I’m in Sleep Training!

I’ve made a few posts about my sleep issues lately and I wanted to share what I’ve been learning throughout my journey with everyone in hopes that I can help even one person who has similar struggles like myself!

For the last year and a half, I’ve found myself having trouble sleeping. When I still co-owned CrossFit Mettle and Honor, I would wake up at 3:45am daily so I could get to the gym and workout before the first class started. I became used to getting 5–6 hours of sleep and didn’t think too much of it. As that routine continued, my now fiancee, told me that I snored, didn’t breathe, and twitched in my sleep. Like anyone would, I denied it, so he video taped me! Unfortunately, he was right. I sounded like Darth Vader!!! In addition to that, I was waking up multiple times before my alarm would go off and struggling to get back to sleep. Honestly, I was always nervous I’d be late and knew I had a responsibility to open the gym, so I don’t ever think I let my mind relax.

Fast forward to 2019 and I’m in a new career as a Realtor, but my sleep struggles have not gotten any better. I was encouraged by my friends to get this checked out a year ago, but I procrastinated.

A few weeks ago, I bit the bullet and had a sleep study done. Talk about an interesting experience. If you’ve never had the pleasure of doing a sleep study, let me tell you a few “fun” details.

• Super sticky pads get applied on your legs, face, and in your hair to hold the wires in place that monitor your every movement while you sleep
• The wires get plugged into the wall
• There are cameras in the room so the doctors can watch you sleep. Yes, someone’s job is to stay awake and observe you. (I couldn’t do it; it would make me tired!!!)
• If you wake up and have to use the bathroom, you have to stay in bed and talk aloud to the camera for someone to come unplug you from the wall! (Thankfully I only did that once)
• If anything comes off while you’re sleeping someone comes in to wake you up to reattach it! (Again, thankfully only once for me)
• Your hair feels very goopy in the morning from the sticky pads…but it does wash out easily!

When I returned a couple weeks later to get my results, I was informed that I do not have sleep apnea. My snoring and breathing patterns fell in the normal range. Phew! I should have felt relieved right?! Don’t get me wrong, I was happy to hear that I’m healthy, but I was frustrated because I knew I wasn’t getting good sleep.

Last week, I saw a sleep psychologist. I learned that my issue is due to insomnia. While I don’t have trouble falling asleep, I have trouble staying asleep. Based on the sleep log I turned in, I’m now in sleep training as I like to call it. I have homework that I need to follow to get my Circadian Rhythm back in sync. (I’m not a doctor and cannot explain that as good as she did, but I think you’ll get the point when I share what I need to do). If you’d like more information, check out this link: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/what-circadian-rhythm

Here’s what I’m working on (Please note the times were decided based on the personal information I provided the Dr. with. The point to take away is wake up at the same time EVERY day, NO MATTER WHAT)!

• Rise at 5:20am EVERY day REGARDLESS of how you slept
• Delay getting into bed until 10:30pm or later, PREFERABLY ONCE FEELING SLEEPY
• If feeling sleepy during waking hours, you can take a nap between 11:20 and 2:20, but do not oversleep
• Stay awake at all other times
• Wind down gradually (physically and mentally) for 1–2 hours prior to bedtime. Avoid anything intellectually or emotionally driven during this time. Avoid blue light devices
• Consider using a blue light reducing app when unable to avoid blue light emitting devices
• Avoid checking the time after “lights out” and throughout your sleep period.
• Once you realize you are not going to fall asleep soon, get out of bed and do something relaxing and distracting until you feel drowsy.
• Fill out sleep log soon after waking

Have you ever said you need to catch up on your sleep because you didn’t sleep well the night before? I have. However, catching up by sleeping in or napping at the wrong time will NOT help.

I’m also a compulsive clock checker and this is proving to be the hardest thing for me not to do.

My sleep journey continues. I’ll be sure to update you all once I have a solid week of training under my belt!!!

Let me know if you struggle with any of these issues!

Sweet Dreams!