Snoring

[Pirate_Pete]

Mrs Tea used to snore before they found she had Sleep apnoea she now has a CPAP machine and no longer snores and is a different person.

I wonder if I got my missus a CPAP machine she'd change into a different person.
Might have to consider that.

They were talking on the radio yesterday about people having problems sleeping at the moment.
Apparently having very vivid dreams and being able to recall them next day is very common.
It seems it is a huge issue. Obviously a lot of people have a lot of problems to deal with.
I'm still working long hours. Over 50 last week I think. Six days a week. No problems for me.
My sleep pattern was knocked around for a few days after the clocks changed but back to normal now.
I'm looking forward to the Easter break. I've asked for Saturday off and it looks like we'll be basically closing for the four days which is unheard of.

 

[GerritT]

Yup, here we go again. Awake before 5. Mind you, I could deal with the small amount of sleep, but it's the long day afterwards that kills me.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I heard the same on the radio it must be awful being stuck at home no weekend to look forward to long days with little to do (you've probably done all the jobs you needed to by now) and no real sign this is going to end soon.

 

[Session]

Me I wake up at 0400, and can't get back to sleep. And it's not due to drinking.

There are lots of reasons why people wake in the middle of the night, it’s a rubbish symptom to have as it tends to make the rest of your day worse too. Sorry you’re struggling with this GerritT.

Any time you feel you are dreaming more, it means you have had a poorer nights sleep. We all have dreams every night, but only recall our dreams if we wake during them. Therefore if you remember a dream, or several different dreams, you will have woken up frequently and be subsequently more tired. The trick is trying to find out which cause of sleeplessness is driving your excessive waking!

For most who snore, it’s something they know about, so that should be easy.

Most of us will also have some element of anxiety at some point in our lives, and this is a very common cause of waking, particularly if it is habitual and occurs between 3-4am. As cushyno found, exercise can really help with this. A 20-30 minute run is great, and when done regularly adds structure to one’s week. Try a couch to 10K app if you haven’t run before, they’re really good and got me into running!

Yoga apps such as downdog are great if yoga is your jam or you want to try some exercise or relaxation practice indoors (downdog is currently free), and yoga is excellent for our mental health too.

Some people have post-nasal drip which can interfere with their sleep, and this can be commonly caused by hay fever. This time of year is particularly bad for tree pollen, you could consider trialling some antihistamines such as cetirizine as long as they do not interfere with any medication you are currently taking.

Post-nasal drip can also be caused by silent reflux. This can be exacerbated by caffeine, chocolate, booze, spicy foods, stress, acidic foods such as citrus and eating too close to going to bed. Cut out whichever one(s) of these are your most likely trigger.

Poorly-controlled asthma can also result in more frequent night time waking. If you have asthma, consider speaking to your GP about increasing your preventative inhaler or switching to an alternate regimen such as MART.

As with any medical problem, whilst the advice I’ve given above has a good evidence base behind it, it is no substitute for actually seeing your GP. Please do review things with your GP once the pandemic is over to review your symptoms if they are not getting any better, or sooner if you develop any new or more worrying symptoms.