[onlymep]

Ok... I thought I'd ask the question out of interest as we're all different. Also I'm having problems myself at the moment with only sleeping a 2-3 hours at a time. Well last night it's possible I could have slept 7 hours straight although the lovely neighbourhood cats had several fights during the night where I nearly fell out of my bed... sorry I'm not their biggest fan and I reckon there should be a law that cat owners should keep their big fluff balls locked up at night (seriously one of them sounds like a person on my pagola and roof it's so damn heavy). But obviously as you would all know I have other health issues going on where I need to sleep. Even on sleeping pills I'm still not sleeping properly. I'm going to say I notice I need a minimum of 7 hours or more realistically to function really well during the day and I notice it helps my BGLs to be a bit more stable. At the moment that's not happening. I'm dazed with drug effects really and probably the lack of quality sleep. Yesterday my staff were telling me I wasn't talking properly (my brain and mouth aren't in sync I've noticed) and one of them wanted to walk me to my car as they were concerned... but I think that may be more the drugs doing that. Although I am still extremely tired. What does everyone else find works for them the best?

 

[Shanny]

One thing I started many years ago is sleeping with earplugs. The slightest noise can waken me - let alone enamored cats yowling. The plugs I use are soft foam, so they don't block completely, but enough that the little groans & squeaks of an old house or the scuffling of the dog shifting position - normal household noises - don't bother me.

The other thing that wakens me is light. All winter long in my cold cold room I pull all the covers clear up over my head & sleep like a log. Keep in mind that I have a CPAP hose bringing in air under all those blankets, so breathing isn't a problem. When you hear me say I've slept the clock around (12 full hours), that's what makes it possible. I get along on 8 hours okay, but every now & then comes along a "clock around" night . . . so I guess I must need to catch up.

I was never so thankful for anything as I was to be retired & not have to meet the clock every morning & go to work.

 

[Wink]

I need about 6 to 6.5 hours a night Mon-Fri with 8-10 hours per night Sat & Sun to function reasonably well. I know I would do better with more sleep during the work week but I can't do it - if I go to bed at 10 I can't sleep and the fussing and trying to sleep actually keeps me awake until 2 or 3, if I wait until 12:30 or 1:00 to go to bed I fall right to sleep and I'm fine until the 6:30 alarm. This started about 5 years ago... before that I could go to bed at any hour and be asleep in 5 minutes or less. I hate the very thought of sleeping pills and have never taken anything (ok, a couple of times a glass of wine or two) to help me sleep - I would if I really couldn't function but I'm getting by.
If I sleep less than 6 hours a few nights in a row I eventually have to have nap-nap time... basically crash as soon as I get home from work.. get a couple hours in. I log my hours of sleep along with my food, exercise, weight, and meds.
Our bedroom windows have both wooden blinds and blackout curtains because Wally works nights/sleeps days and can't stand light when sleeping.

 

[moon]

My greatest weakness is not having a consistent bedtime. I go to sleep anywhere between 10 PM - 3 AM, and sleep 6-10 hours. Because of my fibromyalgia I also take meds to sleep, so get high quality sleep without waking up. If I forget my meds or fall asleep before I've taken them, I wake up in 2-3 hours.

Fortunately what I take doesn't block Stage 4 sleep, and doesn't leave me groggy in the morning. When I get 8-10 hours that's perfect.

 

[Chesney]

I could certainly use more than I have been getting recently... This past week has been 4-5 hours... Probably why I've felt like crap all week... By the time my gabapentin and melatonin kick in I'm usually asleep within 5 minutes...and sleep through until the alarm goes off... I usually sleep in on the weekends

 

[Chesney]

One thing I started many years ago is sleeping with earplugs. The slightest noise can waken me - let alone enamored cats yowling. The plugs I use are soft foam, so they don't block completely, but enough that the little groans & squeaks of an old house or the scuffling of the dog shifting position - normal household noises - don't bother me.

The other thing that wakens me is light. All winter long in my cold cold room I pull all the covers clear up over my head & sleep like a log. Keep in mind that I have a CPAP hose bringing in air under all those blankets, so breathing isn't a problem. When you hear me say I've slept the clock around (12 full hours), that's what makes it possible. I get along on 8 hours okay, but every now & then comes along a "clock around" night . . . so I guess I must need to catch up.

I was never so thankful for anything as I was to be retired & not have to meet the clock every morning & go to work.

You would hate the summers here... Sun rise at is at like 430 or earlier and sun set is like 10...

 

[Bugg]

8 to 9 hours... most every night...

bugg nothing like a good night sleep

 

[SusieSchwartz]

All I know is I could sleep all day if I can only get there. It's the falling asleep I have trouble with. I've become a major insomniac and I am still under 40!
But I find I do best after a solid 9 hours.

 

[onlymep]

One thing I started many years ago is sleeping with earplugs. The slightest noise can waken me - let alone enamored cats yowling. The plugs I use are soft foam, so they don't block completely, but enough that the little groans & squeaks of an old house or the scuffling of the dog shifting position - normal household noises - don't bother me.

The other thing that wakens me is light. All winter long in my cold cold room I pull all the covers clear up over my head & sleep like a log. Keep in mind that I have a CPAP hose bringing in air under all those blankets, so breathing isn't a problem. When you hear me say I've slept the clock around (12 full hours), that's what makes it possible. I get along on 8 hours okay, but every now & then comes along a "clock around" night . . . so I guess I must need to catch up.

I was never so thankful for anything as I was to be retired & not have to meet the clock every morning & go to work.

I tried the foam earplugs, but would you believe all I can hear is my own breathing which sounds incredibly loud suddenly and I can't sleep with them in my ears. lol. I also can't sleep very well with any light about... in fact the alarm clock is too bright (even on the lowest setting) and I block it off with a photo frame before I go to sleep. I tend to use my mobile phone as my alarm usually though. Of course sometimes I get the sudden lows in the early hours that can wake me up and I have to treat and then it's a case of trying to get back to sleep. I get up 5.30 am everyday and if I have the opportunity on weekends, I'll go back to bed after breakfast to try and get a couple of hours extra.
I don't usually take sleeping pills either... but got told to do so whilst on medication I'm on. My condition hasn't been the best and I can be kept awake a lot with pain, burping, hiccups. Although I think there is an improvement with that lately (drugged out I suppose)... but still interferes with sleep.
Shanny you're a champ for sleeping with CPAP ... someone I know is having problems getting used to it and not sleeping that well.

 

[aimster1mo]

I don't know how much I need but what I get isn't much. Ive been an insomniac for years and couldn't tell you what a full 6 hrs. feels like let alone 8 or more. Even the sleep medications won't make me stay asleep. So maybe I just don't need much??

 

[ThoseBackPages]

six hours is about right