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A good nights sleep is crucial for me also, I’m 68 and we live with my daughter and her family. My grands keep me on my toes. I began making my own 5 years ago after cancer treatment and still do. I apply approximately 1 tsp of the cream to the bottom each foot and put on a pair of light socks or apply on my tummy before bed. There are some good magnesium creams on the market. I use Anchient Minerals Magnesium flakes in my cream and recommend it for its quality.
Thank you, Mary, for your quick reply. I will have to try this. I am pretty desperate for a good night's sleep. I sleep about 4-5 hours if I am lucky most nights. It really sucks the life out of you after a while. I am not a good daytime napper, which just complicates the issue.
 
You are very welcome. You can search out recipes to make your own online. I feel the less ingredients the better. Maybe even try a Magnesium spray. Good luck.
 
Have you tried a weighted blanket? I’ve been getting leg cramps that wake me in the middle of the night and the weighted blanket has been great. It’s hot & I live in South Florida so I only put it at the bottom of the bed but it’s awesome.
I will put this on my list to try, but it is hot where I live as well, so I don't know how well I would tolerate this, even at the bottom of the bed. I have heard lots of folks say it works well for them.
 
I recommend a topical magnesium cream applied before bed. I had difficulty sleeping while going through Chemo. It was and it still the best option for me. My daughter has also used it for my grandson at age 3 while he was having night terrors. It is safe and has no side effects like I had with melatonin, cbd, or magnesium pills.
My husband uses a magnesium spray. He says it helps when he has pain. I've never tried it. I am not sure where he gets it, but here are a couple of links:
https://tinyurl.com/39fweb46https://tinyurl.com/b63pn2v7The first one looks like the one my husband uses.


Melatonin is something I've been trying to work with lately. 10 mg is way to high a dosage for me, because it makes me really groggy the next day, so I am currently trying out 3 mg, because that's the dosage my husband had on hand.

For me, not sleeping enough is more about getting to sleep too late. I find it very difficult to sleep in, and it rarely ever happens. Going back to sleep once I get up to use the bathroom around 5 am, is usually an impossibility no matter how tired I feel, so getting to sleep earlier is the key for me.

Sometimes I take benadryl at night when I have itchy eyes or other pollen-related symptoms because I know it will knock me out as well as treat the allergy symptoms, but it does make me feel groggy the morning, even if my FitBit tells me I get better quality sleep (more time asleep and less restlessness and less waking up during the night, as well as more time in the restorative stages of sleep).

Meditation helps, but not in and of itself. And reducing screen time at night just goes against my grain; I can't stick to a plan to turn off my TV or computer or mobile phone at 6 pm or even 8 pm. That's about the time I start to really enjoy a movie or a TV series. I prefer to be physically active in the morning and during the daylight hours, then relax in the evening with the TV.

And napping during the day is not something I do on a regular basis either. Sometimes, but it's not a habit, and when I do, then it keeps me awake even later at night, so that's probably why I avoid daytime naps.
 
reducing screen time at night just goes against my grain
Have you tried blue light filters? I use an app on my phone called Night Screen which lets me turn it down much darker than the standard phone setting, and changes the colour tones to orange after sunset. I found that helped a lot with my sleep quality since I'm tied to my phone pretty much constantly. There's also similar things available for PC.
 
...
And napping during the day is not something I do on a regular basis either. Sometimes, but it's not a habit, and when I do, then it keeps me awake even later at night, so that's probably why I avoid daytime naps.
I was the same, and then learned it is a prolonged "napping" that badly affects my night sleep. Now I practice "power nap" that does not exceed 30 minutes.
 
My husband uses a magnesium spray. He says it helps when he has pain. I've never tried it. I am not sure where he gets it, but here are a couple of links:
https://tinyurl.com/39fweb46https://tinyurl.com/b63pn2v7The first one looks like the one my husband uses.


Melatonin is something I've been trying to work with lately. 10 mg is way to high a dosage for me, because it makes me really groggy the next day, so I am currently trying out 3 mg, because that's the dosage my husband had on hand.

For me, not sleeping enough is more about getting to sleep too late. I find it very difficult to sleep in, and it rarely ever happens. Going back to sleep once I get up to use the bathroom around 5 am, is usually an impossibility no matter how tired I feel, so getting to sleep earlier is the key for me.

Sometimes I take benadryl at night when I have itchy eyes or other pollen-related symptoms because I know it will knock me out as well as treat the allergy symptoms, but it does make me feel groggy the morning, even if my FitBit tells me I get better quality sleep (more time asleep and less restlessness and less waking up during the night, as well as more time in the restorative stages of sleep).

Meditation helps, but not in and of itself. And reducing screen time at night just goes against my grain; I can't stick to a plan to turn off my TV or computer or mobile phone at 6 pm or even 8 pm. That's about the time I start to really enjoy a movie or a TV series. I prefer to be physically active in the morning and during the daylight hours, then relax in the evening with the TV.

And napping during the day is not something I do on a regular basis either. Sometimes, but it's not a habit, and when I do, then it keeps me awake even later at night, so that's probably why I avoid daytime naps.

To add on:
Some people are very sensitive to coffee, tea, chocolate and many other foods, drinks and drugs that stimulate the nervous system.
Check your intake of these and then try this and see whether it will help;

Do not take caffeinated coffee/tea, hot chocolate and bars or cocoa after midday.
People have been surprised that such a simple change helps them sleep better.
This is not medical advice;
For some people, non-drowsy antihistamines and Vitamin B complex interfere with sleep.
Discuss with your Doctor.
 
Do not take caffeinated coffee/tea, hot chocolate and bars or cocoa after midday.
Add soda pop to that list -- like Coca Cola, Diet Coke, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, etc.

@earlene: I bite off 1/3rd of a 3mg Melatonin tablet when I'm having trouble sleeping. It usually is 20 minutes before taking effect. I wake up feeling refreshed and no drug hangover during the day. I also take the same amount during the day if I'm nervous or stressed out.
 
@earlene: The melatonin I buy is a 3 mg. tablet that is rounded. If yours is as well, just put both of your thumbs on either side of the tablet, apply pressure, and it should break into 2 equal halves. I take 1.5 mg. of melatonin every night for various reasons. It is the dose that does not give me a hangover. Melatonin does many things, and I don't particularly take it for sleep. It is a hormone and regulates many things in the body like regulation of mood, learning and memory, immune activity, and dreaming. Melatonin is also an effective antioxidant. Older folks have severely declining levels, so I take it to offset the deficit. Life extension researchers recommend that older people take it to improve their health.
 
I had my pre-op CoVid test yesterday. Should know the result tomorrow morning, which I expect will be negative, of course; I'd be very surprised if it turned out positive. If I do test positive, it won't be from the my vaccination as the Covid-19 PCR test specifically looks for genetic virus material, none of which the mRNA vaccines include.

At this point, (one month after our second vaccination injections), Hubby & I are both considered 'fully vaccinated' so we're both feeling pretty well protected as long as we continue following stringent mitigation procedures. The B-117 and other possible variants that may turn up in the meanwhile until the nation and the majority of the global population is also fully vaccinated, are keeping us extremely cautious. We still don't know how this will turn out.

My closest family members will all have reached 'fully vaccinated' within the next 60 days, with me & my sibs all done already.

Older son gets his second vaccination injection on Thursday. Granddaughter & younger son are getting their first doses on Friday & Saturday, respectively, so I expect I should feel safe to travel to Texas to visit them again in late possibly in June. I was going to go this month, but expect minimal use of my dominant hand AND a lot of occupational therapy before I regain full use of my hand, so visiting this month or even early May seems rather out-of-the-question, even without the rising CoVid cases, particularly of the B-117 variant in their part of the state.

Of course all this does exacerbate the sleep problems I've been having, I am sure. In spite of an attitude that worrying about stuff out of my control is useless, it doesn't stop the mind from being effected. 😉

Have you tried blue light filters? I use an app on my phone called Night Screen which lets me turn it down much darker than the standard phone setting, and changes the colour tones to orange after sunset. I found that helped a lot with my sleep quality since I'm tied to my phone pretty much constantly. There's also similar things available for PC.

Yes, on my phone. Not on my computer, though. And the TV we are now using is as is (it has no setting for blue light filtering - hopefully the next one will.)

This morning, I turned on the Night Light feature on my laptop to filter out blue light, more for eye strain issues & retina protection, than for sleep, but if it helps, all the better!

Even when blue light is filtered, I believe that brain stimulation caused by action movies or stimulating internet reading or compulsive web browsing are just as likely to keep me up as the blue light issue, but perhaps I would fall asleep sooner if the blue light was filtered out. I'll keep an eye on it. 😉

I was the same, and then learned it is a prolonged "napping" that badly affects my night sleep. Now I practice "power nap" that does not exceed 30 minutes.
I do power nap when traveling, and have done for at least 2 decades or more. It's fairly easy to do power naps sitting in my car at a rest area, partly because even though I do have a timer, I usually can't sleep longer than 20 minutes sitting up in a car. Quite effective to regenerate and prevents me from falling asleep at the wheel. But I've never tried it at home, basically because I don't like using an alarm at home, and I just have never wanted to schedule a nap except while traveling. Except when I should take a nap and try because I had a bad night, and then that's when I can't fall asleep during the day.

But it is a good idea and I know it works because it is what I do when I drive long distances. Maybe I'll give this a try if the other things I'm trying don't pan out.

To add on:
Some people are very sensitive to coffee, tea, chocolate and many other foods, drinks and drugs that stimulate the nervous system.
Check your intake of these and then try this and see whether it will help;

Do not take caffeinated coffee/tea, hot chocolate and bars or cocoa after midday.
People have been surprised that such a simple change helps them sleep better.
This is not medical advice;
For some people, non-drowsy antihistamines and Vitamin B complex interfere with sleep.
Discuss with your Doctor.

Years and years ago, I cut caffeine to a maximum of two cups of tea per day & only in the early morning. Only extremely rarely do I ever drink tea after noon, and if I do, it's usually at the end of a day of driving and generally de-caf or chamomile tea. I do not eat chocolate or drink cocoa because when I do, I always get pimples in the worst places. Other than a rare occasion, I just don't consume foods that contain caffeine unless I have a persistent headache that won't quit, then my HA (headache) pill includes caffeine. I don't drink soda pop (grew up not drinking it because this is how I was raised) and I don't drink alcoholic beverages, nor do I drink sweet drinks or fruit juices. I don't even drink orange juice (I don't really like it.) Really other than 2 cups of tea in the morning, all I drink all day is water, plain, filtered water and once in awhile I'll buy a quart of buttermilk and drink about 3 ounces to ward off hunger. So that's about it for beverages for me.

My physician has me taking methyl B12 + folate, which could be a real culprit here. I've decided to try a couple of weeks without it and see what kind difference that makes. My blood levels for B12 were high the last time they were done, so it's not like I've been deficient, in spite of the fact that I do not eat meat.

It is true that my evening meals (eaten around 4:30 or 5 pm usually, several hours before I normally go to sleep) do often contain stimulant ingredients, like spiciness, various vitamins, fats, salt, pepper, whatever. I don't eat many sweets regularly because I tend to prefer savory to sweet. Although I could cut out the ice cream bar I've been adding as an after-dinner desert (but again, this is really early in the evening because Hubby goes to bed around 6 pm or earlier, so it's pretty much before his bedtime, but long before mine.)

Perhaps I could start a new evening snack routine and add some things that are supposed to help with sleep like rice, garbanzo, edamame, hummus, bananas, pumpkin seeds, a Brazil nut (I used to eat one per day, but haven't done that in a long time; perhaps it's time to go buy some more), green leafies, yogurt, maybe an egg (for the tryptophan) once in awhile, but I can only tolerate so many eggs, and certainly not on a daily basis.

I might see if I can do that in the evenings. I used to take 5-HTP, but I ran out while away last year & didn't buy more (I was trying to cut down on pills pills and just forgot about them). Last night, though, I ordered more 5-HTP with L-tryptophan supplements. Both support serotonin & melatonin production, so I'll go back to taking those. I was trying to cut down on supplements, but perhaps these are pretty important ones right now, and probably cut out the melatonin since it doesn't seem to be working as positively as I was hoping.

Another possibility is to talk to my physician about changing out my cholesterol med for a water-soluble instead of the fat-soluble one I now take, which does interfere with sleep for some people. Although the sleeping issue is not new to since I started on simvastatin, so I am not sure that one matters. But I will keep it in mind for future discussion.

Anyway, you have given me food for thought, Daisy, that has helped me re-think my supplements and what to add as an evening snack. I'll try those and see how it goes. I did buy buttermilk yesterday, and although it does contain butter fat, at least its milk so I had a small glassful in the evening to encourage serotonin production. I had already taken my 3mg melatonin. I did get to sleep much earlier than usual, but also awoke too early, so still didn't get enough sleep and the quality was down (very restless during the night.)

Additionally, I've been tracking my quality of sleep with melatonin, and so far, it's not looking favorable. But other factors may be at play, so I'll keep tracking for a little longer with those in mind as well, before ruling it out.

@earlene: The melatonin I buy is a 3 mg. tablet that is rounded. If yours is as well, just put both of your thumbs on either side of the tablet, apply pressure, and it should break into 2 equal halves. I take 1.5 mg. of melatonin every night for various reasons. It is the dose that does not give me a hangover. Melatonin does many things, and I don't particularly take it for sleep. It is a hormone and regulates many things in the body like regulation of mood, learning and memory, immune activity, and dreaming. Melatonin is also an effective antioxidant. Older folks have severely declining levels, so I take it to offset the deficit. Life extension researchers recommend that older people take it to improve their health.
I have a pill cutter. My aged fingers couldn't break a pill in two if my life depended on it. Plus I am having hand surgery tomorrow & won't have full use of my dominant hand, particularly my thumb for about 6-8 weeks. Even prior to surgery I haven't had full use of my right thumb in years, certainly not enough to break a pill in half with use of two thumbs. I assume when you say it breaks evenly, that your tablets are scored? Mine are not. Not all pills are scored, and I've rarely seen supplements scored. Scoring of tablets is useful for breaking in half using a pill cutter, but not essential. Yet even with a pill cutter, I don't always get an even cut, so you must have magical thumbs!
 
I had my pre-op CoVid test yesterday. Should know the result tomorrow morning, which I expect will be negative, of course; I'd be very surprised if it turned out positive. If I do test positive, it won't be from the my vaccination as the Covid-19 PCR test specifically looks for genetic virus material, none of which the mRNA vaccines include.

At this point, (one month after our second vaccination injections), Hubby & I are both considered 'fully vaccinated' so we're both feeling pretty well protected as long as we continue following stringent mitigation procedures. The B-117 and other possible variants that may turn up in the meanwhile until the nation and the majority of the global population is also fully vaccinated, are keeping us extremely cautious. We still don't know how this will turn out.

My closest family members will all have reached 'fully vaccinated' within the next 60 days, with me & my sibs all done already.

Older son gets his second vaccination injection on Thursday. Granddaughter & younger son are getting their first doses on Friday & Saturday, respectively, so I expect I should feel safe to travel to Texas to visit them again in late possibly in June. I was going to go this month, but expect minimal use of my dominant hand AND a lot of occupational therapy before I regain full use of my hand, so visiting this month or even early May seems rather out-of-the-question, even without the rising CoVid cases, particularly of the B-117 variant in their part of the state.

Of course all this does exacerbate the sleep problems I've been having, I am sure. In spite of an attitude that worrying about stuff out of my control is useless, it doesn't stop the mind from being effected. 😉



Yes, on my phone. Not on my computer, though. And the TV we are now using is as is (it has no setting for blue light filtering - hopefully the next one will.)

This morning, I turned on the Night Light feature on my laptop to filter out blue light, more for eye strain issues & retina protection, than for sleep, but if it helps, all the better!

Even when blue light is filtered, I believe that brain stimulation caused by action movies or stimulating internet reading or compulsive web browsing are just as likely to keep me up as the blue light issue, but perhaps I would fall asleep sooner if the blue light was filtered out. I'll keep an eye on it. 😉


I do power nap when traveling, and have done for at least 2 decades or more. It's fairly easy to do power naps sitting in my car at a rest area, partly because even though I do have a timer, I usually can't sleep longer than 20 minutes sitting up in a car. Quite effective to regenerate and prevents me from falling asleep at the wheel. But I've never tried it at home, basically because I don't like using an alarm at home, and I just have never wanted to schedule a nap except while traveling. Except when I should take a nap and try because I had a bad night, and then that's when I can't fall asleep during the day.

But it is a good idea and I know it works because it is what I do when I drive long distances. Maybe I'll give this a try if the other things I'm trying don't pan out.



Years and years ago, I cut caffeine to a maximum of two cups of tea per day & only in the early morning. Only extremely rarely do I ever drink tea after noon, and if I do, it's usually at the end of a day of driving and generally de-caf or chamomile tea. I do not eat chocolate or drink cocoa because when I do, I always get pimples in the worst places. Other than a rare occasion, I just don't consume foods that contain caffeine unless I have a persistent headache that won't quit, then my HA (headache) pill includes caffeine. I don't drink soda pop (grew up not drinking it because this is how I was raised) and I don't drink alcoholic beverages, nor do I drink sweet drinks or fruit juices. I don't even drink orange juice (I don't really like it.) Really other than 2 cups of tea in the morning, all I drink all day is water, plain, filtered water and once in awhile I'll buy a quart of buttermilk and drink about 3 ounces to ward off hunger. So that's about it for beverages for me.

My physician has me taking methyl B12 + folate, which could be a real culprit here. I've decided to try a couple of weeks without it and see what kind difference that makes. My blood levels for B12 were high the last time they were done, so it's not like I've been deficient, in spite of the fact that I do not eat meat.

It is true that my evening meals (eaten around 4:30 or 5 pm usually, several hours before I normally go to sleep) do often contain stimulant ingredients, like spiciness, various vitamins, fats, salt, pepper, whatever. I don't eat many sweets regularly because I tend to prefer savory to sweet. Although I could cut out the ice cream bar I've been adding as an after-dinner desert (but again, this is really early in the evening because Hubby goes to bed around 6 pm or earlier, so it's pretty much before his bedtime, but long before mine.)

Perhaps I could start a new evening snack routine and add some things that are supposed to help with sleep like rice, garbanzo, edamame, hummus, bananas, pumpkin seeds, a Brazil nut (I used to eat one per day, but haven't done that in a long time; perhaps it's time to go buy some more), green leafies, yogurt, maybe an egg (for the tryptophan) once in awhile, but I can only tolerate so many eggs, and certainly not on a daily basis.

I might see if I can do that in the evenings. I used to take 5-HTP, but I ran out while away last year & didn't buy more (I was trying to cut down on pills pills and just forgot about them). Last night, though, I ordered more 5-HTP with L-tryptophan supplements. Both support serotonin & melatonin production, so I'll go back to taking those. I was trying to cut down on supplements, but perhaps these are pretty important ones right now, and probably cut out the melatonin since it doesn't seem to be working as positively as I was hoping.

Another possibility is to talk to my physician about changing out my cholesterol med for a water-soluble instead of the fat-soluble one I now take, which does interfere with sleep for some people. Although the sleeping issue is not new to since I started on simvastatin, so I am not sure that one matters. But I will keep it in mind for future discussion.

Anyway, you have given me food for thought, Daisy, that has helped me re-think my supplements and what to add as an evening snack. I'll try those and see how it goes. I did buy buttermilk yesterday, and although it does contain butter fat, at least its milk so I had a small glassful in the evening to encourage serotonin production. I had already taken my 3mg melatonin. I did get to sleep much earlier than usual, but also awoke too early, so still didn't get enough sleep and the quality was down (very restless during the night.)

Additionally, I've been tracking my quality of sleep with melatonin, and so far, it's not looking favorable. But other factors may be at play, so I'll keep tracking for a little longer with those in mind as well, before ruling it out.


I have a pill cutter. My aged fingers couldn't break a pill in two if my life depended on it. Plus I am having hand surgery tomorrow & won't have full use of my dominant hand, particularly my thumb for about 6-8 weeks. Even prior to surgery I haven't had full use of my right thumb in years, certainly not enough to break a pill in half with use of two thumbs. I assume when you say it breaks evenly, that your tablets are scored? Mine are not. Not all pills are scored, and I've rarely seen supplements scored. Scoring of tablets is useful for breaking in half using a pill cutter, but not essential. Yet even with a pill cutter, I don't always get an even cut, so you must have magical thumbs!

Best wishes Earlene as you figure it out:)
However, Some supplements are brutal to the liver and kidneys if taken for a long time.
Talk to your doctor before you weed out old (if prescribed) or add on new.
 
Best wishes Earlene as you figure it out:)
However, Some supplements are brutal to the liver and kidneys if taken for a long time.
Talk to your doctor before you weed out old (if prescribed) or add on new.

Of course. I am a retired RN; talking to my doctor is instilled in my psyche. And so is knowledge & on-going education regarding contraindications & interactions for or between meds (in any form), vitamins, supplements, herbals, etc, and I do diligent research whether or not it is prescribed. I am never empty-handed when I have a medical appointment; I always have a list of what needs to be addressed/clarified/etc. I have always been an advocate for the patient, whether it is me, my family or anyone else for whom I share interest. So I do my homework before any conversations with my docs (and afterward, as well, when something new is prescribed - I'm not one of those 'oh the doctor prescribed it, so I have full faith' types - I've seen doctors make prescribing errors, as I am sure any nurse who has worked with them has. (Everyone makes mistakes; not bashing doctors.)

In addition to that, my pharmacist and my Insurance company flag possible interactions whenever there is a change to my prescriptions and also every time a medication is renewed. The number of professionals looking at my medical stuff is remarkable.

And of course liver & kidneys are important considerations, particularly at my age and with (or without) my particular history.

But thank you for the precautions. You would have no way of knowing my medical background.
 
I had my pre-op CoVid test yesterday. Should know the result tomorrow morning, which I expect will be negative, of course; I'd be very surprised if it turned out positive. If I do test positive, it won't be from the my vaccination as the Covid-19 PCR test specifically looks for genetic virus material, none of which the mRNA vaccines include.

At this point, (one month after our second vaccination injections), Hubby & I are both considered 'fully vaccinated' so we're both feeling pretty well protected as long as we continue following stringent mitigation procedures. The B-117 and other possible variants that may turn up in the meanwhile until the nation and the majority of the global population is also fully vaccinated, are keeping us extremely cautious. We still don't know how this will turn out.

My closest family members will all have reached 'fully vaccinated' within the next 60 days, with me & my sibs all done already.

Older son gets his second vaccination injection on Thursday. Granddaughter & younger son are getting their first doses on Friday & Saturday, respectively, so I expect I should feel safe to travel to Texas to visit them again in late possibly in June. I was going to go this month, but expect minimal use of my dominant hand AND a lot of occupational therapy before I regain full use of my hand, so visiting this month or even early May seems rather out-of-the-question, even without the rising CoVid cases, particularly of the B-117 variant in their part of the state.

Of course all this does exacerbate the sleep problems I've been having, I am sure. In spite of an attitude that worrying about stuff out of my control is useless, it doesn't stop the mind from being effected. 😉



Yes, on my phone. Not on my computer, though. And the TV we are now using is as is (it has no setting for blue light filtering - hopefully the next one will.)

This morning, I turned on the Night Light feature on my laptop to filter out blue light, more for eye strain issues & retina protection, than for sleep, but if it helps, all the better!

Even when blue light is filtered, I believe that brain stimulation caused by action movies or stimulating internet reading or compulsive web browsing are just as likely to keep me up as the blue light issue, but perhaps I would fall asleep sooner if the blue light was filtered out. I'll keep an eye on it. 😉


I do power nap when traveling, and have done for at least 2 decades or more. It's fairly easy to do power naps sitting in my car at a rest area, partly because even though I do have a timer, I usually can't sleep longer than 20 minutes sitting up in a car. Quite effective to regenerate and prevents me from falling asleep at the wheel. But I've never tried it at home, basically because I don't like using an alarm at home, and I just have never wanted to schedule a nap except while traveling. Except when I should take a nap and try because I had a bad night, and then that's when I can't fall asleep during the day.

But it is a good idea and I know it works because it is what I do when I drive long distances. Maybe I'll give this a try if the other things I'm trying don't pan out.



Years and years ago, I cut caffeine to a maximum of two cups of tea per day & only in the early morning. Only extremely rarely do I ever drink tea after noon, and if I do, it's usually at the end of a day of driving and generally de-caf or chamomile tea. I do not eat chocolate or drink cocoa because when I do, I always get pimples in the worst places. Other than a rare occasion, I just don't consume foods that contain caffeine unless I have a persistent headache that won't quit, then my HA (headache) pill includes caffeine. I don't drink soda pop (grew up not drinking it because this is how I was raised) and I don't drink alcoholic beverages, nor do I drink sweet drinks or fruit juices. I don't even drink orange juice (I don't really like it.) Really other than 2 cups of tea in the morning, all I drink all day is water, plain, filtered water and once in awhile I'll buy a quart of buttermilk and drink about 3 ounces to ward off hunger. So that's about it for beverages for me.

My physician has me taking methyl B12 + folate, which could be a real culprit here. I've decided to try a couple of weeks without it and see what kind difference that makes. My blood levels for B12 were high the last time they were done, so it's not like I've been deficient, in spite of the fact that I do not eat meat.

It is true that my evening meals (eaten around 4:30 or 5 pm usually, several hours before I normally go to sleep) do often contain stimulant ingredients, like spiciness, various vitamins, fats, salt, pepper, whatever. I don't eat many sweets regularly because I tend to prefer savory to sweet. Although I could cut out the ice cream bar I've been adding as an after-dinner desert (but again, this is really early in the evening because Hubby goes to bed around 6 pm or earlier, so it's pretty much before his bedtime, but long before mine.)

Perhaps I could start a new evening snack routine and add some things that are supposed to help with sleep like rice, garbanzo, edamame, hummus, bananas, pumpkin seeds, a Brazil nut (I used to eat one per day, but haven't done that in a long time; perhaps it's time to go buy some more), green leafies, yogurt, maybe an egg (for the tryptophan) once in awhile, but I can only tolerate so many eggs, and certainly not on a daily basis.

I might see if I can do that in the evenings. I used to take 5-HTP, but I ran out while away last year & didn't buy more (I was trying to cut down on pills pills and just forgot about them). Last night, though, I ordered more 5-HTP with L-tryptophan supplements. Both support serotonin & melatonin production, so I'll go back to taking those. I was trying to cut down on supplements, but perhaps these are pretty important ones right now, and probably cut out the melatonin since it doesn't seem to be working as positively as I was hoping.

Another possibility is to talk to my physician about changing out my cholesterol med for a water-soluble instead of the fat-soluble one I now take, which does interfere with sleep for some people. Although the sleeping issue is not new to since I started on simvastatin, so I am not sure that one matters. But I will keep it in mind for future discussion.

Anyway, you have given me food for thought, Daisy, that has helped me re-think my supplements and what to add as an evening snack. I'll try those and see how it goes. I did buy buttermilk yesterday, and although it does contain butter fat, at least its milk so I had a small glassful in the evening to encourage serotonin production. I had already taken my 3mg melatonin. I did get to sleep much earlier than usual, but also awoke too early, so still didn't get enough sleep and the quality was down (very restless during the night.)

Additionally, I've been tracking my quality of sleep with melatonin, and so far, it's not looking favorable. But other factors may be at play, so I'll keep tracking for a little longer with those in mind as well, before ruling it out.


I have a pill cutter. My aged fingers couldn't break a pill in two if my life depended on it. Plus I am having hand surgery tomorrow & won't have full use of my dominant hand, particularly my thumb for about 6-8 weeks. Even prior to surgery I haven't had full use of my right thumb in years, certainly not enough to break a pill in half with use of two thumbs. I assume when you say it breaks evenly, that your tablets are scored? Mine are not. Not all pills are scored, and I've rarely seen supplements scored. Scoring of tablets is useful for breaking in half using a pill cutter, but not essential. Yet even with a pill cutter, I don't always get an even cut, so you must have magical thumbs!
No magical thumbs here. Just 70 year old ones. I was shown this trick by my physician husband, and you would be amazed how easy it is. If the tablet is rounded and placed on a hard surface, 2 fingers is all it takes to break most of them in half. The trick is magic, not my fingers. I have a pill cutter as well, and I am a retired RN, but for the life of me, I have never found a pill cutter that works for me. All my cut pills come out unevenly cut. Best of luck with all your medical adventures, Earlene. Have your husband perform the magical pill trick.
 
Of course. I am a retired RN; talking to my doctor is instilled in my psyche. And so is knowledge & on-going education regarding contraindications & interactions for or between meds (in any form), vitamins, supplements, herbals, etc, and I do diligent research whether or not it is prescribed. I am never empty-handed when I have a medical appointment; I always have a list of what needs to be addressed/clarified/etc. I have always been an advocate for the patient, whether it is me, my family or anyone else for whom I share interest. So I do my homework before any conversations with my docs (and afterward, as well, when something new is prescribed - I'm not one of those 'oh the doctor prescribed it, so I have full faith' types - I've seen doctors make prescribing errors, as I am sure any nurse who has worked with them has. (Everyone makes mistakes; not bashing doctors.)

In addition to that, my pharmacist and my Insurance company flag possible interactions whenever there is a change to my prescriptions and also every time a medication is renewed. The number of professionals looking at my medical stuff is remarkable.

And of course liver & kidneys are important considerations, particularly at my age and with (or without) my particular history.

But thank you for the precautions. You would have no way of knowing my medical background.

Oops! Preaching to the choir:)
I am glad you've taken it positively.
We learn from each other. I have learnt a number things from your threads.

Like now, you've posted more things to consider. Education is never wasted!
Cheers!
 
It’s hot & I live in South Florida so I only put it at the bottom of the bed but it’s awesome.

one of my weighted blankets (I have 2 of different sizes and weights) has a “keep cool” lining on one side. I can’t vouch for how well it works yet, as I live in the frozen north and bought the blanket in December. It does feel physically cooler than other blankets, so maybe it’s an option
 
Have your husband perform the magical pill trick.

I'll ask him, but his fingers are huge. It makes me laugh just to think of him trying to do that. So round, but not scored? Mine are round but flattish, as opposed to round and longish. As in this vs this vs this:

1617737781225.png1617737908222.png1617738025553.png

Mine are like picture #1, but they are actually quite tiny. Even my thumbs next to the edges of them look very very big.

one of my weighted blankets (I have 2 of different sizes and weights) has a “keep cool” lining on one side. I can’t vouch for how well it works yet, as I live in the frozen north and bought the blanket in December. It does feel physically cooler than other blankets, so maybe it’s an option


I have wondered about 'weighted blankets' which seem to be quite a trend these day. DPS blankets or Gravity blankets have been used in therapeutic settings, but studies to show their efficacy in treating sleep disorders is minimal and inconclusive at best. Studies performed without control groups or conducted by blanket manufacturers are suspect as are studies performed without appropriate scientific criteria (which includes a control group), so the bottom line right now is there isn't enough evidence that weighted blankets are a useful tool to treat insomnia and other seep disorders.

Additionally, some published studies claim that weighted blankets are safe, which makes no sense at all. Any report or study that blatantly claims the item being studied is safe without any cautions whatsoever, is always going to be suspect. Weighted blankets are not safe in all situations or cases. There have been 2 deaths associated with the use of weighted blankets in children and there are cautions for people with chronic respiratory disorders use of them, therefore the claim of absolute safety is absurd. (links: Weighted Blanket Use: A Systematic Review - PubMed and Weighted Blankets: How They Work)

In any case, I have thought it would be interesting to try one, but I doubt I will unless someone in my family whom I go visit at some point has one & I try it while visiting. As a child, I recall piles upon piles of quilts weighing me down when visiting my grandparents; if I really want to pile on the weight while sleeping, I could do it with the blankets I already own.
 
I'll ask him, but his fingers are huge. It makes me laugh just to think of him trying to do that. So round, but not scored? Mine are round but flattish, as opposed to round and longish. As in this vs this vs this:

View attachment 55853View attachment 55855View attachment 55856

Mine are like picture #1, but they are actually quite tiny. Even my thumbs next to the edges of them look very very big.




I have wondered about 'weighted blankets' which seem to be quite a trend these day. DPS blankets or Gravity blankets have been used in therapeutic settings, but studies to show their efficacy in treating sleep disorders is minimal and inconclusive at best. Studies performed without control groups or conducted by blanket manufacturers are suspect as are studies performed without appropriate scientific criteria (which includes a control group), so the bottom line right now is there isn't enough evidence that weighted blankets are a useful tool to treat insomnia and other seep disorders.

Additionally, some published studies claim that weighted blankets are safe, which makes no sense at all. Any report or study that blatantly claims the item being studied is safe without any cautions whatsoever, is always going to be suspect. Weighted blankets are not safe in all situations or cases. There have been 2 deaths associated with the use of weighted blankets in children and there are cautions for people with chronic respiratory disorders use of them, therefore the claim of absolute safety is absurd. (links: Weighted Blanket Use: A Systematic Review - PubMed and Weighted Blankets: How They Work)

In any case, I have thought it would be interesting to try one, but I doubt I will unless someone in my family whom I go visit at some point has one & I try it while visiting. As a child, I recall piles upon piles of quilts weighing me down when visiting my grandparents; if I really want to pile on the weight while sleeping, I could do it with the blankets I already own.
UH OH! I guess I haven't communicated well, Earlene. They cannot lie flat against the surface that they are sitting on. They have to be rounded (convex) on their surface area, not in circumference. Does that make sense? That is why it works so well. The pressure applied to each end causes the pills to snap in the middle.
 
UH OH! I guess I haven't communicated well, Earlene. They cannot lie flat against the surface that they are sitting on. They have to be rounded (convex) on their surface area, not in circumference. Does that make sense? That is why it works so well. The pressure applied to each end causes the pills to snap in the middle.
I see what you mean. they are too tiny for that, but they do break quite well in my pill cutter. I switched to 1/2 tab at night for the past few nights & now I don't get that grogginess.
 
My mandatory pre-op CoVid test was negative, as anticipated.

My thumb joint may have had some bone removed, but I don't know for sure, since I don't remember talking to my surgeon post-op. Pre-op he said he might need to take a bit (a Wedge of bone) out. Post-op he talked to Hubby, but either he didn't say much or Hubby didn't really comprehend all of it; could be either. My pinky finger has stitches, I think, because it seemed like I could feel them yesterday when I moved the finger too much (I'm not sure how, maybe a reflex attempt to bend it when trying to exercise the adjacent fingers.)

My thumb, wrist & forearm are in a partial plaster cast with a partial soft cast, the finger is bandaged in gauze, then all of that & my hand is wrapped in a kind of cotton-wool & an ACE-type wrap. Hot, itchy, uncomfortable and it's only been 2 days. Two of my non-surgical fingers are bruised, but that seems to be diminishing. All look puffy this morning. Time to elevate & ice again. It's hard to elevate while sleeping; I do prior to sleeping, but the body does, what the body does, once asleep.

I realized when I awoke in recovery that I really wish I had trimmed all my fingernails prior to sugery. I won't be able to manage that at all for at least 2 months, I think. Not only will it be impossible without my dominant thumb, it will be to painful even if someone else does it for me. I guess I can only hope they don't break. I won't be able to file them either!

Thumb & finger surgery 2021April07_20210408_130506.jpg
Cutting jalapenos because I must persist.

Time for my pain pill, elevation & ice...
 
My mandatory pre-op CoVid test was negative, as anticipated.

My thumb joint may have had some bone removed, but I don't know for sure, since I don't remember talking to my surgeon post-op. Pre-op he said he might need to take a bit (a Wedge of bone) out. Post-op he talked to Hubby, but either he didn't say much or Hubby didn't really comprehend all of it; could be either. My pinky finger has stitches, I think, because it seemed like I could feel them yesterday when I moved the finger too much (I'm not sure how, maybe a reflex attempt to bend it when trying to exercise the adjacent fingers.)

My thumb, wrist & forearm are in a partial plaster cast with a partial soft cast, the finger is bandaged in gauze, then all of that & my hand is wrapped in a kind of cotton-wool & an ACE-type wrap. Hot, itchy, uncomfortable and it's only been 2 days. Two of my non-surgical fingers are bruised, but that seems to be diminishing. All look puffy this morning. Time to elevate & ice again. It's hard to elevate while sleeping; I do prior to sleeping, but the body does, what the body does, once asleep.

I realized when I awoke in recovery that I really wish I had trimmed all my fingernails prior to sugery. I won't be able to manage that at all for at least 2 months, I think. Not only will it be impossible without my dominant thumb, it will be to painful even if someone else does it for me. I guess I can only hope they don't break. I won't be able to file them either!

View attachment 55916
Cutting jalapenos because I must persist.

Time for my pain pill, elevation & ice...
Hang in there, it’ll get better. I hope your recovery goes well.
 
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