Does anyone actually HAVE time to sleep 8 hours?

[Dominik]

Hey everyone,

 

I followed the Whole30 to the T and pretty much still eat that way (although I have wine here and there - that is my only non-Whole30 vice) but I still have trouble sleeping. I've always had insomnia. Here's my question though: I work 9 to 5 and have class from 6-9pm twice a week. How do I actually schedule 7-8 hours of sleep per night? It's impossible between taking care of my apartment (I live solo), errands, making time to work out, work and school. If I'm lucky, I can get 6 hours of sleep and that is with the help of Tylenol PM.

 

Any advice? I would love to sleep a good 8 hours and I'm still fighting the urge to keep the TV on late at night while watching the news, but other than that, I'm just not tired!

 

Dominik

[GFChris]

I think you hit the nail on the head - shut off the TV at night and don't watch the late news.   

 

I get up between 6 and 7 am every morning (some mornings earlier if I have an early meeting) and go to bed by 10 or 11. 

It may help to add some rituals to signal your body you're going to sleep. No screens an hour before bed. Take a hot bath. Listen to relaxing music.

[JJB]

I don't have trouble sleeping, but I agree that it can be near impossible to be in bed as long as we are "supposed" to. I work 12-hour day shifts. I scramble to take care of everything that I need to at night and manage to get to bed between 9:30 and 10:00, but I'm up by 4...earlier when my cats decide I've slept enough. I can do better on my days off, but I still like to get up early because there's so much to do. I'd have to change careers to get 8 hours of sleep a night.

[msssjenna]

I have a super busy schedule and definitely get 8 hours.  If I didnt I would be crazy.  I get up at 5:30am, work 7:30-3:30, coach 4-6, come home and cater to 3 kids, and lights are out by 9pm.  I dont have time to watch TV but I dont need it cause I'm pretty exhausted by then.

[Bet]

This is what I do. After I eat dinner, that's it, no more food. I will sit and watch tv and if I start to feel a bit of hunger, I go to bed. It takes awhile for you to adjust to that, but once you do, it's great. Of course you are getting home at 9pm, are you eating then? That may be why you can't get to sleep.

[DoctorMom]

I also have trouble finding time for 8 hours because of my work and kids.  Be careful with Tylenol PM.  It has benadryl which can result in rebound insomnia if taken too much.  Here are some sleep hygiene tips, many of which are mentioned in the Whole30 literature:

 

1. Dim lights in the 1-3 hours before bed.

2. Limit electronics in the 1 hr before bed.

3.  Exercise in the morning.  2nd best is at lunch.  Worst is after dinner or the evening, this can leave you jazzed and unable to fall asleep.

4. No caffeine after noon.

5. Keep your bed for sleeping and for sex.  No working, watching TV, reading books, using the laptop.

6.  Jotting down a to do list can be helpful if you're the type who can't sleep because of racing thoughts.

7.  Warm bath/shower can be calming for some.  

 

Good luck!

[StaceFaceAK]

I found that losing the cable and internet when I moved to my new apartment freed up time to take care of my apartment (cleaning, kitchen time, laundry, etc), which in turn freed up time to get to bed earlier and sleep more.

 

Like you, I work full time (8:30 to 5:30), work a second job from 6-8 Wed and Thurs, have other athletic/school/social commitments Mon-Tues that keep me out until 8 or 9, and am currently training for a triathlon. So, I definitely feel you....but giving up the late night TV will help regulate your sleep hormones (the blue light from screens tricks your body into thinking it's daytime, so you don't actually get sleepy like you should at night).

 

I also find that nightly rituals help my body calm down and signal that it's actually time for bed.

 

Good luck and I hope you find something that works!

[GLC1968]

I would kill to have time to get in 8 hours per night. Ok, that's an exaggeration, of course.  In my world, it's just not possible with my current schedule.  If it were THAT important to me, I'd make some lifestyle changes but in reality, I'm OK with it.  There are just too many things I enjoy about my life to start giving up things just for sleep (no matter how important it is).  I typically get between 6 - 7 hours per night.  I do sleep very soundly, so the quality is there (and boy, do I feel it when it's not!).  BUT, even with good quality sleep, by the end of the week it does start to catch up with me and I find myself day-dreaming about a soft pillow.

 

In most cases, I can get a solid 8 - 9 hours of sleep one night per weekend (the day my husband gets up to take the dogs out) and that pretty much revives my batteries for the balance of the week.

 

Everyone is different.  I don't see the point to beating myself up over a few lost hours of sleep when everything else in my life makes me happy.  That said, you've definitely gotten some good hints about improving that sleep quality.  I think that is the part that matters the most.  Make it count!

[AmeriCanLeo]

I don't have time to sleep 8 hours unless the government decided to add 5 extra hours to the day! I work two jobs and usually by the time I am off work and done with my workout, I am home at 8 and then cook dinner and am done by 10ish and after cleaning up and packing up my meal for the next day I am in bed by 11pm. My day starts at 5am each morning so I get about 6 hours. A hot shower before bed usually gets me to sleep quickly. I also don't have a tv in my room so no worries about that. I have a harder time putting my iphone down, so as soon as I hit the bed I turn it off and flip it over so I can't see the screen lol. You may also want to try a hot cup of chamoille tea before bed. Tazo has a great one and since Starbucks is discontinuing carrying them you might be able to get a super great deal on tins online.

 

Hope this helps!

[CRCBN]

Well, I guess I have time to get 8 hours - but I choose not to. I babysit my grandkids until about 10:00 5 nights a week. It takes me a little while to wind down after I get back home so I don't go to bed until 11 and I like to get up at 6am so I can get some house work done before I go to work at 8. I guess I could try to stay in bed until 7am but I'm wide awake at 6 so it just makes sense to get up and use the extra hour to do some chores.

 

PS - I know 8-10 hours is 'recommended' but I feel just fine on 7 and I haven't been able to stay in bed longer than 7 hours since I left my teenage years behind.