Very little deep sleep?

[ericalavender]

I've been tracking for a month now and I seem to get somewhere between 10-20 minutes of deep sleep a night, even when I sleep 8 hours. I have always been a very tired feeling person all the time and I'm wondering if this deep sleep tracking is (1) accurate, (2) a sign I should see a doctor? Also, I have little kids and, while they're not waking me up necessarily at night, I wonder if my vigilance about them is keeping me from resting fully? Anyone have experience with very little deep sleep? 

[Racinladie]

No. Not resolved.  Still very little deep sleep. Sigh Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S9+, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone

[B.bazaar]

I started exercising, specifically resistance training. I notice my deep sleep is better on those days. Better after resistance training than cardio days. Something you might try. I have to exercise before about 5 PM or my brain doesnt want to sleep. Sent from my T-Mobile 4G LTE Device

[FionaSmith]

Thank you for your advice but I think I’ve found my own way . It seems that I need to go to sleep before midnight and then I can get about an hour’s deep sleep! Any later and it’s a tiny amount! This is quite hard for me as I’m a natural night owl!!

Sent from my iPhone

[Dawlfin]

Ear plugs!  Really helps with awakenings .

[RobG709]

Yes, I only had over an hour deep sleep once.  in 3 weeks since getting the tracker.  I felt good.  I should have journaled what I did.   Had 21 mins last night and feel wiped out.  I did not see my kids for nearly 7 years and have them full time now.  I am back in school and looking to also start a business.  Maybe just worry a bit as my kids were put through much emotional abuse.  Will try to test things out and see if I can get more sleep.  Trying some herbs, a weighted blanket and sleeping in a hammock tonight.  

[lindaelane]

You may need to be evaluated for sleep apnea. That was my problem when I was not getting enough sleep.  A much higher percentage of the population has this problem than is generally thought.  You can have this whether or not you are aware that you snore.  If having a doctor's evaluation for sleep apnea is too expensive, you could try a mouthpiece to see if it makes a difference.  Mouthpieces, when properly utilized, cure sleep mild, moderate, and even some severe apnea caused by issues with the throat. (If yours is severe, you will be falling asleep during the day). They are available online (for instance, at a common online store for thousands of products whose name I will not mention here).  Do not get the very cheapest - about $8 each (in a $16 pack of two).  Get one for over $18.  You immerse it in very hot water (with a holder) for 12 seconds, then put it in your mouth (the piece itself only gets warm, no discomfort to mouth).  

My doctors wanted to charge well over $1500 for sleep studies, CPAP machines, etc.  I told them I could not afford it.  I got the mouthpiece instead, then was remeasured.  No more sleep apnea.  This is not just me, it is a fact that mouthpieces do what the CPAP machines do for most people. 

[LauraTrespioli]

Yes, I've been tested for that. That's not the case 😔 Glad that you solved it, though 😊

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

[Racinladie]

I will try a mouthpiece. Thank you for that input.

[RobG709]

I am getting much better sleep now.  I got blue blocker glasses with yellow lens and I sleep in my hammock with them and seem to feel much better and according to the tracker getting may more deep and rem sleep.  I may get tested for SA but feel my issues are stress related as my ex wife as some severe personality disorders and causing a lot of anxiety for me and the kids.   I guess I worry about their little minds.  I think getting tested for sleep in general in Canada is free but I also want to get some tests for diet and a few other things for by a natural dr. As well but that will cost for sure.  I still feel worn out but feel its stress.   We have free health care in my province but wait times are the worst in CAnada.

[FionaSmith]

Hi and thank you

I don’t think that I have sleep apnoea as when sharing a hotel room with a
fried, they tell me that I only snore occasionally and that I still breathe
continuously even then. I think that my main problem is that I often go to
bed too late even though I have to get up early for more than half of the
week. I think what I should do is go to bed earlier each night and try to
get up at a similar time each day but I don’t seem to be able to do this!!

Thank you so much for your reply though

Fiona

[RobG709]

Do you look at TV, computer etc late at night?  If so maybe blue block glasses may help.  I got mine direct from China and cost me 5 dollars.  Seems to be helping me a lot.  

[lindaelane]

You are very welcome!

On blue blocking, I watch TV mostly by steaming, with my computer linked to my large screen TV by an html cord. I found that if I search on "night light" that my microsoft-type computer (apple can probably do this but I don't know how) has a function called "night light" and I can simply turn it on and off.  It blocks a large amount of the  blue on the screen but the picture still looks good.  For some reason, in my case, I can handle this better than wearing blue blocker type sunglasses while watching (perhaps because I keep getting up or looking at other things and not being able to see well indoors?)

On sleep apnea, I think there is a good chance that the $18 mouthpiece could help deep sleep even if full blown apnea is not present.  If there is any snoring, I think that could be a hinderance to deep sleep, and the mouthpiece stops snoring (unless it is a rare type of nasal snoring or rare cases where the tongue is so large it still protrudes back into the throat despite the mouthpiece, but I won't get into that.)

I presume you know that side sleeping engenders much less snoring than sleeping on your back, but if you cannot sleep on your side, there are special pillows to help you snore less while sleeping on your back. 

[RobG709]

I used to sleep only on a yoga mat and have been sleeping on a Hammock the last 6 months.  Don't know why but maybe instead of 10 PM I went to bed at midnight and I also spelt on the floor and had a more solid sleep.  Will keep testing.  

[Sannystac07]

Ugh. I can't do ear plugs. I wake up with deep ear pain every time I've ever fallen asleep with ear plugs. Maybe I need sound blocking headphones lol.

[Dawlfin]

Have you tried the really soft ones for women? They don't block noise completely so they are safer if you have a fire or need to hear your alarm.

[WavyDavey]

Some good tips here. There's also a mega-thread on this subject:

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Sleep-Better/Let-s-Talk-About-Deep-Sleep-and-How-to-Get-More/td-p/20...

[RUnderwood]

Hello. FINALLY found something that might work to fix my issues with most nights of only 20 or 40 minutes of deep sleep even though I sleep 8 hours. Frustrating. I normally take melatonin and the deep sleep is only right in the very beginning of the night, maybe a few very short bursts later on. Been 6 months of this. I realize it just be the melatonin messing with the hormone levels. I purchased 5 mg Puritans pride time release on Amazon and took one pill and got 1 hr and 41 minutes DEEP in a total of 7 hours and 43 min sleep, which is the most deep I've had since having a fitbit! This melatonin was is addition to the regular release 5 mg which I always take.

There was an initial cycle of deep sleep after I went to bed and another one around 5 a.m. I've never even seen this cycle so there must be something to the time release melatonin! I certainly feel so much better. I hope sharing my experience of this helps people struggling with this same issue.

[RobG709]

Nice I will check out Puritans pride but also I have been taking a small box of raisins before bed like the ones that you would pack in a child’s lunch and I find that helps me sleep better as well.

Sent from my iPad

[DanOstin]

I also have problems with deep sleep. And even if I go to bed at 22'00 it remains short

[Babysharon56]

I’ve had my own room for eight years and our relationship is better for it… Of course I can always visit lol spend some time together but I think sleeping separately for me in my own queen size bed has helped my health and definitely my sanity