Bedroom Tips from a Pro - It's Where the Action Happens!
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Party time?
Really???? NO!!!
John Mayer - Are You Slow Dancing in a Burning Room?
Don't let this be you!
NO! Do NOT Buy for $19.99!
The Promise of Sleep
 | The best sleep book ever! Amazon Price: $7.50 List Price: $18.00 |
Yes - Even animals must sleep!
Sleeping Beauty - Tchaikovsky
Are you sleeping as much as you should?
Yes - sleeping! Sleep deprivation is an insurmmountable problem in the world. Did you know that most car accidents occur due to a driver falling asleep behind the wheel?
Sleep research has come a long way since the 1950's. Doctor's used to only pay attention to our waking, day time health. With strides in sleep research we now know that sleeping is vital for good health. The second thing I would like to impress is that NOTHING can replace sleep.
As a sleep technologist nothing would annoy myself and my coworkers more than the scams that we see advertised on television. For instance - the pillow that is designed to help you stop suffering from snoring? They are misleading because they lead the video with a great description of sleep apnea - then they explain how the pillow is designed. A pillow will not alleviate true sleep apnea. The pillow might be designed to allow your airway to stay open but lets see how long you keep your head in the perfect position all night. Not gonna happen. I have also seen a product that you spray into the airway and it magically will stop your snoring. The toothpaste that is $19.99? It contains "melatonin" and other "herbal extracts." Sorry, but it doesn't work that way.
What is Normal?
Sleep need is highly dependant upon many other factors such as age, sex and previous sleeping patterns. Newborns need approximately 16 hours of sleep per night. Adults typically need approximately 7 - 8 hours of sleep each night.
Sufficient sleep is defined as the amount of actual sleep one requires to wake up feeling refreshed. Seniors usually report sleeping less each night.
How do we know?
The first book published about sleep medicine was in 1913 by a French scientist, Henri Pieron. It was "Le Probleme Pysiologique du Summeil." My French is vey bad but I believe that would be translated as, "The Physical Problem of the Sleep." Sleep Medicine wasn't highly investigated in the United States until the 1950's when REM and NREM were discovered by a doctor who used his own son to observe while sleeping. He noticed the eye movements and began to recognize that there was a pattern to the eye movements.
Dr. William Dement established the Stanford University Sleep Center in 1970. I have had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Dement and it was much more exciting to me than meeting a movie star. Our lab worked in conjunction with research facilities such as Stanford, Harvard and UCLA on several reseach studies.
Sleep deprivation is one of the most interesting to me. Early research in sleep was done rats. They found that when they deprived or disrupted non rem sleep in rats there was a "reliable syndrome" that included:
- Death
- Debilitated Appearance
- Skin lesions
- Increased food intake/appetite
- Weight loss
- Decreased body temperature in later stages
Studies in humans found that if we decrease sleep - even for just a few nights you may see:
- Increase in heart rate and blood pressure
- Increase in inflammation (as measured by a blood protein)
- proposed risk for Coronary Artery Disease
- Impaired glucose tolerance (could be a precursor to diabetes)
- Increased hunger and appetite
- Increased risk in dying and mortality
Decreasing sleep time per night to 5 or 6 hours after several nights resulted in a delayed response time. In one study, they restricted people to 6 hours of sleep for 12 consecutive nights and found that those people responded as slowly as those who had been deprived of an entire night of sleep!
In childhood and adolesence - sleep is extremely important. Studies have shown that children lacking sleep will have an increased risk for disciplinary problems and may lead to exacerbated emotional problems.
Good sleep and increased time spent sleeping in bed will increase your mood, alertness and performance and that is a proven fact.
What's abnormal?
There are approximately 84 different types of sleep disorders. Sleep apnea, sleep walking (somnambulism) or sleep talking (somniloquy), bed wetting, narcolepsy, shift work, night terrors, nightmares, restless legs, perodic limb movments, REM behavior disorder, excessive daytime sleepiness and bruxism (teeth grinding) seem to be the most popular.
The basic measuring stick for sleep wellness is how do you feel when you wake up in the morning? Do you feel refreshed and ready to start a new day or do you want to hit the snooze button and sleep another 10 minutes?
A major problem for sleep practitioners is that many people accept feeling tired when they wake up. They believe this is how they always feel. If you don't feel rested then you are cheating yourself. Good sleep will contribute many more good things in your life than you can imagine.
Sleep is still a mystery, for example why it happens, what is going on in the body? We are smart enough to figure out that it is vital to have and it can't be denied. One of the most interesting things I have contemplated about sleep while watching patients "go there" is that the brain takes over and it is in charge.
The eyes begin to close and we see slow rolling eye movements then the brain waves begin to spread apart, all of the muscle tone in your body begins to drop and the person sleeping is no longer in control behind the wheel. So as you can see - not only does sleep affect your daily life but your span of life as well. Many studies were done and the conclusion is that we still do not understand the exact function of sleep but studies have proven time and time again that deprivation of sleep causes horrible consequences.
If you don't sleep well see your primary care physican to determine if there is a treatment available for your symptoms. There are drugs that can help with Restless Leg Syndrome and Periodic Limb Movement Disorders, for example. Snoring and bruxism can be treated with a dental appliance or Continuous Positive Air Pressure (CPAP). Insurance companies agree to pay for most of the cost involved because it is a very REAL medical problem.
Everyone has a bad night of sleep occasionally. Insomnia is normal and most people experience transient insomnia at some time in their lives. I have used benadryl to help me fall asleep faster which is the active ingredient in most over the counter sleep aids. Melatonin - in my opionion should never be used unless it is under the care of a doctor. It was approved for use in the United States in 1984 as a dietary supplement and does not require approval by the FDA as it is a substance that is in some of our foods. Melatonin is a hormone and the only one available without a prescription in the US.
Again, medicines that are not regulated by the FDA can be made and produced in factories where doses are known to not be accurate!
Don't accept feeling less than your best everyday! If the action of sleep - isn't going on in the bedroom then there is also an increased liklihood that you are way too tired for any other actions to be going on in there. I have talked to hundreds of people about what IS going on in the bedroom, trust me on this....good sleep leads to more action and less deprivation!
"But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." ~Robert Frost
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Hi JIM! Love seeing you here first buddy:) and I must say naked butt - it figures:) LOL. I agree - I do not sleep well for having worked nights for several years....but on the bright side I work from home so I can sleep when I need to.
I have seen horrible effects from sleep loss. We studied this one girl and she was losing tremendous amounts of hair - her skin was emaciated... but.....I noticed her walking the halls of the lab and moving constantly, I truly believe she caused this herself! Just by sleep depriving herself...obvious underlying problems....but the effects were obvious.
You should write a hub about that! Being a bounty hunter! I know it's terrible but it sounds like great fun! Lol. I looked into expanding my company to serve warrants but....quickly reminded myself I live in St. Louis - that would be dangerous! Lol
I love the topic of sleep! When I was a senior in high school I wrote a 10 page research paper about sleep and it still fascinates me to no end. Plus I got a 99% on the paper which is always a sure way of keeping you interested in a topic. I find sleep patterns extremely interesting! Well all of it really and I could talk about sleep for a very long time... but you obviously know even more than I do about sleep. I also greatly enjoy discussing dreams and dream interpretation, but that is more for fun than for a scholarly interest! Great hub and very interesting!
The bounty hunting business. Yeah, I should write a hub. The truth is, I do the things I do because I'm terrrified of being afraid, and I'm probably afraid of everything, so I do this stuff because it beats huddling in a corner. Also I'm an adrenalin junkie. In that business it's 50 hours or more of completely killer boredom for 10 minutes of intoxicating excitement. I get the same rush from jumping out of a plane without the boring crap, although man IS the ultimate game. Well, there's the Hub I guess, and I wrote it personally to you. (laughing)
jim
Myth! Hi! I should have guessed you liked this topic! It is so interesting - other than it messing up your sleep I highly recommend working in a sleep lab. Never gets boring. We were a bunch of geeks too - if we saw extraordinary stuff we'd all be yelling - check this out! And we'd be ooh'ing and ahhh'ing. One doc I worked with actually interviewed a couple of the guys who murdered and said they were sleeping! Crazy! I love talking sleep...you can go on all day long and be interesting!
No Jim - I still want a whole hub. Like I want to know - who hired you? Did you go out of state most of the time? Who paid you? Did you go alone? Did you ever shoot anyone? Are you allowed to carry a gun? What about over state lines? Did you have to get a license for anything? Ok - see what I mean?? I'd love to know all of that and also how do you find people? And approach them? So interesting!
lol... That really sounds like a great job to have worked in! Still my only calling is teaching... but sleep is important no matter what career you have or what you plan on doing with your life. I can only imagine the types of things you could geek out about in a lab like that! lol... Sounds like some great memories. I love sleep for personal reasons as well :-) Although I have bad nightmares :-( That is the only downside of my sleep... some mornings I wake up and feel like I didn't sleep at all because my nightmares would either wake me up so much or be so... idk real. It is hard to explain but I'm sure you understand. The sad part of sleep I guess. lol.
Myth - sounds like some dreaming that might be going on in your deeper stages of sleep. Some believe we only dream in REM but it's not true - you can dream in any stage. The dreams where you wake and feel refreshed tend to come from REM the dreams it is hard to wake someone up from are usually deep sleep. Some parasomnias...which is. 5 buck word for abnormal sleeping.
Some people report they never dream - of course they do or they'd probably be dead! REM is where we dream most....there seems to be no rhyme or reason to why.... yeah sleeping was fun but teaching is awesome! Don't have enough good teachers!
I have been a bad sleeper since my teens, even at this moment my eyes feel sleepy. I once went take a sleep disorder doctor, he didn't help one bit.
Your hub is awesome and voted you up and awesome.
Hey kiddo,
Yeah, I will do a hub. It's actually kind of interesting how the legal things work out through the process. It's a weird business, where we actuallyhave a lot more power than the police over all. Hmmm .. never thought of doing a Hub on this kiddo. I've got a couple of other things in the works, but it's coming soon I promise.
jim
Hi Writer 20 - I am so sorry the doc didn't help! I hate hearing that...I know how hard it is to make yourself you to the doc - and then to have gone for nothing? Terrible - and sleep is like a lot of other things - people will capitalize on it if we let them. There are terrible sleep labs - sounds like you should go to another maybe :-/ I hate to tell you that - but I want you to know that your life and happiness is highly affected by sleep loss! Thanks so much for another great comment 20:)
Jim - no rush but if you run out of ideas for hubs I know that one would go over great! So interesting...and it is a field that hardly anyone knows much about. I often do research reports for bail bondsman (when they offer the proerty in lieu of bond - hafta make sure they own it:) lol It just seems like a wild job - and I suppose you can sleep in unless your busting down a door huh? lol Thanks - Id appreciate the hub! You crank them out - Ill keep reading:)
Fantabulous hub! My youngest son is forever saying that he did not sleep at all or very little. I have told him that he should go and have himself checked at a sleep lab. I am going to get him to read your hub as he has taken Melatonin.
Oh yes Susan! Tell him if he's unaware of what's waking him up - could be apnea. Or maybe periodic limb movements but usually people have an idea they are kicking a bunch while sleeping. Apnea tends to occur in males that have a neck bigger than about 17 inches - lots of football players suffer with it. Once it is treated - it can make a person feel brand new:). No kidding!
Melatonin is one of those iffy drugs and I believe it's best use is for changing your sleep schedule - possibly establishing a good sleep schedule. It affects your body clock and the hormone that is naturally secreted by the pineal gland, I believe. I tried it one time - I was switching shifts...just half of the recommended dose made me very sick!
Great hub! I've been through 6 sleep studies with the VA and have a cpap with the water and card that records all the breathing stuff and I'm not happy the techs aren't happy and I told them lets do one on my regular sleep habits instead of their testing hours of 9 pm until 6 am. I tell them my habits are 6pm until I wake up around 7 am and if you have to piss your wired to a machine and can't so that's the end right there, I told them to give me a bottle so I can sleep or just put a catheter in and I'll sleep 10 hours no problem, but I'm animated and talk alot and the best they have is a cpap? Man! they promised I'd feel great, didn't happen.
Great hub on a goood topic,
dust
Wow - I really enjoyed your Hub but it has scared the "bleep" out of me! I have never been someone who gets much sleep. I remember as a child being out playing at 6am on summer's mornings, annoyed that my friends were all "wasting their lives" in bed because their parents said they had to.
In adulthood, the problem has grown much, much worse. If I get four hours' sleep a night, that is good for me. Very often, I don't even go to bed and just work all night, as I know that if I go to bed, I will just toss and turn all night and get angry because I can't sleep. I've found that the only exception to this rule is when I am at the coast - the sea air seems to do something to me that gives me what most people would consider a good night's sleep.
In my early forties now, so I suppose the damage done will be irreparable :(
I have the weirdest dreams. Sometimes it's an alien abduction, sometimes it's being trapped in weird houses, and once I dreamed I wiped my butt with a slice of white bread. Must have eaten a shitty sandwich that day.
Dusty - they should have had you come in during whatever hours you normally sleep! I so hate that! In order to properly diagnose a sleep problem it's best to see the person sleep as they normally do. It's already weird to be sleeping in a lab - we should make the patient as comfortable as possible. We had people come in 90 minutes prior to their regular sleep time...if they slept days, we watched them in the day time!
Well you are certainly correct about that...it would be much easier to see you get into those deeper sleep stages to see what is going on then....keep using CPAP though if you can. It hells with heart rhythm, keeps your blood oxygenated and lots of other good stuff!
Thanks so much for the great comment! Oh and I decided after your last hub, I'm calling you 100 Caliber:)
Hi Gordon - no it certainly isn't irreparable! You should go see your doc and see why you aren't sleeping. There is most likely a cause that CAN be treated. The biggest problem in sleep med are that people do not know it CAN be treated. Didn't mean to scare you but if it gets you to the doc then I'm glad:) you would feel so much better - I wish someone who has had success with CPAP or other sleep treatment could talk to you. It's so worth the time spent to get it checked out. Then imagine how much better your work would be! Lol. Thanks for the great comment now go straight to bed! Lol
Austinstar! Lol - well stop eating shitty sandwiches - it's interfering with your ZZZ's! Lol. I have tons of weird dreams - I think it's fun. I just dreamed about Dave being at the Cardinals game - I was watching on TV and I saw him in the crowd taking pictures. I said "girls look there's dad taking photos!" so crazy and it was so real. I even recall what clothes he was wearing in the dream!
I wouldn't like being trapped in a house though....that's the apnea talking!
Fantastic hub Real and it didn't even put me to sleep! haha! My husband was diagnosed with Sleep Apnea a few years ago when I insisted on his going to a sleep clinic. He was a totally different person with a C-Pap machine, no more fatique during the day and he slept a lot better ME TOO! Now he's battling cancer but that's another hub. My granddaughter who is 5 yrs old snores...first she's going to have her tonsils checked and maybe removed and then she might have to go to a sleep clinic if that doesn't take care of the problem. Sleep is so fascinating, I wish I did more of it :) I hope this hub gets more people to visit a sleep clinic and get checked for sleep apnea....a 38 yr old editor from our local newspaper died in her sleep from complications of sleep apnea. Scary, so young. Ok i'm outta here...GREAT HUB! Kudos to YOU!!!
Hi Sunshine! Thank you SO much for that comment! I wish others could know how life changing CPAP (or needed treatment) can be. It really does help BOTH partners in positive ways. I'm so sorry to hear your husband has cancer and I give you my best wishes and hopes for his recovery!
I'm surprised they aren't requiring a sleep study prior to having the tonsils removed. Lots of times now insurance requires that the child be tested to see if it's necessary first then another after the surgery too. If she's snoring - for sure obstruction is in the airway though and it can be very disruptive to a child's sleep and they need it the most!
Yep...people really started paying attention several years ago when a football player died from complications with apnea. It's a real deal!
Thanks for that awesome comment too!
Thank you! My granddaughter has an appt with an ENT this Monday and he might suggest a sleep clinic first BUT her pediatrician pointed out her larger then normal tonsils so it makes us think that might be for the first route. Keep on keeping it real, Real! :)
Yeah - that's what it sounds like and honestly, I still don't think they have found a purpose for our tonsils except maybe they help prevent infection from getting down the throat? One of those things people don't miss all that much. Sleep studies aren't fun for kids so I would hate for her to put up with 2 long nights with all the equipment on!
Keep on shining Sunshine:) !! Lol
Wow - got me on that title... obviously I was thinking soemthing completely different.
First off - I have to say, I find it ironic that sleep technicians more than likely work nights so they can monitor others sleep. This in turn, makes them more susecptible to the problems of sleep deprivation... and they know better.
Second - just the other night, Eli caught me talking in my sleep. I don't do it often (or at least I havent' been caught often) I wonder if talking in your sleep makes you more tired in the end. After all, all that chatter at night can't be restful.
Third - I also suffer from other sleep problems. My husband snores and I grind my teeth. Neither are a good combination.
Fourth - I just felt like counting. The order of the points mean nothing really but when I start off saying first I can't help but say second and third and forth... lol
Like usual, this is a great hub! Nothing but the best from you. I have always been interested in sleep. However, I am not really sure I believe in insomnia because I think most cases are self induced. If you are tired enough... you should fall asleep. I could be very wrong... just an opinion. I am going to start paying attention to how I am feeling in the morning. Especially since I have been known to hit snooze on more than a couple of occasions! :)
BBG - I love counting too:) can I have a number 5 please? Lol.
Insomnia I do think is a problem of people not being able to relax enough. Probably lots of mixed reasons. Like too much caffeine in the diet (caffeine can stay in your system for like 10 hours!) anxiety, depression but it's one of those things they don't know enough answers to fix it.
You should see a sleep doctor! You'll grind your teeth down and when your old you won't be able to eat corn. Now how will you like that? Lol. J/k
Thank you so much for having the nerve to turn the page:) hahaha!
Dear Kelly, It is my pleasure to inform you that you have won a very special award, the first place prize for WAHWTMUMT. What award is that you might be asking? Why it's the: 'Writing A Hub With The Most Unbelievably Misleading Title.' Still laughing at that one, m'dear.
Good information though, so you are forgiven. Promise.
She's a REAL HO PRO! Hahahahha
How much do we have to send you for letting us have the PLEASURE of reading this hub$$$$???
You are so cool, K
Ha! Drbj - thank you SO ,uch! And I'd like to accept this award and thank my family for being insane! Lol. I was doing a little experiment - they say - sex sells! I was curious if people would take the time to see that it wasn't out of line, really:) lol.
You crack me up with your priceless comments Drbj:). Thanks you!
Lela! Lol. Lol lol! You know that was going around in my head before I hit publish:) tips from a real HO! Lol. But I already got into enough trouble with this title - and more interesting - did you notice I didn't use one curse word? Not one!
As usual, with people like you guys on hub, the pleasure is all MINE) nothing....and I mean nothing beats the power of a good laugh!
Wow great Hub! Enjoyed reading and since I just started a night shift I learned that lack of sleep can do crazy things. I tried melatonin for awhile, but found it lowered one of the counts on my liver. Not sure which one, but when I went for my physical they told me to stop taking it.
I finally had to like seal our bedroom from outside light during the day, duct tape and all. Now I get great sleep...
Hi Go Green - thank you so much for the comment!
First - going to night shifts can be a killer! Some people literally could not switch over to nights. When people would ask us what they had to do to get our jobs - we used to joke and say, "well first you have to develop a sleep disorder" :). Changing your body clock is not as simple as it seems. I used to feel like a vampire.
You should try to expose yourself to as little sun light as possible before you go to sleep too. Sleeping in a dark room (as dark as possible!) is key too! Try to maintain a regular sleep pattern - so even on your off days you should probably try to stick to a schedule - u less you have no problems. I'm definitely not a doctor so I can't give out medical advice but I'm so sorry to hear about the melatonin! I don't trust that drug and I wish it would be regulated. I am really glad you got the physical and found out too! I read that "5 mg. Per day for 2 years was found to be safe" on the National sleep foundation website - which is a totally legit foundation - but even they say they are presenting the research and you should read and decide if you want to take it after you read the whole report. Also keeping in mind that you can't be sure how many mg.'s are in a tablet.
Glad your sleeping better! I bet that's a relief. Thanks so much for your great contribution to the hub!
You tricked me with your title, very sneaky...lol
Whenever I don't get enough sleep, I get agitated and my blood pressure increases. We should make sure we get enough restful sleep. Awesome hub!
Hi Cardisa! Hahaha - I was just having a little fun with the crowd:) But - sleeping is super important - and one of those things that keeps you looking beautiful! thank you so much!
Wow. Its really serious stuff not sleeping. I always knew it but to see it like this really hits home. I remember twenty five years ago just after having my son I couldn't sleep. I found the more I worried, the worse I got. In the end the ground felt as though I were walking on sponge. I overcame it one night when I visited my sister. She gave me a glass of lager which put me out. I slept right through to the next evening and never looked back. It makes me feel sorry for people like Michael Jackson when I remember that. Good hub, thank you. I voted up.
Hey Cardisa you naughty. What were you expecting?
Hi Real House wife I am also having sleep troubles cos I dont hear from you any more ;((
Waqxi-your fan
Hi Lesley - I can believe you felt that way......sleep deprivation can cause such bad problems. Also - pregnancy can cause many physical changes that affect sleep too! The baby ends up taking so much room up in the womb it can restrict breathing.
Oh foot point about Michael Jackson! Yep - look at the crazy things he did seeking to sleep! Thank you so very much!
Hi Waxi! I havesnt seen you for a while! I hope you are feeling better!
There! No go to bed! Lol.
Sleep is underrated, until you can't! Michael Jackson's desperate quest led to The Long Sleep. When I was still working I lived on about 4 hours sleep and 2-1/2 hours on the road commuting. I fought highway hypnosis going in and coming home.
Ambien has some scary side effects, like sleep walking with no recollection, making lack of sleep look a minor inconvenience by comparison!
Great writing on a relevant topic that is important in everyone's life.
Hi Amy! You said it! Oh and I love that term you've come up with "highway hypnosis". ......that's perfect! I know I once drove home (270! Ugh!) after a few long nights and it was like zero degrees and I had my windows down and occasionally slapped myself during the 30 minute drive home!
Ambien - yep.....that one can cause some really strange stuff exactly like you've said! People can actually drive to work and not remember it! One tech was using it and walking into walls and would have no memory of all kinds of stuff! She did a stint on nights and right back to days...couldn't hack it. I didn't feel I had a choice...I needed money and we made 4 dollars more an hour to work at night! That adds up over a years time!
Thanks for dropping in as always homegirl! How bout those Cards huh?
GO CARDS! I have to admit I got a little tired of the squirrel boogie woogie!
I used to employ the same tactics of rolling down the window, slapping myself to no avail. One evening driving home from work on Highway B, a two lane, narrow, winding road with no shoulders, about 1 mile from home, I fell asleep and jerked awake while heading for the ravine on the opposite side of the road...no colon cleansing needed! A number of people have died taking the turns too quickly on Hwy B. There is little room for error. There are also a lot of deer in the woods directly off the roadway.
As always, RealHousewife, your writing is inspirational, informative, funny, clever and a treat to read. I get the feeling there is never a dull moment in your life.
you didn't discuss my problem real. i fall asleep exactly at 10 pm regardless of where i am and who is with me.now all my friends and my kids r used to me going off without as much as a sorry when the cock strikes 10 or at best 11.
maybe you have some suggestions for staying awake????
and yes the action suffers because i fall asleep at 10 and the wife comes in at 11!!!!!!!!! so helpppppppppp
Hmmmm....
Number 5 - I could really use some sleep right now! LOL
Ha ha - couldn't resist. I often times thought about seeing a doctor about my teeth grinding. It isn't too bad unless I am really stressed. I still have nice tall teeth. But, if I won't to be able to eat corn later in life... I might just rush over there right away! LOL
Dear Realhousewife gee thanks so good to hear from you now I am enjoying my sleep I dreamed you bought me a panda bear for Xmas :))))))))
Boys wil be boys -ur silly Waqxi
Wow Amy - I know where HWY B is! Used to have a friend that lived off BB. That area was my school district! Lol.
My brother has hit like 3 deer already! We call him the deer slayer:) lol. I live off of Winghaven now. Not far from the August Busch wildlife preservation area. Lots of deer!
I do have dull moments Amy but they are few and far between! If stuff gets boring I just find a way to shake it up! Lol.
Hi Neeleskukarni! Lol. Well do you have any idea how jealous non sleepers would be of that problem? Lol.
I have the perfect solution for you! Tell your wife to go to bed at 9! lol.
You have a strong body clock - and at 10 it decides you must go to bed! You are SO lucky!
BBG - that's pretty common - when I'm stressed - I sometimes wake up and my jaws hurt from clenching my teeth! Stress can wreck your sleep.
I'll tell you something....you would probably be fitted for a dental appliance - kind of like a mouth guard....some people can't fall asleep with them either. But as always - it is mind over matter because once you do fall asleep - you don't care:) it's practice!
Hi Waxi! Well I am glad you got good sleep and dreams! That is what it's all about! Keel it real Waxi:) lol
This hubs right on target Kelly. Have had sleep probs for awhile now. Mostly waking up every two hours. The doc can't tell me why either, says its a mystery still. Is it really a mystery? . He said he could put me on klonipin long-term but I didn't want the benzos. Take phenergen alternating with flexerel. Over the counter sleep aids don't help at all. Appreciate this informative hub Kelly, the comments are great too.
Hi Alastar - gosh I am sorry to hear your sleep is disrupted so badly!! Have you had a sleep study at a sleep clinic? Did they give you a report? I just have never heard of a person waking up at regular intervals.
I would highly recommend that you see a sleep specialist and not just your MD or PCP. I do believe there is an answer to it! There is a reason - and keep looking for the answer because as you know - sleep doesn't come easily for some - but it is 110% worth seeking more help. Once you get the proper treatment - it will make a new you!!
Thanks so much for the great input here...and let me know how you are doing!
@Alastar - I used to wake up every hour. Thought it was because I had to pee, but it turned out I had sleep apnea. I had a sleep study done and they discovered I was actually waking up every few minutes because I was starved for oxygen.
RealHousewife helped me to understand how important it is to keep my CPAP on at night and although I still don't sleep perfectly, I do tend to sleep most of the night through now. She's right, it takes a pro to deal with sleep problems.
Thank you Austinstar! Yes I encourage anyone that has an issue to get it checked out. I suspect he has the exact thing going on - and there is absolutely no way to tell unless you get the hook-up. I bet - and again I am not a doctor - it is that or even possibly PLMS. I don't want to get too personal so I will put it this way - if you sleep alone you may not realize you are having body movements that cause you to wake yourself up. That can be treated as well!!
Thanks Austin for another great comment!!
This was beautiful tips. I should give more attentions to this. But anyway, I should reach my seven hours sleep at night. Thanks for share with us. Well done and vote up!
Prasetio
Hi RealHousewife, I just stopped by to tell you my Letter to the Editor is published in the November 2011 Vogue! Its the first one on the page beneath a gorgeous photo of Sarah Jessica Parker. My car got "bumped" by a idiot prick in a van as I was stopped for traffic. Luckily, no damages. I just spent $295 on the rear brakes, rotors turned, oil change and new headlight bulbs today! Maybe my luck is turning around since the clueless driver didn't leave a mark.
Hi Prasetio - even seven hours isn't a lot! Lol. You should get more sleep:). Treat yourself good! Thanks so much for the vote as always!!
Amy! I am so excited for you! See? I knew that you could easily get published in Vogue or any other publication. You are a beautiful - interesting and entertaining writer! I can't wait to see it! My mom subscribes to Vogue so I think she gets it early. OMG! That is so cool!
I know your luck is turning around and now you just can't deny it! Thank you so much for taking your time to let me know - this is such a vicarious thrill!! Now if you get the Writers Market you could be sending out articles everywhere and doing what you love right from home! So happy for you! Go St. Lou!
Interesting hub. Your comment to Just Ask Susan is timely. My oldest son is a football player (big neck and all that) and he has been complaining lately about feeling tired. Maybe there is somethere there. I am so fortunate - I can fall asleep anywhere anytime. Wonder if that means the company I am keeping is boring. Ha!
Hi Sally! Lol Sounds like you may have excessive daytime sleepiness! Which could mean something's going on with you also and it tends to be genetic. I would ask him to see his doc because it doesn't usually get better!
I wish I could sleep anytime anywhere though! If it is your friends putting you to sleep - send them on over! Lol.
haha...your title gave me some ideas and your text proved it wrong :)
Coming to the topic...sure Sleep is very important for all living beings inorder to keep their sanity and function well. I start to get irritated if I don't get my 6-7 hours of sleep at night..my poor kid...lol
In Europe they allow people to snooze off for a couple of minutes during the day. I think that helps in the productivity and the well being of a human.
A Well informed hub!
Hi Ruchira - haha! But honestly yes it's a huge part of our physical and mental lives. Our sleep or lack of it also does affect everyone around us too! That's a great point!
I think they also allow naps in Mexico - siestas! The sleep community is well aware of how beneficial a 20 minute nap is during a working shift but they would never let us nap either! We used to complain about that:)
.....freaking awesome is right .....love this playful, sexy and frisky title too - lol lol - and bedroom tips? The Man with no pants - man oh man what a hub - lol lol - and you are not just a housewife who is real - you are a writer and great hubber who is real too!
Must post this one to my Facebook page with a direct link back here and let the world know that I hang out with some really great people.
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Hi Epi! Thank you SO much! You crack me up - I have to make it my job to keep things real now:) lol.
Thanks for posting to your FB! That's very cool and I sincerely appreciate that!
Hi Real...
Well...two confessions...1) You got me in here because of the Hub title and 2) I have ALWAYS suffered from odd sleeping patterns and what not.
As I age, however...I'm not quite so nimble on three hours of sleep as I once was. Please keep in mind I am using MY version of the word nimble and not the accepted 'medical' use of the term.
Awesome Job!
Thomas
Hi Thomas - I just love confessions! Now give me some better than those! Lol. Have you ever thought about seeing a doc about your sleep? Just a suggestion:)
After a certain age I think like everything else - it deteriorates. I just use it as extra reading time. Thanks so much!
Hi Real...
I tend to like to blend my confessions into hubs...a form of therapy I suppose. I had no idea a doctor would handle this (until reading this hub of course). Alas...now I have no insurance. I will certainly be asking about it, however, if I ever get health insurance again!
Thomas
Thomas - you mist go see a doctor about this - too bad you didn't realize you could have wrapped all this up while at ER with the girl you poisoned with the puffer fish, you know the one? She was cute - and you liked her! Lmao
Real,
Greetings from MAKUSR. Sleep is necessary for a healthy and successful married life. And that's where the result of the action is!
Lots of Love,
MAKUSR
Hi Makusr - Very true:) thanks so much for putting it that way - sleep is an essential element to all forms of happiness! lol Thanks so much for the comment!
You have written a wonderful hub...one that I really enjoyed reading. Lots of great points on sleep...or in my case the lack of sleep. I was shocked to read that there are 84 different sleep disorders....wow. Finally...your title of the hub is awesome....a perfect way to get people to your hub....awesome job I am impressed.
Ha! Hi Cogerson - well it really is what people do the majority of the time in bed;) lol. I was having a little fun with the title but it's all true. And yep 84 sleep disorder that have been identified.....it's crazy isn't it? And I feel so bad for people who don't realize how poorly they slept - they just think they are tired all the time....too bad. I wish everyone would get treatment if their sleep is disturbed. Good sleep = happiness!
I am both an insomniac and a night owl in general, although I had a regular pattern when I was a student. now I work at home I don't have any pattern at all. But this article has convinced me that it is indeed better for me to struggle away than to take medication and so called cures that are just wasting my money. I also feel better about taking naps when I need to sleep. I do feel rested when I wake up from them. I think my natural inclination if I could is to be awake during the night and sleep during the day. Perhaps I should have a graveyard shift!
Oh don't do that FloraBreen! The last time I looked at the research they said that working night shifts will take 7 years off your life! It to ally goes against the natural grain of our bodies chemical body clocks/). It sounds like it itsnt a problem for you though since you can sleep when you like - but as a rule a regular sleep wake pattern is best:)
Thanks so much for your comments!
Kel,
Again, loved it from the start. Great title :) I was surprised to learn about the approx. 84 sleep disorders. Wow, I'm sure I have a least a few. Great info and research on this piece!
Sharyn
Hi Sharyn! Haha! I was being really literal! lol I know it is really surprising isn't it - I don't even know all this disorders! I do have a few - exactly why I am reading hubs at 1:30 a.m. We always used to say if you want to work in a sleep lab - you have to have a sleep disorder:) lol it's required!
Thank you so much girl - good to see your profile pic! lol
TheManWithNoPants Level 7 Commenter 7 months ago
Freaking awesome! I've always been a nut about getting my eight hours. Even in my party days, I shut it off in time for my winks. When I had the bounty hunting business back in the early nineties, I was doing like three hours and after a while, I was trying to figure out how to kill a fugitive legally. Thankfully the Big Guy got involved and I got out of the business.
This piece had it all girl. I give it a perfect 10, throwing in the "funny" just for good measure!
jim