Topic: messed up sleep schedule -- adrenals? help?
heiwalove
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6467
posted
hi everyone,
i know a lot of us have this problem, and i'm wondering if anyone knows the cause or can suggest remedies that might help.
my sleep/wake schedule is almost totally reversed; rarely can i fall asleep before 5 or 6 am (at the earliest). i've tried to fix it numerous times but it always ends up slipping back into the same pattern.
is this an adrenal problem? wonky cortisol levels? has anyone found something that helps?
posted
I've also struggled with sleep issues, since I was a teen. At 20, I had the energy to stay up all night, sleep for two hours in the morning, then off to work/college, then play, then do it all over again.
But now I'm in my 40's, and all that energy is long gone.
The only time over the past twenty years that I was able to sleep like a rock, all night every night, was during the first 6 or 7 months of pregnancy. (after 7 months or so, you're just too big to get comfy for any length of time).
I wish I had a better answer for you (or me!) but that has been the only thing that does the trick. Hopefully someone else will come a long with a better response.
posted
i forgot to say; my sleep schedule has NEVER been this bad in 39 yrs! my days/nights are completely screwed up.
i had my adrenals checked too; NORMAL!
going to work on my SLEEP APNEA and go to medical equipment place next week to see what they have new that may help me!
love,
check out my newbie package link; read thru table of contents ... i remember adding 1-2 links of OUTSTANDING info from other members who really had great info to share.
i'm in library so no time to find it myself for you but giving you a direction to use in finding good info.
try TREEPATROL'S newblie links also at top of medical ok! we've both worked very hard in organizing our stuff for members....
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heiwalove
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6467
posted
thanks betty. so sorry you all suffer from this too. up for anyone who might have more info.
posted
Have to knock out with benadryl to go to sleep. I just assume most of us need sleep aids.
Posts: 13171 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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posted
My schedule is totally backwards. Lately I fall asleep at 7am, and wake up around 3 or 4. This is about as bad as its been since I got sick.
I just started abx a month and a half ago, after being ill for a year and a half. I've been herxing ever since, and it has totally messed up my sleep.
Although I can sleep soundly, falling asleep is sometimes a problem. Whenever I try to turn around my schedule by staying up later, or falling asleep earlier it never works.
Posts: 11 | From Pittsburgh, PA | Registered: Nov 2008
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posted
salt has normalized my sleep patterns for the first time in my life. i sleep deep and sound outside of herxes.
Posts: 82 | From philadelphia | Registered: Aug 2007
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oxygenbabe
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5831
posted
You sleep better when you exercise and when you get morning light. So with lyme/cfids you aren't getting either. Your circadian rhythms are not being stimulated by morning light in particular.
I am doing better (knock on wood) on sleep as I titrate off a benzo that I got on during demolition hell in our building. I'm down to levels where, I can sleep better--maybe fall asleep about 11:30 or 12 and wake up 7-8 or so.
When my sleep was worse (Fall asleep later) I went to Vancouver for a 2 week holiday in August. Soon my body adjusted to same sleep schedule there (at the time--fall asleep about 1 am).
WHen I got back here for a few nights I slept REALLY normally like pre-lyme. Fall asleep at 10 and wake up at 6 or 7.
Then it shifted later. So I think my body clock when it first got back here was still on Vancouver time, which was pleasant .
So I think if you are falling asleep at five, maybe you can try staying up another hour or two, and can you go outside (if not too cold) and get some sunlight for fifteen or twenty minutes?
Could you just stay up and not sleep at all one night therefore? (I didn't sleep at ALL 2 nights ago because of wheezing. I couldn't believe it! I think I was so upset as well that this prevented sleeping. This doesn't happen too often). Also are you able to do healthy walks? Today it is fricken freezing especially by the river, but I bundled up and took my 1.5 mile walk in the park.
These things can make a difference--being too sedentary and not getting light to signal to your body. I know this from my plants in my window. They totally grow according to the light, and they know the difference between summer and winter light.
Posts: 2276 | From united states | Registered: Jun 2004
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DebAz
Unregistered
posted
.How to treat your adrenal fatigue
Removal of the stressors. This is the most important step. Emotional stressors such as marital, family, relationship, or financial problems needs to be dealt with and normalized.
2. Sleep. The most important is to have enough rest. It is important to go to sleep by 10 p.m. every night. Why? This is because our adrenal glands kick in for a "second wind" to keep us going from 11 pm to 1 am. This puts tremendous stress on the adrenals. When we rest early, our adrenals are fully rested and the high gear is avoided. Between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m., our adrenals work the hardest to repair the body. We should also try to sleep in until 8:30 a.m. or 9: 00 a.m. if possible. This is because our cortisol level rises to its peak from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. in order to wake us up and get us going for the day.
In later stage adrenal fatigue, the level of cortisol falls and we feel tired. It will be more difficult to wake up. If we were to wake up too early, this will only increase stress on the adrenal glands, which will have to produce more cortisol when it is already exhausted.
A good night sleep is therefore mandatory. Without a good sleep, our bodies cannot regenerate itself to deal with stressors the next day. We should also rest in a completely dark room to maximize melatonin production.
If you are unable to fall asleep, take oral melatonin (0.5 mg to 3mg) 30 minutes before bedtime. You may begin with a low dose (0.5 mg) and gradually work upwards. If you start with 3 mg, the common over-the-counter dose and find it not helpful, go to a lower dose instead. The right dosage varies from person to person.
If you have a tendency to wake up at 2 to 3 a.m. and find that you are unable to fall back to sleep, that is a sign of excessive stress. In this case, you may wish to consider a time-release melatonin. You may also wish to try other sleep aids such as 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) 50-100 mg, adrenal extracts, and trace mineral tablets. Another wonderful relaxant and sleep aid is magnesium. Some common herbs that enhance sleep are valerian (root), hops (whole plant), and licorice (root).
3. Avoid Coffee or Caffeinated Beverages. Coffee and tea act as stimulants and interrupt sleep pattern. Herbal tea is acceptable because it does not contain caffeine.
4. Avoid TV and Computers. Some people may be photosensitive. Watching television or working at the computer may prevent the melatonin level from rising to induce sleep. If you are one of these people, you should turn off your television or computer by around 8 p.m. at night.
5. Exercise. This is a wonderful stress reducer and a tremendous oxygenator. Exercise reduces depression, increases blood flow, normalizes level of cortisol, insulin, blood glucose, growth hormones, thyroid, and makes you feel generally much better. The key is to adjust the level of exercise in accordance to your capacity. The more advance your adrenal fatigue, the less you should exercise vigorously. Vigorous exercise can lead to a catabolic state and worse adrenal fatigue
Simple exercises such as brisk walking, or climbing stairs are easy to do and can be done almost anywhere. You should vary your routine so that exercise becomes fun. When exercising. You should exercise to no more than 50% of your capacity and feel fresh after each exercise session. you should cover the following three categories:
Aerobics - such as fast walking, stairs climbing, Nordic track, swimming, and treadmill. Anerobics - such as weight lifting, push-ups, sit-ups, chin-ups Flexibility - such as stretching, yoga, and tai chi.
6. Nutritional Supplementation. It is prudent to optimize the adrenal gland functions. Supplement such as DHEA at 15 to 30 mg, pregnenolone at 25 to 50 mg, low dose natural cortisol at 25 to 50 mg, natural progesterone at 20 mg, or cortisol enhancing agent such as licorice root extract can be taken.
We should take an optimal balanced of vitamins and minerals for optimum adrenal function. These include:
A. 500 mg to 3,000 mg of vitamin C with bioflavonoids, lysine, proline, pine bark extract
B. 100 to 200 mg of fat-soluble vitamin C called ascobyl palmitate
C. 900 to 1,500 mg of vitamin B5 (panthothenic acid) as most hormone production in the adrenal gland needs the co-enzyme A, a by-product of Vitamin B5, to be produced.
D. Vitamin E is another important nutrient, which is involved in at least 6 different enzymatic reactions in the adrenal cascade. Take 400 to 800 I.U. of vitamin E daily.
E. Take 10,000 to 25,000 I.U of beta-carotene and other important minerals such as selenium (200 mcg), magnesium (500 mg) as well as important amino acids such as lysine (1-2 gm), proline (500mg - 1gm) and glutamine (1-5 gm) or more in advance cases.
F. DHEA 15-50 mg , pregnenolone 25-50 mg , adrenal glandular, adrenal extracts, licorice root can be helpful.
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