OT: General OT Thread [NO POLITICS OR RELIGION]

[midranger]

I think the cure all to many/most problems to intense exercise. Try either some HIIT or just run until tolerance for a week. Best treatment for anxiety/mood disorders/chronic pain etc...

[ReasonablySober]

Kerb Hohl, you mentioned this started in your thirties. Late or early thirties? Midlife crisis is a real thing for the much of the American population. It's okay to give that space and explore it deeper. Might be what the lack of sleep and anxiety is trying to tell you. Talking to your primary care physician about any issues is a great place to start as well.

Early, approaching mid. I don't feel any issues like that. The only one I'd say is in the past if I had a bad night or 2 I'd probably just say, "eh, I can sleep into class" or "I can just go into work late." Problem now is now with 1, soon to be 2 kids, there is anxiety of not being able to have that comfort anymore if the clock ticks later at night.

I am giving it a few more weeks trying to break out of it myself. It's just weird that it pretty much came out of nowhere.

Congrats on the second!

[vegaspacker]

I tried the CBD this year too, it is fairly fast acting and does not have any residual effects like THC.

It does settle the mind and body down. The THC is certainly more euphoric... mind you we had a six foot bong back in college.

[HaroldinGMinor]

I think the cure all to many/most problems to intense exercise. Try either some HIIT or just run until tolerance for a week. Best treatment for anxiety/mood disorders/chronic pain etc...

HIIT may not work for people with joint issues. 30 min, 3 - 5 times a week is plenty for almost everyone and has shown a strong correlation with lowering rates of depression and anxiety. Also people with severe depression can't work up the energy or motivation to do much of anything. In that case, prescribing exercise is kind of pointless. That would require medication and therapy to start, exercise later.

If I can't sleep I usually meditate. That typically works pretty quickly if I can actually clear my mind.

[Kerb Hohl]

The issue with exercise fixing things (like I said, I have done a lot of research and am working on doing everything else before I take the next step medically) is that it's hard as hell to exercise with a toddler + a newborn (or currently pregnant wife). I have definitely tried to fit it in more because one begets the other. Lack of sleep makes it almost impossible to have the energy to sneak it in. I am trying to find time in mornings and afternoons to get it in and hopefully get a positive streak going of sleep.

I play softball, run around with the kid a bit, and will probably fill in softball with pickup basketball or something this winter, but I basically have either 9-10 PM or 5:30-7 AM as windows and 9-10 PM is obviously too dangerous in causing issues of staying up.

Thanks for the help, though, everyone. I think the one reason I like to get it out there is you really see how many other people deal with it which is a bit comforting. It's a huge percentage of the population.

[brewbucks]

I'm in a graduate program right now that addresses, among many other wellness areas, sleep. There is a ton of fascinating research on what lack of sleep does to the mind/body connection. If anyone would like me to forward them some of the articles I've read I would be happy too. It's empirically based.

One thing about screen time is that it's best to try to turn off all screens one hour before bed. It throws off our internal clocks as the light makes our brains assume it's still daytime and inhibits our natural melatonin release. Also, sleeping with the TV on can do the same as that light still gets through our eyelids.

Also, it's all connected. The anxiety, insomnia, depression. Research has shown that creating and sticking to a proper self care regime that incorporates nutrition, sleep, exercise, nature, connected relationships, and spirituality can reverse or at least reduce anxiety and depression better than medication in most people.

Kerb Hohl, you mentioned this started in your thirties. Late or early thirties? Midlife crisis is a real thing for the much of the American population. It's okay to give that space and explore it deeper. Might be what the lack of sleep and anxiety is trying to tell you. Talking to your primary care physician about any issues is a great place to start as well.

Yeah forward some of the articles over. I've been having sleep troubles as well lately along with being tired during the day.

[ReasonablySober]

One thing that got me initially frustrated when I wanted to get help for my lack of sleep issues (have had them for almost 20 years) is when I described it to my doctor three or four years ago he said, basically, "welp guess you're probably just one of the rare people that only needs four hours of sleep". And I was like, yea, maybe but I like sleep and would like to get more of it. The pills helped.

[Finn]

Spoiler:

Thanks, that could be helpful. I'm not a "no to drugs" completely but I do prefer not to get into something unless I really, really need it. I think the benadryl and overdoing melatonin (a very recent thing) kinda started a tolerance and dependence real quick. There's obviously a point of melatonin somewhere around 5 mg where there isn't an added effectiveness but I was pushing over it several nights/week because I didn't know what the hell was going on. I'll look into that as it seems you might need a prescription for it. But I probably should do more of a thing where I hang in the other room winding down for 30 min. Trying to sleep too early with insomnia is not the best idea as you get worked up just sitting there.

Have you gotten blood work done lately? Just a check up on your metabolites and cell counts could be useful. Your doctor could also give you some suggestions. You could also try CBD. We've recently got some gummies online and they really help to calm me down. 500mgs I'd start with.

My dad has just gone with straight THC edibles for years for himself and has been pushing that on me and I'll try soon. Will also consider CBD.

One of the things recently is that I've felt 100% relaxed but my brain just doesn't go over the edge.

Bloodwork might be helpful, my first visit with the doctor I had assumed it was anxiety so he treated it as such. Sure, anxiety has come from this a bit, but I think there's just really some insomnia involved.

Not exactly sure what you mean by the highlighted portion but it sounds like a problem I periodically have. When I'm stressed (99% of the time work-related), my mind races & does not shut off. Really affects my ability to sleep. My Doc prescribed Ativan; my dose is 0.5 mg. I take it when I need it (was ~ twice/week years ago, now maybe 1/month). Helps me a ton. Good luck.

WebMD Link for Ativan

[Mags FTW]

Stop using that stupid FaceApp.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkoetsier/2019/07/17/viral-app-faceapp-now-owns-access-to-more-than-150-million-peoples-faces-and-names/#1c06b4e662f1

[HaroldinGMinor]

One thing with exercise is that it doesn't have to be super strenuous to give you benefits and it doesn't have to be all at once. I have no idea what your work situation is, but can you ride a bike to work? Or park farther away and briskly walk 15 minutes to get there? Then you walk 15 min back to the car at the end of the day and voila! you've got your 30 minutes of walking in.

[MickeyDavis]

Absolutely. Exercise benefits are cumulative, they don't have to be consecutive. 10 minutes 3 times a day is as good as once for 30.

[Iheartfootball]

The issue with exercise fixing things (like I said, I have done a lot of research and am working on doing everything else before I take the next step medically) is that it's hard as hell to exercise with a toddler + a newborn (or currently pregnant wife). I have definitely tried to fit it in more because one begets the other. Lack of sleep makes it almost impossible to have the energy to sneak it in. I am trying to find time in mornings and afternoons to get it in and hopefully get a positive streak going of sleep.

I play softball, run around with the kid a bit, and will probably fill in softball with pickup basketball or something this winter, but I basically have either 9-10 PM or 5:30-7 AM as windows and 9-10 PM is obviously too dangerous in causing issues of staying up.

Thanks for the help, though, everyone. I think the one reason I like to get it out there is you really see how many other people deal with it which is a bit comforting. It's a huge percentage of the population.

You are not alone. Having small children can be such a chaotic and exciting time. I have kids that are 11 & 9 so the stressors change as they get older but they don't go away. Even if you don't have children being human means working through the anxiety and depression most of us feel at various points in our life. I read once that life is about getting knocked down 9 times and getting up 10. Sometimes that's just how it feels. It will pass, come back, pass again, that's the only given. Just by acknowledging that you are struggling sleeping helps.

[Iheartfootball]

One thing that got me initially frustrated when I wanted to get help for my lack of sleep issues (have had them for almost 20 years) is when I described it to my doctor three or four years ago he said, basically, "welp guess you're probably just one of the rare people that only needs four hours of sleep". And I was like, yea, maybe but I like sleep and would like to get more of it. The pills helped.

Per the CDC adults 18-60 need 7 or more hours of sleep per night.

https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/how_much_sleep.html

[MikeIsGood]

I dealt with insomnia for 4-5 years when I was in my late teens into early 20s - right through college, which sucked. I've had less of a problem in the past decade-plus, but it does hit every so often and last a couple weeks at a time.

I was on rx back in the day, and have also tried melatonin (which I highly, highly advise against). Now days I try to keep as strict of a schedule as possible - going to bed at the same time, not reading or watching TV or anything like that in bed, minimizing screen time an hour before bed, not eating an hour before bed, etc. I'm not saying that's a given solution - just what I try to do now to keep sleep as much of a repeatable ritual as possible.

I think a big think about not being able to sleep, too, is not forcing it. If you can't sleep, don't lay there tossing and turning. It's not good for you mentally. Most sleep specialist will advise you get out of bed, do something like reading or a monotonous activity like folding clothes, and go back to bed when you feel like you could sleep again. Maybe it's 30 minutes, maybe it doesn't happen again that night. Lying in bed is NOT a replacement for sleep - that's just a bull Facebook post.

I'd recommend a sleep study. Make sure nothing is physically wrong that could be affecting your sleep. That's not to scare you or anyone, but it's always good to be safe. And if something is wrong then you can take action.

[buckboy]

Why do you advise against melatonin? Just curious.

[MikeIsGood]

Why do you advise against melatonin? Just curious.

Sleep dependence, sleep cycle disturbance, and in some people it can also have the opposite of the intended effect (similar to some peoples' experience with NyQuil).

Totally fine short-term. It should not be a long-term solution to sleep issues IMO.

[ReasonablySober]

I tried melatonin in the early 2000s for a month or so and found it didn't do dick.

[BUCKnation]

Going for a walk usually does the trick for getting me on a proper schedule for falling asleep after a prolonged period of an abnormal schedule.

[AussieBuck]

Fractured my ankle playing basketball, wife wants me to retire. Got to say injuries certainly don't heal the same when you're 38 as they do when your 18 or 28.

[Beorn]

Fractured my ankle playing basketball, wife wants me to retire. Got to say injuries certainly don't heal the same when you're 38 as they do when your 18 or 28.

Rehab properly and THEN decide, even if you decide to retire after that you won't have the same lingering effects.