Not sure if this topic has been posted before, sorry if it has.
I'm currently 6 weeks into using retin-A, but have also been trying to improve my sleeping habbits as I've often read a lack of sleep doesn't help acne. The problem is I never, ever get a good nights sleep. I wake up many times throughout the night, and often don't actually feel tired till around midnight. I think I probably only get around 5 hours a night, so i'd really like to get that up to a solid 8 hours if possible.
So far I've tried supplementing with magnesium and melatonin, but have not noticed any improvements in my sleep. Has anyone else who's struggled with sleep in the past got any tips for a good nights rest? Or maybe those of you lucky enough to always sleep like a log can share your secrets. I've always envied those who can just fall asleep anywhere at anytime!
I have the exact same problem. It takes me at least an hour to fall asleep and then I wake up a lot during the night too (20+ times a night when it's bad), and sometimes I just don't sleep. I've actually found the only thing that works 100% are sleeping tablets, which usually knock me out. I only have to take 1/2 a tablet and I sleep all night.
I don't like taking them though, so if I've been having a few bad nights I take a herbal tablet called valerian, which helps relax me. It's not as effective as the proper sleeping tablets but I definitely fall asleep quicker. Also lavender on my pillow and a hot water bottle helps!
I have come a long way over the past several months. It used to take me a couple hours to fall asleep, no matter what time I went to bed. I'd wake up up to a dozen times throughout the night, sometimes for a minute, sometimes for an hour. I'd wake up about 6 or 7 hours after going to bed, wide awake, but then be tired all day. Here's how I fixed it:
-Try to base your sleep schedule around the rising and setting of the sun as much as possible. I wake up at before 8 am and go to bed between 10 and 11 pm. Close enough for me.
-Put a dark curtain over any windows in your room. This made a huge difference. Also unplug or cover up any small lights from electronics. I just switch off the power bar that controls most of the things with little lights on 'em.
-Wear earplugs if you're a light sleeper or noise bothers you.
-Start winding down a couple hours before you want to go to bed. Turn off computer and tv screens, turn the lights off or down, just try to relax. Read a book.
-Don't eat anything after dinner if you can help it. Certainly not any sooner than 3 hours before bed.
I now fall asleep within 10-15 minutes of laying down and only wake up once or twice during the night and it's very brief, I barely remember in the morning. I get 8-10 hours of sleep and have energy most of the day.
Good luck!
You need bright light exposure and to consume the nutrients needed to make seratonin during the day. Start dimming lights after sunset. Don't look at LED screens, but if you must get an app that removes the blue light like f.lux for pc. There isn't one for ipad, so if that's what you have, you need to get orange glasses.
Avoid caffeine, especially from afternoon onward. That includes the painkillers with caffeine. You might not think they are affecting you, but they could be waking yo u up. It happened to me.
Sleep in total darkness and don't turn on lights during te night. Get a night light with an orange bulb if you must for the bathroom.
I have the exact same problem. It takes me at least an hour to fall asleep and then I wake up a lot during the night too (20+ times a night when it's bad), and sometimes I just don't sleep. I've actually found the only thing that works 100% are sleeping tablets, which usually knock me out. I only have to take 1/2 a tablet and I sleep all night.
I don't like taking them though, so if I've been having a few bad nights I take a herbal tablet called valerian, which helps relax me. It's not as effective as the proper sleeping tablets but I definitely fall asleep quicker. Also lavender on my pillow and a hot water bottle helps!
It's so frustrating isn't it! I've been wanting to avoid taking sleeping tablets if I can, as I've heard your body can get used to them if they're taken for a long period of time. That herbal tablet sounds interesting though, so I might give that ago if I can find somewhere to buy it in NZ.
I have come a long way over the past several months. It used to take me a couple hours to fall asleep, no matter what time I went to bed. I'd wake up up to a dozen times throughout the night, sometimes for a minute, sometimes for an hour. I'd wake up about 6 or 7 hours after going to bed, wide awake, but then be tired all day. Here's how I fixed it:
-Try to base your sleep schedule around the rising and setting of the sun as much as possible. I wake up at before 8 am and go to bed between 10 and 11 pm. Close enough for me.
-Put a dark curtain over any windows in your room. This made a huge difference. Also unplug or cover up any small lights from electronics. I just switch off the power bar that controls most of the things with little lights on 'em.
-Wear earplugs if you're a light sleeper or noise bothers you.
-Start winding down a couple hours before you want to go to bed. Turn off computer and tv screens, turn the lights off or down, just try to relax. Read a book.
-Don't eat anything after dinner if you can help it. Certainly not any sooner than 3 hours before bed.
I now fall asleep within 10-15 minutes of laying down and only wake up once or twice during the night and it's very brief, I barely remember in the morning. I get 8-10 hours of sleep and have energy most of the day.
Good luck!
Wow, that's a massive improvement just from making some easy changes to your nightly routine. I have read about something called "sleep hygiene", which makes similar suggestions as you, but I was skeptical as to whether they would work. Now I've seen that it has worked for you, I'm definitely going to try out all of your suggestions.
I'm always in front of the tv or computer right up until I go to bed, I snack throughout the evening, and don't have a consistent sleep/waking time, so there's a lot I need to improve on haha.
i take melatonin every night but the trick is to take it about 2 hours or more before bed. it works for me every single time but i have to take it around 9:30 to go to bed at 11:30.
I generally take it around dinner time, but I don't have a consistent bed time so maybe that doesn't help. My mum takes melatonin as well and it seems to work well for her. Maybe it just isn't as effective for me for some reason.
You need bright light exposure and to consume the nutrients needed to make seratonin during the day. Start dimming lights after sunset. Don't look at LED screens, but if you must get an app that removes the blue light like f.lux for pc. There isn't one for ipad, so if that's what you have, you need to get orange glasses.
Avoid caffeine, especially from afternoon onward. That includes the painkillers with caffeine. You might not think they are affecting you, but they could be waking yo u up. It happened to me.
Sleep in total darkness and don't turn on lights during te night. Get a night light with an orange bulb if you must for the bathroom.
I didn't know different shades could affect you like that. I'll see if I can get that app for my computer tonight.
I don't consume anything with caffeine in it so that won't be a problem for me at least.
I can fall asleep literally any time, anywhere LOL. Maybe I can help you guys out. Here's some tips that help me fall asleep fast and stay asleep.
- It's a mental thing. When you go to bed, never try to force falling asleep. Don't look at your clock once you get into bed; just relax, close your eyes and let sleep come to you. It's okay to think about other things to when you're in bed, you can let your mind wander (reign it in if it gets too far though lol) and eventually you'll fall asleep when your body is ready to
- Make sure you're tired enough. Sometimes you just can't fall asleep because your body and mind have too much energy left and can't shut down. Only sleep as much as you need to, you'll have more productive days and sleep better if you stay in the 6.5-8.5 hour range.
- Make sure your room is dark.
- Don't worry about waking up in the middle of the night. If you do, go to the bathroom, grab a sip of water, and promptly go back to bed.
- Make sure you're sleeping in a cool environment. It's a fact that the body sleeps better when it's cooler; and if you get chilly just throw on a few blankets. The trick is to keep your head and neck cool.
- If noises tend to wake you up a lot, look into a white noise machine. I use a free app for my phone and it works great. You just choose a dull, repetitive, constant sound that sort of equalizes your environment by provided a steady background to your sleep while at the same time drowning out other sharp and loud noises that wake up most people.
Yeah, I wouldn't particularly recommend sleeping tablets for that reason. I only got them because one time I had about an hours sleep over three nights and I was pretty pissed off about it haha.
I thought of something else! I found that taking away my alarm clock helped a lot because I stopped constantly checking it. And try to go to bed and get up at the same time, even if you don't sleep well.
You can buy valerian or a combo tablet of different herbs to help you relax/sleep at any health food shop. Good luck 
I can fall asleep literally any time, anywhere LOL. Maybe I can help you guys out. Here's some tips that help me fall asleep fast and stay asleep.
- It's a mental thing. When you go to bed, never try to force falling asleep. Don't look at your clock once you get into bed; just relax, close your eyes and let sleep come to you. It's okay to think about other things to when you're in bed, you can let your mind wander (reign it in if it gets too far though lol) and eventually you'll fall asleep when your body is ready to
- Make sure you're tired enough. Sometimes you just can't fall asleep because your body and mind have too much energy left and can't shut down. Only sleep as much as you need to, you'll have more productive days and sleep better if you stay in the 6.5-8.5 hour range.
- Make sure your room is dark.
- Don't worry about waking up in the middle of the night. If you do, go to the bathroom, grab a sip of water, and promptly go back to bed.
- Make sure you're sleeping in a cool environment. It's a fact that the body sleeps better when it's cooler; and if you get chilly just throw on a few blankets. The trick is to keep your head and neck cool.
- If noises tend to wake you up a lot, look into a white noise machine. I use a free app for my phone and it works great. You just choose a dull, repetitive, constant sound that sort of equalizes your environment by provided a steady background to your sleep while at the same time drowning out other sharp and loud noises that wake up most people.
Your lucky. I think your right about your frame of mind having a big impact on sleep. I know when I've had several nights of little sleep I get very frustrated, and just end up finding it even harder to fall asleep.
Yeah, I wouldn't particularly recommend sleeping tablets for that reason. I only got them because one time I had about an hours sleep over three nights and I was pretty pissed off about it haha.
I thought of something else! I found that taking away my alarm clock helped a lot because I stopped constantly checking it. And try to go to bed and get up at the same time, even if you don't sleep well.
You can buy valerian or a combo tablet of different herbs to help you relax/sleep at any health food shop. Good luck
I don't blame you as there have been many times where if I had had sleeping tablets, I definitely would have taken them just to get one night of decent sleep.
I was a bad alarm clock watcher, but cut that habit out a while ago as it just drove insane watching the time slowly tick by haha.
I'm going to get some valerian tablets tomorrow from the local pharmacy, so I'll see how that goes for a while along with all the other suggestions people have made.
get an app that removes the blue light like f.lux for pc.
This is super cool, thanks!
Blue spectrum light such as in LEDs, daylight, most artificial light, stimulates seratonin while suppressing its conversion to melatonin. We would naturally be in very bright dayligt most of the day, and little light other than red spectrum fire light after sunset. this causes a serge in melatonin to put you to sleep. Being in artificial light all day ( not bright enough) and at night muddles up the whole process.
Not sure if this topic has been posted before, sorry if it has.
I'm currently 6 weeks into using retin-A, but have also been trying to improve my sleeping habbits as I've often read a lack of sleep doesn't help acne. The problem is I never, ever get a good nights sleep. I wake up many times throughout the night, and often don't actually feel tired till around midnight. I think I probably only get around 5 hours a night, so i'd really like to get that up to a solid 8 hours if possible.
So far I've tried supplementing with magnesium and melatonin, but have not noticed any improvements in my sleep. Has anyone else who's struggled with sleep in the past got any tips for a good nights rest? Or maybe those of you lucky enough to always sleep like a log can share your secrets. I've always envied those who can just fall asleep anywhere at anytime!
There are lots of good ways to have a more natural sleeping cycle, such as not using electronics near bedtime, having total darkness, etc.
But if you have an irregular schedule that makes a lot of that impossible, these are the only things that have worked for me:
Natrol Advanced Melatonin Plus. Like you melatonin NEVER worked for me. For some reason this combination of Melatonin (6 mg) with Suntheanine (25 mg) knocks me out in about 20 minutes. Natrol has lots of brands of melatonin that look similar, so make sure you check the ingredients and get the one with Suntheanine.
The old type of sleeping pills will knock me out, though sometimes I have to take two. I don't remember the exact ingredient, but you need one with an antihistamine that crosses the blood-brain barrier. You can google which one it is. The newer ones don't do this. Downside is I am super groggy the next day.
Not sure if this topic has been posted before, sorry if it has.
I'm currently 6 weeks into using retin-A, but have also been trying to improve my sleeping habbits as I've often read a lack of sleep doesn't help acne. The problem is I never, ever get a good nights sleep. I wake up many times throughout the night, and often don't actually feel tired till around midnight. I think I probably only get around 5 hours a night, so i'd really like to get that up to a solid 8 hours if possible.
So far I've tried supplementing with magnesium and melatonin, but have not noticed any improvements in my sleep. Has anyone else who's struggled with sleep in the past got any tips for a good nights rest? Or maybe those of you lucky enough to always sleep like a log can share your secrets. I've always envied those who can just fall asleep anywhere at anytime!
There are lots of good ways to have a more natural sleeping cycle, such as not using electronics near bedtime, having total darkness, etc.
But if you have an irregular schedule that makes a lot of that impossible, these are the only things that have worked for me:
Natrol Advanced Melatonin Plus. Like you melatonin NEVER worked for me. For some reason this combination of Melatonin (6 mg) with Suntheanine (25 mg) knocks me out in about 20 minutes. Natrol has lots of brands of melatonin that look similar, so make sure you check the ingredients and get the one with Suntheanine.
The old type of sleeping pills will knock me out, though sometimes I have to take two. I don't remember the exact ingredient, but you need one with an antihistamine that crosses the blood-brain barrier. You can google which one it is. The newer ones don't do this. Downside is I am super groggy the next day.
I do have a fairly irregular sleeping schedule, one of the problems a lot of uni students have I guess. Thanks for the advice, I'll look into the Natrol Advanced Melationin Plus. Hopefully I can find somewhere that sells it.
