze/liqour... it certainly puts me out but the hangover is not worth it, i'd rather function without sleeping than function that way.

I'm a total screw up though. I've never been able to sleep. The only way for me is if I work enough during the day to the point that I physically exhaust myself.
It's funny because, Everyone thinks i'm a mild alcoholic, even my friends that drink more than me because of all the empty wine bottles. I don't care, it doesn't bother me. I never drink when I go out anywhere. And I hardly ever drink during the winter. I ski 5 days a week, and when I do that, i physically exhaust myself every day. So sleeping isn't an issue.
I know what you mean though about the pills, THOSE are scary.
Best of luck.

(ps... many years ago when my grandfather had issues sleeping one of the things the Doc recomended was a healthier liqour, such as brandy or red wine)

 

[Plainsman]

Re: How can I adjust my sleep habits?

Drink all that Bud that was sent to you

 

[Mark42]

Re: How can I adjust my sleep habits?

Feel around the back of your head and neck. Most people have a big knob there that is used to adjust sleep patterns.

 

[Tyme2fish]

Re: How can I adjust my sleep habits?

Feel around the back of your head and neck. Most people have a big knob there that is used to adjust sleep patterns.

I do have a pain in my neck due to my poor posture while I'm typing on the internet. Didn't know there was a knob there. Thanks.

 

[Tyme2fish]

Re: How can I adjust my sleep habits?

Drink all that Bud that was sent to you

You iboats members have failed me as no UPS truck as yet to show with this nasty product.

 

[BMOLCHANY]

Re: How can I adjust my sleep habits?

Well my scheduel is 12 hour shifts with one month days and one month nights. The way that most of us pull it off is to fight through it untill 6 or seven at night and then crash and burn. This usually works. The first day is tough but after that it is not too bad.

 

[mlukich]

Re: How can I adjust my sleep habits?

I feel for you... I work 3rd shift during the week (four 10-hours nights) so I sleep Tues, Wed, Thur during the day (after getting home at 10-12 in the morning), stay up all day Friday after getting home. Sleep Fri, Sat, Sun night and then go back to work Mon night... Only get 6 "nights" of sleep each week... It's hard going back and forth from daysleep to nightsleep but I've been doing it long enough (4 years) that I think I have finally got used to it. Only hard days are Friday (up 24 - 28 hours before going to sleep Friday night) and Monday night at work... (Try and take a 2 hour nap before going in on Monday night)

Guess I didn't really offer any advice on how to adjust, just thought I'd commiserate with ya...

Mark

 

[Tyme2fish]

Re: How can I adjust my sleep habits?

mlukich:

One week of night shift is like 7 weeks day shift. You'll die young if you can't get off that shift

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: How can I adjust my sleep habits?

mlukich:

One week of night shift is like 7 weeks day shift. You'll die young if you can't get off that shift

I used to feel the same way. I worked 12 hour shifts 6p-6a and it would kill me. I got home and in bed by 7a and diddn't get up till 430p to get ready for work. I hated my life at that point. Fast forward a few years and I work 8 hour shifts 10p-6a. I really liked that. A short while later I had discretion as to my hours except that it was gonna be late night and choose 12a-8a. That was nice. I could sleep for 3-4 hours when I got home and be up when everyone was coming off lunch break. I would take a 2 hr powernap right before work and I was good to go. In addition there were no bosses around while I was there and that was probably the best part. If I needed to I could get home at 830a or so and stay up. We spent many trips with me sleeping a few hours on the way. Right now my schedule is 6a-2p and its ok. With the wife working 11a-11p and 3 kids to include a 4 month old its pretty hectic.

 

[Tyme2fish]

Re: How can I adjust my sleep habits?

I appreciate all the replies.However, let's get back to the subject.
I DON'T WORK NOW. I want ideas on how to recover to a "normal" sleep pattern.
I received a PM from a member that was useful. For all my fellow (ex) night workers, I feel for you.

 

[DJ]

Re: How can I adjust my sleep habits?

I love to read but I can't do so-sleeping.

I get books on CD, from the library (free).

I listen to about 1/2 hour and I'm out. It's calming.

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: How can I adjust my sleep habits?

First thing to do is NOT TO STAY UP LATE EVERY NIGHT messin on the puter. Turn the dang thing off no later than 9pm and leave it off......I know cause Im addicted too. (check post time)OH yea dont have the late in day starbucks...lord

 

[dave11]

Re: How can I adjust my sleep habits?

Remember the doctor has a vested interest in saying you have a disorder. You have it within yourself to correct this on your own.

They want to keep you sick so you keep coming back and they can pay for their second house on the lake or golf course.

What is that they call it, The Hypocritic Oath?

 

[MikDee]

Re: How can I adjust my sleep habits?

Tyme, I did the same exact thing you did on the sleep study, I think most people do I know you mentioned you're newly diagnosed diabetic, I'm diabetic about 12yrs now, and find that if my sugars start to run high, (meaning if I don't keep it under control), I get very tired all the time during the day, and have trouble sleeping at night, until I get back in control. I also found, I can't sleep well at night, unless the room is a little on the cool side. Cool nights as we've had lately, I open the windows, & put on the ceiling fan. Being retired, I try to get outside often, the daytime fresh air helps me sleep better at night as well.