# Not sleeping well...



## fcdairygoats (Jun 24, 2013)

I have been tired lately...It was finally catching up to me to the point where I would go to work, work my shift come home feed the animals then go to bed and take a nap. I would sleep for like 2 hours (or more) and still go to bed that night...well I have tried cutting out the naps as much as possible because I am having problems with restless nights now. I got a fitbit and it has the sleep tracker. I was excited to get one and see how it monitored sleep. The nights it says I have a lot of restlessness I certainly feel that way in the mornings when I am tired and exhausted feeling by the time I get home. I also remember waking up a lot and tossing and turning etc. It's getting frustrating now. :GAAH: I want to sleep.....a good nights sleep! I need to get this figured out and really want to avoid going to the doctor if at all possible. I don't want to use sleep aids...(prescription or OTC kind...would like to stay away from melatonin as well....I've been taking that and want to cut that out as well.) 

Work and class schedule is kinda odd hours....so it's hard to get on a schedule but I want to try to have some what a schedule in hopes that I can get more decent sleep. Now I know every night isn't going to be a good restful sleep but dang I need a few good nights sleep. I am to the point where I am tired all the time and I do not want to drink energy drinks or anything like that so please do not suggest anything of that nature! SPARK drinks is as far as I go with the energy drinks and those are very far and few between! I hardly EVER drink those as it is. 

Here is my schedule. 
Saturday & Sunday: I work 6am-3pm. Monday I work 4am-9:30am (or a full shift which would mean 4am to 1pm) Tuesday-Thursday I am off work (and out of school for 2 more weeks) Friday I work 4am to 1pm. When I am back in school my work schedule will be the same. Tuesday I will have off & Wednesday I will have clinical from 6:30am to 6:30pm & Class on Thursday from 9am-11:50am (that's only part of the semester, later on we have an afternoon class so it'll make for a longer day....up to close to 4pm)

I am going into the hardest semester of Nursing School so I definitely don't want to be sleep deprived and I am afraid that is where I am heading. I have been sleep deprived before (diagnosed by a doctor about 3 years ago. That was seriously the worst feeling I had.....I felt worse than when I had the flu!) Sleep deprivation sucks big time. (I definitely don't recommend that to anyone!!) 

I am looking for suggestions to try, for more and better sleep! I am a busy person but I feel I could get so much done during the day if I could sleep at night and I am sure some of my sleep issues is stress related...I work retail part time, while going to school for nursing (for RN), while having all my animals...it makes for a full plate. Plus I have bills like everyone else....so stress upon stress upon stress!

I typically need around 8 hours of sleep....I can function on 6 but not for long. However I may be able to if those 6 hours was a good sound sleep. 

I tend to not sleep well if I sleep in that morning (which I have been guilty of doing because 1. I am out of school 2. I am tired!) 

So... 

One thing that I am going to do is put my phone on my shelf. I use the alarm on the phone instead of an alarm clock. If I have it on my shelf, I will not be able to reach it from bed so 1. it eliminates scrolling through FB when I am in bed and not able to sleep which I know is just adding to the problem. and 2. I will have to actually get up out of bed to shut the alarm off instead of just hitting snooze a few times (which I do quite a bit) 

Another thing I am going to do is shut my tv off or have the timer on....it seems like when I wake up in the night I grab the remote and start netflix again. If it would constantly play I don't think it would actually phase me but waking up and the tv being on but not playing any thing drives me crazy. I have no idea why it does...it just does! :GAAH:

Other than changing those two things I don't know what else to do to try to get more & better sleep. On the days I work and go to class I get up anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half before having to leave for work/class. I have to take care of two dogs before leaving plus pack my lunch as well and get ready to leave.

I do not drink pop/soda. I quit that 5 yrs ago. I drink 1 cup of coffee and that is when I wake up. I do not drink any coffee during the day. Like I said earlier, I don't take energy drinks or caffeine pills or whatever they are called. 


So any suggestions? I think the lack of sleep and stress of everything is what is causing my migraines (I tend to get them a lot) and they are like pounding headache, nausea, to the point of having to go to bed to get them to go away, and then I have total exhaustion after the migraine go away. UGH. It sucks. 

:sleeping: I have been up since 4:30 this morning why? Because I work tomorrow and I knew if I slept in I would be up till 10 tonight and I gotta be at work at 4am tomorrow. so I figured what the heck there's a lot of members on here and a lot of good goat advice so maybe you all can offer up some advice to help me with my sleeping, or lack there of! 

thanks in advance!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Tea. I would get camomile tea or some type of sleep blend. Mountain Rose has some nice blends and you would be nourishing your body with the herbs.


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## fcdairygoats (Jun 24, 2013)

What is that exactly? Just herbal stuff in the tea? I had thought about the tea I remember stocking the "sleepy time" tea at work. Wasn't sure if that actually worked/helped or not though. I will see about trying that.  Thanks!


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

DH has been using an herbal tea called Tension Tamer, it has made a huge huge difference for him. 
Now me, I was having all kinds of problems. Problems that made me wonder if I was getting really ill. It all turned around when I started drinking an old people nutrition drink with each meal. I sleep well, am up only once during the night, and have 3 times the amount of energy I used to. 
When I first started the drinks, I had an interesting side effect that made me realize that I have had an intestinal blockage poisoning me for quite sometime. Once that was cleared up, I feel so good now...


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

What drink are you drinking, Jill?

The herbal tea from Mountain Rose is literally mixed herbs. They are loose and you use a tea ball. No actual tea in them.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Ensure Substitute

1/4 can sweetened condensed milk (adjust to taste) (I make my own)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup fresh fruit or veggies (rotate colors)
1/2 cup whole milk
2-3 T. protein powder
2-3 tablespoons wheat germ
1/2 tsp. Omega 3 oil (Just break open a Fish Oil tablet)
Vitamin powder (follow directions on can)


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

I love this blog although I don't implement everything she suggests, you may find some of the information useful, it is one of my favorite websites (besides TGS of course!)

http://wellnessmama.com/4936/improve-sleep-naturally/

http://wellnessmama.com/55821/perfect-sleep-environment/


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## fcdairygoats (Jun 24, 2013)

goathiker said:


> Ensure Substitute
> 
> 1/4 can sweetened condensed milk (adjust to taste) (I make my own)
> 1 tsp. vanilla
> ...


What vitamin powder do you use? Can I use frozen fruit/veggies in place of fresh?


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

I use All One powder in one smoothie a day, sometimes I throw in some of my goats kelp. There's no reason not to use frozen or even some canned foods. I'm kind of weird but, I like canned yam with pineapple in it and also oatmeal and banana.

http://www.vitacost.com/all-one-nut...a-multiple-vitamin-and-mineral-powder-2-2-lbs


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## fcdairygoats (Jun 24, 2013)

And what protein powder do you use? How long did it take for you to notice a difference?


Thanks for the replies!


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

This one http://www.vitacost.com/biochem-sports-greens-and-whey-protein-powder-vanilla-21-3-oz

I noticed a difference in 2 days, it was that fast...


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

goathiker said:


> I use All One powder in one smoothie a day, sometimes I throw in some of my goats kelp.


How much kelp do you put in? I think you told me a teaspoon long time ago but can't remember.


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## fcdairygoats (Jun 24, 2013)

I have noticed that if I set the TV timer to go off in about an hour and keep my phone on my shelf, I am sleeping better...I still wake up a few times in the night but I go right back to sleep and normally I only wake up because I need to reclaim my blankets from the cats.
I do have that sleepy time tea (sample that came with the kcups) I am going to try that this evening...a friend of mine from work bought a sample pack of tea and tried the sleepy time one that came in the pack she thought it helped her a little but she still woke up a few times in the night.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Good things are changing. A diffuser with lavender or a combination of essential oils to help you sleep works too.


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