This morning (or night depending upon how you look at it ) makes probably the 10th night I have awakened before 3a.m. It has gotten to the point that I just get up. I no longer count sheep, try to read or try to go back to sleep. I get up, call people on the other side of the world, drink a glass of water, and work. Because otherwise 4 hours could pass while I am distressed and focused on the fact that I am NOT sleeping when I think I should.
I used to brag that I only needed 5 hours sleep.But as I age, I find that nothing makes me feel as good as a good night’s rest. Now with interrupted sleep, I have the added concern that if my body does not have enough time to restore itself, I will accelerate the aging process at the cellular level. To make matters worse, WebMd confirms,” the degree to which [… ones sleep] deteriorates or improves over time tends to mirror their overall health.
Tips, Cures or Routines
1. Avoid stimulants like alcohol, nicotine or caffeine before bed.
2. Eat before 7 pm to avoid heartburn.
3. Reduce liquids before bed.
4. Make your bedroom an electronic free area and as dark as possible.
5. Exercise regularly earlier in the day to tire yourself out.
6. Try to go to bed at the same time.
But here’s what may come as a surprise. According to the New York Times, my inability to sleep may have something to do with race. This article reported that at the June annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, “in one of two studies on the topic presented there, white participants from the Chicago area were found to get an average of 7.4 hours of sleep per night; Hispanics and Asians averaged 6.9 hours and blacks 6.8 hours.”
That claim is enough to put me back to sleep. What I will do is try to get more sunshine in the late afternoon and early evening. Getting out late is supposed to help push the internal clock back. And if all else fails, I just may have to look into natural sleep aids such as valerian. Except that sleep aids are only supposed to increase the time you sleep by 11 minutes. Take the sleep test here for these weird supposed facts. By the way it is 2:20 am.
Is a lack of sleep or insomnia something you have dealt with and if so, what tips can you share?
boomrwiz says
So sleepless in Baltimore you have got to know,I feel for you. In other words, you sleep when everyone else is moving about. Have you tried valerian or foods that create a natural melatonin? Sienna ( above) brings up a good point I will investigate further which is this 3 am clock may be due to sugar imbalance or some malfunction with the adrenal gland.
roycrosse says
Here is the rub, I am operating on fumes. Even when I get a few shut eyes I am dozing in and out but no solid sleep. I have tried all the usual herbs and remedies including Valerian, Malatonin etc. Part of the problem is chronic pain and other side effects of cancer. The challenge has gotten worse in the last year. Now I am thinking a brick to the head.
Just now getting up from a morning doze. No way to predict how productive I can be today. Getting old is getting old.
roycrosse.
roycrosse says
Okay ladies, so you go to bed and wake up much earlier than you would like, but you go to sleep. I have several female friends with the same 3.am marker. My wife too, talks about getting up during the night, but I notice she manages to get back to slumber land quite easily.
I, on the other hand, cannot get to sleep until the alarm goes off and the good wife gets up to start her morning ritual.
Hence, I spend the rest of my day in a sleepy stupor. And I cannot blame it on menopause, what’s a dude to do??? Melatonin anyone?
I am jealous.
Sleepless in Baltimore.
roycrosse
Karen says
Ive found that over the past few years, my sleeping patterns have gradually shifted, too. I tend to wake much earlier than others in my family, a complete reversal from my 30s and early 40s. I’ve tended to ascribe it to being post-menopausal, but am not 100% sure this is correct. Hope you’re able to get your pattern back to some semblance of normal!
boomrwiz says
Karen
It’s another early morning of quiet bliss. Look how I just renamed this period of awake time. Thank you for your kind wishes. I know you have felt my pain. I hope this is not however a dillema you are suffering from. Then you remind me of the post-menopausal “I-hate-you-right-now” stint which is/was grueling. Good riddance. Thanks also for visiting boomerwizdom.
Sienna Jae Fein says
Hi Patricia — This is a great post about something midlife women need to know. There seems to be mild disagreement about why we wake at 3AM — that is, which hormone is causing the wakeup call. Here’s a naturopathic doctor’s take on the problem, and there are more if you Google “waking at 3 AM.” http://doctorkatend.com/blog/have-you-been-waking-in-the-middle-of-the-night-since-menopause/
boomrwiz says
Hi Sienna
Was thrilled to see you’d stopped by. And Dr. Kate’s take on this as possibly being due to blood sugar imbalance or a need to
support the function of my adrenal glands, well this makes sense to me. I have been doing an unofficial survey among my friends trying to understand is it just me or is anyone else is experiencing this. Thank you for sharing this window into what could address this problem naturally which is the way I prefer to go. Can’t wait to move a little further in this investigation. The topic alone could be mined for a while. See you over on datingseniormen.com