I wouldn't say that I'm sleep deprived. I just have a difficult time falling asleep. I've never consulted with a specialist because I honestly don't think it's a problem. Once I'm asleep, I'm out like a rock for the rest of the night. Doesn't everyone have a difficult time falling asleep? Should I consult a sleep expert? Or, you know, I could have a few more cocktails before bed. But the hangovers from nights when I go just a little too far aren't worth the hassle. Looks like I'm in for a lifetime of involuntary sleep deprivation, which really sucks because I LOVE to sleep. If I could get a job as a professional sleeper I'd be out of here in an instant. Done deal.
But that's not exactly the situation I find myself in these days. For as long as I can coherently remember, I've always struggled with the whole sleeping thing. Except for those times when I crash on friend's couches at their beach houses where you couldn't get me to stay up past 10PM. Why is that? Why can't I have that when I'm at home in Manhattan?
(More on Time.com: The 50 Best Inventions of 2009)
Regardless of what my situation is, I find myself in a position to test out a couple products that are supposed to help me monitor my sleeping habits so I can fix whatever is wrong. I've written about the Sleeptracker watches before and I've used it enough to know that it works as advertised. It does wake you up when you're most active, so you're not feeling lethargic when the alarm goes off, but I hit the snooze button and go back to bed. It's highly probable that I didn't get enough sleep the night before and I'm in no mood to get up whether I'm in an active state of mind or not. The Elite and Pro models allow you to download your sleep data to assist in analyzing your sleep patterns and such. It was never anything I was interested in until Zeo approached me last week to show off their wares.
All I can really tell you about Zeo is that you have to wear a dorky headband that somehow collects and streams data to a bedside dock while you sleep. The whole thing seems is a bit more scientific and anything that gives you ZQ score has to be serious business. It just seems like a much more comprehensive setup than Sleeptracker, but that's merely an observation based on what it says on the box.
Over the course of the next few weeks I will be pitting these two products against each other. I will adhere to the outlined instructions to the best of my ability. It'd be nice to fall asleep within minutes of hitting the pillow.
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That's just your body's way of telling you that you don't drink enough.
Church
Dec. 1, 2009 09:26:am
at 09:26:am
Heh. I figured that was it.
Peter Ha
Dec. 1, 2009 10:23:am
at 10:23:am
I've had sleeping problems for years, and I've been though a few sleep clinics and more than one set of unhelpful advice. However, not being able to fall asleep at night can sometimes be a product of sleeping for too long each night, some people only need 6 hours where others need 10 in order to be at full capacity.
Also, the fact that you're concerned over having so much trouble falling asleep is probably contributing to your inability to fall asleep. Hurray for circular situations!
I wish you success?
queensmajor
Dec. 1, 2009 11:13:am
at 11:13:am
eh, I'm the same -- takes me AGES to fall asleep, but once I'm out, I am OUT, sometimes for 11, 12 hours. I think for some people this is just normal. Or, you know, maybe it's too much caffeine
I'll be interested to hear how the product testing goes, as it is pretty damn frustrating not being able to get to sleep most of the time...
clarely
Dec. 1, 2009 12:21:pm
at 12:21:pm
Ha! Interesting. I have the exact opposite situation, I sleep quickly and voluntarily anywhere I want to...I could even fall asleep in the middle of the Highway at rush hour. Planes? Buses? Parks? Anywhere I want to. I guess I never thought of it as a blessing, but now I think it might be based on your issues
elcarnal
Dec. 1, 2009 14:58:pm
at 14:58:pm
yes i have the same problem!
i think it's something to do with how active your brain is
i often go to bed earlier in an effort to sleep more to be prepared for the next day, even though the previous night i had maybe 5 hours i still dont sleep until maybe 2 am...
what am i up doing?
reading engadget..
either way
i realized i must tire myself out till absolute then i want to do the whole head + pillow = sleep thing
this only happens on 1 occassion
continuous no sleep like plane rides to asia ( can't sleep on airplanes either)
or out with friends drinking
so yeah you need to drink more ^_^
Emma
Dec. 1, 2009 21:11:pm
at 21:11:pm
Well, I can tell you that I have the same problem. But when I do fall asleep I am out until someone comes along and punches me in the stomach to wake me up. I actually slept for 22 hour once. When I woke up I was tired from sleeping all day. Tat was a real problem, because I don't know how to get rest ffrom being too tired of resting.
Sorry for the diresion there, but good luck on your endeavors.
explosionhead
Dec. 3, 2009 13:31:pm
at 13:31:pm
wow, i was in such a rush that i did some serious misspelling there ^
explosionhead
Dec. 3, 2009 13:32:pm
at 13:32:pm
I never thought that sleep deprivation was a serious problem. At least until I got jet lagged in England and didn't sleep, for the most part, for three days.
After that I had a rotating sleep anxiety problem - head would hit the pillow and my heart rate would hit 120. It was seriously bizzare, because I'm a pretty not anxious person.
Anyway. This is apropos of nothing at all, because like all sleep experts, I have no helpful advice. (Really? Set fixed sleeping hours and use my bed only for sleeping? This ruins my midnight game of mattress badmitton!) Best of luck.
strawmn
Dec. 3, 2009 17:51:pm
at 17:51:pm
Hey peter what ever happened? I can't find you posting about you experience with it? Did you ever fix your sleep? I'm about to give it a try and wanted to know if it worked for you.
mylife
Mar. 7, 2010 21:53:pm
at 21:53:pm