Please Introduce Yourself HERE.

Hi! My name is Christiana. I am a grad student- I went straight from undergrad into grad school... and marriage! And I carried over some of my bad sleep habits, and I felt it catching up with me. I've been working on improving my sleep habits, and I think this team will really help. Already the journal has proved insightful, even though I have only used it Sunday and Monday so far (I'm in my first week). Wish me luck and I am SO excited for this challenge!!

Hi all. My name is Laura. I joined this challenge after feeling exhausted for months. My sleep can be touch and go. Some nights I am falling asleep on the couch by 9pm other nights I am up until 11pm. I do not always sleep through the night. I have 3 kids and the youngest in particular is in my room frequently through the night. I am hoping to feel less exhausted by the end of the challenge and pick up some tips I can also implement for him to get better sleep as well.

Hey there! My name is Sarah and I am new. I really want to develop my sleeping skills. It sounds silly, but I can see room for improvement. I used to get horrible nightmares after leaving a verbally abusive relationship. A year later, and my sleep still isn't the best it can be.

Hi All,

I have been sleeping lousy for months. I go to sleep okay but wake up so many times during the night that it feels like I didn't sleep at all. One night I woke up 17 times from 11-6. Ugh, looking forward to getting some much needed sleep and getting to know all of you better.

Nancy

Hi all,

My name is Deb. I've been on SP since the end of February and have just joined the Sleep Challenge. My biggest struggle is getting to bed at a regular time each night. With 3 teens/preteens it's often 9 PM before I even get a moment for myself in the evening. Once I finally get to bed I have little trouble falling and staying asleep. Looking forward to a few weeks of actually focusing on improving my habits.

Greetings everybody!

My name is Susie and I just now joined the Better Sleep Challenge. I'm a night owl by nature, so I need to put in the extra effort to allow myself a good nights' sleep. What's worked for me in the past is a bubble bath, soothing music and reading, all in that order.

Probably the only obstacle in my way is that I enjoy sleeping in on the weekends (I'm up at 5:30am M-F and up at 8 or 9am on the weekends).

Cheers!

~Susie

Good morning Everyone!!
My name is Davetta and I joined the challenge 11/20 the same day I became a member of SP. I work night shift, grave yard shift aka 3rd shift. I have had chronic insomnia since my return from Saudi Arabia in 1991. My sleep study revealed that I usually wake, to some degree, on average 17 times per hour!! It's really difficult to function in the daytime because that is when I feel somewhat sleepy. When it gets dark, I'm wide awake - go figure. I removed the TV from my bedroom a few years ago. It did not help much. I just go in the LR and watch TV. I exercise moderately due to a knee injury. I eat well, maybe too well. I'm into week two and I am working on setting a sleep schedule that I can stick to. Thank you for the opportunity to share my 'lack of sleep' disorder. I am learning something from each of you that I can apply to my life. Again, thank you. Wishing all a good night.

Hi! I'm new to SP and new to this challenge. I think I'm going to start this challenge by shutting my door at night so the dog can't find a comfy spot by my legs in the middle of the night. It's a problem because when I try to adjust my position, he refuses to move so i get uncomfortable and it messes with my sleep. The closed door will also buffer the sound of my crazy talking cat. I LOVE this plan!

Hey everyone!! So glad to see a challenge like this! Not only do I put off going to bed on time, when I finally do get to bed, I wake up at least 2-3 times. Also, on my days off, I tend to sleep the day away! I want this to stop! I want to go to bed at a decent hour and wake up at one too so that I can enjoy the day!

Candace

Hi Gang,

I'm looking forward to joining this challenge. I wake up at least a couple times a night and would really like to get better quality sleep. I feel constantly tired. Part of the disturbance is my cats running around and waking me, but sometimes I just wake up for no good reason. Looking forward to trying to get on a schedule and solving some of these sleep issues. I'm tired of being tired!

Stacey

Hello! I don't necessarily have problems sleeping, but I can't say that when I wake up, I am completely rejuvenated and ready to jump out of the bed. I am willing to work on getting 8 hrs of sleep, as well as, trying to lose weight. Thanks!

hey all! I'm excited to join this challenge...not because I sleep too little, I sleep too much - and I'm still tired all the time. I've been attributing it to other things, but the bags under my eyes all the time means theres no hiding this.

hi there. i was excited to find this challenge because getting full 8 hrs of sleep is one of the only things i'm failing on doing in my current diet plan.

my problem is i "hoard" my personal time. my family takes and takes and takes of me every day, and the last couple hours of the day are mine. i can watch tv, putter around the house, read a book, or otherwise just do whatever i want and not have to worry about anybody for once.

and it is hard to give that up. i stay up too late, deprive myslf of sleep on work nights, then oversleep on my days off and waste my day away.

and it is for some reason very hard to stop, even after i have identified the fact that i would be happier and healthier if i just got enough sleep!

Hello! I am new to this site and picked this as my first challenge because I feel that sleep is affecting so many different areas of my everyday life. I am hoping that by starting here I will have more energy, be more productive and feel more motivated. Hmmm . . . I'm getting sleepy already . . . ~S

Hello everyone! I started this challenge in September, but made the mistake of trying to do this one, the Stress Challenge and the Family Wellness challenge all at the same time. I made it for 3 days, crashed and burned, and never came back to SparkPeople because I was so overwhelmed (I also had multiple goals set for different SparkTeams and more goals in Other Goals). Instead, I realized today that I needed to take it slowly and just work on one challenge at a time. I chose to do this one, rather than the other two, because my problems with sleep have been ongoing over a period of decades and I believe that I will have trouble meeting other goals (such as exercise, losing weight, having more energy, etc.) if I do not first get my sleep in order. Anyway, I am a bit apprehensive about my ability to stick with this (or any) challenge beyond three days, but I know it is important for me to try.

As for my introduction, I live in Pittsburgh, PA, with my husband and three sons (ages 14, 10, and 8). In addition to pursing a PhD in organizational psychology online (at Walden University), I am also working from home as a writer/editor/communications consultant for the company my husband and I started together to help individuals and organizations discover and clearly communicate identity and vision. I am passionate about helping people to live meaningful lives in which they experience personal growth and transformation and are empowered to effectively use their gifts and abilities to the fullest extent, fulfilling the purpose for which they have been created. I am looking forward to getting to know each of you better as we navigate this journey towards better sleep side by side.

UPDATE: It is now May 25, 2011 and I have returned to this challenge after a long time away. One of the biggest reminders to get back into this was that I was hospitalized for several weeks for depression and one of the biggest tools they recommended for mood stability was to have a regular schedule of sleep and wake times, as well as to get at least 8 hours of sleep each night. I am renewing my commitment to succeeding in this challenge, for both the benefits to physical health and to mental health.

Edited by: UNIQUEBLUE at: 5/25/2011 (08:04)

So it's Monday morning and I probably got only 7 hours of sleep...which is my fault....I haven't been going to bed early enough to get enough sleep....but I have just gotten a CPAP machine and have been getting much better sleep for the last month. Before the machine I was sleeping 3 hours or less per night and was dragging myself around half awake most of the day. I tried drinking lots of coffee and once ended up in the ER from that and taking niacin which caused extreme flushing and shortness of breath. Since CPAP I have been able to cut my coffee down to 1-2 cups in the morning and don't drink that awful free stuff they give us at work (it's way too strong). I have also discontinued the niacin as the ER doctors were tired of seeing me and suggested I just had anxiety....

Greetings all...

I usually fall asleep around 3am and wake up around 9am. I am on disability for being bipolar. Lack of sleep, or irregular sleep patterns, can prove to be dangerous, as it can be the onset of mania. I just started using a sleep medication (I hate medication) so it might help me get sleepy earlier in the night. I hope so. Until then, I want to track my sleep habits (both for my own uses and to report to my doc). Wish me luck!!

Hi all. I'm Jae. I'm actually pretty tired right now...

I started a new job two months ago, and my sleep schedule has been really crunked up as a result. I'm having a terrible time adjusting and changing my habits to facilitate sleep. Even though some things seem obvious (ie: no caffeine late in the day), I thought this challenge would just help me to focus and make a clean break from my pre-job schedule of staying up til 3 or 4 every morning.

And...I'd really, REALLY like to sleep through the night. Even just once.

PEGGY-BEE, 4HEATHERLAUREN, TAMMYLUTHER, PRYCELESS1, TOWANDAJO, POPPY0109, COLIBRI930, WILDBROS02, ROSEMARYRYAN, ORBITYGOZOOM, BIGBADMOMMABEAR, SHINPI, KRISSY992, EMI-LADY, PEPSNICK, ELISHIVA, THINKTHINNER!

Welcome all to the team. I am sure you will answers to your questions here. Enjoy your journey.

Hi I'm Linda. I'm "Sleepless in Saskatchewan". Normally I sleep fairly well but the last 6 weeks not so well. It started at Canadian Thanksgiving when I had 2 terrible nights of sleep staying at my parents - shared a room with an extremely restless sleeper who had to pee all night long :)

Since then I have insomnia, take too many naps, can't wake up in the am, etc!

I'm starting to force myself to get up, using a daylight first thing in the am and then forcing myself not to nap. I'm hoping this challenge will also give me some ideas!

Hi there!

I'm new to the site and just bought the book, both within the last week! I found the site last Sunday and went out and got the book the next day! I actually sat and read the first few chapters while sitting at Barnes & Noble, before I knew it 2 hours had flown by and I hadn't put it down!

My name is Jennifer... Jen or Jeny is fine too! I am 34 and live in the beautiful Pacific NW (Washington State). I am mother to wonderful twin 13 year old girls who are super active and I'd like to keep up with them!

I am 5'10" & 350 lbs. I would like to lose 160 lbs. over the next year and a half or so!

As for my sleep? Well, I work rotating shift. 2 dayshifts, 2 graves and 1-2 swings... It's very hard for me to work a regular sleep schedule into this equation...

I look forward to all that I can learn here and all that I can share!

Hi, I am going to give this challenge a chance. I have few problems sleeping, if you don't count the recent time change, which still makes me wake up an hour early. I do have trouble getting myself to bed, which is related to the general procrastination/motivation issues I've been struggling with. My goal has been to get to bed no later than 12:30, and I only meet it about half the time. I am determined to do better this week!


Sweet dreams, everyone.

Welcome new members!

Hi, I am just joining. I have been having trouble falling asleep and staying asleep all night. I toss and turn and wake up unrefreshed. I am concerned because I read here on SP that getting your proper rest is crucial to weight loss. Not getting your 7-8 hours can hinge your losing any weight! Is this true? I want to fall asleep and sleep through the night again. I work full-time and get up extra early to work out before work, I should be tired!!!!

Hi, I just joined this challenge. I am able to fall asleep quickly now, took me months and months of practicing meditation and taking anti-anxiety pills. I want to stop taking the anti-anxiety pills though. Last night, I broke the pill in half, so I'll start taking half each night before bed and see how it goes.

I frequently wake up in the early morning, a few hours before the alarm goes off at 6:15. Sometimes it's only twice, sometimes it's five times, sometimes I wake up at 5:30 then can't get back to sleep. I guess I should just stay up but I never feel like getting out of bed that early.

Also, my cat is partially to blame for waking me up some of those times, once sometimes twice a night. Once for snuggling and once for playing around. Please, DO NOT tell me to not allow my cat in my bedroom because that is NOT an option. He's my baby!

Hello and welcome all new members.

Great support and super ideas here. Hope you enjoy this team.

Hi everybody,
I just joined the challenge. I am having problems waking up at night after I fall asleep. I wake from one to 3 times a night and feel tired when I get up. Some nights I sleep well, others I dont . I hope this challenge helps me figure out what is going on.

You sound like I did after my last job ended. I was diagnosed with mild depression. Trying to fill in the "void" is difficult. I finally discovered for myself that a lot of exercise helped me past the depression, forget what was lost and move on. Not easy, but doable.

I hope you have a great day and find an answer quickly.

Hi there, I'm Tammy and new to the site. I have a little different situation than others. I am sleeping way too much. Having just been "let go" from my manager's job, I am finding myself sleep away the day and not having much motivation. My brothers have sleep apnea and are overweight and I think I'm heading down the same road as my husband tells me that my snoring is really really bad. I'm hoping to get some quality info from this challenge and improve my sleeping time (and reduce the time in bed and be more active doing something productive)!

Welcome to new members, XXCOAIMHEXX, KKENNEY67, and JKSDADAMS2.

Hi, I just joined this team last night...I found it while I was wandering around SP when I SHOULD have been sleeping. Hoping to learn to sleep better, so I can feel better during the day and have more energy.

Hi, I just joined this team after a short, short night of sleep. I work a 12-hour day/night rotation, lately 4 weeks of each but sometimes both within a week. I'm nearing the end of 4 weeks of nights and the sleep quality and quantity is getting worse. Since my work situation isn't changing any time soon, I really need this challenge to at least improve the quality of sleep.

Hi I just joined this team. I can use all the advice I can get on getting a better (days) sleep. I work third shift and have a hubby and 2 daughters at home. Sometimes they forget that I need to sleep during the day, I get frequently interrupted.

Thank you for this group!

Welcome new members!

Good luck to you Mo... Sleeping through the night is difficult for me also, but it helps to know there are people in the same predicament who genuinely understand. We are all cheering each other toward 8 hours. I know that we can do it together!

Thanks very much, I'll take a look.

Welcome to the team, MOMOFROSIEBRIDE !
Good luck in your endeavors to get a good night's sleep !
Perhaps you would like to follow some of the SparkPeople
Calendars.The August,2010 Calendar is titled, "31 Days
to Better Sleep ", and offers 31 Tips to help you
to sleep better ! These calendars are on-line, in the
SP Library !

Hello all:
I'm new to this Team and joined because I have just learned the cost of not sleeping well! I had a sleep study, and now as a result of finding out I have apnea and grind my teeth much more than I thought, I'm sleeping with a cpat. Still don't sllep like I'd like though, and need to develop better discipline around bedtime. Thanks for listening!

Hi there,
I started this challenge at the beginning of this week - I feel tired all the time and am hoping to gain insight into why this is so and look at improving my sleep so I can feel more energised!

Hello everyone,

I am not familiar with blogging so internet introductions are a bit uncomfortable for me, but I am hoping to gain insight into how to get a more restful sleep. The comments that have been made already has shed light on my current situation. I look forward to this challenge and anxiously await reading your recommendations.

Hi. I have been a member of SparkPeople for a bit over 1 1/2 years. I have paid a great deal of attention to exercise and eating, but not so much to sleep. I know that I am sleep deprived and struggle how to balance getting enough sleep with the rest of my activities. I thought maybe a concentrated month of focusing on this sleep challenge would help me see some ways I can get more sleep and still meet my goals and responsibilities in other areas.

I joined this team because I keep going to bed WAY too late and pay for it in the morning. I want to be more alert and function better. I know the key to that is more sleep!

HI!!
Holly here in southwest Indiana. I tend to fall into little "cat" naps during the day. I what to learn techniques for better sleep at night to end this and feel better during the day.

hi annabelle here i need to learn all i can about this sleep challenge i an severely sleep deprived and have been about 20years or more now,, so this is going to be the best thing for me to do for my goals here on spark

Hi my name is lisa. I joined because getting to sleep and staying asleep has become an issue in my life since I turned 50 and I'm not liking it! As a matter-of-fact, I'm TIRED of it!

Hello! I am new to this team. I join because I am tired of saying that I am tired all the time! and I know why...! SO I need to be accountable and I intent to do it by keeping track of my sleep the same way I keep tract of my food and fitness: with Spark. I am sure I can do this and I will be in a better mood!

Hi

I'm Laura. I joined this challenge because I really need to get into a good sleep routine. I am a social worker in a busy child protection team and sleep is really important to recharge my batteries. Recently , due to stress, I have been suffering with really poor sleep patterns. I either fall asleep really early in the evening and wake up way to early in amorning or just can't sleep. My manager sent me home the other day because I was really sleep deprived!! I want to try and maintain a good routine to give me the energy I need to succeed in all areas of my life,

Laura

Hi Everyone,

I am Sonya. I joined this Challenge mainly because I realize that as a med student, sleep is really important. But I am always so scared of failing or what not that, I freak myself out and then I stay up till late to study. But then the next day I fell guilty for doing that as I don't have a productive day then.

I would like to wake up at 6am every day as I feel that's the ideal time to wake up and get a lot of things done like exercise and all until I start my day of studying. But my problem is I can't go to sleep at 10pm. I have tried to fall a sleep then, but I keep tossing and turning, until eventually falling a sleep a hour or two later, and then the next day I can't get up at 6am for the life me... .

There are a lot bad habits of mine that I'd like to change, but I think this is the first thing I should change as this will help me towards a productive day.

Hi I'm Erin. I joined the challenge because I love these things but also because I've noticed latley I've been clenching my jaw when I sleep. I think it's because of stress so I want to work on that! Thanks!

Hi, I've joined this challenge as I learned in Aug I have Type2 Diabetes and sleep in so important. I don't seem to be able to go to bed at the same time without TV, sleep through the night for at least 7-8 hours. Hopefully this team will be the answer or maybe a new mattress!

Rose