Post by Admin/ Traveler on Aug 29, 2018 20:09:02 GMT
And hopefully others will comment as well!
I've never been a 'good sleeper' and it may have been mostly because I've had these infections for most of my life - or I may just not be a good sleeper! At any rate, once my adrenals crashed, I had to learn how to sleep. Sounds funny, as sleeping isn't something we usually think of having to 'learn' - but it is, especially once a person starts having troubles.
There's all kinds of sleep issues, from having troubles falling asleep, not getting enough sleep because of waking several/many times a night, or just not ever reaching REM sleep - and more. And, since sleeping soundly requires specific brain chemicals to be in the right amount, and they differ at least slightly for each of us, we won't all need XXXX product to help with our sleep. It's back to the drawing board yet again, with lots of trial and errors, but there's no other way to go about this.
So, I thought I'd go over some basics, then list what I need to take in order to have any prayer of getting some sleep now. Questions are always allowed, and other experiences that get posted will only help others that may be going through this. So, thank you in advance for those willing to post their own experiences with sleep issues and meds/herbs that have helped - and please list how/why they help if you can!
It is estimated that 10-15% of adults suffer from insomnia, which is more common in women and the elderly (Fogel, 2003). Especially with a high perception of stress, it is easy to neglect sleep in order to get “more important” things done—this can take a major toll on the body and lead to an unhealthy relationship with sleep.
What happens when we sleep and why is sleep important?
It’s easy to think of sleep as “wasted time” or “a necessary chore” when we lead such busy lives, but while we are sleeping many vital body processes are underway. Sleep is restorative for the body— energy reserves are replenished, memories are consolidated, and hormones are released. One of the hormones released during sleep is growth hormone, the building and anti-aging hormone. Growth hormone stimulates tissue regeneration, liver regeneration, muscle building, breakdown of fat stores, and normalization of blood sugar. Growth hormone is responsible for the growth and rejuvenation of the immune, nervous, skeletal, and muscular systems!
Sleep is also required to minimize neuronal damage from the free radicals that we accumulate during the day. Studies have shown that chronic sleep deprivation causes damage to the neurons, accelerating brain aging. Sleep is the time when our body can continue all body processes without the added stress of being awake and going about our daily routine. If this necessary process of sleep is cut short, we may awake less able to concentrate, make decisions, or engage fully in work or social activities.
During the time we spend sleeping, we alternate between two major sleep stages: REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and slow-wave sleep (also known as non-REM). In non-REM sleep, respiration, blood pressure and muscle tone decreases and we adjust our body position without conscious demands from the brain.
During REM sleep, brain activity actually inhibits movement, paralyzing skeletal muscles, except for the muscles needed for respiration and the muscles of the eyes (this is rapid-eye-movement sleep after all!). Dreams occur during REM sleep and this is the sleep stage from which we most often spontaneously wake up. During REM sleep, we store what we have learned throughout the day—sleep is key to learning! We spend about 20% of our sleep time in REM sleep as adults, but as infants, we spend 50% of our time sleeping in REM (because we are learning so much!).
Four to six cycles of REM and non-REM sleep occur during an average sleep cycle and follow one after the other in predictable 90 to 110 minute intervals with longer periods of REM sleep and shorter periods of non-REM sleep toward the morning. Non-REM sleep is divided into four stages based on changes in the EEG pattern (a measurement of the electrical activity of the brain).
The Six Stages of Sleep
Stage 0: In stage 0, we are still awake but our eyes are closed as we rest. During this stage alpha waves predominate the brain.
Stage I: This is light sleep—alpha waves continue but are interspersed by low-frequency theta waves and our eyes begin to make slow movements. During a typical sleep cycle, we spend 5-10 minutes in stage one. When in this stage, we are easily awakened and if we are awakened, we probably will not feel rested.
Stage II: In stage two EEG patterns continue to slow. Stage two is considered light sleep with intermittent peaks and valley in brain activity, indicating spontaneous muscle tone and relaxation. The heart rate slows and the body temperature goes down as we prepare for deeper sleep. We typically spend approximately 45-55% of our sleep time in stage two.
Stage III: In stage three sleep there are no longer any slow eye movements and low frequency, high-amplitude delta waves dominate, bringing us into deep sleep. We spend 15-20% of sleep time in this stage.
Stage IV: In stage four, delta waves and deep sleep continues. We spend another 15-20% of sleep time in this stage.
REM Sleep (Stage V): REM sleep usually occurs 90 minutes after we fall asleep and lasts initially for about ten minutes, with each period of REM throughout the night getting longer and longer. Brainwaves during REM sleep are very similar to those when we are awake! The heart rate and breathing speed up and are erratic, rapid eye movement occurs, and dreaming heightens our brain activity. Our major voluntary muscles are paralyzed.
During one sleep cycle, we initially go through stage 0 to REM, then continue to cycle through stage II-REM throughout the night, with more and more time spent in REM. The last sleep cycle’s REM period may last about an hour.
SLEEP HYGIENE
Helpful sleep/nighttime habits:
Keep an uncluttered bedroom that is dark, cool, and quiet
Keep a regular sleep wake cycle
Minimize daytime naps (while you will see this, ignore this if you have these infections!)
Avoid staying up late/depriving the body of sleep on a frequent basis
Avoid vigorous exercise too close to bedtime
Avoid drinking anything caffeinated too close to bedtime
Sleep as much as you need to to feel refreshed, but not more than that (spending too much time in bed has been linked to poor sleep quality) - Lyme patients are caught in a 'catch 22' here, as we have so much trouble with sleep, and yet if we spend all day in bed, we may actually get less rest than if we get up for a bit each day - when we can. This is highly individual!
Get up the same time every day, regardless of when you went to bed—this helps to establish a consistent sleep-wake rhythm (while this is important, remember, they are talking to healthy people, not Lyme patients!)
Sleep on a quality mattress!
If you don’t fall asleep after 15-20 minutes, get up and do something quietly until you become drowsy.(or you may need to do as I have started doing - lay there and rest anyway. It's better than no rest at all, if you can't sleep!)
Consider using earplugs and/or an eye mask
Unhelpful sleep/nighttime habits:
Keeping a TV in your bedroom
Watching or reading anything scary, violent, or otherwise stimulating before bed
Having sources of artificial light in your bedroom
Doing things other than sleeping or being intimate with your sleeping partner in bed (such as reading, talking on the phone, writing, etc.) - again, this is not talking to those that 'live' in their beds because they are too ill to get up. Been there, done that!
Thinking of problems/worries before or while in bed (oh, well, if I can convince my brain that's not a good time....)
Looking at the clock while in bed
Eating (a larger amount) too close to bedtime (often those with sleep issues also have adrenal issues - eating a high quality protein packed snack may just help us sleep!)
So, as for my mess of pills/tinctures/teas I take to sleep some each night:
I start with Celestial Seasonings Sleepy Time tea (hubby prefers Bigelow's Sweet Dreams tea though), and I add (as tinctures) avena sativa, hops, motherwort, and then take in pills: Lidtke brand tryptophan, melatonin, and I was taking valerian up until I got really sick about 6 weeks ago. Valerian is one of the herbs I haven't managed to restart yet - and I'm considering switching to cramp bark to see how it works for me (Valerian actually isn't quite strong enough for me, as I have very tight muscles all the time).
I've never been a 'good sleeper' and it may have been mostly because I've had these infections for most of my life - or I may just not be a good sleeper! At any rate, once my adrenals crashed, I had to learn how to sleep. Sounds funny, as sleeping isn't something we usually think of having to 'learn' - but it is, especially once a person starts having troubles.
There's all kinds of sleep issues, from having troubles falling asleep, not getting enough sleep because of waking several/many times a night, or just not ever reaching REM sleep - and more. And, since sleeping soundly requires specific brain chemicals to be in the right amount, and they differ at least slightly for each of us, we won't all need XXXX product to help with our sleep. It's back to the drawing board yet again, with lots of trial and errors, but there's no other way to go about this.
So, I thought I'd go over some basics, then list what I need to take in order to have any prayer of getting some sleep now. Questions are always allowed, and other experiences that get posted will only help others that may be going through this. So, thank you in advance for those willing to post their own experiences with sleep issues and meds/herbs that have helped - and please list how/why they help if you can!
It is estimated that 10-15% of adults suffer from insomnia, which is more common in women and the elderly (Fogel, 2003). Especially with a high perception of stress, it is easy to neglect sleep in order to get “more important” things done—this can take a major toll on the body and lead to an unhealthy relationship with sleep.
What happens when we sleep and why is sleep important?
It’s easy to think of sleep as “wasted time” or “a necessary chore” when we lead such busy lives, but while we are sleeping many vital body processes are underway. Sleep is restorative for the body— energy reserves are replenished, memories are consolidated, and hormones are released. One of the hormones released during sleep is growth hormone, the building and anti-aging hormone. Growth hormone stimulates tissue regeneration, liver regeneration, muscle building, breakdown of fat stores, and normalization of blood sugar. Growth hormone is responsible for the growth and rejuvenation of the immune, nervous, skeletal, and muscular systems!
Sleep is also required to minimize neuronal damage from the free radicals that we accumulate during the day. Studies have shown that chronic sleep deprivation causes damage to the neurons, accelerating brain aging. Sleep is the time when our body can continue all body processes without the added stress of being awake and going about our daily routine. If this necessary process of sleep is cut short, we may awake less able to concentrate, make decisions, or engage fully in work or social activities.
During the time we spend sleeping, we alternate between two major sleep stages: REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and slow-wave sleep (also known as non-REM). In non-REM sleep, respiration, blood pressure and muscle tone decreases and we adjust our body position without conscious demands from the brain.
During REM sleep, brain activity actually inhibits movement, paralyzing skeletal muscles, except for the muscles needed for respiration and the muscles of the eyes (this is rapid-eye-movement sleep after all!). Dreams occur during REM sleep and this is the sleep stage from which we most often spontaneously wake up. During REM sleep, we store what we have learned throughout the day—sleep is key to learning! We spend about 20% of our sleep time in REM sleep as adults, but as infants, we spend 50% of our time sleeping in REM (because we are learning so much!).
Four to six cycles of REM and non-REM sleep occur during an average sleep cycle and follow one after the other in predictable 90 to 110 minute intervals with longer periods of REM sleep and shorter periods of non-REM sleep toward the morning. Non-REM sleep is divided into four stages based on changes in the EEG pattern (a measurement of the electrical activity of the brain).
The Six Stages of Sleep
Stage 0: In stage 0, we are still awake but our eyes are closed as we rest. During this stage alpha waves predominate the brain.
Stage I: This is light sleep—alpha waves continue but are interspersed by low-frequency theta waves and our eyes begin to make slow movements. During a typical sleep cycle, we spend 5-10 minutes in stage one. When in this stage, we are easily awakened and if we are awakened, we probably will not feel rested.
Stage II: In stage two EEG patterns continue to slow. Stage two is considered light sleep with intermittent peaks and valley in brain activity, indicating spontaneous muscle tone and relaxation. The heart rate slows and the body temperature goes down as we prepare for deeper sleep. We typically spend approximately 45-55% of our sleep time in stage two.
Stage III: In stage three sleep there are no longer any slow eye movements and low frequency, high-amplitude delta waves dominate, bringing us into deep sleep. We spend 15-20% of sleep time in this stage.
Stage IV: In stage four, delta waves and deep sleep continues. We spend another 15-20% of sleep time in this stage.
REM Sleep (Stage V): REM sleep usually occurs 90 minutes after we fall asleep and lasts initially for about ten minutes, with each period of REM throughout the night getting longer and longer. Brainwaves during REM sleep are very similar to those when we are awake! The heart rate and breathing speed up and are erratic, rapid eye movement occurs, and dreaming heightens our brain activity. Our major voluntary muscles are paralyzed.
During one sleep cycle, we initially go through stage 0 to REM, then continue to cycle through stage II-REM throughout the night, with more and more time spent in REM. The last sleep cycle’s REM period may last about an hour.
SLEEP HYGIENE
Helpful sleep/nighttime habits:
Keep an uncluttered bedroom that is dark, cool, and quiet
Keep a regular sleep wake cycle
Minimize daytime naps (while you will see this, ignore this if you have these infections!)
Avoid staying up late/depriving the body of sleep on a frequent basis
Avoid vigorous exercise too close to bedtime
Avoid drinking anything caffeinated too close to bedtime
Sleep as much as you need to to feel refreshed, but not more than that (spending too much time in bed has been linked to poor sleep quality) - Lyme patients are caught in a 'catch 22' here, as we have so much trouble with sleep, and yet if we spend all day in bed, we may actually get less rest than if we get up for a bit each day - when we can. This is highly individual!
Get up the same time every day, regardless of when you went to bed—this helps to establish a consistent sleep-wake rhythm (while this is important, remember, they are talking to healthy people, not Lyme patients!)
Sleep on a quality mattress!
If you don’t fall asleep after 15-20 minutes, get up and do something quietly until you become drowsy.(or you may need to do as I have started doing - lay there and rest anyway. It's better than no rest at all, if you can't sleep!)
Consider using earplugs and/or an eye mask
Unhelpful sleep/nighttime habits:
Keeping a TV in your bedroom
Watching or reading anything scary, violent, or otherwise stimulating before bed
Having sources of artificial light in your bedroom
Doing things other than sleeping or being intimate with your sleeping partner in bed (such as reading, talking on the phone, writing, etc.) - again, this is not talking to those that 'live' in their beds because they are too ill to get up. Been there, done that!
Thinking of problems/worries before or while in bed (oh, well, if I can convince my brain that's not a good time....)
Looking at the clock while in bed
Eating (a larger amount) too close to bedtime (often those with sleep issues also have adrenal issues - eating a high quality protein packed snack may just help us sleep!)
So, as for my mess of pills/tinctures/teas I take to sleep some each night:
I start with Celestial Seasonings Sleepy Time tea (hubby prefers Bigelow's Sweet Dreams tea though), and I add (as tinctures) avena sativa, hops, motherwort, and then take in pills: Lidtke brand tryptophan, melatonin, and I was taking valerian up until I got really sick about 6 weeks ago. Valerian is one of the herbs I haven't managed to restart yet - and I'm considering switching to cramp bark to see how it works for me (Valerian actually isn't quite strong enough for me, as I have very tight muscles all the time).