DEAR DR. GOTT: My wife and I go to bed at about the same time every night. I never get a full seven hours of uninterrupted sleep, and most often awaken in less than five hours. I try to get back to sleep, but it seems to take hours to accomplish this. I know I often see the sun beginning to peek through our curtains at around 5:30 a.m., but I also know I do eventually fall back asleep, however briefly, because when I eventually awaken again, I realize I’ve been dreaming. My left hip arthritis doesn’t help. Are these two-plus hours worth anything? Or am I just as well off getting up and reading during that time?
DEAR READER: The amount of sleep people require varies greatly. In large part, it depends on age, health and physical and mental activity.
Many people tend to awaken sooner than they would like to because of issues, recent events or medications they might be taking. For example, there’s the overdue report, the uniform or slacks that must be picked up at the cleaners, coordination with a neighbor for transportation to a function, the dentist appointment, brakes on the car that should be checked or yard work. A person may fall into bed in sheer exhaustion, only to awaken at a most inopportune time attempting to resolve half the major issues that lie ahead.
For some, there’s the diuretic your doctor prescribed. It’s dark, everyone else is sleeping, and you, by necessity, must trudge out of bed and get to the bathroom. By the time you make the return trip and get comfortable under the blankets, you’re well awake. This leads to finding a comfortable position because of your arthritis, much tossing and turning, and a fervent prayer that you can catch another 40 winks.
You may suffer from insomnia — difficulty going to and/or remaining asleep. This condition can cause a person to awaken several times during the night, awaken too early in the morning, or be unable to fall asleep once retiring.
You may snore or have sleep apnea. Snoring will likely be reported to you by your wife the next day. I even have known people who wake themselves up snoring loudly.
Sleep apnea is an obstructive disturbance caused by the muscles in the back of the throat relaxing. The disruption will affect your quality of sleep.
Because of the many possibilities, I suggest you make an appointment with your doctor or a sleep-disorder specialist, who can help sort things out. Perhaps you simply require less sleep than you once did.
While waiting for an appointment, continue your pattern of retiring for the evening at the same time your wife does. Forfeit all daytime naps. Eat at a reasonable time so your food can begin to digest before you climb in bed. Refrain from caffeine in your diet after 5 p.m. Make sure that your bedroom is quiet and the television and lights are off before you get into bed. Then if it becomes too annoying, keep a book handy. This will either entertain you, put you back to sleep quickly, or awaken your wife when you turn the light on. That translates to two possible positives and one aggravating negative! I wish you luck.
To provide related information, am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Sleep/Wake Disorders.” Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 check or money order to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092-0167. Be sure to mention the title or print an order form off my website at www.AskDrGottMD.com.
About Dr. Gott