I'd be very interested to know how long most people take to fall asleep. Regardless of rls. Until I got married (12+ years ago) I'd always assumed that *everybody* took well over an hour to fall asleep. For the better part of my marriage I have just assumed that my husband was peculiar because he falls asleep inside 20 minutes. In recent years I thought it was just a male thing. After reading all sorts of stuff on this website I'm starting to think that perhaps 20 minutes is normal! Or healthy at any rate.
I remember reading quite a bit of info on sleep hygiene at one stage and recall it said that if you hadn't fallen asleep inside half an hour you should get up and wander around again until you're ready for sleep. Never in my entire life have I fallen asleep inside half an hour. Even with sleeping tablets!
I'd be extremely interested to know at what time period others give up on sleep and instead get up to wander the hallways or play on the internet or do whatever it is we all do in the middle of the night. I usually allow two hours to fall asleep...
Thanks!
Simone
Getting to Sleep
Hi Simone, in answer to your question about how long one waits to fall asleep before getting up and dong something: Actually, with me, it is more my level of physical distress with the RLS/PLMD that gets me up rather than how long it takes me to go to sleep.
If I am twitching, kicking and have the creepy crawlies, I have to get up! And move around.
So I don't know if that is happening with you also, or if you just have trouble falling asleep in general, aside from the RLS/PLMD. If you do just have trouble, then I think your idea of getting up after 1/2 hour or so and doing something makes sense!
Good Luck.
Nan
If I am twitching, kicking and have the creepy crawlies, I have to get up! And move around.
So I don't know if that is happening with you also, or if you just have trouble falling asleep in general, aside from the RLS/PLMD. If you do just have trouble, then I think your idea of getting up after 1/2 hour or so and doing something makes sense!
Good Luck.
Nan
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ViewsAskew
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Simone, for me, time to go to sleep is several things: sleep hygiene, ability to stop the thoughts, the distress from the RLS, and meds.
20 years ago, before RLS was a daily issue, I rarely fell asleep before 1/2 hour and often it took longer. I couldn't stop my mind. Sleep hygiene helped a lot. If you search on it (and I think you mentioned it so probably know about it already), you'll find lots of advice. Getting out of bed and doing something boring did help. Forcing myself to get up at the same time each morning regardless did help. Mostly, doing some self-help work on my somewhat dysfunctional life helped me become more calm, less worried, and able to stop my 'monkey' mind. Even so, it always took at least 20 minutes and I know many people for whom it takes less than 5! I also strongly believe that I don't like going to bed! I associate it with icky leg feelings, laying there and not sleeping, waking constantly, etc. I'd much rather stay up until I'm exhausted. I often fight the self-imposed bedtimes.
Once the RLS started daily and I started on meds, everything became very different. At first the meds knocked me out. I started falling asleep within a minute or two of hitting the pillow. Then I was on different meds with different results. Some meds cause insomnia for me. Some make me very groggy. Some make we wake too early. Some make me tired the next day.
Guess that in this long ramble I'm trying to distinguish sleep latency issues with meds or without. For me, they are very different.
Ann
20 years ago, before RLS was a daily issue, I rarely fell asleep before 1/2 hour and often it took longer. I couldn't stop my mind. Sleep hygiene helped a lot. If you search on it (and I think you mentioned it so probably know about it already), you'll find lots of advice. Getting out of bed and doing something boring did help. Forcing myself to get up at the same time each morning regardless did help. Mostly, doing some self-help work on my somewhat dysfunctional life helped me become more calm, less worried, and able to stop my 'monkey' mind. Even so, it always took at least 20 minutes and I know many people for whom it takes less than 5! I also strongly believe that I don't like going to bed! I associate it with icky leg feelings, laying there and not sleeping, waking constantly, etc. I'd much rather stay up until I'm exhausted. I often fight the self-imposed bedtimes.
Once the RLS started daily and I started on meds, everything became very different. At first the meds knocked me out. I started falling asleep within a minute or two of hitting the pillow. Then I was on different meds with different results. Some meds cause insomnia for me. Some make me very groggy. Some make we wake too early. Some make me tired the next day.
Guess that in this long ramble I'm trying to distinguish sleep latency issues with meds or without. For me, they are very different.
Ann
Hey Simone, Im lyndarae welcome to the forum!!!!! I dont ever remember being able to go to sleep in less than 1hour or more. No matter whats going on with my rls I just cannot fall asleep. Im use to it now so I have learned how to go to a happy place in my mind and try and stay there. I use to get up after 45minutes or so but that always made me feel more awake. My xhusband would get in bed and the minute his head hit the pillow he was asleep no matter what was going on in our lifes!!! Use to drive me mad that he was so lucky.............I love Tasmania by the way, I lived in Australia for three years and we manager to get to Tass for a couple of weeks I gotta say Hobart is the prettiest harbour I have ever seen. I love it there~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Lyndarae
You all make me start to feel so much more normal! I have tremendous difficulty falling asleep. If I was alone in the bed I would do situps and bicycles and kicking and all sorts of fun stuff! But I'm not alone - and I don't really want to be alone! So I work with the mental games instead - sort of try day dreaming. Pretend I've won the lottery and go spend it or some such thing. I allow at least an hour of wakefulness before I get up. I cannot lie still. Ever. Awake or asleep. My usually not-at-all-patient husband is incredibly understanding when it comes to my less than restful sleep habits. He never complains and he never boots me out. So I guess that's all good!
I also spend lots of time doing cross rhythms with my feet (tap 3 with one foot against 4 with the other) or something like that. Lots of focus on something specific. I try never to think about going to sleep. That keeps me awake. On a few occasions I've tried to convince myself that I'm deliberately trying to stay awake and that did put me to sleep. Guess it's the rebel in me ...
Yes - Tasmania is a beautiful place Lynne
Take care,
Simone
I also spend lots of time doing cross rhythms with my feet (tap 3 with one foot against 4 with the other) or something like that. Lots of focus on something specific. I try never to think about going to sleep. That keeps me awake. On a few occasions I've tried to convince myself that I'm deliberately trying to stay awake and that did put me to sleep. Guess it's the rebel in me ...
Yes - Tasmania is a beautiful place Lynne
Take care,
Simone
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sugbrendas
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You're not alone and more
Hi everyone! Did you all think I dropped off of the face of the earth after picking your brains? I am doing almost ok,after the sleep study I figured out that I was overdosed on the antidepressant, and since I can't go back to my Primary I'm just winging it,kinda treating myself til I see a RLS specialist next month.
Simone,even with heavy duty drugs it used to take hours to get to sleep,I once went 2 weeks without dreaming and I knew I wasn't sleeping cause I could hear the neighbors and outside all night..
It takes awhile to get the meds right then it's probably a short term alright.
Just my opinion but changing meds is what it's all about,seems nothing works forever.
I can tell you that I know I go to sleep within 20 minutes..I set my TV timer for that time and if I can't remember seeing the light from the TV light or don't notice the TV clicking off then i'm sleeping..I started at over an hour (on a established med regimen.) Then I kept making it less and less time. I also turn my back to the TV and turn the sound off.
I take my meds after dinner cause it takes so long for them to kick in.
I'm really anxious to see this Dr next month.,the RLS local pres. said he's very good.
Great job Jumpy and the rest of you guys on the presentation.
Brenda
Simone,even with heavy duty drugs it used to take hours to get to sleep,I once went 2 weeks without dreaming and I knew I wasn't sleeping cause I could hear the neighbors and outside all night..
It takes awhile to get the meds right then it's probably a short term alright.
Just my opinion but changing meds is what it's all about,seems nothing works forever.
I can tell you that I know I go to sleep within 20 minutes..I set my TV timer for that time and if I can't remember seeing the light from the TV light or don't notice the TV clicking off then i'm sleeping..I started at over an hour (on a established med regimen.) Then I kept making it less and less time. I also turn my back to the TV and turn the sound off.
I take my meds after dinner cause it takes so long for them to kick in.
I'm really anxious to see this Dr next month.,the RLS local pres. said he's very good.
Great job Jumpy and the rest of you guys on the presentation.
Brenda
Finally able to sleep on average 9 hours a night!
Brenda
Brenda
OOOO MY
Sug, your Back!
WE're so glad to see you.
Simone, I think my body forgot how to sleep properly. Before I was given medication falling was anywhere from an hour to 2 hours. I just got to where I'd stay up.
When my RLS was mild, I did fall alseep rather well under 30 minutes, only to wake every 1-2 hours with the need to walk around.
After I went off the charts with 24 hour RLS for-get-about-it. I slept when I passed out. Mostly around 4-5 am.
Now I have been given a sleep medication for every night if I wish. It works for me 99.5% of the time. So I am learning to sleep again. My hope is that I don't always have to be on sleep medications. BUT if I have to I will, it truely came down to the choice of Quality of Life and Health for me.
WE're so glad to see you.
Simone, I think my body forgot how to sleep properly. Before I was given medication falling was anywhere from an hour to 2 hours. I just got to where I'd stay up.
When my RLS was mild, I did fall alseep rather well under 30 minutes, only to wake every 1-2 hours with the need to walk around.
After I went off the charts with 24 hour RLS for-get-about-it. I slept when I passed out. Mostly around 4-5 am.
Now I have been given a sleep medication for every night if I wish. It works for me 99.5% of the time. So I am learning to sleep again. My hope is that I don't always have to be on sleep medications. BUT if I have to I will, it truely came down to the choice of Quality of Life and Health for me.
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sugbrendas
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Hi Becat!,I truly missed you all. There was sooo much going on here.You all know I do foster care for handicapped kids? There was a emergency placement and we only had a couple of months,1st to get to know him then to remodel 2 bedrooms.Steve and I did all of the
work ourselves.Drywall and molding and everything.
Anyway my biggest problem right now isn't restlessness in my legs but heavy legs due to the meds..I rarely feel the RLS but I am not happy the med is a antidepressant..We'll see next month.
Anyway some major decisions about my life and meds and addiction.I've decided to not worry about addiction any longer,whatever might work and whatever this new Doc wants me on i'll try...I agree addiction can ruin your life but RLS can too and i'd rather lead a normal life than worry about addiction.Maybe i'm just tired of dancing around this worry,having RLS as long as I have I need the most normal life I can possibly have.
I think this is the best time of my life and I want it all!
((hugs to all of you))
work ourselves.Drywall and molding and everything.
Anyway my biggest problem right now isn't restlessness in my legs but heavy legs due to the meds..I rarely feel the RLS but I am not happy the med is a antidepressant..We'll see next month.
Anyway some major decisions about my life and meds and addiction.I've decided to not worry about addiction any longer,whatever might work and whatever this new Doc wants me on i'll try...I agree addiction can ruin your life but RLS can too and i'd rather lead a normal life than worry about addiction.Maybe i'm just tired of dancing around this worry,having RLS as long as I have I need the most normal life I can possibly have.
I think this is the best time of my life and I want it all!
((hugs to all of you))
Finally able to sleep on average 9 hours a night!
Brenda
Brenda
aawwwww SUG
awwww (((((((((SUG))))))) cyber hugs to ya.
No, I didn't know that you cared for special needs foster kids. Could you be a nice person? I doubt it. WOW........Love it that you the one doing the work, I love to remodel houses, just not into the decorating them part.
But I can teat out a wall and put it back up. You oughta see Miss Sara, she rocks with a hammer and a mud trowl. LOL
Sug. we have all talk about this before and will look for the thread. Treatment/ Medication vs. Addiction. There's another website for RLS that has the same arguement going. I personally think that from what the research shows......We are less likely to become addicitted because we're using these medications for a real condition. Not to cop a high or party with them. People can use medications properly and do fine for long period of time. That's not to say that there might not be a withdrawl issue. That is clearly a problem. Ask several people on the board. Even Mirapex gave me withdrawl problems for a month and a half. I take Percodan in a small dose 1/4 to 1/2 tab in the evenings. It's transforming my life. Not only the pain but the other symptoms as well. The greatest thing is there are night I have no symptoms and I don't take it all. Days at a time.
I decided like you that this was coming down to Quality of Life for me. I didn't believe until last Sept. that I would live another 5 years with me sleep deprivation and failing health. I'm going to be 41 in March, and I have hope I'll last longer with this medication than I would have without. I simply thought that my life counted. I wanted to be apart of my family and friends, take trips, sleep somewhat normally......ETC. I manage the pain and symptoms I'm not drowing them. I'm not 100% pain or symptom free, but what I have I can handle now. It's no long 24/7 at an extreme level. I'm healing.
Hugs.
No, I didn't know that you cared for special needs foster kids. Could you be a nice person? I doubt it. WOW........Love it that you the one doing the work, I love to remodel houses, just not into the decorating them part.
But I can teat out a wall and put it back up. You oughta see Miss Sara, she rocks with a hammer and a mud trowl. LOL
Sug. we have all talk about this before and will look for the thread. Treatment/ Medication vs. Addiction. There's another website for RLS that has the same arguement going. I personally think that from what the research shows......We are less likely to become addicitted because we're using these medications for a real condition. Not to cop a high or party with them. People can use medications properly and do fine for long period of time. That's not to say that there might not be a withdrawl issue. That is clearly a problem. Ask several people on the board. Even Mirapex gave me withdrawl problems for a month and a half. I take Percodan in a small dose 1/4 to 1/2 tab in the evenings. It's transforming my life. Not only the pain but the other symptoms as well. The greatest thing is there are night I have no symptoms and I don't take it all. Days at a time.
I decided like you that this was coming down to Quality of Life for me. I didn't believe until last Sept. that I would live another 5 years with me sleep deprivation and failing health. I'm going to be 41 in March, and I have hope I'll last longer with this medication than I would have without. I simply thought that my life counted. I wanted to be apart of my family and friends, take trips, sleep somewhat normally......ETC. I manage the pain and symptoms I'm not drowing them. I'm not 100% pain or symptom free, but what I have I can handle now. It's no long 24/7 at an extreme level. I'm healing.
Hugs.
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sugbrendas
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- Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2004 7:28 pm
- Location: Balto.
- Contact:
I say we need to do whatever it takes to get through the night..Fear of addiction was a biggie for me but no more..Unless someone has walked in my shoes for as long as I have then they can't judge me,well they can try but it doesn't matter.
I'm fullfilling a long time dream,doing the foster care..I'm good at it and I want to be good at living too..I did my part in the real job world and decided to retire and just do it.And how rewarding it is!
But when they overdose me I can't function,and it's always antidepressants..And no history of depression..So after me and the Doc got into it I decided to reach out and touch some drugs. I do the Ultrum(generic) with my Klonopin.The Ultrum is the most effective,I take one as soon as I get up,within 1/2 hour my headache is gone and i'm ready to get stuff done.Once the RLS begins it's hard to get rid of so doesn't it make sense to not let it begin to start with?? Funny thing is my Doc didn't even say no when I put in for the Ultram and he keeps renewing it..
I'm going to be seeing a Dr Christopher Early from Hopkins. Our local RLS president says he's the best so we'll see!
I'm fullfilling a long time dream,doing the foster care..I'm good at it and I want to be good at living too..I did my part in the real job world and decided to retire and just do it.And how rewarding it is!
But when they overdose me I can't function,and it's always antidepressants..And no history of depression..So after me and the Doc got into it I decided to reach out and touch some drugs. I do the Ultrum(generic) with my Klonopin.The Ultrum is the most effective,I take one as soon as I get up,within 1/2 hour my headache is gone and i'm ready to get stuff done.Once the RLS begins it's hard to get rid of so doesn't it make sense to not let it begin to start with?? Funny thing is my Doc didn't even say no when I put in for the Ultram and he keeps renewing it..
I'm going to be seeing a Dr Christopher Early from Hopkins. Our local RLS president says he's the best so we'll see!
Finally able to sleep on average 9 hours a night!
Brenda
Brenda