Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Comments to Managing Sleep

Opening of article

I was going to bed at around 11 or 12 in the evening and getting up at 8 or 9 the next morning. There was only one problem: These were west coast hours and I was living on the east coast. My inability to establish a regular sleeping pattern was directly related to my state of depression, which seemed to have me in a permanent headlock. Only half-jokingly I told my psychiatrist that perhaps a move to California would solve the problem.

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5 comments:

  1. Consider gettin a sleep study if you snore and are tired during the day, I just learned that I stop breathing or don't get enough air 85 times an hour. C-pap has changed my life-22 fewer hours a week in bed getting lousy sleep. more energy, ADD better, my shrink thinks I may get less mania...only been on the C-pap for 6 weeks. Bad sleep was for about 18 years....

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  2. Many thanks, Anonymous. I need to bring this up next time I update my article.

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  3. Of all the articles read recently, I relate to yours the most. I am dealing with depression. My recovery has been slow. Currently I am mostly out of the negative numbers, and even have some positive times. I sleep way too much. I have accepted 10 hours, but the 12 and 14 hours, and then still not able to get up and get moving, plus the total lack of energy has me stumped. I am tired of being tired. Your article encourages me to try and try again to follow all the good suggestions that are so easy to understand, so difficult to maintain. I take Prozac, but my dream cycles are often SO long and so intense, I feel sometimes that I need to sleep off the dream chemistry. Mornings have always been difficult but are starting to blend into the early afternoons. Part of my disability payments were cut, including my health coverage, so I am kind of out here all by myself... so again, thanks for making good info available to all those who can read.

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  4. In your article you mention Nuvigil being used Off label. I'm not sure if you are aware, it is currently in Phase III clinical trial for Bipolar Depression.

    Something to consider for sleep issues is your body temperature.

    A Japanese study found people with bipolar disorder lack the same change in temperature as people without bipolar disorder this affects the circadian rhythm.

    If you exercise several hours before bed you can rise your temperature and then it will fall which can lead your body into a more relaxed and sleepy state. (The Japanese bipolar study did not say this part but other research has shown exercise helps sleep_

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