Can anyone explain the "blue light" theory?

[marti]

I'm having trouble getting my mind to shut off when I'm in bed trying to fall asleep. I can fall asleep on the couch, watching tv. But when I move to the bedroom I'm wide awake, thinking, thinking, thinking. I've had a couple nights of NO SLEEP at all because of this. Tried Melatonin, Sleepytime tea, Zrytec... no luck. I am off the Clonazepam. Sometimes I take half of a Unisom. My neuro suggested the Unisom and the Melatonin. The Unisom usually does help. But some nights are non-stop thoughts running thru my mind.

I've had insomnia for years and have used different scripts and supplements over time. Some work very well, but I don't want to have to take drugs every night. I'm OCD and I wonder if Xanax would help on those nights when I can't stop my mind. I know, another drug. But it works for my anxiety and I never have had any side effects.

Sign me off... Sleepy and exhausted.

[pennstater]

Hi Marti,

When you have trouble sleeping, they suggest turning off electronics and hour before bed : TVs, smart phones, computers, video games, etc...

Try not to fall asleep in front of the TV. The physical activity of getting up and then going to bed may be waking you up. That happens to me. By the time I brush my teeth and get ready for bed, wide awake again.

I try to read or do crosswords before bed, but some nights, using screens. It definitely takes longer to fall asleep and it is more restless then. My Fitbit monitors sleep and it really shows in the sleep cycle. I wake up more and not enough time in REM and Deep sleep cycles. So I guess they are right about screens affecting sleep!

[MyGirlsMom]

Sleep ideas

Yes, sometime the sleep issue can be so hard. I take the melatonin and it regularly works for me. I have also heard recently about listening to YouTube ASMR videos (just google it and there are plenty of choices). Don’t watch just listen and it can make you sleepy. I haven’t tried it yet as I just heard about it, but give it a try. Another thing that does work for me is I the app Calm. I only use the free stuff....music and sounds and the free the story.

The other key is consistent routine...going to bed and getting up the same time each day is important. Also, if I get too hot, I don’t sleep as well either...I like my room on the cool side (which is a bummer if you have to go to the bathroom.).

This can be so hard and difficult. I totally understand how frustrated and tired you are...hang in there. Good luck!!

[TheBeans]

My problem isn't falling asleep---I'm really good at that---it's staying asleep. I find that after anywhere from 2.5 to 4 hrs of sleep I will wake up and feel ready to start my day! I have tried staying in bed and just waiting to fall back asleep (doesn't seem to work as well in the middle of the night) to finally giving it up and getting up for a few hours, when I begin to be sleepy again and I go back to bed.

The trouble with these interupted sleep cycles is that I always need a nap every single day and when you add actual sleepiness into the daily battle against fatigue (two entirely different animals) then I feel like the quality of my life is slipping.

I've thought of trying a sleep aid (like SleepEze or Unisom, etc) and I see that they warn to not take when also taking or using other drugs that cause sleepiness, such as those I'm currently using to treat spring-time hayfever.

[MMMMS]

I've read that this is actually a human's natural sleep pattern. They did an experiment. If I remember right, they took away electric lights, and people were allowed to sleep and wake as needed. They fell into the pattern you described. They went to bed earlier and got up in the middle of the night for an hour or two. Then they went back to bed to sleep until morning. I'll see if I can find it.

My problem isn't falling asleep---I'm really good at that---it's staying asleep. I find that after anywhere from 2.5 to 4 hrs of sleep I will wake up and feel ready to start my day! I have tried staying in bed and just waiting to fall back asleep (doesn't seem to work as well in the middle of the night) to finally giving it up and getting up for a few hours, when I begin to be sleepy again and I go back to bed.

The trouble with these interupted sleep cycles is that I always need a nap every single day and when you add actual sleepiness into the daily battle against fatigue (two entirely different animals) then I feel like the quality of my life is slipping.

I've thought of trying a sleep aid (like SleepEze or Unisom, etc) and I see that they warn to not take when also taking or using other drugs that cause sleepiness, such as those I'm currently using to treat spring-time hayfever.

[MMMMS]

Here is an article on your sleep pattern. Fatigue is a problem for the majority with MS. I sleep about 10 hrs at night. I wake up at about 8 hours feeling fully awake. If I don't get up, it's suddenly 2 hours later. 🤣 But I do much better if I let myself sleep 10 vs 8.

[KoKo]

Here is an article on your sleep pattern.

Hi MMMMS

Did you try to put an article url in this post?

There wasn't one in your post when moderated (in the moderator control panel).

Just wanted to let you know.

[marti]

So where is this "blue light or blue screen" on our tv's and computers?? I never understood the basics of this.

[Seasha]

Hi Marti - here's a good description -

"Blue light is a colour in the "visible light spectrum" that can be seen by the human eye. "

"Sources of blue light include the sun, digital screens (TVs, computers, laptops, smart phones and tablets), electronic devices, and fluorescent and LED lighting. "

http://www.bluelightexposed.com/

[MermaidOP]

My understanding is that blue light (in sunshine) is related to sleep through the melatonin that it stimulates in the human brain. When darkness falls, melatonin abates and people get sleepy. Because our electronic devices also emit this blue light, watching screens before bed can keep the natural sleep from coming. For people harmed by their insomnia, eliminating screen use late in the day and making sure there's no blue-light emitting source at their bedside can be helpful.
Sweet dreams,
Mermaid Susan

[marti]

Ok.. stupid questions here. Are we talking about an actual light? How does this blue light get into our tv's etc? I don't use a cell phone or a computer pad or anything like that, but sometimes I do turn on the little tv in my room and I listen more than watch. There is a little blue light that comes on when the set is on. I'm not up on all the tech stuff. Thanks guys.

[MMMMS]

Here is the article.
https://www.sciencealert.com/humans-...e-should-again

[KoKo]

Here is the article.
https://www.sciencealert.com/humans-...e-should-again

Thanks for the interesting article about the split-sleep schedule.

I do this every now and then, and feel well rested.

"It took some time for their sleep to regulate, but by the fourth week, a distinct two-phase sleep pattern emerged. They slept first for 4 hours, then woke for 1 to 3 hours before falling into a second 4-hour sleep. This finding suggests bi-phasic sleep is a natural process with a biological basis."

Take Care

[MermaidOP]

Marti,
Sunlight, and every other light source, emits light in varied wavelengths. The wavelengths of light are seen by our eyes as colors. Sunlight includes all of them, including blue light. When those blue wavelengths are gone, the brain produces the hormone melatonin, and we can start to feel sleepy. The light from modern light fixtures and electronic devices includes a lot of blue wavelength light, and this is the light that can deceive our brains. Therefore, our brains can fail to produce the melatonin that induces sleep because the blue light in the room mimics day, time to be awake.

(I think I got it mixed up in my previous post. Melatonin = time to sleep. No melatonin = be alert. MS brain is not good at clear explaining. So sorry.)

Sweet dreams.
Mermaid Susan

[marti]

Marti,
Sunlight, and every other light source, emits light in varied wavelengths. The wavelengths of light are seen by our eyes as colors. Sunlight includes all of them, including blue light. When those blue wavelengths are gone, the brain produces the hormone melatonin, and we can start to feel sleepy. The light from modern light fixtures and electronic devices includes a lot of blue wavelength light, and this is the light that can deceive our brains. Therefore, our brains can fail to produce the melatonin that induces sleep because the blue light in the room mimics day, time to be awake.

(I think I got it mixed up in my previous post. Melatonin = time to sleep. No melatonin = be alert. MS brain is not good at clear explaining. So sorry.)

Sweet dreams.
Mermaid Susan

Thank you. I'm beginning to understand this stuff now. Things I never knew before.