Sleep, anyone??

CALRCN · Aug 24, 2006

I can relate, allthingsbright. I've been through my first year of clinicals and know how important a good night's sleep really is, and how hard it is to get. I've tried Tylenol PM, and it's true - it just makes you groggy in the morning and that does not help, either.

Lots of coffee (and chocolate!) is what helped get me through my first year, but I ended up with an ulcer midway through last semester from stressing out too much! I was instructed to stay away from both of my crutches and RELAX!Try not to worry too much about the next day when going to bed. Maybe sip on some warm milk or herbal tea (decaf, of course), and read something lighthearted or watch a good comedy to loosen up.

Another thing: Only go to bed if you are tired; don't force yourself. I know how stressful things can be, but you can't expect to take care of your patients if you don't take care of yourself first. Hang in there, we can do it!

JoshuaC · Aug 24, 2006

Three nights ago I got about 4 hours of sleep, two nights ago I got 3 hours of sleep, and last night I got about 6 hours. Yeah, I know, that's pretty bad. I'm the kind of guy who needs 7-8 minimum. I can function well on little sleep, but I don't know how long that will last. I think I just need to start going to be earlier rather than staying up and trying to do things. I'm tired right now!

GratefulHeart · Aug 24, 2006

Oh man, did I forget how little sleep I get during school. I was so keyed up last night over clincal orientation today that I slept "maybe" 4 hrs!!!! AGH!
I just cant do this--I have to find a way to sleep the night before clinicals. This morn I got up, took a 15 min walk and now am chugging coffee. I got so desperate last night that I took a tylenol PM, so now I feel really groggy!
Any ideas???????????

RE: Sleep hygiene

Experiment to find a *dial down* pre-sleep routine that relaxes and works for you and then stick with it until it becomes a habit. The routine might include turning off all visual media (t.v., computer, video games, etc.) at least an hour before you plan to go to bed, dimming the lights, listening to soothing music, taking a bath, sipping a calming drink, scrapbooking / playing games like solitaire / or engaging in any other escape hobbies you can use to *trick your mind* off of thinking about your worries and responsibilities. If you're spending hours at night laying awake and fretting about how little energy you're going to have the next day because you aren't sleeping, rehashing the day's events, or worrying about something upcoming, a calm-down pre-sleep routine of 30 min to an hour IS a very wise investment, especially if you're able to then let go and sleep when you finally lay your head on the pillow and turn off the light. It takes very different preparation to run a marathon (nursing school) than it does a sprint, right?

BTW, excessive caffeine intake is VERY counter productive for some people. For me, it just sets up a vicious cycle of nervous / anxious energy with crashing mental and emotional fatigue following, putting me on a crash course towards depression. OTOH, exercise seems to be the great *leveler* for me with regards to sleep / alertness / mood - even if it only includes a brisk walk and lifting hand weights a few times a week.

[Experiment to find a pre-sleep routine that relaxes your body and tricks your mind off of your worries...]

BeccaznRN, RN · Aug 24, 2006

If I got 4 hours of sleep the night before a clinical, I was doing great! I hated, hated, hated it! It just took me so long to do those clinical preps that I had no choice but to stay up and finish so I'd be prepared. This is how I survived....the next day at clinical, I'd make sure to have a good breakfast and some form of caffeine while at pre-conference. Then, after clinical was over, I'd go directly home and crash out. It felt so good to just lie down and have a few hours of uninterrupted sleep - and my family was threatened with death if they woke me up for anything.