Sleeping too deeply

[bisous]

I’m wondering if someone can help. I am having a problem falling asleep too early and not waking during the night. Now normally this is good sleep hygiene but this is not working for my family! I keep falling asleep before DS1 and DS2 go to bed (ages 14 and 10) and neither DH nor I are awakening for DS1s high blood sugar alarms. Compound that with the fact that I’m getting up at 4 every morning and something is just off. I’m getting (and needing) more sleep than I’ve gotten since my teenage years these days. Is this an age thing? (I’m 41.) I used to be able to run off of 6 interrupted hours of sleep and function well but I can’t seem to do it now.

My health is otherwise excellent. I swear the Z-pack I took for my pneumonia cured a sinus infection I didn’t even know I had for the past three years. So you’d think I’d need LESS sleep now. I’ve been breathing better than I can remember after that treatment. I’m on a diet and gently losing weight. I don’t have aches and pains. My mood is good to great,

I just can’t seem to do everything I need to for my family and it’s totally stressing me out! I either need to figure out how to sleep later (gotta be up by 5:20 to drive DH to the train but I’m getting up way earlier than that) and I need to somehow sleep lighter. So far I’ve only missed high blood sugar alarms, not lows but for years I’ve bedn the only one who awakens for diabetes stuff and not being on top of it has me living in fear. It might be the reason I’m getting up so early!

WWYD?

[RiverRat]

Just a quick thought, can you change the sound of the blood sugar alarm? Maybe your body has gotten used to that sound and it has become a “normal” night sound in your house. If you have a new sound, maybe your body will register it and wake up? Also, can you sleep with your door open to try and get the alarm to sound louder in your room?


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[hillview]

Have you had your blood levels checked (anemia etc)? Anxiety can def make you more tired.

[StantonHyde]

I now need 8-9 hours of sleep. They are interrupted hours--I get up several times to go to the bathroom--but it is still that much. And I take naps on the days I don't work. So, yes, I think it is normal to need more sleep.

[Kindra178]

4 am is a really early wake up time. It’s practically the middle of the night. If you have to leave at 5.20 why are you waking up at 4? If you are continuing to wake up at 4, keep that early bedtime.

Honestly, I think you are exhausted! You have been dealing with the low blood sugar alarms overnight for years.

Next question, at one point do you turn over the care of diabetes to ds1? Does his medicine or diet need fine tuning to avoid low blood sugar overnight?


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[HannaAddict]

4 am wake up time would wreck me and of course you need more sleep. If you leave at 5:20 (and I would explore every option not to have to drive him), I would get up at 5, drink some coffee and drive him in my sweats. No way would I get up and hour and a half before I had to leave.


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[MMMommy]

4am is terribly early to wake up, period. I recall you posting before about having alone time with DH when driving him to the train every morning. You prob need to go to sleep super early in order to wake up at 4am daily. Can DS be taught to administer himself? Or can DH find a way to get to the train station that early? You are probably overworked and need all the sleep you can get.

[BDKmom]

Are you waking up at 4 on purpose, or because you go to sleep so early you can't get back to sleep after 4? What time are you going to sleep?

[Globetrotter]

I find I have a strong internal alarm so I wake up at the same time no matter when I fall asleep. It’s very annoying if I sleep late and want to sleep in in the morning. Is that why you wake up at four?
It’s only natural that you feel sleepy early in the day since you wake up so early. Can you try to force yourself to stay up an extra hour? Though if you have my issue that may not help right away. It takes a long time for me to adjust my internal alarm- think jet lag- but it’s possible. Overall you probably need the sleep, but try to shift it an hour to be on schedule for your family’s needs.

As for night time checks, have you tried many different loud alarms? Since DH isn’t waking up either, I wonder if it’s your alarm.
I wake up at the slightest thing, though I used to sleep through anything, including storms and sometimes crying babies, though fortunately dh woke up for that! I was just a sound sleeper and now I Long for those days :)

[SnuggleBuggles]

You need to stop driving dh. But, I've been saying that since day 1. I never sleep well if I know I have to wake up early. It just doesn't sound like a sustainable lifestyle change based on your sleep needs.

[bisous]

I don't have to get up at 4:00. I just am! And yes, I think it is because I'm falling asleep so early in part. Though DH says I need to read the book I was given by my brother for Christmas entitled "Why We Sleep" and that the answer might be that I need to get to bed EARLIER (sounds like Weissbluth!). I appear to be somewhat hardwired to wake up so early. I tried, really tried to fall back asleep today but couldn't even though I felt tired. DS1 had high blood sugar (that I didn't awaken to treat) so it could have been the stress.

I would get up at 5:00 anyway. I have to be up by 5:20 to drive DH. I would be okay finding another solution but for now it is the best we've got. DH is supposed to ride his bike but he's been fighting cold after cold (he's been sort of fragile since HIS big pneumonia bout several years ago) and so it keeps happening.

So I'd LIKE to wake up at 5:00. That gives me some solitude and time to get stuff done. I'd like to go to bed at 10:00. But maybe that isn't enough sleep anymore.

On Thursday last week I had my book club in the pm that is my favorite thing to do ever. And I managed to fall asleep at 8:30. I did wake up (DH helped me because he knew I'd be super bummed if I missed it) and go out and stayed quite late. I slept in until 7:00 the next morning (Friday) but awoke at 4:00 again on Saturday morning.

DS1 will eventually manage on his own. He's in the midst of those crazy growth spurts of puberty and his blood sugar is insane, requiring quite a heavy touch. From my other friends with type 1 (and my endo) this is normal so it will get easier as his growing stops and that's a good thing because I don't think DS1, or I, or anyone could take a lifetime of this! FWIW, sixuntilme.com is the site of a very popular blogger. She's married with two kids and her parents still "follow" her blood sugars because she's still afraid of lows. It is a pretty crummy disease and some people appear to be susceptible to crashes more than others.

[squimp]

That sounds stressful. I also wonder what could be done to help DS manage. My 14-yo DD has two good friends who have T1 and they come over for sleepovers and are mainly managing it themselves. Sometimes they need supplies or have to go home early if they are getting run down, but generally they take care of themselves. But I know it is a tough disease.

What time are you falling asleep at night? Any chance you could take a mid-afternoon nap? After my cancer, I started taking naps mid-day on the weekends and it is wonderful. Highly recommend. I'm a little older though.

[bisous]

That sounds stressful. I also wonder what could be done to help DS manage. My 14-yo DD has two good friends who have T1 and they come over for sleepovers and are mainly managing it themselves. Sometimes they need supplies or have to go home early if they are getting run down, but generally they take care of themselves. But I know it is a tough disease.

What time are you falling asleep at night? Any chance you could take a mid-afternoon nap? After my cancer, I started taking naps mid-day on the weekends and it is wonderful. Highly recommend. I'm a little older though.

Maybe I can. After I pick up DS3 we're usually home for a few hours before all the after school stuff starts. I bet I could lie down for a half an hour or so while the kids watched a show (in the same room). I'm wondering if they're old enough not to jump on me anymore, lol!

I LOVE naps. Got through undergraduate school that way. :)

[Pear]

There might be an underlying cause, but there is a very good chance that you are just exhausted. We can’t keep up the schedules the world often demands. If there is a cause, sleep becomes even more crucial.


For starters, could you develop a system where you and DH trade off nights for alarms. Make sure if there is a pattern that you both get some bad nights and some good nights. Maybe even sleep in separate rooms so the alarm only wakes the person on call and doesn’t disturb the sleeper at all.

[Pear]

How old is your youngest? My Dd is 8 and by 6 she was able to understand that mommy was sick and needed to sleep. She had snacks she could get herself, was allowed screen and time, and I didn’t always get the rest I needed, but more often than not I did.

[mikala]

First off, I don't think 8 hours of sleep is unreasonable at all. I was just in a conversation with friends IRL where we talked about how we all needed more than our old 6-7 as we approached and passed 40. That said, it doesn't sound like you're feeling rested in the morning and I'd definitely want to work on that.

Are you exercising at all? If so, I'd try adjusting the time of day a bit and see if that had any effect on your sleep. If not, I'd start exercising. I'd also make sure to keep up on vitamin D supplements and would try a good probiotic, especially since you mention recent antibiotic use.

I also agree with others that I'd try to find a way for your DH to get to the train station alone so you can sleep longer as your body allows, especially if your sleep is regularly interrupted for blood sugar alarms. IIRC the train station commute was impacting a child's sleep, too, and just didn't sound sustainable at all.

[chlobo]

I’m wondering if someone can help. I am having a problem falling asleep too early and not waking during the night. Now normally this is good sleep hygiene but this is not working for my family! I keep falling asleep before DS1 and DS2 go to bed (ages 14 and 10) and neither DH nor I are awakening for DS1s high blood sugar alarms. Compound that with the fact that I’m getting up at 4 every morning and something is just off. I’m getting (and needing) more sleep than I’ve gotten since my teenage years these days. Is this an age thing? (I’m 41.) I used to be able to run off of 6 interrupted hours of sleep and function well but I can’t seem to do it now.

My health is otherwise excellent. I swear the Z-pack I took for my pneumonia cured a sinus infection I didn’t even know I had for the past three years. So you’d think I’d need LESS sleep now. I’ve been breathing better than I can remember after that treatment. I’m on a diet and gently losing weight. I don’t have aches and pains. My mood is good to great,

I just can’t seem to do everything I need to for my family and it’s totally stressing me out! I either need to figure out how to sleep later (gotta be up by 5:20 to drive DH to the train but I’m getting up way earlier than that) and I need to somehow sleep lighter. So far I’ve only missed high blood sugar alarms, not lows but for years I’ve bedn the only one who awakens for diabetes stuff and not being on top of it has me living in fear. It might be the reason I’m getting up so early!

WWYD?

You have 5 kids ages 6-14, a husband who requires you drive him to the train at 5am AND you recently had pneumonia and are wondering why you need more than 6 hours of sleep?

Honey, I need a nap just looking at that sentence. I think you might need some good R&R. We weren't meant to be constantly on the go.

[LBW]

A few thoughts...

1) Falling asleep earlier than a couple of your kids and getting up earlier sounds almost as if you are functioning in a different time zone. I think you have to force yourself to stay up later to adjust back.

2) This quote makes me think you are sleeping deeper, and that's why you aren't getting up for your son's blood sugar alarms. You may not have been getting good, deep sleep in the past if you had on ongoing sinus infection.

I swear the Z-pack I took for my pneumonia cured a sinus infection I didn’t even know I had for the past three years. So you’d think I’d need LESS sleep now. I’ve been breathing better than I can remember after that treatment.

3) And I bet this is b/c you are getting better sleep!

I don’t have aches and pains. My mood is good to great

[DualvansMommy]

more sleep sounds like something is in order for you, it isn't really substainable for you long term.

stay up an hour later; go to bed around 9-9:30 and that should help you to be up by 5-5:30am.
get another option for your DH to get himself to train station
start training DS1 to be on lookout for his low/highs, as it won't be long for him to go out to college. Might as well start using the time you have now to get him to self manage his diabetics.

[petesgirl]

My dad has to get up at 4 am for work and he has found that he absolutely has to be in bed (preferably asleep) by 9 pm. If not, he has all sorts of other health problems that crop up.

[TwinFoxes]

Why is six hours the goal? Am I the only who would be incredibly grouchy if I had to regularly get 6 hours of interrupted ​sleep??? I don't think there's anything you need to fix, your body just wants a normal amount of sleep.

[Philly Mom]

Why is six hours the goal? Am I the only who would be incredibly grouchy if I had to regularly get 6 hours of interrupted ​sleep??? I don't think there's anything you need to fix, your body just wants a normal amount of sleep.

I would be miserable like that and falling asleep at random times. I need 7-8 hours. Recently, I have been having 7 and I am just exhausted.


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[ArizonaGirl]

I get up at 430 for work and I have to go to bed by 9 if I don't want to be a walking grouchy zombie.

I have an autistic 9 year old that doesn't sleep well so I frequently get up during the night with him and if we have a rough couple of nights I'm in bed by 830 or even earlier..

[gymnbomb]

Why is six hours the goal? Am I the only who would be incredibly grouchy if I had to regularly get 6 hours of interrupted ​sleep??? I don't think there's anything you need to fix, your body just wants a normal amount of sleep.

The large majority of adults need 7-9 hours. And many of the people who think they do fine with less really aren’t doing as fine as they think. You are right, long term insufficient sleep is just not sustainable.


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[bisous]

I don't think 6 is necessarily the goal. I'm just trying to figure out what has changed. Is there something wrong? Am I just getting older? Six hours is nice when you've got a lot to do but feeling good is something I strive for obviously!

[bisous]

A few thoughts...

1) Falling asleep earlier than a couple of your kids and getting up earlier sounds almost as if you are functioning in a different time zone. I think you have to force yourself to stay up later to adjust back.

2) This quote makes me think you are sleeping deeper, and that's why you aren't getting up for your son's blood sugar alarms. You may not have been getting good, deep sleep in the past if you had on ongoing sinus infection.


3) And I bet this is b/c you are getting better sleep!

This is really interesting. That bit about the time zone, the funny thing is that this really started when I took a 1 week trip to the East Coast and I had the darnedest time getting back on PST! My sinuses feel really, really different and my sleep is really different so this might be the winning answer.

[bisous]

I will look into better alarms. I'm considering turning off my high alarms and instead checking at regular intervals for high blood sugars, as I did for many years before we got the new technology. That will allow the sleep to be less disrupted I think and a better chance of intervening. I will keep my low alarms on because they're still working and I MUST intervene in those instances. I feel like the fact that I sleep through the high but not the low alarms is telling. Lows are immediately dangerous and highs are only dangerous over the long haul. At some level I must actually be waking and determining which sounds are worthy of my attention!

If I can stay up even until 9:30 and wake up at 5:00 that will be good enough to be up with my kids and that's nearly 8 hours. Maybe I can fit a nap into my weekends or catnaps with just DD and DS3 at home.

Thank you for all your helpful observations. :)

[Globetrotter]

It takes me a long time to adjust from jet lag. If this started after an east coast trip, I’d say you’re still on east coast time :)

[bisous]

It takes me a long time to adjust from jet lag. If this started after an east coast trip, I’d say you’re still on east coast time :)

That was in October though, lol. But I really do still feel like I'm on east coast time!

[#2ontheway]

You have 5 kids ages 6-14, a husband who requires you drive him to the train at 5am AND you recently had pneumonia and are wondering why you need more than 6 hours of sleep?

Honey, I need a nap just looking at that sentence. I think you might need some good R&R. We weren't meant to be constantly on the go.

What I was thinking! I swear as I get older (now 46) I need more sleep. Maybe my sleep is more interrupted than I realize. But I'm just TIRED. Bisous, you must be exhausted!

[o_mom]

That was in October though, lol. But I really do still feel like I'm on east coast time!

Weren't you just in TX?

[Liziz]

One other thing to add....I guess I don't recall how old I was (and my kids are much younger so take this with a grain of salt), but as a kid my parents DEFINITELY went to bed earlier than I did sometimes -- especially my mom. In terms of a 14 year old, I don't think it's necessarily a terrible thing if you go to bed before him some nights (will he go to bed on his own?) -- especially if your DH is up later than you.

[bisous]

Weren't you just in TX?

Good memory! Yes, I guess I was! It just seems like everything changed when I got home from DC in October.