Sleep - and TV/devices before bed.

JustAnotherSaver

Currently reading this book on sleep: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06Y649387/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

Now while I wonder about it (in that he basically says if we don't get 8hrs of sleep then we'll die) in some ways, in other ways I find it very interesting. The tests they've done on various effects of lack of sleep - weight, diabetes, physical performance, fat loss, muscle loss, dementia, cancer etc.

To sum it up in a nutshell would be to say get 8 hours sleep but when he discusses the tests he and others have made over the years and then goes on to explain it with flashy words but then dumbs it down in to simple terms for people like me, it's a good read so far.

MalMonroe

JustAnotherSaver said:

Currently reading this book on sleep: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06Y649387/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

Now while I wonder about it (in that he basically says if we don't get 8hrs of sleep then we'll die) in some ways, in other ways I find it very interesting. The tests they've done on various effects of lack of sleep - weight, diabetes, physical performance, fat loss, muscle loss, dementia, cancer etc.

To sum it up in a nutshell would be to say get 8 hours sleep but when he discusses the tests he and others have made over the years and then goes on to explain it with flashy words but then dumbs it down in to simple terms for people like me, it's a good read so far.

Hi, I'm terrible at going to bed! Even when I'm tired. And it mostly began when I retired a few years ago. The freedom! Oh dear, I went crazy. And I watch TV just before bed and use my laptop and everything. I've had a look at the book you're reading on amazon and while it does sound very good and informative, it's tending to reiterate what scientists and doctors have been saying for years. Sleep is essential, basically and it has to be at least 8 hours per night and of 'good quality'. 

If I don't get enough sleep my brain is scrambled and I am prone to being upset and/or angry for no particular reason. 

Another factor though is maintaining a healthy diet. So if we all maintain a healthy diet and go to bed at a reasonable time (still trying to force myself into that) then we could not only live longer but be very healthy while we're doing so.

While it is nice, in a way, to know that I'm not the only night owl, your post has spurred me on to try harder! 

I do agree with elsien, too, drinking water throughout the day is essential. Since I've started drinking more water, more regularly, I have felt better. I don't drink caffeine after lunchtime and alcohol doesn't appeal (a small sherry at Christmas, maybe) so I've no excuse for staying up so late. I just need to retrain my body to go to bed before midnight. 

Thank you for giving me this reminder.   

Grumpy_chap

JustAnotherSaver said:

Caffeine may be a thing though.

I know my water intake is poor. 

I had both of these and then took the decision to rigorously meet the target of max 3 caffeine drinks and min 8 water glasses per day.

I set up a spreadsheet on my phone and absolutely every time I had any drink, I entered a tally in categories:
water
caffeine
alcohol
milk
fruit juice
other

Entering everything everything strictly as it was consumed worked well.  Less coffee / tea is harder to do in the cold weather, but the tally did work for me and also worked as a boost to get enough water consumption.  I had to be absolutely strict, though, as it sort of worked once I went over 3 caffeine drinks I could then find it was exceeded by a mile - sort of like the same self-discipline challenge as they get in films, except in films it is "once you've done your first murder..."  I guess too many caffeine drinks in the day is not quite the same magnitude as first murder but hopefully I'll never know.

It did work and my sleep improved together with general health and fitness.

Murphybear

I started having problems with caffeine.  I don’t  drink coffee but do drink a lot of tea. My husband and I started drinking decaf tea about 5 years ago and it does make a difference. One tip, decaf tea needs to be brewed properly, not just dangle a teabag in a mug.  Old fashioned teapot, and it tastes much better 

JustAnotherSaver

MalMonroe said:

JustAnotherSaver said:

Currently reading this book on sleep: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06Y649387/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

Now while I wonder about it (in that he basically says if we don't get 8hrs of sleep then we'll die) in some ways, in other ways I find it very interesting. The tests they've done on various effects of lack of sleep - weight, diabetes, physical performance, fat loss, muscle loss, dementia, cancer etc.

To sum it up in a nutshell would be to say get 8 hours sleep but when he discusses the tests he and others have made over the years and then goes on to explain it with flashy words but then dumbs it down in to simple terms for people like me, it's a good read so far.

Hi, I'm terrible at going to bed! Even when I'm tired. And it mostly began when I retired a few years ago. The freedom! Oh dear, I went crazy. And I watch TV just before bed and use my laptop and everything. I've had a look at the book you're reading on amazon and while it does sound very good and informative, it's tending to reiterate what scientists and doctors have been saying for years. Sleep is essential, basically and it has to be at least 8 hours per night and of 'good quality'. 

If I don't get enough sleep my brain is scrambled and I am prone to being upset and/or angry for no particular reason. 

Another factor though is maintaining a healthy diet. So if we all maintain a healthy diet and go to bed at a reasonable time (still trying to force myself into that) then we could not only live longer but be very healthy while we're doing so.

While it is nice, in a way, to know that I'm not the only night owl, your post has spurred me on to try harder! 

I do agree with elsien, too, drinking water throughout the day is essential. Since I've started drinking more water, more regularly, I have felt better. I don't drink caffeine after lunchtime and alcohol doesn't appeal (a small sherry at Christmas, maybe) so I've no excuse for staying up so late. I just need to retrain my body to go to bed before midnight. 

Thank you for giving me this reminder.   

Yes, if you want to summarise the book in a nutshell then that is basically it. Depending on how you look at it, the book can be very repetitive - he essentially just keeps telling you to get 8 hours per day 'or else' and if you're not interested in the finer details then the book will get boring fast.

I however liked the extra detail that he went in to. The various tests they ran & the effects of not having that sleep - what the results of those various tests were (& there were many many tests).

All of the results were to be expected - you weren't as good if you got less sleep, so there's no real shocker there. There were some surprises though (for me) - the large difference between getting the sleep and not. It wasn't just slightly different results in many cases, it was huge differences. There were also some surprises here and there also.

But yes, if we all take a step back and look at it from outside in then everything is pretty obvious - we need a decent amount of sleep and decent quality of sleep, we need to have better water intake as the vast majority (i would bet) don't drink enough water & our nutrition generally needs to improve because we all love that extra piece of cake.

Grumpy_chap said:

JustAnotherSaver said:

Caffeine may be a thing though.

I know my water intake is poor. 

I had both of these and then took the decision to rigorously meet the target of max 3 caffeine drinks and min 8 water glasses per day.

I set up a spreadsheet on my phone and absolutely every time I had any drink, I entered a tally in categories:
water
caffeine
alcohol
milk
fruit juice
other

Entering everything everything strictly as it was consumed worked well.  Less coffee / tea is harder to do in the cold weather, but the tally did work for me and also worked as a boost to get enough water consumption.  I had to be absolutely strict, though, as it sort of worked once I went over 3 caffeine drinks I could then find it was exceeded by a mile - sort of like the same self-discipline challenge as they get in films, except in films it is "once you've done your first murder..."  I guess too many caffeine drinks in the day is not quite the same magnitude as first murder but hopefully I'll never know.

It did work and my sleep improved together with general health and fitness.

To go at it a little differently (for me), more water is harder for me in winter.

My coffee intake is pretty much the same from winter to summer. I don't like the water at work, the kettle is revolting & so I bring my own boiled water in a flask - therefore I am limited to the same 1ltr of water each working day.

I have now changed my home coffee intake to being first thing in the morning. It's been a while since I had a coffee after getting home from work & instead it's been hot chocolate or Horlicks.

Grumpy_chap

JustAnotherSaver said:

Grumpy_chap said:

JustAnotherSaver said:

Caffeine may be a thing though.

I know my water intake is poor. 

I had both of these and then took the decision to rigorously meet the target of max 3 caffeine drinks and min 8 water glasses per day.

I set up a spreadsheet on my phone and absolutely every time I had any drink, I entered a tally in categories:
water
caffeine
alcohol
milk
fruit juice
other

Entering everything everything strictly as it was consumed worked well.  Less coffee / tea is harder to do in the cold weather, but the tally did work for me and also worked as a boost to get enough water consumption.  I had to be absolutely strict, though, as it sort of worked once I went over 3 caffeine drinks I could then find it was exceeded by a mile - sort of like the same self-discipline challenge as they get in films, except in films it is "once you've done your first murder..."  I guess too many caffeine drinks in the day is not quite the same magnitude as first murder but hopefully I'll never know.

It did work and my sleep improved together with general health and fitness.

To go at it a little differently (for me), more water is harder for me in winter.

My coffee intake is pretty much the same from winter to summer. I don't like the water at work, the kettle is revolting & so I bring my own boiled water in a flask - therefore I am limited to the same 1ltr of water each working day.

I have now changed my home coffee intake to being first thing in the morning. It's been a while since I had a coffee after getting home from work & instead it's been hot chocolate or Horlicks.

I think the less coffee / tea or more water being harder in the winter are two sides of the same coin.
Who wants to clamp their cold finger tips around a glass of iced water (or even just cool tap water) when a nice warm cuppa is so much more comforting?
Cocoa works for supper.
A compromise I found during the day is fruit tea - just like lemsip but without the paracetamol.