Sleep consistency

[Ex-User (4771)]

I usually get the recommended amount of sleep every night (7 - 9 hours), however, the "level" of sleep i get dosent seem very consistent. I have gotten 6 hours of sleep that leave me feeling more rested that 9 hours of sleep, and i have gotten 9 hours of sleep that leave me feeling like i have gotten 4. I used to think it was drinking pop before going to sleep but even when i stopped drinking caffeine 4 hours (which i read was the speed at which caffeine enters/exits the bloodstream) before going to sleep it was still inconsistent. So my question is "Do you guys have any tips or tricks for more consistent sleep?"

 

[pjoa09]

sleep more

but not too much.

do some more 8 hour runs and try to reduce the caffeine intake.

but really i don't think caffeine has that much of effect.

It's just introduce routine and exercise.

 

[PapyrusAirplanes]

Exercise is amazing as far as improving sleep quality. So is getting to bed early; I've found that when I go to bed around 10:30 and wake up at 5:30, I'm a lot more energized than I am when I go to bed at 12:30 and wake up at 7:30, or 1:30 and 8:30, etc.

I've heard it said that we should think of every hour of sleep before midnight as two. I was skeptical at first, but it's been proving to be true.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

Two words that, together, make no sense to me.

 

[Wahrheitsliebe]

I don't sleep that much at all (2-4 hours /night)...but what I do get seems to be pretty quality.

I don't know if it's a personal thing (like having more "sleep spindles" in the brain--I sleep through any noise or light)...or if it has something to do with my environment.

My sleep environment is a futon matress on the floor with my pillow and my sheet. In the winter I have a blanket. There is one window in the room I sleep in, and I usually leave the shade up so I get up when it gets light (with the aid of 5 or so alarms).

I go to bed when I'm tired. Somewhere between 1 and 6 am. I wake up when I need to, somewhere between 4 and 7 am.

I drink a little around 8 or 9 pm, usually.

No food or drink besides water after 10 pm.

I'd say getting yourself into the "mindset" of sleep before actually falling alsleep can help. Like meditating or just being calm in general.

 

[chrystalline]

I have had a sleep disorder for approximately 14 years. I have no physical symptoms, but the doctor was bewildered when he had to tell me I was in a dream state 80% of my sleep time. He said he had never seen that before. It doesn't matter if I stay in a routine pattern, reduce my intake of caffeine (which is my drug of choice btw), do calming exercise, write my thoughts or schedules out before bed...I think I have tried everything. I attribute it to an overactive brain personally. It never stops. I have actually learned to use this dream time to my advantage by dissecting them to figure out what is going on in my life...and what I may need to work on. I realize that I express emotion in my dream state (as I don't in reality) and try to work on what they are telling me. Dream psychology is actually quite interesting. I hope you have better sleep than I do as I only get a good night's sleep probably 2x a year.

 

[Vrecknidj]

Exercise is amazing as far as improving sleep quality.

This is true for me as well.

So is getting to bed early; I've found that when I go to bed around 10:30 and wake up at 5:30, I'm a lot more energized than I am when I go to bed at 12:30 and wake up at 7:30, or 1:30 and 8:30, etc.

I am opposite of this. If I go to bed at midnight and get up at 6, I'm FAR more tired than if I go to bed at 4 and get up at 10 (just as an example). I generally don't prefer 6 hours of sleep a night, but, working 85-hour weeks just takes so much out of my days that I can't do much else.

I've heard it said that we should think of every hour of sleep before midnight as two. I was skeptical at first, but it's been proving to be true.

I remain skeptical.

Dave

 

[SkyWalker]

Caffeine is active 18 hours, caffeine will make you sleep less deep if its still in the blood during sleep (then you will need more hours of sleep as compensation).
But you can drink lots of caffeine right when you wake up, to have the anti-effect of caffeine deprivation 18 hours later. This helps you have a consistent sleep interval. By this chemical you can control your peak awakeness and peak sleepiness, if things dont work out like that for you naturally... But dont drink it all day, or you will lose this benefit by loss of deep sleep.

if you have sleeping problems its really a great tip to have a strong coffee or 2 in the morning (and if you can: exercise like an idiot right after it) and then stay off from coffee and exercise all day, so you'll be maximum sleepy in the evening.

also great for correcting yourself after jet lag

 

[Bryson]

(and if you can: exercise like an idiot right after it)

Thanks for the caffeine tips but how do we exercise like an idiot?
Something like that?

Spoiler

 

[Silent Fury]

I heard u get "tired" of sleeping. Maybe 7hrs. I have a problem with insomnia and only sleeping 7 hours when sleeping in >: (

 

[xbox]

i should be sleeping right now but i have like 23 tabs open, exploring internships and co-ops at the company i want to work in someday.

sometimes i just go to sleep when my body pretty much shutdowns

 

[Kate]

Exercise is amazing as far as improving sleep quality. So is getting to bed early; I've found that when I go to bed around 10:30 and wake up at 5:30, I'm a lot more energized than I am when I go to bed at 12:30 and wake up at 7:30, or 1:30 and 8:30, etc.

Agreed. I exercise regularly in spurts. I'll do it for a few months and then something will happen so I'll stop for a little bit but I always eventually start again. My quality of sleep is always much better when I exercise (which is half the reason why I do it).