More sleep

[All U Get]

Hi all,

Just finished up our return trip to Maine from the winter south and had found a way to improve my sleep habits along the way. I can usually stay awake most of the night while offshore with only a few naps during which my wife is at the helm. The problem is when we finally get to port I don't sleep well through the night. If I wake up after midnight it's usually hours before I get to sleep again. (Not good if you want to be rested before another overnight offshore).

I found a breathing exercise on FB that I tried with some success. It involves your vagal response to holding your breath. With a closed mouth press your tongue to the roof of your mouth and breath in for four seconds. Then hold your breath for seven seconds. Now breath out slowly for eight or more seconds. I do it all with a closed mouth and usually repeat three or four times. Then I lay there thinking this isn't going to work. Sometimes waking up an hour or two later.

I'd say this technique worked 50% of the time for me. Does anyone have a different method for more sleep?

All U Get

 

[Whatfiero1]

Sleep you don't need sleep. You get plenty of sleep when you die

 

[All U Get]

I keep waking up. So far, so good.

All U Get

 

[JamesG161]

Does anyone have a different method for more sleep?

Adult beverage helps or exhaustion.
Jim...

 

[skipmac]

I've tried a similar breathing exercise (didn't involve the tongue bit) that works pretty well for me.

 

[Captn Scotty]

5mg of melatonin usually gets my sleep patterns back on track, and it's natural!

 

[Head Sail]

Wake your wife up.

 

[jibes138]

Count backward from 99 very slowly. By the time you get to 50 you will be asleep.

 

[Kings Gambit]

If you're in port--go take a hot shower around 2100; then take some Aleve PM; read a few pages of your book until feeling sleep pressure; then turn in. If you're lucky you might get six good hours (i.e., until 0400 thereabouts).

 

[All U Get]

Adult beverage helps or exhaustion.
Jim...

That always helps 20:00hrs to midnight, but then I'm wide awake, no chance getting back until daybreak. Then I don't feel rested. Sometimes I fall asleep reading SBO posts, but then I wake up with drool all over the keyboard and letters imprinted on my face.
(Captain Scotty) I haven't heard of 5mg of melatonin, typical health food store stuff?

All U Get

 

[All U Get]

If you're in port--go take a hot shower around 2100; then take some Aleve PM; read a few pages of your book until feeling sleep pressure; then turn in. If you're lucky you might get six good hours (i.e., until 0400 thereabouts).

That's what I'm shooting for, six good hours. Getting asleep is usually quick (around 21:00), it staying asleep or returning once you wake up around midnight.

All U Get

 

[Kings Gambit]

That's what I'm shooting for, six good hours. Getting asleep is usually quick (around 21:00), it staying asleep or returning once you wake up around midnight.

All U Get

The Aleve PM works somewhat well; taking the hot shower keeps you up a little later, etc. I often wake up near midnight if I hit the rack at 2100. More lately, however, it's been 0200. I feel lucky if I can get restful sleep up to 0430 in summer!!

 

[markwbird]

Sounds like meditation. I have my own forms of meditation that work for me. But yes, focusing on something simple and relaxing works for me,

 

[Justin_NSA]

Adult beverage helps or exhaustion.
Jim...

I always have to get up to pee when I "medicate" myself.
My wife does essential oils in a diffuser. Certain oils for different effects

 

[jibes138]

You need a CPAP machine with a full face mask, oxygen tanks and hoses going all over the place.

 

[capta]

I've tried just about everything over the years and finally gave up and went with the sure fire method of getting the sleep I need, when I need it; sleeping pills.
The preferred Dr. recommended sleeping med is Ambian, but it isn't a good idea on a boat, as some will sleep walk on it. Splash...oops!
Tamazepan 30mg is a narcotic: you'll need a script. It is also VERY habit forming, therefore I will not use it for two nights running, or more than twice a week and only when absolutely needed, certainly not regularly. But it has a very measurable dissipation rate (or whatever it's called); it only works for 8 hours, max. So, if you take it at 8 PM, go to bed and sleep till 4 or 5 AM (or later if it's not an early start), you will be OK. No lingering tiredness or grogginess. It also has few drug interaction problems, but again that's something you must discuss with your doctor.
However, you might want to consider sleeping more underway, just in the daylight, not at night. I'm sure the wife can watch things and not be out of her comfort zone in daylight. With the autopilot running she need not be a slave to the wheel, so she can trim sails or even pop below for a few minutes while you catch some Z's on a cockpit cushion. If there's one thing the 530 has, it's long comfortable cockpit seats to stretch out on.
At least you don't have to spend 4 to 6 hours of your day doing celestial navigation any more. Now that was time I'd rather have spent sleeping!

 

[Justin_NSA]

Ambian is the drug of choice on our bus ski trips to Colorado. Like Capta says, I wouldn't use it if there's a chance of an accident from a drugged stupor.

 

[Sailm8]

I take 2 Benadryl tabs. Works 75% of the time

 

[Captn Scotty]

That always helps 20:00hrs to midnight, but then I'm wide awake, no chance getting back until daybreak. Then I don't feel rested. Sometimes I fall asleep reading SBO posts, but then I wake up with drool all over the keyboard and letters imprinted on my face.
(Captain Scotty) I haven't heard of 5mg of melatonin, typical health food store stuff?

All U Get

Melatonin is something you can by right off the shelf at a drug store, we don't produce as much as we get older and blue light devices like computers and tablets strip it from our systems as well, you can get it in higher doses if necessary but 5mg works well for me. You'd be amazed at how well it works, it's cheap, and you're not putting harmful narcotics into your system .

 

[Rich Stidger]

Melatonin is something you can by right off the shelf at a drug store, we don't produce as much as we get older and blue light devices like computers and tablets strip it from our systems as well, you can get it in higher doses if necessary but 5mg works well for me. You'd be amazed at how well it works, it's cheap, and you're not putting harmful narcotics into your system .

+1 Works very well for me. I only use it occasionally.