Sleep Quality Tracker started by Antibenzo7

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Hello HM,

 

Interesting how sleep patterns can change. I guess it has something to do with ...? Hard to put your finger on it. 

 

Let's hope your 8-hours nights will come back asap. Meanwhile just try to hang in there. The more we start to think about certain issues, the more importance we give them. That doesn't help a bit.

 

Enjoy your Tuesday! And sleep well tonight!

 

TS

 

 

 

 

[[He...]]

Had a 7-to-8-hour night last night! Don't know when it's going to happen again, so I will enjoy the day:)

 

Hope you are all awesome:)

 

HM

 

 

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Hi everyone. Hope your Wednesday is going good. I agree with what you said TS about "Oatmeal should be made mandatory!", LOL, but true.

 

Is is also a great way to lower your cholesterol w/o drugs.

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Had a 7-to-8-hour night last night! Don't know when it's going to happen again, so I will enjoy the day:)

 

Hope you are all awesome:)

 

HM

 

Way to go HM. Enjoy...hopefully, more to come.

[[ni...]]

Hi all,

TS, I had to google what or who Usian Bolt was. That man could run circles around the Moon.

I'm doing okay, still not much sleep because of not being comfortable at night, along with anxiety. I just have to be patient. 

 

TS,Hopefully the sun has come out and made the day brighter. 

 

AB and TS, I will eat my oatmeal tomorrow! 

 

HM, Congratulations on your 7-8 hours of sleep! You are definitely on the right track. 

 

It snowed here, again, which was nice beings I didn't have to get out and drive in it. 

 

NG

 

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Hi everyone,

 

HM, so happy for you! That was a wonderful night you had.  Hopefully the first of many more to come. It's a sign your brain is still capable of going into sleep mode!

 

AB, it's almost unbelievable what a wonderful thing oatmeal is. When you look at what 's in it - vitamins,  minerals, proteins, fats, trace elements, there's hardly a food source that can beat it! Like you said, it lowers LDL- cholesterol, increases HDL- cholesterol, lowers blood pressure, calms the nerves, relaxes the stomach, stops heartburn.  But on top of all that, it tastes heavenly! I would gladly have it with every meal.

 

NG,  your remark about not minding the snow at this moment put a smile on my face! Only pros and no cons right now!  Enjoy the sight!

Sorry your sleep is still being messed up because of the knee pain. And the anxiety you mentioned you can surely do without. Try not to let it get to you. Things are going to get better soon!

 

My pain was quite awful the last couple of hours of last night. So with breakfast ( guess what I had..) I took some 2 Paracetamols. Things are settling down right now. And yes, the sun did finally come out again. What a relief it is still with us! Pfew..!

 

Hope you all slept like a log.

 

Enjoy your Friday.

 

TS

 

 

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Exactly correct TS. My doctor was amazed. I was able to lower my LDL cholesterol better with diet than he could with statin Rx drugs. He could not believe it. The cholesterol lowering was primarily due to eating the daily oatmeal + I also eat a whole food plant based diet. I do eat a little meat, but very minimal and no dairy. I will post the test results from the bloodwork later on if I can find it.

 

Glad your pain settled down TS.

 

Enjoy your Friday everyone.

 

 

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Hello AB,

 

So glad you got the cholesterol sorted. Statings are among the worst meds a person can take. Right up there with benzos and ADs.

 

I forget to mention the great fiber content. It has the best amount of good fibres in any food.

 

I just got back from my walk. Just shy of 20 minutes. The first 10 are kind of ok,  Then the pain and other complaints kick in. My fert are really painful. Pain in my left hip and upper leg. Back pain is next. Balance issues join in. So the final part of the walk is no fun at all. But the weather was nice. And that's a big change.

 

Enough complaining for a month. Sorry about that.

 

Your menu sounds very good! I do still take dairy,  but otherwise our diets are quite similar! 

 

Have a lovely Friday.

 

Stay safe.

 

Trochsetter

 

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Hi AB,

 

I just read you signature. Wow, you've had a real struggle with the awful benzos, and still do.

I admire your persistence. Ten years is a long long time tapering off this crap!

 

You're headed in the right direction, going down slowly,  but steadely! You are going to make it!

 

I hope your days are getting lively instead of deathly ill as soon as possible!  Only people that have been there know what it's like to be feeling like that!

 

Wishing you all the best!

 

TS

 

 

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Hi guys,

 

Last night was not super for me. Just 3 to 3.5 hours again.

 

TS, sorry about your pain. I hope it dissipates quickly. You deserve to feel great.

 

NG and AB, have a great day!

 

HM

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Hi TS, HM, and NG

 

Complain all you want TS. No worries my friend. I used to run, then I started walking, but now all I do is the stationary biking TS. I might start back trying to walk a little during the summer months. The outdoor fresh air and scenery are very therapeutic. Yeah, I have had a real struggle with benzos over the years. I love this benzo community. Coming here, talking to others really helps me. I am a bit of a hermit and don't have many friends in real life. Try to keep up the walking TS but don't overdo things and make your pain conditions worse.

 

Sorry to hear about last night HM but if it is any consolation to you, I only slept 2 hours. Last night was terrible for me. I even took a little melatonin but it did not help. I hope tonight is better.

 

Enjoy the beautiful snow NG. I recall when I was in the Navy stationed in Idaho during the 1980s during the winter. I had never seen that much snow. My two roommates and I went outside and had a snowball fight. It was great. We also made a gigantic snowman. That was a great time in my life. No benzos, no anxiety, no health issues during this period in my young life. 

 

 

[[ni...]]

Hi all, I am now three weeks post op on my knee. That's the good news, now for the bad. lol

According to my mostly trusty fitbit, I slept 2 hours and 28 minutes last night, which seems about right. 

I don't sleep because I cannot get comfortable. I'm all over the place with trying to get comfortable plus the muscle spasms with a little restless leg thrown in.

So far, I don't feel depressed or down and out.

 

AB, thanks for the smiles concerning the snow in Idaho. Indeed it was a great time in your young life that left you with sweet memories. 

Your sleep is close to mine.  I wish the stuff that worked for us then would keep working, but that's not how it goes.

I finished the cannabis chocolates two nights ago and will not buy anymore.  They did not work for sleep and made me feel so out of it. 

 

This morning I had some steel cut oatmeal. I tossed in some fresh blueberries. 

 

HM, I hope you slept better last night and are having a good Saturday. 

 

TS, I'm glad the two Paracetamols helped things settle down.  I wish you pain free days. 

 

NG

 

 

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Hey guys,

 

NG, sorry about not being able to get comfortable. That must be rough, but you have the best attitude about it. I had RLS for a few months when I first started tapering and found it very hard to get comfortable even to rest, let alone sleep. I hope it eases up for you soon.

 

AB, I am sorry you had a rough 2.5 hour night. I have been there many, many times. Hopefully, tonight will be better for you.

 

TS, I hope your pain continues to ease up and, hopefully, it isn't affecting your sleep too much.

 

Last night for me was better than the night before but still not great. I went to bed at 11 and was up until 1:30. I then slept a little bit and woke up 3 times to use the restroom. I think I finally ended up with 5.5 to 6 hours of sleep and had the cortisol rush when I woke up. I still don't feel rested when I get up, even when I sleep 7 to 8 hours. It takes a few hours for me to be productive.

 

Have a great day everyone,

 

HM

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Hi NG, I have a smartphone but I don't have a smartwatch. How accurate is the FitBit for monitoring sleep in your opinion? Where did you buy yours? How much did it cost you? I have been looking at some on Amazon.

 

HM, how was sleep last night?

 

NG, do you sleep in a bed or a chair? My mother slept in a lift chair after her TKR. Glad to hear you enjoyed the oatmeal. It is very good and super healthy.

 

I got to bed really late last night again....about 4 AM I think, but I slept until 10AM with only one go to the bathroom awakening, so 5.5-6 hours I think. Maybe, much of it was light sleep bc I did not feel refreshed after I awoke and the anxiety started right up. Ugh!

 

 

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Hey guys,

 

Last night I stayed the night at a friend's house. I forgot my PJ's, so I slept in my clothes, and I think that made it even harder for me to sleep. I sleep nude at home but not away from home. I went to bed at 10 and was awake until about 1am. I finally slept an hour or so and then had to get up to use the restroom. I went back to sleep for a couple hours then up again and then back to sleep for a little bit. I think I totaled 4 or 5 hours. I just had 8 hours three nights ago, so let's hope that happens again soon!

 

It is only 1:30pm in the afternoon and I am exhausted. I haven't been able to nap in 2 or 3 years even when I am dog tired. Even if I did manage to fall asleep, it would only impact my ability to sleep tonight.

 

I am always tired.

 

HM

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I hear you HM. I try to avoid napping during the day even when my night sleep is really bad. I never sleep well when I am away from home. I also sleep better totally nude. I bought a pair of silk PJs from Amazon that I sometimes sleep in. Those feel really good next to my skin and I think helps for more relaxing, enjoyable sleep.

 

I think sleeping in your clothes really did disrupt your sleep. Were you in a bed or did you sleep on a couch?

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Hello everybody,

 

Sorry to see all of this suffering with sleep or rather the lack there of.

 

HM, I agree with AB about sleeping in your clothes. There's a chance it screwed up your sleep for now. Probably the body stays too warm and cannot get into a relax-mode.  I started to sleep naked last summer during a heatwave. I read sleeping in the nude lowers the body temperature more quickly. It makes you fall asleep sooner and makes for a deeper sleep. I slept commando ever since then. Well, you already do sleep like that at home, so nothing New there  I guess.

 

I have never been  able to nap. It made me feel awful, cold and nauseated. It took me hours to recover. Even when i was exhausted, sleep wouldn't come while napping.

 

I hope everyone on this board had a better night.

 

I have  less pain I 'm happy to say. I did some walking and biking the last few days, but nothing crazy. Thankfully my sleep has been good lately. I do wake up around 7 am, feeling all warm and sweaty. This started a month or so ago.  Perhaps something to do with Cortisol?

 

I wish you all a lovely Monday.

 

TS

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TS, I was looking at your signature. What were you put on benzos for? Great to hear you are in less pain and your sleep has been good. I bike also but on an indoor stationary bike. I think come summertime, I am going to buy a cheap outdoor bike from Walmart, but it is too cold for outdoor biking now.

 

I went to bed at 2AM and just awoke at 6AM. I just made a small Valium cut and I think I am feeling it now. Ugh...Since I am up and the stress hormones are flowing, I am going to hop on the bike for a quick 10 min ride to burn up a little of the cortisol. I may lie back down and see if I can get maybe 2 more hours of sleep. If not, hopefully tonight will be better.

 

Enjoy your Monday everyone.

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Hello AB,

 

Good to hear you got 4 hours of sleep! Not enough though,  but every minute counts.

 

Do you usually make small cuts to reduce the Valium? I did that for the first half of my taper too, but later on I switched to daily micro-cuts. I found it easier to bare, though not always. I hope you are going to feel better again soon!

 

I took Valium because of stiffness, tightness and pain in my front thigh muscles. It worked a little for a month or so. I increased the dose a bit and was hooked. From there it went from bad to worse. Amitriptyline was added, which made it even worse.  The rest is history, as the saying goes.

Four years on and the original physical issues are stiil there (and then some!) as when I embarked on this hellish journey...

 

I just came back from a 20 minute bike ride. It's said to be storming again this afternoon,  but there was a lull this morning. So I took  my chance. It was sunny and mild. Lovely ride!

 

When the weather is too bad, I use my stationary bike too.

 

I hope you'll be enjoying the outdoor bike rides this coming summer.

 

Enjoy your day!

 

Trochsetter

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Good morning all,

Today is catch up day for my BB post replies!

AntiB, my Fitbit Sense Smart watch was  $210.50 on sale after $100 off at Costco.  I find the accuracy not at 100%, but it gives me a fairly good idea of how I slept. It shows the timeline from when I went to bed and I can read between the lines and say to myself that I was indeed awake and not light sleeping during certain times. It seems accurate concerning the REM sleep as well as the deep sleep times.  There are times that time has passed, but I am not aware of sleeping, then again,  I am not aware of anything else, so I assume I did sleep.  If you are looking for 100% accuracy, it probably won't give you that.  All in all it helped me to feel better knowing I slept more than I thought. 

 

No, I do not have a lift chair, I just stand up my self with no problems.  I had tossed my cane aside the first week out of surgery, but the therapist said I was favoring my knee too much and it was changing my gait, so he recommended using the cane for now, as if the brain imprints (my term) the limp and I will continue to limp even after the pain is gone.  I somehow doubt that, but decided to listen to someone who was above my pay grade. ha

 

Every day I walk for 30 minutes broken up into two 15 minute walks. I has all been inside as the streets are too icy for now. I have walked for two 20 minute sessions, but mostly they are 15 mins.  I also add PT each day, morning and afternoon. 

 

Those pill cuts of your medication can be problematic, but usually after a few days, sleep will begin to return.

 

TS, isn't it incredible that the drugs we were put on for stiffness, tightness, etc., is still with us long after the drugs are taken away? The pills were just a small band aid on a much larger problem. Had we known what we know now, those meds would have never crossed our lips.  This journey has caused me to lose trust in pharmaceutical companies as well as some doctors.

 

HM, hopefully you slept last night after a sleepless night at your friends. 

 

I hope every one has a good day.

 

NG

 

 

 

 

 

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Hello nightengale,

 

Hope you slept well.

 

You're doing great: PT and walking!  These are both really helpful.

 

Yes, those pills are horrible to say the least. But, we survived and are now stronger persons!

 

Big Pharma is bad. Many doctors have the patient 's best interests at heart, but most doctors are ignorent.

 

Stay healthy.

 

TS

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Good day, TS,

You are right concerning the drug companies and doctors.  Thankfully with the internet, we know so much more about these drugs that we ever wanted to know.

Knowledge is power. 

 

Last night I could not go to sleep. Finally at 12:30, I gave in and took two hydroxyzine and did get a little sleep.  The side effects of dry mouth and drugged feeling makes it not a good medication to keep taking, but for last night, it helped some.

 

Today is my first outing to Costco since surgery.  I'm looking forward to this!

 

NG

 

[[An...]]

 

You are right concerning the drug companies and doctors.  Thankfully with the internet, we know so much more about these drugs that we ever wanted to know.

Knowledge is power. 

 

So true....virtually everyone in America now has a pocket computer. We call it a smartphone. Information is power. Anyone who is poor w/o access can go to any public library and access the internet for free.

[[He...]]

Hey guys,

 

So glad you are on the mend, NG. That's great. I hope for a speedy and wonderful recovery for you.

 

TS, glad you are feeling better too.

 

I agree with you both on the pills. I have some Vistaril (hydroxyzine) on hand too and I take one every day to help with anxiety. I used to be able to take 2 of them and take a good, 2-hour nap but that was years ago. I can't wait to be able to nap again.

 

AB, sorry you have had some rough nights. I hope you are back to more restful nights soon. Yes, sleeping in the nude is much more relaxing for me. I have been sleeping nude for 35 years. No clothes to wrap around you as you turn over in bed.

 

Last night was just like the preceding several nights for me. A bit of a pattern. I go to bed at 11-ish and am awake for a few hours. I eventually fall asleep for a couple hours, then I am up to use the bathroom, then it takes another half hour to fall back to sleep, then I sleep another hour or two, then up again then back to sleep for an hour or two. I end up with a total of about 5 hours. I laid in bed for an hour after I woke up today at 7:30am, trying to fall back to sleep but thanks to the cortisol rush, it wasn't to happen. I am so tired right now, it 'feels' like I could just lay down and drift off for 3 hours, but I just lay there awake. I still have a lot of healing to do.

 

It has been a LONG time since I slept 8 or 9 hours and woke up refreshed and happy and ready for the day. I am SO hoping that is in my future.

 

Have a great Tuesday everyone,

 

HM

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It has been a LONG time since I slept 8 or 9 hours and woke up refreshed and happy and ready for the day. I am SO hoping that is in my future.

 

So true HM. I can't tell you the last time I got a solid 7 or 8 hours of good restorative sleep. Hell, I would now settle for a consistent 5. LOL