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Off-Topic Hacks for improving sleep ?

Anders

Anders

Level 6 Valued Member
Hi,

I was curious if people have different hacks that you use to improve sleep.

I have an easy time falling asleep, but a hard time staying asleep for 8 hours. I usually awake 5 hours after going to bed.

I have tried different things like Magnesium, pheumatic air-pants, infrared lamp, using anti blue-light glasses in the evening, working out regularly, not eating too late in the evening, meditating regularly etc etc.

I was curious about other people's hacks or habits that you use to improve or maintain good sleep quality.


Anders
 
- I try my best to time the 8 hours based on the time I want to wake up at (5:30/6am to train) and then allow for 30' extra, as I know I get excited even when asleep and want to wake up earlier.

- Magnesium + fish oil + VitD prior to bed with dinner

- 1.5 scoops of casein seems to do the trick when I'm having a very low carb / no carb dinner (rice makes me sleepy)

- No spicy foods / greasy foods / fried foods / alcohol (that's a general rule of my eating habits though)

- Try to spend the final 60' of wake time before bed talking to the fiancee in low light without TV on (might be on in the background because she likes watching stuff, but mostly a static image paused till I depart)

- Absolutely no water; if I do drink too close to bed and need a loo break, no lights switched on when I go.
 
Hot shower before going to bed has been working well last few nights

Talking book on 30min timer for a lullaby or a recording of waves on a beach on 30min timer

Melatonin sometimes works ( Australian chemist gave me first pack of 30 for free)

Tiring day working oustside with various "snack" exercises whenever I go into the shed for a tool. ie deadhangs, swings, couple of pullups or deadlifts
 
I met an Italian who swore an espresso before bed helped him sleep through the night. Arguing that the body goes into a withdrawal state otherwise leading to him waking up early.
Is there something your body could be craving?
 
My n=1 approach

When you end up staying up longer than needed, slowly work your way back to your routine by sleeping half an hour earlier until you're hitting your regular sleeping hours
 
Go on youtube and search "yoga Nidra" or "Non sleep deep rest" or "NSDR". Lie in bed and just let it play, it's a guided meditation usually with a body scan type thing. Do nothing else, lie still, whilst its playing, give it your full concentration.
I do this every evening, I also use Calm app that has similar protocols on it.
 
Some carbs in the evening, but no eating big before bed. Maybe a magnesium supplement. A cold and well ventilated bedroom with thin blankets, heat makes me wake up and adjust the position or blanket etc. A good bout of exercise in the afternoon always works. Sauna in the evening is very relaxing.

On the other hand, I never really notice any effect from screen time or caffeine or such.

If you like alcohol, have it earlier during the day.
 
I take all my vitamins and stuff about 30 minutes before I go to bed:
- ZMA
- Fish Oil
- Melatonin
- Naproxen
- Allergy stuff

Usually I will read for 20 or so minutes and my eyes get heavy. I haven't gotten 8 hours of sleep ever in the last 30+ years and probably never will. I do use a small sound app on my phone, usually with sounds of a storm or whatever.
 
Cutting screen time at least 30 minutes prior helps. I do a few drops of CMD oil before bed.... jury is still out on that one. Moderating caffiene intake after lunch is a big one. Not saying you cannot consume, but moderating it.
 
The biggest thing that helped me was realizing how much tension I carried to bed with me and to release it. And stilling my busy mind.

Also, avoiding too much food or alcohol before bed. And I'll use melatonin if I need it.
 
Pete L said:
I met an Italian who swore an espresso before bed helped him sleep through the night. Arguing that the body goes into a withdrawal state otherwise leading to him waking up early.
Is there something your body could be craving?
Click to expand...

Yes, it does seem to work wonders, however I believe there's some caveats and things to consider here.

Story time first: my father has an espresso after every meal pretty much, including after dinner. So does my mother, and it seems like it actually makes them fall asleep. It seems to have the same effect on me when I eat with them. However, the average Italian diet does include a lot of heavy-ish coma inducing indulgences (my family's guilty pleasures: bread and cheese, in large amounts, to bookend meals. Also pasta, with cheese). I believe the effect of espresso lies mostly in facilitating / speeding the digestion of such meals, and the caffeine kick is offset by the heaviness of the meal which keeps them asleep. I tend to be subject to that snooze effect myself when I go visit.

I think after a while it becomes just an association type effect: espresso in the morning wakes you up, espresso in the evening snooze.
The 2pm espresso I had to cut out of my life as it would make me fall asleep / feel sluggish, despite my light meals since moving out of Italy
 
I don't really do anything that makes me think I will get more sleep. I wake up everyday at 4:30/5:00 year around. Whether I am doing it to go to work or because I plan to go fishing it is just something that I do. For the most part, I am laying in bed by 8/8:30pm and wake up at about 5am without an alarm. I can't tell you the last time I needed my alarm but I set it just in case. I don't take any special vitamins. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and if it is before 430, I go back to sleep or a few times I have woken up in the last month where it was 3:30 and I was wide awake. So I just wake up and do my normal morning routine and figure I will sleep better that night. Sorry I don't have a secret tip.
 
Melatonin.
Benedril (ZZQuil)
Sometimes I say to myself, "sleep, sleep, sleep" and it actually works.
Sometimes I think of doing kettlebell swings and counting them like sheep, also works.
Also a "body pillow". I have the one from My Pillow. It allows you to drape your leg and arm over it. Very comphy.
 
Anders said:
Hi,

I was curious if people have different hacks that you use to improve sleep.

I have an easy time falling asleep, but a hard time staying asleep for 8 hours. I usually awake 5 hours after going to bed.

I have tried different things like Magnesium, pheumatic air-pants, infrared lamp, using anti blue-light glasses in the evening, working out regularly, not eating too late in the evening, meditating regularly etc etc.

I was curious about other people's hacks or habits that you use to improve or maintain good sleep quality.


Anders
Click to expand...
Have used for several years. Works like magic for me. Power naps, waking in mid. of night, etc.
I start with , "relax your eyes, relax your jaw, relax your tongue," then move to top of head and work my way down.
Most of the time I'm out before I hit the hips/glutes etc.

www.menshealth.com

This Military-Inspired Sleep Hack Helps You Fall Asleep in 2 Minutes Flat

No more tossing and turning.
www.menshealth.com www.menshealth.com

From this 1981 book: Relax and Win, Paperback | Bud Winter .com
 
I made three changes at once, so not sure how much each had an effect, but I have slept great since I:

1. Started to go to bed around 10pm, not later than 11pm. Every night.

2. Stopped taking any caffeine after 10am.

3. Started using earplugs.

As a result, I don’t have to use an alarm clock basically, other than as a back up. I get really tired around 10pm and often sleep 8 hours without waking up. Finding ways to make you sleep better is worth it! Good luck finding out what helps you sleep better!
 
During the work week, I train in the evenings...and on those evenings when I get in a fairly hard training session in, I fall asleep and stay asleep longer.

And while most here and elsewhere may poo-poo this hack, I like a nice bourbon rocks to sip on for an hour before I hit the sack...gets me nice and relaxed.
 
CPAP is simultaneously a sleep hack and annoyance for me. The struggle is I get so annoyed by it that I struggle to make it the whole night. I’m hoping that I adapt to it, because the few times I’ve made it 7+ hours I felt unbelievably good.
 
Using an eye mask has been really helpful for me. Last time I flew to Europe I slept using one on my flight and had very minimal jet lag
 
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