The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

I Bake When I Should Be Sleeping

traceyphillips's picture
traceyphillips

I Bake When I Should Be Sleeping

Hi ladies and jellybeans,

I'm having a problem with sleeping recently and I tend to just go downstairs and bake some bread or something (mainly to cure my boredom).
I wondered if anyone could recommend anything to help me sleep! I know it's not much to do with baking (that's why I posted in the 'off topic chat') but I'd really appreciate some help!

A friend of mine recommended Valerian but I've never even heard of it?

Thanks in advance,

TP 
 
colinm's picture
colinm

We have had good luck with listening to podcasts like “Sleep with me” or long books like the Old Testament or Gibbon’s Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. 

dinozoa's picture
dinozoa

Hello Tracey Philips-

Valerian root is mild sedative, usually very safe but of course it's best to consult your doctor before starting any new medicine.

If I understand you correctly, you are having trouble falling asleep at night. Or is it easy for you to fall asleep, but then you wake up in the middle of the night and feel restless?

What do you think is causing the insomnia? Is it stress or anxiety? Are you drinking caffeinated beverages late in the day?

clazar123's picture
clazar123

In addition to coffee or tea, check the ingredients on any herbal teas you might be drinking. My son tried to kick the coffee habit by drinking an herbal tea- 4-5 cups over the course of the day. He ended up at the doctor with intermittent rapid heart rate and high BP. Turns out the ingredients of the tea included  licorice root and a few other ingredients that contributed to his symptoms. Symptoms resolved after 24 hrs without the tea and never re-occurred. Now he knows to check out any herbal ingredients before he drinks it. The saddest part is the doctor did not have a clue.  The doctor was told about the tea but never asked about the tea or its ingredients-Mom did. The doctor wanted to fast track him to a cardiac workup.

Remember-HERBS ARE MEDICINE!

OTOH, herbs can be helpful. Just understand what you are trying and the possible side effects-whether it is herbal or in the medical realm.

Do you need to see a  doctor for an evaluation? There are many causes of insomnia and many different kinds of insomnia with different causes.

DanAyo's picture
DanAyo

Reading a book generally does it for me.

love's picture
love

chaga mushroom tea, I find, is very good to make sleepiness happen

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

if you want to fall asleep.  You'll stay awake for hours!  Lol

Actually I see no reason to stress about it.  Folks have often in history gotten up in the middle of the night.  Only our modern age thinks not sleeping through the night in one big block is unhealthy or a sign something is wrong.

 Things that help are reducing the amount of food consumed after 6 pm.  Make the bigger meals breakfast and lunch with a small evening meal.  Getting enough water during the early part of the day and getting enough daily exercise.  An evening walk is always a great idea too.  Take my dog with you, he loves to walk.  :)   

I have a very boring book next to my bed.  So boring I never get past page ten.  Some books are good for that.  Hubby wanted to trade it in, " you never get past the bookmark!"  .....Exactly.  

Dad had some old & new medications and was always up soon after taking the evening batch.  Mom said it was prescribed before going to bed.  I couldn't help but think it was something like a water pill, keeping him up and down for about two hours after going to bed.  So I looked it up and the instructions clearly said way down the page under how it worked, to be taken two hours before going to bed.  AHa! The idea being the medication has it's maximum effect two hours after consuming.  One thoroughly empties the bladder for a long beneficial sleep.  Glad I don't have an aging prostate.  :)  My heart goes out to you dudes.  

AnnaZ's picture
AnnaZ

My DIL told me about the "CALM" app for my iPad/phone.  There is a free version which doesn't give you much, but it was enough for me to know I wanted the year's subscription.  You can play soothing music, or have stories read to you.  Now, I HATE having anyone read to me, but in this instance it works.  I have yet to hear a whole story.  LOL   From the ones I have listened to, there has only been 1 reader that I was not at all impressed with.  He had a jerky style of reading.  Perhaps that is why I fell asleep so soon after he started.......my brain could not handle listening to any more of it.  I will for sure renew next year when it runs out.  I have a horrible time sleeping too, but this has helped quite a bit.

Breizh's picture
Breizh

"reducing the amount of food consumed after 6 pm"

That's a big one. Stop eating 3 hours, or even 4 hours before going to bed.

And move as much as you can during the day.

latanante's picture
latanante

there is an app called Calm and it has bedtime stories for adults and it helps me

 

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

sounds to me like a hymn for bakers.  

 

I bake when I should be sleeping,

And pray when I should be baking.

I sing as I would be praying,

and bake when my bread is singing.

Benito's picture
Benito

Love it Mini.

Timothy Wilson's picture
Timothy Wilson

I have some sleep problems for a really long time. I've tried valerian but it doesn't work for me at all. I've tried to do some push-ups or other exercises but it doesn't work for me too. The only I can do is monotonous work or searching for forums. Sometimes slow music helps too.