Sleeping problems

Factual Questions
1

This has been bugging me for a while.

I’ve been haveing problems falling alseep and I’m not sure why.

I typically get 6-8 hours of sleep per night of full sleep (a little more if you count the pseudo-stuff where 2 hours can feel like 15 minutes but you don’t feel half or fully asleep).

I’m eating better then I used to and less of it.

I exercise(in some form) every day and lift weights at least twice a week.

When I do fall alseep, I’m dead for hours and I do dream.

It just takes me a while, far longer then I’d like to actually fall asleep. I never really had this problem when I was eating more and wasn’t exercising.

Shouldn’t I be finding it easier, not harder to fall alseep?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

2

Ignoring the irony of me replying to this thread :slight_smile: …
Well, one possibility would be that you are exercising just before you go to sleep. This would release adrenaline which would obviously prevent you from falling asleep.

Is this what happens?

3

I do squats maybe 2 hours before I go to bed. Is that close enough to make a difference?

4

How long have you been having this problem? Is it persistent? The part about falling dead asleep for hours accompanied by vivid dreams could indicate a sleep disorder of some sort.

You might want to check out Talk About Sleep

I have problems with sleep disorders, and some of what you’ve described fits in the realm of sleep apnea or ideopathic hypersomnia.

If you’ve been having problems sleeping for awhile, and your diet / exercise can be counted out as factors, you may want to look into seeing a doctor.

Otherwise, you may want to re-arrange your schedule so you exercise in the mornings, rather than later in the day. Vigorous activity late in the day can ‘re-set’ your body clock, making it more difficult to get to sleep and harder to wake up in the morning.

Any activity within a few hours of bedtime can hinder your ability to fall asleep. Some suggestions for getting a good night’s rest include a nice hot bath or shower before bedtime, which will increase bloodflow to your brain and bring more oxygen, and setting up a routine. Another important point is to only use your bed for sleeping (and nookie) . Other activities like watching t.v. or reading can cause an association with waking activities that may make it difficult to fall asleep.

For more in-depth information, check out the link above, or do a search for sleep disorders.

Above all, make sure you see a doctor if you can’t eliminate other factors and get a good night’s rest.