Insomnia - DDR related?

[urbanjunglekitten]

Hey everyone. I have a somewhat odd question to pose to the folks who have been DDR'ing for a while, or even to anyone who has started a weight loss program that included regular (3x or more per week) exercise.

I've noticed that since I've started to DDR on a regular basis, I've been unable to sleep at night. Those of you who keep tabs on who posts when will notice that I tend to post very late for my area of the country. This is because I've suddenly been unable to fall asleep at my normal time. Before DDR, I was sleeping late, but also usually in bed by at least 1 or 2 a.m. Recently, I've been unable to fall asleep until at least 4 a.m., but more frequently between 5 and 6 a.m. I'm getting up around the same time every day (usually right around 11 a.m., sometimes later) but no matter what I do during the day, I can't seem to get to bed any earlier than around 5 a.m. Has anyone else had any experience with this? I know insomnia is related to other things, but because mine didn't start until I began DDR'ing in earnest, I'm wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience.

Now, some of you are probably wondering to yourselves "Why doesn't she stop posting on getupmove.com and take her a** to bed?" In answer to that, I have tried everything that *I* know of to get to sleep. I've tried just laying in bed, I've tried warm milk, I've tried soothing music, I've tried counting sheep . . . the list goes on. I'm trying to avoid chemical means of attaining sleep (no pills or potions) but I'm starting to feel listless and fatigued during the day.

To forestall any "Captain Obvious" moments, I have considered going to a doctor, but waitresses don't have health insurance. Otherwise, I would have gone to see a dietician prior to messing with my daily eating habits.

Thanks for the help!

UJKitten

[abrannan]

So what you're saying is that since you've started an exercise program, you've gone from oversleeping (If you were going to bed at 1am and waking up after 11am, that's 10 hours of sleep) to getting a more normal amount of sleep (4am to 11am is 7 hours, maybe a little on the short side, but pretty normal).

Try shifting your circadian cycle back a bit. Get up earlier. Say, around 9am or so. Do a little yoga or meditative breathing before you go to bed to help your body relax. Also, only use your bed for sleeping, not for reading or any other activities. This trains your brain to go to sleep when you're in bed, rather than look for an activity. It'll take some time for your body to adjust, but my guess is that you'll find it easier to get to sleep.

[urbanjunglekitten]

Unfortunately, it' s been more like 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. (5 hours).

My problem with getting up earlier is that I sleep in the basement of the house that I share with several other people, which creates this perfect atmosphere of forever-night. There's only one window, which is blocked by some pillows so people don't peer into our sleeping area, and all the roommates live 2 floors above us. So, it's always dark, and I don't hear much moving around upstairs unless one of the 'mates needs to come downstairs for something.

Also, I work from 3 p.m. until after 11 p.m. which means I'm usually on my feet *running* until after 11 p.m. (because I have to wait for my relief to arrive until I can leave the diner, which is open 24 hours.) It takes at least 3 hours for me to totally wind down from a night of work, which can extend to 4 or 5 hours if I've had a particularly rough night. So, depending on when I get home (let's hypothetically say 11:30 p.m.), this means I have trouble falling asleep until between 2:30 and 4:30 in the morning.

I think I just answered my own question about the insomnia. I think the added energy from my newly-started exercise program is keeping me awake longer than I was used to in my prior days of being extremely lazy and sleep-obsessed. (I still love my bed).

Yoga hypes me up, as does meditation: I acheive this state of mind with both that's very peaceful, yet very aware. However, I will try to start getting up earlier (set multiple alarms, whatever it takes), and *try* not to use my bed for much of anything else other than sleeping. I could make some comments regarding beds and activities, but there are young'uns on here, so I'll refrain.

Thanks!

UJKitten

[abrannan]

If light is an issue, get a light timer and attach a lamp to it.

[DrVegas]

Absolutely. I found that once I really began increasing the amount of exercise I was getting (essentially going from zero to 2+ hours of DDR per day) I needed much less sleep that before.

Of course, as you mentioned, there are many other factors that can lead to insomnia, but since increased activity combined with changes in your eating habits give you more energy, a lot of people find they need less rest.

Another thing you might want to try is doing your DDR when you get home from work. I know that may not sound too appealing, but it's a great way to wind down after a hectic day, lots of fun, and carries the added bonus of tiring your body out - prepping you for sleep.

On weekdays, I consistently get my workout after dinner, between about 8-10... that pretty much assures that by 11 I'm out and can get out of bed by 6 without any problems... may want to give it a shot.