Sleep & Energy

[Puppetmaster]

So, these days im finding that i need ever more sleep and tend to feel tired a lot more. A bit of back story.

Around 3 years ago I used to work in a supermarket putting stock out, walking a fair amount while doing that, moving heavy cages etc etc. I used to work 3 evening shifts a week finishing at 10 (plus 2 daytime) and would often go to sleep around 1 / 2am. I could then get up to go to work the next day at 9am or even 8am on sundays. I didnt really do any exercise other than work (a bit of the gym).

These days I work in IT and i feel tired a lot more than i used to. I'm also finding that if i stay up until say 2 or 3 am il nearly always sleep until mid day. I have tried going to bed earlier say 10pm but then i found i would always be tired by the end of the day, i guess as a result of getting up earlier.

What im wondering is, do you think its because im less fit than 3 years ago? If i exercised a fair bit now, would i become less tired and maybe need less sleep (or get by on less)?

 

[Pixellated]

You may simply be mis-timing it. I started using SleepyTime and setting my alarm accordingly half a year ago, and I haven't woken up feeling tired since. Give it a couple of week's trial: head to the site and click the button right before you get into bed, set your alarm for one of the times, and see how you feel.

 

[Puppetmaster]

part of my problem is i find that i take awhile to fall asleep. But yeh i guess i can try that.

 

[IndexRated]

part of my problem is i find that i take awhile to fall asleep. But yeh i guess i can try that.

I remember BBC doing a documentary on those who found it hard to sleep, and offered tips.

One of the best things I remember where a person went through a routine of from toes up, squeezing/tensing each of their muscle groups to shoulders/arms and repeating it.

Sounds a bit daft, but I honestly found my body relaxed, and I suppose my mind was lulled into 'shutting off' and it became easier to sleep.

 

[Jonny69]

Exercise definitely helps with sleep. I get by on about an hour less sleep when I'm fitter and don't get those sleepy slumps during the day.

There's a good book called Miracle Sleep Cure that was published about 15 years ago. Very enlightening and had research looking into fit and unfit people's sleep patterns. Conclusions were basically that better fitness helped, but excessively strenuous exercise was detrimental to sleep and to avoid exercise too close to bedtime.