Unexpected Factors That Affect Sleep

[EJ]

Did anyone else know that Prednisone can disrupt sleep? What are some other, less-thought-of factors that can affect sleep that maybe we haven't thought of yet?

[MindyK]

I did not know that about Prednisone. One factor that I didn't realize effected my sleep was getting enough sun exposure. I was taking vitamin D supplements and my levels were appropriate but my sleep only improved when I started getting sun exposure.

[salixisme]

I also have no idea about Prednisone.

One of the things that affected my sleep quality recently (that was totally unexpected) was cycling white noise. I always thought white noise would be good as it would drown out other noises. But if it cycles on and off it can be really disruptive. I suspect constant white noise might be fine however.

A few weeks ago(nearly 12 weeks), we had a burst pipe on the floor above our bedroom (we sleep in the basement, and the pipe burst in the kitchen island that has the sink and dishwasher). The ceiling in the bathroom attached to our bedroom and the wall between the bathroom and the storage area in there was totally soaked. We had a reno company sent out by the house insurance company, and they dropped of 4 HUGE dehumidifiers that hummed. Initially I thought it would not be a problem (white noise), but they cycled on and off (and all on a different schedule!)...

For the 4 days we had 3 of them in the basement with us (one was in our bedroom, one in the bathroom, one in the storage room, but we had to leave ALL doors open to allow air circulation - there was also one in the kitchen upstairs where the pipe had actually burst) I had the worst sleep I have ever had. Every time one of them cycled back on, it woke me up... And then there was also the noise from the furnace that also cycled on and off as necessary, and because the door to the storage room (where the funace is) was open I not only heard it but the small amounts of light that came from that room (furnace and also the wifi stuff and the cable modem and some other electronics with flashing lights) also didn't help..

I also think that stress played a big part in my lack of sleep.

And the worst part is the damage caused STILL has not been fixed, and the stress of that is affecting my sleep! Finally we have a quote of over $5K for the final damages, but they insurance company are yet to approve it.

[joromero]

For me, fresh air and sunlight in the daytime helped me sleep so well at night. I work inside, at a desk all day and just going outside whenever possible - for breaks, for a walk, to sit and have a cup of tea - helped. I think it helps reset the circadian rhythms. Mickey Trescott wrote a really good blog post about getting it all back on track here: autoimmune-paleo.com/circadian-rhythm-getting-back-on-track/

[cleaneatingmel]

This is going to sound incredibly stupid but I was reading Marks daily apple and he specifically mentioned vitamin D and that many people slip up and take it around lunch or the afternoon.
I was one of those people!

I now take it straight after breakfast!

[MindyK]

That's interesting Cleaneatingmel. I didn't know that. Did he say why it's important to take it in the morning?

[EJ]

www.marksdailyapple.com/7-ways-sabotaging-good-sleep/#axzz3BVg6hfuK

"Because what is vitamin D but an indication of daylight, of bright morning or afternoon sun emanating UV rays? If getting sunlight “tells” our body that it’s daytime, perhaps taking vitamin D sends a similar message."

I also found this one: blog.sethroberts.net/category/sleep/vitamin-d3-and-sleep/

[ccobine]

Prednisone is well known for affecting sleep. My nurse friends call it the "crazy" drug (as a gentle joke) because it makes you restless and munchy.


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[MindyK]

Something else that I've recently connected with sleep disturbances is food sensitivities. When I jump off the nutritional wagon and eat too many foods that I'm sensitive to I struggled with sleeping well for a few of the following nights.

[monique]

Hello EJ
My paleomom-community-partner in getting to sleep....;-))
Thank you by the way for your earlier feedback!
Anyway about prednisone and sleep (in general)
My last meeting with prednisone dates back almost 9 years, since then I have been supplementing with good quality minerals and vitamins, eating organic veggies and more rest, to stay away from prednisone.
Looking back my strategy had some effect but I was still quite ill in between, refusing prednisone and being able to "sick it out" employment-wise. More a haphazard luck that I could keep away from prednisone, although it has been a big help with the big flares during my life. 5 years ago I stopped taking supplements apart from the odd vitamin, magnesium here and there.
I cannot remember how predisone affected my sleep. My sleep has been lacking quality since 1/4 of a century ago, worsening the last 5 years.
Since reading about AIP and "practising" it, my sleep has been slowly improving but also declining sometimes. These last 2 weeks I was off work and I decided to focus (again) on sleep: I recorded what I ate (again) + how I slept (again)
What I found out about my sleep (ness): I can suffer from a "digestive" sleepness and an "adrenal/hormonal/neurotransmitter" sleepness (hahaha or both...)
Meaning I can be perfectly calm and relaxed and still not sleep. Not even having a bad belly, until I wake and walk around and "the wind" leaves my body: only then I feel a big difference in my digestive tract, a big relief. I think my GI tract is so " numb" against some kinds of digestive problems I cannot "feel" it, until I feel relief and notice the difference........wondering if I make myself clear...;-))

The adrenal sleepness is when I have a brain which is running marathons at night, hearing... a mouse... sneeze.... at night.... a mile away.....yes this is from stress. I feel though it starts with being too alert/ too electrified in my body and that by being too alert I pick up everything and then internalizing it "on purpose" -but not voluntarily- to give my alertness something to do......so the alertness is there before the stress.....yoga and meditating help me ever so slightly but not enough.

To help this adrenal sleepness I found out : The right amount of starch from starchy roots with every meal is helping a lot + drinking water + magnesium + passionflower-extract before bed + 1 dose mucuna pruriens midday + amber glasses from early evening helps. Finding the right amount starch is a tricky business.
To help digestive sleepness : Apart from following AIP I stay away from: added (keltic) salt, fodmaps, big evening meal. Sometimes taking a probiotic at night when I cannot sleep from digestion, after that I sleep like a (50+) baby...;-))
I do have a cup of bone-broth in evening.
These last few days I have incorporated cold showers in the morning (and tentatively I say they help, I feel really warm after, it feels quite nice. www.marksdailyapple.com/cold-water-therapy/#axzz1s7vWHYg1)
Next week I want to incorporate more exercise in the morning ( in the evening is a nono for me)

I am curious about other factors people post.
By the way Salixisme: a couple of times these last weeks I did have the balance right and slept all night through the humming of the food-drier in the next bedroom.....quite astonishing for me...;-))
Wishing you and every-one else a lot of peaceful sleep!
Monique