The Epic Sleep Thread

[Jack of Hearts]

This thread is about sleep. Not just any sleep. Epic sleep. Rock bottom, ***-kicking hot-damn-I'm-a-new-man sleep. You maybe know this sleep. Or maybe you've only dreamt of it. So what do you all do for great sleep? Here's what this poster does for great sleep (doesn't seem possible every night).

1. Sunshine

No idea why, but getting sunshine during the day (shirt off at pool or working) seems to make for a better night's sleep.

2. Naps

1-2 hour nap in the early afternoon, if possible. Like an appetizer for the main course.

3. Cut caffeine/carbohydrates

This is mostly a lifestyle thing, but this poster could never sleep when he was jacked up on sugar/carbs/caffeine. This does not include food coma. Food coma is not sleep, 'tis a dance 'pon the toes of Death himself.

4. Lotta water

Lots. Just makes life better somehow.

5. Ritual

Just something usually done around bed time. This, for this poster, is reading and tea. And sometimes the Late Late Show.

6. Shower

Relaxing? Something about temperature difference/using blankets to get warm is soothing.

7. Bed no later than midnight

Anything else just kind of sucks.

8. Aim for ten hours

Coupled with napping, this could easily lead to 12 hours of sleep per day. Hard to nap when you've got to work or be in class or be somebody, though.

9. No girls

All business.

10. Heed the sleep debt

It's real. Pay it off with naps or sleeping in.

[LostPrincess13]

My teacher says number 10 is a myth. :p

[Buckthorn]

I think caffeine can aid sleep, I don't drink too much coffee throughout the day any more, but a cup about an hour before I go to bed seems to put me into a deep sleep.

I have heard loads of unusual theories about sleep - someone told me you need to sleep in multiples of 4 hours (EG either get 4 hours, 8 hours, 12 or 16 hours) and someone else that you should have 4 hours sleep, then a 2 hour waking period, then another 4 hours sleep.

One thing that does work for me is abstinence from alcohol.

[Helga]

coffee has no affect on me but I prefer tea at night. I sometimes get a cup of coffee after dinner but then usually tea.

Routine is good, but I need a routine for everything I do so going to bed is just like every other part of the day in that sense.

Ummh, 12 at the latest and when school starts it's up at 7 but these days it's more around 9.

Oh and I agree with the no girls rule.

[cacian]

Haha I must say I really enjoyed reading your intro Jack of Heart haha especially number
4 5 and 6 but I do not get number 9 and 10.

[Paulclem]

Sleep reduces as you get older, as does the depth. Apparently, when Napoleon invaded Russia in 1812, this had a large impact on those casualties who froze to death on the march back. Yonger people were more likely to freeze because of the depth and length of the sleep they needed.

Luckily, for a developing insomniac lke myself, there are lots of things to occupy me in the small hours such as posting here. Actually I sleep quite well, but nowhere near 10 hours. More like 5-8 depending upon whether I'm working or not.

[JuniperWoolf]

I'm as good at sleep as I am functioning without sleep. I had to be that way, circumstance often means that I have to go two or three days without sleep so when I do get to sleep I'm able to switch off for sixteen hours if I choose to.

When you sleep a lot (more than ten hours say), does anyone else find that they feel very zombie-like the next day? I think it might be a hunger thing, after sixteen hours I don't feel rested until I've eaten.

[Buh4Bee]

Routine- keep girls out of the bed, read before I fall asleep, stopping eating by 7, potty, ect.

Daily activities- get exercise (half hour of walking with Jesus), use vibrator, avoid caffeine, get lots of sun

Go to bed by no later than 10, but like to be in bed by 8 and sleep until about 7, get up at 730. Aim for 9-10 hours.

[JuniperWoolf]

...(half hour of walking with Jesus), use vibrator,...

Omigod, I was sitting in the lobby of a hotel when I read these awesomely consecutive sentences, I laughed so loud I think I startled the guys sitting on the couch.

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

Edited. Don't want infraction points. It went along with one of buh4bee's suggestions.

[qimissung]

Routine- keep girls out of the bed, read before I fall asleep, stopping eating by 7, potty, ect.

Daily activities- get exercise (half hour of walking with Jesus), use vibrator, avoid caffeine, get lots of sun

Go to bed by no later than 10, but like to be in bed by 8 and sleep until about 7, get up at 730. Aim for 9-10 hours.



lol, agreed with Juniper, although I have to admit I didn't notice they were consecutive. But hey, God wants us to be happy and sleep well. :D

I'm a light sleeper, so getting a great night's sleep is just a sweet sweet dream for me. And I am constitutionally unable to nap. The best I can do is a light doze. I do not feel refreshed afterwards. Grrr! Plus my d*** cat(!) Chet, who stays out all night, always wants to come in at 6:30 on the dot-and thus my good night's sleep is shot.

On top of that, I like to stay up kinda late, I don't really have routines, I like to lie in in the morning, so summer is heaven for me. So the best night's sleep I get is with drugs, usually a whole zyrtec (allergy medicine), which I usually avoid taking a whole one, because I start to fall asleep anytime I sit down the next day. Or I can take a melatonin. I love those, but I rarely take them either. Natural is better. Is there a really good calming tea one could drink? I usually drink tea in the morning.

I am starting to exercise a bit, so that helps. It's 104 degrees on average here right now,so I'm kind of avoiding the sun. I will have to investigate Buh4Bee's most comprehensive list.

[Darcy88]

1 . Exercise

2. Being so bummed about life in general sleep is like a wonderful escape.

3. Pills.

4. Boredom.

[Buckthorn]

I don't know how many other feel this way but most the time I find it easier to sleep when the TV is on (I just have to remember to put it on sleep timer)

[Alexander III]

1) Smoke joint before bed
2) Have the best sleep of your life
3) Wake up feeling refreshed and like a god
4) Repeat every night for optimal effect

[Alexander III]

Edited. Don't want infraction points. It went along with one of buh4bee's suggestions.

Is it the vibrator ?

[Lokasenna]

10 hours? Blimey, that's nearly half the day gone...

I'm a heavy sleeper and sleep quite well, albeit that I do suffer from nightmares quite often. I usually get about 6-7 hours, which is more than enough for me!

1. Fairly strenuous physical/mental activity during the day helps - I always sleep like a log after a few miles of hiking or a really productive day of writing.

2. A cup of tea right before bed helps dramatically, particularly if it's early enough to be had with some light night-time reading.

3. I'm an early-to-bed-early-to-rise type of person - I'm always up for 6:30 in the morning, regardless of when I actually went to bed, so if I want to be well rested I've got to be hitting the sack between 11pm and midnight.

4. I like to drift off listening to the radio - I'll set it to turn off after half an hour, and it's really nice to lie there in the dark enjoying one of the old BBC radio comedies... or at least the first ten minutes of it..!

5. As for the no girls rule - really? Not quite sure I agree there...

[cacian]

Routine- keep girls out of the bed, read before I fall asleep, stopping eating by 7, potty, ect.

Daily activities- get exercise (half hour of walking with Jesus), use vibrator, avoid caffeine, get lots of sun

Go to bed by no later than 10, but like to be in bed by 8 and sleep until about 7, get up at 730. Aim for 9-10 hours.

I never stop eating till I fall asleep haha.
Only joking I never rules about when to stop eating.
I could not do it.

[aliengirl]

Do you really manage to sleep for 10 hours daily? That's an achievement. I'm happy if I get to sleep soundly for six hours these days. Anyway,

1. Lots of physical and mental work in daytime helps me get a good and nightmare-free sleep.

2. People around me. Yeah, I sleep better when my family members are present. It is not strange considering the fact that I grew up sharing the bed with my sister and now I'm the only one in a 9 room house besides my mom. Also it is reassuring to know that someone is there just behind a wall, in case some burglar takes a fancy.

3. Being stress free. I can't sleep when stressed or depressed. Even if I doze off, my mind does not shut off.

4. Eating early, at least two or three hours before bed. Tea or coffee has no negative effect upon my sleep.

[Jack of Hearts]

Don't like people around for epic sleep.

An open window makes for better sleep as well, if outside is reasonably quiet.






J

[Delta40]

Cryptic crossword book

Red bulb lamp

Favourite teddy bears

Eider quilt

The means to lower your blood pressure....

Journal and a good pen

[grace86]

Epic sleep...good topic since I've been completely zonked for the past two days!

Having a deployed spouse makes for lousy sleep, but I can't say that I get the most EPIC sleep when that someone steals my covers either :lol:

I think I am turning into an insomniac these past several months. Finding myself hitting the 'refresh' button on facebook while waiting for sleep is terrible considering my job with preschoolers.

But after a long day running and interacting with my students, a good dinner, some music or movie in bed and/or some reading with a glass of red wine - I can usually find pretty peaceful sleep that escapes the stresses of deployment life.