Discussion: Insomnia

Any other runners suffer from insomnia? I do occasionally.
The last few weeks, I've had a few huge glasses of water in the middle of the night, and seem to sleep soundly until morning.
Last night, I got my water at 12:30 AM and also googled "Insomnia" and "Water" to see whether there was a connection.
Apparently, insomnia is often caused by mild dehydration. Has anyone else noticed this effect?

One thing I've noticed, is that rather than remain in bed tying to get to sleep, it is better to get up and walk around to become fully awake, then try again. Sort of like rebooting the sleep process. Not sure if there is anything to it, but it has worked for me. Perhaps just the getting up and walking around has helped as well.

I've found that getting up, surfing the web, and making an online purchase makes me sleep soundly for the rest of the night. Just placing a bid on Ebay has the opposite effect.
Maybe I should try water instead. Thanks.

I know that I have mild restless leg syndrome which I have connected to dehydration. Much worse when I am dehydrated. Unfortunately it takes a little longer than just running to drink a big glass of water.

There will undoubtedly be a number of facets to this problem. One result of getting up (and indeed of drinking water) is to usually lower the core body temperature. I recall that some sleep patterns are affected by body temps and that a slight raise in temp (not to sweating level) induces a waking pattern. So to overcome this a slight reduction in core body temp via getting up and/or drinking water can trigger the return to sleep upon returning to bed. The trick is to know your sleep rhythms. Unfortunately mine are 90 min approx so if I wake fully it is usually a 90 period of wakefulnness - a bit of a bummer if it falls after say 4am.

The iPod has been a blessing for me. I download the most boring podcasts I can find. And when I awake in the middle of the night, I begin playing those podcasts....instant slumber!

I'm reading "A History of Christianity". I'm into the Byzantine period and the iconoclast controversies. I recommend this for insomnia.

This could turn into a great list of books to 'cure' insomnia. I suggest The Grapes of Wrath, even chapters only.

After an O' race on good terrain and after I've marked my route and written up my comments, I memorize the route: route chocies, attack points, good legs, errors, etc. (Remembering a route is not automatic for me - takes a bit of effort.)

Then when I'm restless in bed, I start replaying the course. I have NEVER completed a course (in my head). In fact, a month or so later, I can only remember the 1st half of the course or so - I never 'get to' the rest of it.

This method was so effective, I feared replaying a route while driving. Eventually tried it - still alive!

... I visualise races is well. Only it gives me the opposite reaction. I'd be wide awake, seeing other route choices and all the small half hesitations I made in my though process.
Makes sleeping impossible... I just want to orienteer!!

Try taking ZMA before bed, particularly if the insomnia is related to training load. Otherwise, a laptop by the bed and the BBC Radio 4 back catalogue works wonders.

Water's been working for now, but I like the other thoughts. Thank you!

I have tried some of them; they sometimes work for part of the night at least.

I have run through routes in my head.....enjoy that but never quite got me to sleep.

In my bookclub (comprised of just me) I was going through 100 greatest books of all time recommendations from Norwegian Book club...good books although some quite sleep inducing....

I have gotten up and exercised... 150 deep knee bends does the trick, but who feels like doing that at 1 AM (probably a lot of people here! but not me).

.... and now that I read about core body temperature I wonder if I should also turn off the heating pad on my mattress...?! But it feels SO good here in Minnesota to have a nice warm bed.

@tim.... I am not sure I am ready to take insomnia advice from someone with the word "sleepless" in his name!!!

People always joke about counting sheep, but it can actually work. I usually try a relaxation technique that is slightly more involved, and is thus easier to concentrate on. It can help me get to sleep:

Imagine a chalkboard. Now visualize writing the number 20 on the board, then switching chalk for eraser and erasing the 20. Then do that with 19, 18, etc., all the way down. You can start with a higher number, of course, but 20 is usually enough to get my mind off of waterever it is that is keeping me up.

I usually flip on NPR so that it's a win-win. If it puts me to sleep, yay! Or if it doesn't, that means that it's probably interesting and that I'm learning something. At least that's what I tell myself.

"A History of Christianity" - this would probably put me to sleep fairly quickly.

"The Grapes of Wrath" - no way. I loved this book. In fact, I was so engrossed in the last few pages that I missed my train stop. (This was about 6 years ago, but I still remember.)

I head to the bathroom and:
* use it if possible
* drink some water (probably 10-15oz)
* spend a minute or two on each leg either stretching or massaging or both
* do a few other quick stretches, like neck, JAW, cheeks (blow air into each one), and back

Head back to bed and if my mind is still racing:
* stretch jaw again
* gently focus (unfocus?) on the spot between my eyes
* chant (in my head) my 'sleep word' slowly, or imagine doing something relaxing, trivial, and pleasurable

If I'm not asleep in about 10 minutes after all of that, I probably need a snack, and a bit of reading, and start over again at the top or just get up if it's after about 4am.

I keep a pencil and pad beside the bed. The act of writing down my thoughts removes them from my head so my mind can rest and sleep.

@hugh-- sounds exhausting all right!

I have one other method that almost worked once.
I had observed that dogs never seem to have a problem sleeping, so I decided to think like a dog... and fall asleep in the process.

I relaxed, purged all humanly thoughts from my brain, focused on awareness of my surroundings, but no thoughts.
I was very peaceful, very calm.... nearly, nearly asleep.
But then..... I heard an unfamiliar sound. My ears perked up (Really!!), my brain instantly sprung to attention, ready to go observe, and all sleep left my body in an instant.

Ah well, it's not so easy being a dog!

mmm tried that once but found the dreams about chasing rabbits too disturbing....

Tried the Dog trick once. Woke up the next morning with the bitter after taste of dog food in my mouth.