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I've posted this before, but a key feature that can help with falling back to sleep and/or insomnia is recognizing that we fall asleep when we warm up, not (nec

I've posted this before, but a key feature that can help with falling back to sleep and/or insomnia is recognizing that we fall asleep when we warm up, not (necessarily) when we are warm. So if you aren't falling asleep, take off the blankets, make sure the room is as cold as possible/practical and then let yourself get really cold. Like shivering cold. When you can't stand it anymore, then cover yourself up lightly. You'll have a much better chance of falling asleep. This approach has helped several people I know, although not everyone that I've told, as we are all different and insomnia comes from many sources. Also, try a sleep study! Sleep apnea is not just something that affects people that are overweight - I had it for nearly all my life, turns out, as do my siblings. It isn't a magic cure but my sleeping is probably 3x better with a cpap.

slothtrop 5y ago
yes - What happens is that most people fall asleep during the steepest drop toward circadian temperature minimum. Our core temp drops toward sleep onset, and with it cortisol, and melatonin spikes as well. Warming your skin helps promote bloodflow and expels heat, thereby lowering your core temperature (more efficiently if ambient air is cool enough). We tend to lose most heat in our extremities, like the head, hands and feet. This is why pre-warming feet can reduce onset latency. If you've shifted your circadian rhythm, your core temperature falls later. What may happen then is you'll get hotter in bed as you're expelling more heat in it, and if the material is not particularly breathable it won't be as easy for you to cool down. Anyway, avoiding a shift and keeping a robust circadian rhythm really helps with onset and overall sleep quality. To this end, a consistent waking time, limited total time in bed, and sufficient exposure to sunlight after waking helps.

slothtrop 5y ago

yes - What happens is that most people fall asleep during the steepest drop toward circadian temperature minimum. Our core temp drops toward sleep onset, and with it cortisol, and melatonin spikes as well. Warming your skin helps promote bloodflow and expels heat, thereby lowering your core temperature (more efficiently if ambient air is cool enough). We tend to lose most heat in our extremities, like the head, hands and feet. This is why pre-warming feet can reduce onset latency. If you've shifted your circadian rhythm, your core temperature falls later. What may happen then is you'll get hotter in bed as you're expelling more heat in it, and if the material is not particularly breathable it won't be as easy for you to cool down. Anyway, avoiding a shift and keeping a robust circadian rhythm really helps with onset and overall sleep quality. To this end, a consistent waking time, limited total time in bed, and sufficient exposure to sunlight after waking helps.