How much sleep do you need?

[AgB621]

I was wondering if other people with Crohn's find they need an increased amount of sleep. My chronic fatigue preceded my Crohn's diagnosis by about 10 years, but I've noticed that ever since the summer began (lack of structure maybe?) I've been needing 10-11 hours a night. I used to do okay as long as I got more than 7, and closer to 9 if possible. The difference is, my fatigue actually feels a bit better with the additional sleep. I wake up feeling almost refreshed, and have noticed that after the first couple of weeks, the overwhelming exhaustion that often hit in the middle of the day has all but disappeared. (I'm even exercising!) I've heard of other people with one of these ailments needing just huge amounts of sleep and finding they function just fine as long as they get it.

So anyway, do you find you need more sleep than average, even if you're not having a flare-up? How does your need for sleep change with your symptoms?

 

[Creepy Lurker]

I'm having exactly the same problem as well. I was fine all through winter. Now I struggle if I have anything less than 10 hours.

I think melatonin, which is produced by the body during dark hours, has been indicated as possible factor in Crohn's. Still nothing solid though. The switch from winter to summer (though spring of course) would naturaly alter melatonin levels.

 

[AgB621]

That's interesting, I'd never heard of melatonin as having anything to do with Crohn's. Do you know any more about melatonin's relation to Crohn's? Like, do we produce too little or too much, would using sunlamps (those lights that mimic sunlight, I use them in the winter because I'm prone to depression in the darker months) be an effective treatment? It seems like a promising way of pursuing at least the fatigue aspect of the Crohn's.

 

[Jeff D.]

I take melatonin before I go to bed and sometimes it helps me sleep and sometimes it doesn't help at all. I'm one of those insomniacs though. I can't sleep. But health scientists are now discovering that the best amount of sleep is between 6 and 8 hours. Everyone supposedly had an amount of time within that period of time where they will get the optimal amount of rest. I don't know how I personally feel about this as I have not read all of the studies but I'm telling the little knowledge I have on sleep. They say that less than 6 and more than 8 can be harmful to your body sleeping more being worse than sleeping less.

 

[Kittee]

I need 8 or I feel terrible. Like last night I got about 3 hours and I feel like crap.

 

[AgB621]

I totally feel you, Kittee. If I get only a few hours of sleep, it's like I have the flu...shakey, nauseous, achey, and the only thing I can do is wait it out through the day and try and get back on track with my sleep the following night. I hate that feeling Feel better!

 

[BWS1982]

My fatigue kicked up too and I started going over suspects in the medicinal roster with one of the GI nurses, she couldn't really get a clear answer due to all the meds and changes and factors, but told me that because I've been off prednisone for 6 weeks now, I should NOT be feeling withdrawal from that anymore at this point. Great, so it's not the pred withdrawal (if she's right), then what the hell is it? My mom claims it's most likely the physical toll my body is taking on this flare, as I've not had a solid night of sleep in 7 months due to crapping several times a night, and then around 8 times more during the day...my body is just completely depleted from all the stress of the 10 month flare. I guess that makes the most sense.

I hate this fatigue, it feels like I'm wasting time, but part of me thinks that is my body asking for rest, that it NEEDS it to recupperate.

edit: and to add, I'd have to say that if by chance I get about less than say about 6 or so (still 6-8 is horrible), then I feel AWFUL, I can't function and I have no appetite, I feel like I'm going to pass out.

 

[AgB621]

I'm sorry to hear you've been feeling so bad lately, Benson. I would be inclined to agree with your mom, being that sick affects your absorption, which could have an impact on your energy level. If you're going to the bathroom a dozen times a day, I'd be willing to bet that you're not absorbing much of anything. I wasn't sick nearly as long as you, but I still felt like I was recovering for weeks after.

I know how you feel about the wasting time. I've felt better since I started sleeping 10-11 hours a night, but it just feels like I could be using that time for so much more.

I hope things get better for you.

 

[BWS1982]

Thank you, I hope so too.

 

[Guest]

i think naturally i 'need' around 8 hours, but it's a long time since i got anything like that, undisturbed. some nights i wake up almost every hour, bodily tired but my mind is wide awake, and it take ages to fall back to sleep. it doesn't seem to hit me after just one night like that, but after a couple - i am exhausted when i get up and just get even more exhausted as the day goes by.

 

[Creepy Lurker]

That's interesting, I'd never heard of melatonin as having anything to do with Crohn's. Do you know any more about melatonin's relation to Crohn's? Like, do we produce too little or too much, would using sunlamps (those lights that mimic sunlight, I use them in the winter because I'm prone to depression in the darker months) be an effective treatment? It seems like a promising way of pursuing at least the fatigue aspect of the Crohn's.

I'll have to do some digging as it was from quite a few months ago.

Apparently, sunnier climates have considerably lower incidence rates, possibly due to melatonin levels.

 

[FruitLoop]

Well ordinarily I need 7-8 hours.

When i am flaring I need more but don't get it due to going to the loo in the night.

Now I am on steroids so am getting around 5 hours a night as I am bouncing around like Zebbedee

 

[Creepy Lurker]

bouncing around like Zebbedee

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magic_Roundabout

Before anyone asks