Sleep

[LetYouDown]

This may be a bit of a stretch for the Psychology forum, but I believe that it affects me mentally, and has an impact on my poker game as well.

For the past 10 years or so, I have had the worst sleeping patterns you can imagine. I've had no defined sleeping schedule until I started working 9-5 (3-4 years ago). Even now it's loosely defined, as I'll stay up until 3-4 some nights and be absolutely destroyed the next day, which forces me to crash when I get home. On weekends, I stay up until I literally can't stay awake anymore because I can sleep in the next day. I generally sleep until at least 3pm, if not later, on Saturdays and Sundays. Yesterday I set my alarm for 11am, as I had to get up for an appointment. It was absolute torture. I went to sleep at 3am, and had a full 8 hours of sleep...but I was tired to the point of nausea when I woke up. I strongly considered not going.

I am constantly tired and feel as though I never ever get a good night's sleep. I'm dragging through the day constantly and it's really depressing me. If affects my poker game because I don't always have the alertness/stamina that I need to play long sessions.

I think it's finally time to do something about it, but I have absolutely no idea where to start. I get no exercise and feel hard pressed to start a regiment as I have absolutely no motivation. My diet is atrocious. I'll go two days without eating, but when I do eat, it's always awful for me. I'm a smoker, and I'm sure that doesn't help. I just feel completely lost and I have no idea where to start.

Anyone else have this problem and/or solve it somehow? I've grown so accustomed to it that I feel resigned to the fact that I'll live a life without energy.

[dutchbrodymoss]

I live like that too. no solution.

[purnell]

First of all, you cannot sleep unless you are motivated to sleep. I am undisciplined, and it sounds like you are too. Check your motivation, convince yourself that you want to sleep. That said, I had lifelong issues with sleep patterns, until I stumbled upon this concept. If a hypnotist's watch is like a tack hammer, binaural beats are like a ten-pound sledge. The best thing is you can make your own binaural beat recording, cheaply.

[USGrant]

a) quit smoking
b) start cardio exercising 30 mins. a day, 4 days a week.
c) see a doctor, don't ask for health advice on the 2+2 Forum.

[LetYouDown]

I wasn't exactly seeking a clinical diagnosis or a prescription. I've seen enough doctors regarding this to realize it's not worth even a $5 co-pay to hear the same canned response again.

I obviously realize that diet/exercise are a big problem here, as well as smoking. It's just incredibly hard to motivate myself to get beyond the first step of simply trying to overcome it. I'll have the occaisional day where I'll intentionally eat well or force myself to exercise but it never lasts more than a day or two. I'm beginning to wonder if this problem is just a psychological problem that manifests itself physically.

Thanks for the response purnell, I'll take a look at that on my next break.

[A_C_Slater]

There's nothing wrong with you. There is something wrong with the 9 to 5 routine that the majority of Americans live day in and day out. There's nothing wrong with that. You have to make a living, but it's just not natural.

It is not the natural condiiton of man to live such a regimented routine. I think this condition has only come about in the last hundred years after the beginning of heavy industrialization.


I too wake up/ go to sleep whenever I feel like it. But the thing that isn't natural is your eating habits. You really shouldn't go two days without eating even if you're not hungry. You must force yourself to eat at least two meals a day. Maybe you have no energy because you have no calories to utilize.

I am 5' 8" and only weigh about 130 pounds, but I make sure to eat at lease twice a day, and no, I am usually not hungry when I do. But the only time I feel tired is the first couple of hours after walking up.

[chesspain]

[ QUOTE ]
I wasn't exactly seeking a clinical diagnosis or a prescription. I've seen enough doctors regarding this to realize it's not worth even a $5 co-pay to hear the same canned response again.

I obviously realize that diet/exercise are a big problem here, as well as smoking. It's just incredibly hard to motivate myself to get beyond the first step of simply trying to overcome it. I'll have the occaisional day where I'll intentionally eat well or force myself to exercise but it never lasts more than a day or two. I'm beginning to wonder if this problem is just a psychological problem that manifests itself physically.


[/ QUOTE ]

You don't seem to want to listen to any of the advice you have received from health care professionals regarding your habits and lifestyle choices. Do you think you will receive more helpful advice from anonymous, college-aged kids?

[LetYouDown]

It has nothing to do with not wanting to listen to them. The physicians I've seen have given me responses that were dismissive. They never seem to understand the severity, or how it affects me. For the second time, I'm not looking for a clinical diagnosis or any medical recommendations. I'm looking for tried and true advice...as I've received. Does the age of the person giving the recommendation really matter? I'm only curious what has worked for other people.

I do appreciate all of the responses. I'm going to attempt to eliminate sugar/caffeine, I've been meaning to do that for quite some time. I drink an enormous coffee every single morning and I'm constantly drinking a caffeinated beverage throughout the afternoon. I do think this affects me more than I realize.

I never eat when I'm not hungry, I realize I need to change that. I'm going to keep track of when I eat and make sure that I force myself to eat at least something every few hours.

The smoking thing I'll just have to give the good 'ole college try.

Thanks for the melatonin suggestion. It is over-the-counter, or at least it used to be. I tried it in college. I only did it for a few days and ended up forgetting about it. I'll swing to a drug store and give it a try.

[chesspain]

[ QUOTE ]
It has nothing to do with not wanting to listen to them. The physicians I've seen have given me responses that were dismissive. They never seem to understand the severity, or how it affects me. For the second time, I'm not looking for a clinical diagnosis or any medical recommendations. I'm looking for tried and true advice...as I've received. Does the age of the person giving the recommendation really matter? I'm only curious what has worked for other people.


[/ QUOTE ]

You imply that you have had a sleep disorder for at least ten years. You also say that physicians have been dismissive, which suggests one or more of the following: You have had difficulty explaining to them the severity of the problem, they have failed to listen to you, or you have ignored the advice you were given.

Regardless, even though you have a "sleep disorder," (sorry for the diagnosis), you say you want "tried and true" recommendations from anonymous poker players rather than "medical recommendations" from trained professionals. You know, when I need to have my car repaired, I usually don't bring it to my dry cleaner.

Indeed, I would recommend that you try to secure a referral to a psychologist who specializes in Behavioral Medicine, which is the use of behavioral/psychological strategies to help individuals overcome or cope with health problems such as eating disorders, sleep disorders, chronic pain, gastrointestinal distress, etc. Sleep disorders really aren't that difficult to treat--and I should know, since I'm a psychologist.

I wish you luck in your search for relief.

Dr. cp

[MicroBob]

i've had some kinda wacky sleep/fatigue issues for awhile as well. i feel your agony.


the exercise thing is the real deal. i feel SOOOOO much better when I'm exercising even semi-regularly as well as eating better (I've never smoked...but I can imagine this would be a good habit to break too).

I have a tough time motivating myself to run...but playing on a rec-league soccer team where I get to run around kicking people and chasing after a ball does the trick quite nicely.
Since I'm not into swimming or lifting-weights something like this may be worth considering.

Will also join a racket club at some point as I enjoy tennis and raquetball.

Find something (ANYTHING) that will get you even a little bit active.


i'm also a big believer in Vitamin C. 300% of your RDA.
There was some study I read about....
different groups received vitamin C via some generic orange-type drink. some were receiving no vitamin C...others got 60% of the RDA of vit-C...others 100%...others 200% or more...etc.

None of the participants knew how much Vit-C they were getting.

After a few weeks those were getting 200% or more would respond positively to such simple things that the study people would ask such as, "so...how have things been going for you lately?"

Those with less Vit-C were just typically not as positive...felt like they were dragging...etc etc.


Obviously other aspects of diet (iron, etc) are very important too.


sounds like there is a big-time motivational problem at play.
Instead of focusing on changing everything all at once for the rest of your life (quite the daunting task) just do one thing at a time for short-spells.

Commit to exercising and eating at least a little bit better for the next 2 weeks for example.

If you try to cut smoking, caffeine, and everything else all at once you would be more likely to crash-and-burn.

Other option would be to take a week's vacation and just stay at home for that stretch and quit the bad stuff cold-turkey and allow yourself to feel like crap for a bit.

I did this with caffeine for awhile. Had a few days off so just let myself lay on the couch and get the inevitable head-aches while I slept about 14 hours straight and got adjusted.

Variety of ideas in here I guess.
good luck with whatever direction you choose.