when i wake up my jaw is clenched and i often find the rest of my body tight. i think this is the cause of my poor sleep (i wake up exhausted and feel like i've had a serious workout.. way more tired than when i go to bed). i have no trouble falling asleep and usually will wake up 7-8 hours later. does anyone have any suggestions for improving my sleep quality? supplements or medicines.. open to everything at this point. if you tried something, please detail your experience.

i did a sleep study and it showed nothing (though it's hard to say since i only slept an hour during the whole thing due to the discomfort of wearing so many wires/equipment).

Sounds like tension and /or some TMJ issues.

Try some meditation/relaxation videos before sleep, or even play some sleep sounds for relaxation.

http://water-atmosphere.ambient-mixe...o-a-ocean-fire
http://soundstosleepto.com/
http://mynoise.net/NoiseMachines/oce...eGenerator.php

IBR,

Are you taking any meds ? SSRI's can cause postural rigidity and jaw clenching. PCS can cause it too. I was a jaw clencher and had a miserable time with postural rigidity.

I held my upper body so tight that I developed a 40 to 42 inch chest from a 36 to 38. I could not fit most of my clothes. I take gabapentin an hour before bed now. It lets my body let go. I take 600 mgs but had to take 1200 mgs in the beginning. The rigidity issue caused be to often hold my breath and then feel short of breath.

I was really messing up my TMJ.

Something else that help was very comfortable sleep clothes/pajamas and a comfortable bed/pillow. I needed to be able to feel like I was floating over my bed. Sort of a tactile derealization. I use all cotton pajamas, microfiber sheets and a heavy blanket that give me a snugged up feeling. There are weighted blankets for people who need more of this snugged feeling.

Now, I have a sleep posture that I can lay in and be asleep within 2 minutes or so. I wake up in the same position 6 hours later. I found that I need the sense of a soft pillow case against my right cheek. (not my left)

It seems complicated but for me, IT WORKS. Yay.

It is worth the effort to figure out these issues.

From what I figured out, my body senses every little tactile sensation and responds to it by tensing up. It was like waking up from a gym work-out. My lats would be sore. My abs, too. I had a great six pack.

This works for me. I wish you the best at finding your solution.

Mark,

Interesting post, been thinking about writing you about this and your post here opened the door.

My sense of touch seems so overboard sensitive. I think it is a major contributor to anxiety for me. So much of what was normal sensations are magnified now and I think I am very alert to it, therefore hard to shut the self defense mode off sometimes.

I sleep with a heavy comforter now. I don't usually start with it but if the tossing and turning start I grab it and I sleep much better under it, I theorize it makes me feel safe.

This seems to be what you are indicating in somewhat of a different yet similar way...does this make sense to you?

Bud