Sleeping when you have to?

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CL-Skadoo!
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Sleeping when you have to?

Post by CL-Skadoo! »

I'm curious how folks in different flight operations "set up" for a trip when you know it will be outside of your usual cycle or you know you really need a good night's rest.
Often a lot of these posts end up treating insomnia, but I am not going that far. Just that inability to get to sleep when you know it counts the most. Days at home, nothing to do the next day, no fires to put out, 8 hours comes quite easily.
Give me a trip with a stressful, maxed out day, where 8 hours would make life so much easier, and I seem to miss out.

The usuals, limit caffeine, alcohol, keep a good schedule, limite e - devices, and a dark, cool room certainly help. Also, refusing to look at the clock to do "sleep math" also has helped tremendously.
I'm wondering if anyone else encounters this and has a good way to combat it.

:smt023
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CpnCrunch
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Re: Sleeping when you have to?

Post by CpnCrunch »

Don't eat too much in the evening. Light exercise such as walking after dinner, but not a strenuous workout. Read or watch something entertaining. Resolve all problems and emotional issues before sleeping (even if it's just deciding what you're doing to do tomorrow).

I actually find that using e-devices and/or reading when I really can't sleep can be more helpful that "trying" to fall asleep when it's clearly not happening.
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co-joe
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Re: Sleeping when you have to?

Post by co-joe »

Something to consider are the new studies on the blue part of the light spectrum and its effect on night time production of melatonin, serotonin, and a few other important brain chemicals.

Some of those blue blocker sun glasses an hour before bed, a blue filter for your smart phone, or even "notched" light bulbs may be a huge help. The studies are fairly new, but they seem to suggest that our bodies stop fighting cancer when we see certain lighting during the night time.

The Nature of Things did a great episode on this. http://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/episodes/lights-out

Something I've had some decent results from is listening to ASMR before bed. Its weird hippy dippy stuff but try it to see if it helps. I like the gentle tapping sounds, feels like a gentle scalp massage. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWVmbq9ylp0 is an example of one.
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Last edited by co-joe on Tue Apr 25, 2017 12:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Adam Oke
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Re: Sleeping when you have to?

Post by Adam Oke »

I wake up early and go to bed early the day before I have to wake up early. Try to get into the schedule ahead of time. Black out blinds and a cold room are standard for me. If I'm not feeling tired when I hit the hay early, I pop a melatonin. I try to avoid melatonin as you body will reduce natural production and start to rely on intake.
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Mikehoodee
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Re: Sleeping when you have to?

Post by Mikehoodee »

I am always strict to my everyday rules. I wake up from bed at the very early morning. And go to bed at about 11 a. m. everyday.
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CL-Skadoo!
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Re: Sleeping when you have to?

Post by CL-Skadoo! »

Really great info, thanks for the insight. I'm getting better at it.
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