As I have ramped up yardage I assumed I would sleep more. Unfortunately this has not been the case. I go to sleep very quickly and then between 1-3am(the last two nights it's been 2.15am) I wake up and then can't go back to sleep. I have tried using melatonin with no luck. I am very reluctant to use anything else due to its affect on my swimming. Has anyone else experienced anything similar and if so and thoughts on how to sleep? I am planning on heading to my doctor to see what they recommend.
How close to bedtime do you workout? If you practice in the evenings this, I've read, can be a bit of a problem.
I have a similar pattern, by the way. It's pretty common and likely to become more so as you age.
The best advice I can offer is to absolutely not worry about it, and don't, in any way, try to get back to sleep. If anything, try to stay awake--the paradoxical cure!
If your wife doesn't mind, perhaps you could put on the radio at very low volume. I have had great success with listening to BBC World Service in the wee hours. The soothing blather about stuff I don't care that much about interrupts my own more provocative mental chatter but without getting me in any way excited or energized. Invariably I drift back off.
I wonder if my subconscious has become an expert on the cricket scores in India?
One last thought: a sleep researcher told me that there are two kinds of (older) guys in the world--those who wake up in the middle of the night and worry about it. And those who wake up in the middle of the night and don't worry about it.
Strive to join the latter ranks!
I agree with Jim. If you think the radio news is to invigorating, try downloading some benign NPR podcasts to your itunes and ipod and use one ear plug to listen to one after you've found yourself awake. Wife can't hear it, your mind will stop churning, and you'll drift back to sleep. Don't pick exciting podcasts (i.e., not podcasts about sex, sports, weirdness, end of the world, terrorists, etc.); try podcast topics in engineering, science, art, literature, etc. that are soothing.
In my experience it has more to do with aging and the increased complexity of life - more responsibilities to think about - bigger families, work, $, house, etc. The last 4 years have not been easy on most. The increased training may help sleep, i think. Tea with caffine is a no-no for me and especially too much alcohol (although it may help me sometimes fall asleep) generally wakes me up in the middle of the night or very early resulting in not enough rest, lowered resistance, and an increased tendency to get sick.
How close to bedtime do you workout? If you practice in the evenings this, I've read, can be a bit of a problem.
I have a similar pattern, by the way. It's pretty common and likely to become more so as you age.
The best advice I can offer is to absolutely not worry about it, and don't, in any way, try to get back to sleep. If anything, try to stay awake--the paradoxical cure!
If your wife doesn't mind, perhaps you could put on the radio at very low volume. I have had great success with listening to BBC World Service in the wee hours. The soothing blather about stuff I don't care that much about interrupts my own more provocative mental chatter but without getting me in any way excited or energized. Invariably I drift back off.
I wonder if my subconscious has become an expert on the cricket scores in India?
One last thought: a sleep researcher told me that there are two kinds of (older) guys in the world--those who wake up in the middle of the night and worry about it. And those who wake up in the middle of the night and don't worry about it.
Strive to join the latter ranks!
I agree with Jim. If you think the radio news is to invigorating, try downloading some benign NPR podcasts to your itunes and ipod and use one ear plug to listen to one after you've found yourself awake. Wife can't hear it, your mind will stop churning, and you'll drift back to sleep. Don't pick exciting podcasts (i.e., not podcasts about sex, sports, weirdness, end of the world, terrorists, etc.); try podcast topics in engineering, science, art, literature, etc. that are soothing.
In my experience it has more to do with aging and the increased complexity of life - more responsibilities to think about - bigger families, work, $, house, etc. The last 4 years have not been easy on most. The increased training may help sleep, i think. Tea with caffine is a no-no for me and especially too much alcohol (although it may help me sometimes fall asleep) generally wakes me up in the middle of the night or very early resulting in not enough rest, lowered resistance, and an increased tendency to get sick.
