Do you or have you had a sleep problem? What is your best advice on dealing with it?

Lt Col Charlie Brown — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 08:17:29 -0400

Response by CPL Dave Hoover made Oct 26 at 2018 8:19 AM

CPL Dave Hoover — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 08:19:49 -0400

Great question.

Response by CW5 Jack Cardwell made Oct 26 at 2018 8:26 AM

CW5 Jack Cardwell — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 08:26:36 -0400

Still have issues at times.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Oct 26 at 2018 8:27 AM

LTC Jason Mackay — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 08:27:45 -0400

Lt Col Charlie Brown I had no idea I had a sleep problem, I just woke up everyday exhausted. Get a sleep study. It saved my life.

Response by Lt Col Charlie Brown made Oct 26 at 2018 8:28 AM

Lt Col Charlie Brown — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 08:28:39 -0400

Response by Maj Marty Hogan made Oct 26 at 2018 8:42 AM

Maj Marty Hogan — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 08:42:56 -0400

Always have- if I wake up I can't shut my mind down. I have tried several techniques and none really shut off the brain.

Response by SCPO Morris Ramsey made Oct 26 at 2018 9:01 AM

SCPO Morris Ramsey — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 09:01:08 -0400

Lt Col Charlie Brown No problems here. Early to bed, early to rise.

Response by LTC David Brown made Oct 26 at 2018 9:36 AM

LTC David Brown — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 09:36:40 -0400

Thank you for sharing. This is a health risk that often gets ignored. You do not have to be over weight to suffer from sleep apnea.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Oct 26 at 2018 9:39 AM

CPT Jack Durish — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 09:39:56 -0400

When you gotta go you gotta go. If I figured out how to sleep through it, I'd have another problem...

Response by SGT Dave Tracy made Oct 26 at 2018 9:50 AM

SGT Dave Tracy — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 09:50:58 -0400

Often, but not every night. I do have mild sleep apnea, but for me its more an issue of waking frequently...doesn't help I'm a night owl, and hate waking early! I haven't found anything that works. I tried a c-pap (technically mine was an a-pap) machine, but I can't deal with a mask and a hose on my face, so that was of no help. Honestly, the best sleep I get is only after I am beat-down tired.
Is what it is.

Response by SPC Margaret Higgins made Oct 26 at 2018 9:58 AM

SPC Margaret Higgins — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 09:58:34 -0400

Lt Col Charlie Brown: I used to wake up in the morning; and, not be able to get back to sleep.

Response by MCPO Roger Collins made Oct 26 at 2018 10:30 AM

MCPO Roger Collins — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 10:30:39 -0400

Another thing that comes with age (although my wife falls to sleep in minutes and sleeps soundly for at least eight hours). It has become normal for me to get around five hours with a couple wake ups. I do everything recommended with no success. When on AD, I could take what is now called power naps and slept soundly. Be nice if that was the only bad aspect of aging. But I am pleased with my genetics that give me relatively good health and vigor of those much younger.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Oct 26 at 2018 10:32 AM

CAPT Kevin B. — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 10:32:37 -0400

Sleep apnea is a killer. Unchecked it can take 7 years off you life, which puts it in he smoking range. People vary on getting used to them. For me the engineer, by day three I was in cruise mode. The Respiratory Therapist wife who really knows this stuff; fought it for 9 months. These machines bring back the important REM sleep and you do dream much more again. Interesting thing is just laying down to read and putting it on is refreshing. Unfortunately I have to put up with MediCrap rules and likely have to get a new sleep study because the old one doesn't meet "standards". Frustrates the pulmonologists as well.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Oct 26 at 2018 10:49 AM

CSM Charles Hayden — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 10:49:25 -0400

Lt Col Charlie Brown While I was an Alzheimer’s caregiver I had difficulty sleeping. One of the caregiver classes I attended guided me to finding a peaceful place to focus on to relax.

Now-a-days I sleep well. On the rare occasion I have difficulty, I return to my my tried and true method of focusing.

‘I exit the aircraft in Columbus, OH, go up a ramp to the restroom, go down a escalator, get the rental, car, drive street by street name to my cousin’s, back out of her driveway in the AM, drive freeway by freeway to Zanesville, take the 4th exit, turn South, park the car, get the inflated? inner tube? (large so my xxx is not subject to snapping turtles), out of the car and float down the Muskingham River’. If I falter, I re-exit the aircraft and start over. FOCUS ! Who is in charge of your mind! ME!

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 26 at 2018 11:19 AM

CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:19:05 -0400

melatonin

Response by SGT Joseph Gunderson made Oct 26 at 2018 12:58 PM

SGT Joseph Gunderson — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 12:58:06 -0400

Proper diet and exercise do wonders! I have also used meditation in order to get ready to sleep and it works well for me.

Response by SPC Erich Guenther made Oct 26 at 2018 2:28 PM

SPC Erich Guenther — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 14:28:23 -0400

I would share the following to assist with sounder sleep:
1. Regular exercise.
2. If your Bed Mattress is more than 7-10 years old, you need to replace it (depends on brand). BTW, look at the weight capacity of the mattress you have, I was shopping for a replacement King Mattress yesterday and the weight capacity on some of them was 300 lbs others 400lbs. I don't want to be mean here but I have been hard pressed to find a married couple in Dallas whose combined weight was 300 lbs or less. Well maybe a few but that weight limit is cutting it really close on a mattress.
3. Time you eat dinner, you should allow a few hours after eating for digestion prior to hitting the sack also try a heavy lunch and light dinner.
4. If you have trouble sleeping or your sleep is interrupted regularly. Schedule a longer sleep period say 10 vs 8 hours and attempt to go back to sleep again after you wake up. It might take a little longer but you can still get the REM sleep you need with a longer sleep period vs trying to fit it into 6-8 hours. Even cat naps during the day helps until you can get back to regular nightly sleep cycle.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 26 at 2018 4:36 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 16:36:12 -0400

Got a sleep study. Wear a CPAP now. Sleep more soundly and don’t wake up very often.

Response by Jenn Moynihan made Oct 26 at 2018 11:25 PM

Jenn Moynihan — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 23:25:09 -0400

Up until the last few years I never had problems going to sleep. Whether it’s grad school, burning the midnight oil, and/or age it can be a task to try to sleep. I’ll be done in 7 weeks time! Hopefully I’ll get back on a regular schedule and good “sleep hours”. I was one that never did well working nights.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 27 at 2018 12:51 AM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 27 Oct 2018 00:51:29 -0400

Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea. That says it all.

Response by SMSgt Lawrence McCarter made Oct 28 at 2018 9:00 PM

SMSgt Lawrence McCarter — Sun, 28 Oct 2018 21:00:07 -0400

I find the steady sound of a running fan or air conditioner helps.