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Insomnia - How much sleep is enough? Has anyone tried Sleep Restriction Therapy?
#1
Insomnia - How much sleep is enough? Has anyone tried Sleep Restriction Therapy?
Been on CPAP 6 months. No mask issues, I love the quality of sleep I now get.

However, I cannot seem to get more than 6 hours of sleep. I go to sleep quickly, and often sleep for 6 hours straight. If I wake to urinate in the first 4 hours, I usually fall back asleep quickly and stay asleep until 6 hours after I went to bed. At that point, all attempts to get more sleep ultimately fail - very frustrating, I must say!

1st question: Is 6 hours of sleep enough for some people?

2nd question: After reading about Sleep Restriction Therapy (SRT), it sounds like it might help me tame the sleep maintenance insomnia. If you tried this, could you tell me how it worked for you?



(SRT is where you limit your time in bed into a window equal to the amount of sleep you have been getting - in my case, 6 hours. Then, after a few weeks, you can ratchet up the sleep time slowly by 15 minute chunks, until you get the "right amount" of sleep).

PS - this forum is awesome! I've learned so much here.
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#2
RE: Insomnia - How much sleep is enough? Has anyone tried Sleep Restriction Therapy?
(10-07-2015, 05:45 PM)REMfan62 Wrote: 1st question: Is 6 hours of sleep enough for some people?
Depend, some might need less and some need more
When I started couldn't manage more than 4 hours with CPAP but the 4 hours was better than the lousy 8 hours without CPAP


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#3
RE: Insomnia - How much sleep is enough? Has anyone tried Sleep Restriction Therapy?
I agree that the 6 hours I am getting is better than 10 hours pre-CPAP. Still wishing I could get more.
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#4
RE: Insomnia - How much sleep is enough? Has anyone tried Sleep Restriction Therapy?
From what I have read in multiple places is that the recommended window for hours of sleep for an adult is; no less than 7, no more than 9. (More than 9 is considered to be as bad as less than 7.) However, if you feel fine during the day, who knows.....

I have never tried SRT, at least on purpose. My sleep varies a lot without any help from me, but 7 1/2 seems to be my average.

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#5
RE: Insomnia - How much sleep is enough? Has anyone tried Sleep Restriction Therapy?
I have always been a 6 hour sleeper. I never get sleepy until around 11 pm and usually wake at 5 am. or shortly thereafter. Since I'm 79 years old, I figure I have actually been awake and active the same amount of time as a 105 year old person who always sleeps 8 hours a day. Your body will tell you how much sleep it needs. All are different, except me, I'm indifferent. Wink

Dude
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#6
RE: Insomnia - How much sleep is enough? Has anyone tried Sleep Restriction Therapy?
6 hours is medically fine, depending on your age - the younger, the more you need. However, 7 is around the average for people between 20 an 50. It is a meaningless number, a statistical range we use for some diagnostic reference, nothing more - some people need more, some people need less - I never sleep more than 6 hours and it is not something you need worry about - the quality of your sleep is far more important. Concentrate on that, rather than the number of hours.

SRT is only useful in cases of poor sleep habits. If your actual sleep hygiene is all right, then it is of no help.
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#7
RE: Insomnia - How much sleep is enough? Has anyone tried Sleep Restriction Therapy?
The late Margaret Thatcher (Iron Lady) ran the country on only four hours of sleep a night

Churchill survived on four hours a night during the war. But what is less often noted is that he had regular afternoon naps in his pyjamas.
Lady Thatcher was not one for these afternoon sleeps. "No, she wasn't a napper,"
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-22084671

Sleep-well
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#8
RE: Insomnia - How much sleep is enough? Has anyone tried Sleep Restriction Therapy?
SRT is really only for those who have insomnia or some other sleep issue. If you are feeling good otherwise, I'd not worry about it. If you want or need those missing hours, there are medications you can use that are extended release and can help keep you asleep for the full 8hrs. Ambien has an extended release version, for example.

Meanwhile, check out your sleep hygiene. Make sure your bed room and pre-sleep habits and conducive to a good night's sleep.
Turn your clock away from you so that when you get up, you don't know it has been 6hrs.
Try to lay down and smile, telling yourself "ah, I've only been asleep for 3hrs."
In other words, stop worrying/thinking about what time it is or how long it has been.
PaulaO

Take a deep breath and count to zen.




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#9
RE: Insomnia - How much sleep is enough? Has anyone tried Sleep Restriction Therapy?
REMfan62,

How do you feel after six hours of sleep? The reason why I am asking is that in my opinion, many people make the mistake of focusing on the number of hours when actually, it is the quality of sleep that is more important. One person can sleep for 8 hours and feel like cr-p while another person can sleep 5 hours and feel awesome.

49er
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#10
RE: Insomnia - How much sleep is enough? Has anyone tried Sleep Restriction Therapy?
49er,

Thanks for asking. I feel like I am not getting enough sleep. My energy level during the day is quite compromised.

The weekday window of sleep time I have available allows for up to 9 hours of sleep. But it is rare that I get more than 6 hours due to what appears to be sleep maintenance insomnia - that is why I am thinking about trying the SRT.
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