Setting the Environment...

published by Christopher Haskins on Wed, 07/21/2010 - 09:51
English

Greetings again,

Again, I'm not the normal "ZEO" user, I suffer from Fibromyalgia, and my sleep problems are far off the reasonable scale, but here are a few items that I've found that have helped...

Full body pillow.  Not the straight line short body pillows.  I've found a U-shaped body pillow long enough for my 5'10" frame.  It's got enough "loft" to support head & shoulders in any position.  And since it's U-shaped, you can roll over easily, or pull the other arm of the pillow over to stack support.  My wife & I often share one side of the pillow; so it's not like it separates us.  With Fibro, supporting your limbs in neutral positions on something soft eases the pain.

Sound Machine.  We've used these forever.  Simple ones are called "White Noise Generators", and they mask out all the odd noises in your environment.  We use the more elaborate models that generate natural environments.  These days, MP3 Players can take the place of a dedicated sound machine -- and you can buy environmental CD's to rip, like "Rain on a Tin Roof", etc.

Air Cleaner.  You'd be surprised at how many folks have allergies, not bad, but just enough to create stuffy noses, or minor discomfort, which interrupts sleep.  Most people can get by with a good HEPA air cleaner.  We've been partial to the "Austin Air" units, as the HEPA filter lasts for 4-5 years.  They also remove odors to a limited degree.

Mattress covers.  On the same subject of allergies above, a breathable mattress cover eliminates the "dust mite" problem, which again, causes problems for a lot of people.

Experimental - Light & Sound Machines.  These are used along the same lines as the ZEO MP3 relaxation files.  Information on these devices can be found here: http://www.toolsforwellness.co.....hines.html  .  My personal experience with these devices is that they can assist you with falling asleep, but they certainly don't act as an "on & off" switch...  Those of you who seem to be experimenting with different sleep states may find these devices useful...

Once again, my 2 cents worth...

RaZZZ

Thu, 03/24/2011 - 21:17

Here are some other points you may want to consider trying when setting your sleep environment...

 

1.  No bright lights - Turn the lights
down in your house prior to bedtime.

2.  Regulate your bedroom temperature – Ideally, you
want your bedroom between
12 and 24 degrees Celsius (54-75 degrees Fahrenheit).

3.  Stop the noise  - Get rid of unnecessary distractions
before you go to bed.  Try to block
out sounds from the street and the rest of the house.

4.  Make
your bedroom more sleep-friendly  - Do whatever it takes to make your bedroom more comfortable
- whether
that’s using air conditioning, extra blankets or pillows, a heated blanket, heated
lavender stuffed pets, blinds, curtains or earplugs, you need to find the ideal combination
for yourself.

5.  Your bed must be comfortable - Make sure your
bed, blankets and pillow are comfy. 

6.  Your bed is for Sleeping only (well,
almost only) – Don’t watch T.V or play on the computer in (or before) bed.  Your mind needs to associate your
bedroom with sleeping and nothing else – other than sex.

7.  Keep pets out of the bedroom at night – As much as you love your dog, letting him sleep with you may be causing
more harm than you know.

 

...that makes 4 cents

Paradise

Sat, 03/26/2011 - 13:44

Like WhidbeyIslander, I also have fibromyalgia. In January I hopped on the one hour, pre-bedtime sleep hygiene routine. TV, computer, overhead lights were turned off. I took a hot shower and read. I also downloaded white noise tracks from iTunes to my iPod in addition to trying the CD from Paul McKenna's book, I Can Make You Sleep. That said, I rarely have a problem going to sleep! Constant PLMD-induced wake-ups are my problem as is pain when turning over in bed. But, I figured some sleep hygiene wouldn't hurt.

After monitoring with the Zeo for 2 months, I found the new routine had a bit of a negative impact on my Zeo numbers as compared to no hour of quiet time and going to bed with the TV on. Go figure!

Even tho' sleep hygiene won't help PLMD I'm still trying to maximize my chances for better sleep during those times at night when I'm not flopping around like a fish out of water or wincing when changing position! I'm now testing room temp. Living in the tropics, I'm used to sleeping with a/c on with a low enough temp to allow for a blanket. I love that back to the womb feeling! But, I'm reading that it might aid sleep to physically be just a little bit cool. So, I'm now turning the a/c off, turning a fan on and sleeping under a sheet only. This is comfortable and hasn't impacted my sleep negatively. I'm also trying acupuncture for PLMD which registered on the Zeo as the most positive thing I've tried so far. I'll be pursuing that further.

The other thing that's a "must" for me is a sleep mask which I put on during one of my pre-sunrise wake-ups. I could never sleep past the crack of dawn and with the mask I enjoy an occasional 8am wake-up. Brookstone has a wonderful memory foam mask that prevents light leaks and is really comfy.

My naturopath has suggested an air cleaner and am happy to see that WhidbeyIslander has had a positive effect. That's next on my list.

Fascinating, this subject of sleep. Most people just don't realize how important it is 'til they're deprived of it for lengthy periods of time and feel the effects.

I just upped the ante to 6 cents! Laugh

Christopher Haskins

Sun, 03/27/2011 - 08:55

Greetings again...

I chuckled at your living environment -- tropical and having to cool off.  We live on an island, and the ocean water keeps the air rather cool at night, so we really huddle under blankets!  We have a 3 section mattress heating pad:

http://www.comforthouse.com/sunbeam.html

that permits different heat settings at top, middle or bottom.  I ran across an interesting product that allows you "cool" or "heat" your mattress to incremental temps:

http://www.activeforever.com/p.....opper.aspx

However, the price is rather prohibitive for experimenting...

I have to deal with sensitive skin issues at night; if you sweat at night, or need the softest material possible, try the "Bamboo Viscose" type of clothing.  Make sure you buy oversize, since it tends to be made with a bit of spandex to hold it's shape:

http://www.nznature.co.nz/prod.....pants-long

You'll find that most of the "dry nights" or "cool" sleepware tends to be made from variations of bamboo these days...  We also have Bamboo sheets and blankets on the bed for their softness...

I'm still waking up repeatedly all night long also.  However, I've switched my medical care to a new facility, more modern, all the specialists in one area.  The doctor is weaning me off medications that I've been on for 7 to 10+ years -- she found over 5 of my Fibro meds were "anti-sleep" medications.  Eventually, once she replaces medications or eliminates non-essential medications, I'll either be sleeping better or I expect I'll be sent to a sleep lab. 

Will keep you all posted...

Probably only worth 1/2 of an opinion....

Sincerely, from Whidbey Island

Paradise

Sun, 03/27/2011 - 12:15

Do you know the "barn house" on Whidbey Island? I love islands, regardless of temperature!

I, too, am tapering off meds but mine are sleep meds I've been on for 6 years, never more than one Rx during the night. I developed side effects after that long. I've pretty much decided that all meds intefere with sleep, if not duration then quality, and my body's looking to become a med-free zone! But, it takes time and patience. Wean veeeeery slowly! I'll look forward to learning how your sleep changes with a decrease or change in your meds.

I have 2 sleep environments and the negatives of each are not changeable. #1 is a studio condo with a sofa bed. A/C is available. It's also an office so the sofa must stay. I've managed to make that mattress fairly comfy by adding a 1" piece of memory foam, a down mattress pad and a magnet mattress pad (which helps me with the fibro & arthritis). #2 is a tiny condo in the country right on the ocean, which is great for sleeping! However, the bedroom window faces on the main highway. Even with the window closed, the noise is prominent. And, no A/C. Fortunately I'm not a sweaty sleeper as long as I have a fan. And there are less than a dozen nights during the course of a year that are unbearable and truly worthy of A/C.

I had unacceptable side effects from every med I tried for fibro. After 7 years of complaining to my rheumatologist that I would do anything for just one good night's sleep he finally sent me to a sleep doc who ordered a PSG. Bingo...an answer, and one I didn't expect. PLMD. That's when I was put on nightly sleep meds that helped for a few years. Fortunately I was able to stay on a low dose but then I was getting some bizarre symptoms that couldn't be diagnosed plus the low dose was no longer effective. My sleep was becoming very disrupted again. I refused to increase the dose, started sleeping worse and bizarre symptoms increased. After much researching I learned those bizarre symptoms were my body's way of saying, "Increase the dose, dammit!", aka: tolerance withdrawals. So, I decided to see if I could get along with out chemically induced sleep even tho' PLMD is not curable. I'm still in the midst of tapering and hope to be finished this summer. The Zeo is helping me to monitor the situation.

Even tho' PSGs are expensive, and the importance of sleep is getting more media attention, I'm now a believer that anyone who complains of sleep issues for longer than a few months should have one. I could've been diagnosed 7 years earlier. That wouldn't have changed the course of my condition but at least I would've known what I was dealing with and learned it wasn't just fibro that was causing my symptoms. Knowledge is power! And, due to that knowledge I'm now attacking my sleep disorder via an N.D. instead of an M.D.

Speaking of the Zeo...does it show the majority of your nightly wake-ups?

Thx for your info. It was worth way more than 1/2 an opinion. I'll see it and raise it 1/4 of an opinion!

erichards

Tue, 12/04/2012 - 11:53

The pets thing is so true, it never even dawned on me! My cats are always scratching around, using me as their best pillows and I spend half the night shooing them away. Its amazing, it never even dawned on me to kick them out!