Altitude and insomnia

[deannatoby]

Have I missed these conversations, or is it not talked about, or is my family the only one?

After our extended trip out west, I think I may have to sleep a week straight just to catch up. Testing the limits here. How many nights in a row can a person survive on maybe 3 hours total sleep?!

 

[NewEnglandSkier]

Not unusual--at least not for me. I've been very lucky in that the lack of sleeping has been really the only issue I've had staying at higher altitude (coming from sea level). I don't get winded and if I make sure to stay hydrated I feel fine. But the sleeping (or lack of) can be so annoying! Sometimes I feel like I'm up most of the night with just a few little "naps" here and there. It gradually gets better the longer I stay at altitude but it's never great.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Have I missed these conversations, or is it not talked about, or is my family the only one?

After our extended trip out west, I think I may have to sleep a week straight just to catch up. Testing the limits here. How many nights in a row can a person survive on maybe 3 hours total sleep?!

Not unusual, and we have talked about it in the past.
It's a real PITA. Hang in there! Glad there are no other symptoms - the others can range from awful to medical emergency. Pace it. You're at 9200+ in Frisco, right (or is Frisco 9600?)? And up from there....

 

[deannatoby]

Taos was at 7,000, so we had some nice altitude to live in before we headed up to the Ski Valley. That really helped us get acclimated. But the sleep, not acclimating!

Did we talk about this? Menopause is totally frying my brain. I can't remember anything, it seems! Honestly, I'm forgetting entire conversations, and I don't mean just that one.

 

[ski diva]

I have problems with insomnia at sea level, but they're much worse at altitude. Yeah, I hear you -- a week of skiing with only 3 hours of sleep per night. That's me out west.

 

[deannatoby]

And we've been here since mid February. Thank goodness for one week in southern NM. We actually did get some sleep.

Next time should I bring an oxygen tank for the nights?!

 

[surfsnowgirl]

Insomnia sucks. I only have jet lag when I go from West to East so when I fly from CA to CT I am toast. Or when I fly from NY to the UK, same thing. Daylight savings time in March always lays me out, I feel like I'm in a fog for a month or so.

Generally though I think I have the opposite problem when it comes to sleep. I'm a heavy sleeper and once I'm out you can have a party in my room and I'll sleep through it. Altitude to me is like a purring kitten. I swear the best night of sleep I ever had was in Frisco, Colorado when I was passing through on my drive across country.

 

[MissySki]

Have I missed these conversations, or is it not talked about, or is my family the only one?

After our extended trip out west, I think I may have to sleep a week straight just to catch up. Testing the limits here. How many nights in a row can a person survive on maybe 3 hours total sleep?!

I have the same issues both when I go West and then when I get back.. Honestly my sleep schedule still feels messed up from Diva West and coming back to Daylight Savings time that same weekend as well. In a couple of weeks I'm heading to CA, so I'm sure that'll make it even worse lol

 

[RachelV]

I live out here and I have sleep issues above about 11k feet. Maybe take some NyQuil or something for a night? I cannot handle multiple nights of no sleep like that.

 

[Pequenita]

Did we talk about this? Menopause is totally frying my brain. I can't remember anything, it seems! Honestly, I'm forgetting entire conversations, and I don't mean just that one.

It's been a few seasons since we have, more in the context of "what should I be aware of going to altitude?" than actually "difficulty sleeping is a byproduct of going to altitude."

I know some SF bay area people who can't sleep in Tahoe -- essentially sea level to ~6000 depending on where you stay. I definitely can't do consecutive nights of no sleep. Exhaustion sets in for me, which probably masquerades as "rest."

 

[Jilly]

I can tell you the minute I hit 6,800'. That's my limit. I get short of breath and yeah....can't sleep.

That's why I like the Canadian Rockies....not as high!

 

[Jenny]

I might be able to make it one night before I died but I needs my sleep!

When we're in the Frisco area I can manage to sleep about 1.5 to 2 hours at a time. Then I have to get up and either get more to drink or go to the bathroom, depending on what I did the last time I was awake. Luckily, I can go right back to sleep after each wakeup, but I can't stay asleep longer than that.

Thank goodness we don't have kids to deal with, because we can go to bed early enough that I can get 8-10 hours total, just in smaller chunks of time than I would like.

Good luck with it and be careful skiing tired . . .

 

[Jenny]

I can tell you the minute I hit 6,800'. That's my limit. I get short of breath and yeah....can't sleep.

That's why I like the Canadian Rockies....not as high!

I haven't figured out my limit yet - Taos was OK, and I think Whistler was OK, can't remember about Steamboat or Utah.

 

[bounceswoosh]

I hate to admit it, but I'm in Breck every weekend, and I have terrible insomnia issues. Everything I've read ties altitude to sleep apnea / breathing issues, but that doesn't seem right for me - often I'll fall asleep just fine, but I'll wake up between 1 to 3am completely restless and unable to sleep. Eventually I go back and toss and turn. It's much worse when DH is in the bed with me - if we are able to renew the lease this summer, I want to replace the provided bed with one that has a memory foam mattress or *something* that is less creaky and moves less when someone in the bed moves.

But maybe it *is* apnea, and I just don't realize it. Last weekend, after reading that, I thought I might have noticed a snoring type noise (me) just as I was waking up.

I also have sleep issues at the best of times. In fact, DH is pretty sad right now because, at home, I've started sleeping in the guest room on a regular basis. I tried sleeping in our bedroom with him last night, and there was such a difference - I was aware of being awake 10 or 15 time, easily. I love my husband, but I don't think I should have to sacrifice decent sleep just so he knows I'm there in the bed with him =/

This reminds me - I was going to make an appt with my doctor to find out if I can somehow use altitude type meds just for sleep. It seems silly, because I am fine during the day, but ...

 

[MaineSkiLady]

But maybe it *is* apnea, and I just don't realize it. Last weekend, after reading that, I thought I might have noticed a snoring type noise (me) just as I was waking up.

Strongly encourage you to call doc and schedule a sleep study. Sleep apnea is pretty serious business - frankly, I didn't realize just how serious until DH had his pre-op tests and anesthesia interviews, and there were *3* pages of questions pertaining to sleep apnea (with respect to major surgery) and how to manage with surgery and CPAP, etc. Don't neglect this.

 

[bounceswoosh]

Strongly encourage you to call doc and schedule a sleep study. Sleep apnea is pretty serious business - frankly, I didn't realize just how serious until DH had his pre-op tests and anesthesia interviews, and there were *3* pages of questions pertaining to sleep apnea (with respect to major surgery) and how to manage with surgery and CPAP, etc. Don't neglect this.

I know, I know! My husband has a CPAP, and it has done miracles for him. I did an oximeter test a few years ago, and my oxygen levels were like 98% the entire night - it's not my breath that's the problem at home; it's my brain. It could be a different matter in Breck.

 

[deannatoby]

It's been a few seasons since we have, more in the context of "what should I be aware of going to altitude?" than actually "difficulty sleeping is a byproduct of going to altitude."

I saw MSL a couple of days before we left. I think she may mean we talked about it then. And given how bad my memory is these days, we probably did!

Saw Charlie, too, and he looks FAH-bulous! Doing great after surgery.

Btw MSL, the girls both love their skis! Forgot to mention that in my emails.

Ifyetiucjbjjjjjjjnnnnnnnnmmmmmmmmmmm

Wait. Fell asleep on my phone for a few seconds.

 

[contesstant]

The only way I could survive ski trips when we lived at sea level was Ambien. I know, it's not the greatest idea because of the physiology of what happens when sleeping at altitude, but otherwise my heart would race all night. I haven't traveled to altitude again since we moved to 5000 feet, but am curious to see how sleeping at, say, 7000 feet would feel now.

I also discovered that anti depressants cause horrible insomnia for me.

 

[Bluestsky]

Moving from Midwest ~600 ft to live at 8,500 ft in CO has made for challenging nights. It took about 6 months to get acclimated... observing beautiful starry skies at this altitude was a consolation. Some people I know never got acclimated and moved to lover elevations.

Oh, insomnia during menopause. For two years waking up at 2:30 am, the 'monkey brain' in overclock processing mode, tossing and turning until 6 am alarm to go to work - shudder.

 

[bounceswoosh]

Moving from Midwest ~600 ft to live at 8,500 ft in CO has made for challenging nights. It took about 6 months to get acclimated... observing beautiful starry skies at this altitude was a consolation. Some people I know never got acclimated and moved to lover elevations.

During my skibatticals, sleeping at elevation got easier. But when I only go up for weekends, it gets hard again with almost no grace period. I wonder if my plan to move to Breck eventually is doomed.