Sleep

[Joseph Gilfedder]

I consistently wake up prematurely at 3-4AM either to use the bathroom or sometimes just out of being wide awake at this time. Is this a hormonal/cortisol/neurotransmitter issue? What could be triggering this and how could I improve my sleep? Falling asleep is extremely easy for me, but staying asleep until my alarm has been a struggle.

[Ryan Faehnle]

I see this a lot in people who use a lot of stimulants (caffeine, yohimbine, ephedrine, etc) in order to get through the day. Try abstaining from caffeine for a few weeks and see if that helps. If you already don't drink coffee or use caffeine, try a wind-down routine in the evenings with 20-30 minutes of static stretching and a hot epsom salt bath. Put 2-3 cups of epsom salts in water as warm as you can stand it and soak for 20-30 minutes. Turn off all electronics 2 hours before bed and see if all of the above helps. Best of luck!

[Joseph Gilfedder]

Thanks! I do drink a lot of coffee (2-4 cups every morning) so that could be it. I do cut off all caffeine intake by noon, but this very well could be the culprit. It's going to be a mental challenge to abstain, but I will do it.I appreciate the response.

[Deidre Hamaguchi]

Ryan, Joseph,
Have you tried Charles' Yin Reserve?
I stopped having interrupted sleep after I left a very stressful job (!)
So I don't have real sleeping issues, but Yin Reserve works for me. In fact, I sleep less, sometimes 6.5 hrs, but I sleep very soundly and don't feel tired in the AM.
I have tried other sleep supplements (from Nuun and Momentous) but they don't work as well.
Note: I am guilty of staring at LED screens in the PM 😉

[Joseph Gilfedder]

Deidre, I have not tried Yin Reserve yet, but it's good to know you've had success with it. I am guilty of the screens as well. Falling asleep is very easy for me, however I do wake up consistently around 3AM so maybe trying Yin Reserve is worth a shot. Thanks!

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