Anyone else waking up constantly throughout the night?

[raisedfist]

I am an abuser of caffeine starting from the moment I wake up, and about 2-3 nights a week I will have a beer or a glass or 2 of wine around dinner time. All of these things seem to correspond with awful sleep. I think this cycle is sending my anxiety/stress levels through the roof. I'm not very good at that "in moderation" stuff. I am thinking about becoming a boring human and just not drinking alcohol or caffeine for 30 days, and see if sleep miracles are bestowed upon me .

[slowriter]

I am an abuser of caffeine starting from the moment I wake up, and about 2-3 nights a week I will have a beer or a glass or 2 of wine around dinner time. All of these things seem to correspond with awful sleep. I think this cycle is sending my anxiety/stress levels through the roof. I'm not very good at that "in moderation" stuff. I am thinking about becoming a boring human and just not drinking alcohol or caffeine for 30 days, and see if sleep miracles are bestowed upon me .

Maybe not a bad idea.

I think I've read that, for the average person (with average bed time) one should avoid caffeine after 2PM, and alcohol less than four hours before bed.

You might track down the newish book on sleep by Matthew Walker (or read interviews about it), who is a neuroscientist, and covers things like what caffeine and alcohol does to sleep (hint: it's not pretty).

BTW, Walker was featured in NPR's Hidden Brain yesterday as part of a complete episode on sleep. Online link not available yet though.

[raisedfist]

I am an abuser of caffeine starting from the moment I wake up, and about 2-3 nights a week I will have a beer or a glass or 2 of wine around dinner time. All of these things seem to correspond with awful sleep. I think this cycle is sending my anxiety/stress levels through the roof. I'm not very good at that "in moderation" stuff. I am thinking about becoming a boring human and just not drinking alcohol or caffeine for 30 days, and see if sleep miracles are bestowed upon me .

Maybe not a bad idea.

I think I've read that, for the average person (with average bed time) one should avoid caffeine after 2PM, and alcohol less than four hours before bed.

You might track down the newish book on sleep by Matthew Walker (or read interviews about it), who is a neuroscientist, and covers things like what caffeine and alcohol does to sleep (hint: it's not pretty).

BTW, Walker was featured in NPR's Hidden Brain yesterday as part of a complete episode on sleep. Online link not available yet though.

Thanks I will definitely check that out. I know I have a problem with caffeine because I've "tried to quit" so many times but I rationalize drinking it over and over. It's to the point where I feel I can't function with out. But somehow I did for the first 20 years of my life just fine.

[djams]

I am an abuser of caffeine starting from the moment I wake up, and about 2-3 nights a week I will have a beer or a glass or 2 of wine around dinner time. All of these things seem to correspond with awful sleep. I think this cycle is sending my anxiety/stress levels through the roof. I'm not very good at that "in moderation" stuff. I am thinking about becoming a boring human and just not drinking alcohol or caffeine for 30 days, and see if sleep miracles are bestowed upon me .

Maybe not a bad idea.

I think I've read that, for the average person (with average bed time) one should avoid caffeine after 2PM, and alcohol less than four hours before bed.

You might track down the newish book on sleep by Matthew Walker (or read interviews about it), who is a neuroscientist, and covers things like what caffeine and alcohol does to sleep (hint: it's not pretty).

BTW, Walker was featured in NPR's Hidden Brain yesterday as part of a complete episode on sleep. Online link not available yet though.

Thanks I will definitely check that out. I know I have a problem with caffeine because I've "tried to quit" so many times but I rationalize drinking it over and over. It's to the point where I feel I can't function with out. But somehow I did for the first 20 years of my life just fine.

I'm like you raisedfist. I also think that quitting outright is likely why you haven't been able to stop drinking coffee.

Its ok to cut back slowly.. Isn't like you're addicted to crack (far as I know ). I read that it takes 6 hours for the body to process the caffeine out of the blood stream. For me that means 3pm. And if I want coffee after that, I'll have decaff. Take it easy on yourself. I'm working that 6 hours back earlier in the day very slowly. I know I'll never quit completely. Don't want to.

I don't drink alcohol, so can't comment on effects of that. But have read threads here indicating it's quite bad for sleep. Zonker benefited from cutting back on his wine with dinner. Maybe he'll pop in here.

[raisedfist]

I am an abuser of caffeine starting from the moment I wake up, and about 2-3 nights a week I will have a beer or a glass or 2 of wine around dinner time. All of these things seem to correspond with awful sleep. I think this cycle is sending my anxiety/stress levels through the roof. I'm not very good at that "in moderation" stuff. I am thinking about becoming a boring human and just not drinking alcohol or caffeine for 30 days, and see if sleep miracles are bestowed upon me .

Maybe not a bad idea.

I think I've read that, for the average person (with average bed time) one should avoid caffeine after 2PM, and alcohol less than four hours before bed.

You might track down the newish book on sleep by Matthew Walker (or read interviews about it), who is a neuroscientist, and covers things like what caffeine and alcohol does to sleep (hint: it's not pretty).

BTW, Walker was featured in NPR's Hidden Brain yesterday as part of a complete episode on sleep. Online link not available yet though.

Thanks I will definitely check that out. I know I have a problem with caffeine because I've "tried to quit" so many times but I rationalize drinking it over and over. It's to the point where I feel I can't function with out. But somehow I did for the first 20 years of my life just fine.

I'm like you raisedfist. I also think that quitting outright is likely why you haven't been able to stop drinking coffee.

Its ok to cut back slowly.. Isn't like you're addicted to crack (far as I know ). I read that it takes 6 hours for the body to process the caffeine out of the blood stream. For me that means 3pm. And if I want coffee after that, I'll have decaff. Take it easy on yourself. I'm working that 6 hours back earlier in the day very slowly. I know I'll never quit completely. Don't want to.

I don't drink alcohol, so can't comment on effects of that. But have read threads here indicating it's quite bad for sleep. Zonker benefited from cutting back on his wine with dinner. Maybe he'll pop in here.

If my uncle drinks wine he can't sleep at all and gets insomnia so he had to quit even though he loves wine and has his own legit cellar.

I've tried cutting back to one cup a day, but I always reach for more and justify it in the saddest ways. I just have no control anymore it seems. It's getting out of hand and I have to grow up before I suffer the health consequences.

[babydinosnoreless]

I do not understand how alcohol keeps some awake. One glass and I am out like a light. Of course I don't do it often because I have never gotten over the YUCK factor at the taste of any alcohol but if I do have a glass of red wine with Italian food when we go out, I'm usually falling asleep on the way home.

[slowriter]

I do not understand how alcohol keeps some awake. One glass and I am out like a light. Of course I don't do it often because I have never gotten over the YUCK factor at the taste of any alcohol but if I do have a glass of red wine with Italian food when we go out, I'm usually falling asleep on the way home.

Alcohol's a sedative, so generally the issue isn't that you don't sleep, it's that quality of sleep is poor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5fk0zjHDv4

[Madalot]

As someone who drinks both coffee and wine, I'll share my experience/opinion on the subject.

Coffee: I drink 4-8oz cups of regular coffee daily. My 4th cup is no later than 2pm. Any coffee after that is decaf and I have a cup of decaf 4-5 nights after dinner. If I have coffee out and end up with regular, it keeps me from falling asleep. Near as I can tell, my regular coffee consumption doesn't affect my sleep much.

Wine: Wine is a recent addition to my life. I had stopped drinking any alcohol for years. I'm not sure why I started again, but have come to truly enjoy a couple glasses of wine in the evening. Because I am physically challenged (disabled), my husband will get me my wine when I ask for it. I have an insulated wine mug that holds 14oz. I get it and sip on it for the hours prior to going to bed. And yes, I recognize I shouldn't have it so soon before bed, but it is what it is.

I can tell that I wake up more if I've had wine. However, wine or no, I wake up a lot. I do think the wine makes it a little worse. I can go back to sleep.

Will I give up coffee or wine? Nope. Two of the very few simple pleasures I have in my life.

[djams]

If I have coffee out and end up with regular, it keeps me from falling asleep. Near as I can tell, my regular coffee consumption doesn't affect my sleep much.

Very much like me, but I drink considerably more before my cutoff. And same thing on the regular coffee after cutoff time, can't fall asleep. Once I get to sleep I'm fine. Don't wake up throughout the night.

Every time a server comes around with refills I put my hand over my cup and say "decaf, right?". I've never had a server screw up, but I have at home a couple of times. Creature of habit, forget to grab the decaf k-cup

[babydinosnoreless]

I do not understand how alcohol keeps some awake. One glass and I am out like a light. Of course I don't do it often because I have never gotten over the YUCK factor at the taste of any alcohol but if I do have a glass of red wine with Italian food when we go out, I'm usually falling asleep on the way home.

Alcohol's a sedative, so generally the issue isn't that you don't sleep, it's that quality of sleep is poor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5fk0zjHDv4

Yes but he is saying that if you drink heavily your quality of sleep is poor. If your drinking heavily you have other issues besides sleep.

[slowriter]

I do not understand how alcohol keeps some awake. One glass and I am out like a light. Of course I don't do it often because I have never gotten over the YUCK factor at the taste of any alcohol but if I do have a glass of red wine with Italian food when we go out, I'm usually falling asleep on the way home.

Alcohol's a sedative, so generally the issue isn't that you don't sleep, it's that quality of sleep is poor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5fk0zjHDv4

Yes but he is saying that if you drink heavily your quality of sleep is poor. If your drinking heavily you have other issues besides sleep.

Later on he says "even a nightcap" is problematic from a sleep perspective.

Obviously there are degrees of impact for any sedative or stimulant. A glass of wine at dinner ought to be much more benign than three martinis at midnight.

But if you have insomnia (as the OP), seems to make sense to experiment to see if there's any correlation.

[raisedfist]

I do not understand how alcohol keeps some awake. One glass and I am out like a light. Of course I don't do it often because I have never gotten over the YUCK factor at the taste of any alcohol but if I do have a glass of red wine with Italian food when we go out, I'm usually falling asleep on the way home.

Alcohol's a sedative, so generally the issue isn't that you don't sleep, it's that quality of sleep is poor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5fk0zjHDv4

Yes but he is saying that if you drink heavily your quality of sleep is poor. If your drinking heavily you have other issues besides sleep.

Later on he says "even a nightcap" is problematic from a sleep perspective.

Obviously there are degrees of impact for any sedative or stimulant. A glass of wine at dinner ought to be much more benign than three martinis at midnight.

But if you have insomnia (as the OP), seems to make sense to experiment to see if there's any correlation.

I can usually fall asleep relatively easy enough, but the awakenings are the huge problem. I will be starting no caffeine tomorrow though and report back through my 30 day journey.

[Madalot]

I can usually fall asleep relatively easy enough, but the awakenings are the huge problem. I will be starting no caffeine tomorrow though and report back through my 30 day journey.

I gave up caffeine years ago. Going cold turkey almost killed me (not literally, but figuratively). I started over and slowly tapered off. I'd give up one cup a day for 5-7 days, then another cup, until I was down to nothing. It's a little easier on the system to do it that way. Those caffeine (or lack thereof) headaches are a bitch.

[Japparis]

I am an abuser of caffeine starting from the moment I wake up, and about 2-3 nights a week I will have a beer or a glass or 2 of wine around dinner time. All of these things seem to correspond with awful sleep. I think this cycle is sending my anxiety/stress levels through the roof. I'm not very good at that "in moderation" stuff. I am thinking about becoming a boring human and just not drinking alcohol or caffeine for 30 days, and see if sleep miracles are bestowed upon me .

Maybe not a bad idea.

I think I've read that, for the average person (with average bed time) one should avoid caffeine after 2PM, and alcohol less than four hours before bed.

You might track down the newish book on sleep by Matthew Walker (or read interviews about it), who is a neuroscientist, and covers things like what caffeine and alcohol does to sleep (hint: it's not pretty).

BTW, Walker was featured in NPR's Hidden Brain yesterday as part of a complete episode on sleep. Online link not available yet though.

Is this the correct book? If so, it looks like it might be worth the read!

[slowriter]

I am an abuser of caffeine starting from the moment I wake up, and about 2-3 nights a week I will have a beer or a glass or 2 of wine around dinner time. All of these things seem to correspond with awful sleep. I think this cycle is sending my anxiety/stress levels through the roof. I'm not very good at that "in moderation" stuff. I am thinking about becoming a boring human and just not drinking alcohol or caffeine for 30 days, and see if sleep miracles are bestowed upon me .

Maybe not a bad idea.

I think I've read that, for the average person (with average bed time) one should avoid caffeine after 2PM, and alcohol less than four hours before bed.

You might track down the newish book on sleep by Matthew Walker (or read interviews about it), who is a neuroscientist, and covers things like what caffeine and alcohol does to sleep (hint: it's not pretty).

BTW, Walker was featured in NPR's Hidden Brain yesterday as part of a complete episode on sleep. Online link not available yet though.

Is this the correct book? If so, it looks like it might be worth the read!

Yes.