Mood changes as you have got older?

[bell1986]

I'm heading for 40.

All through my 20's and early 30's I was always upbeat and happy. I did have anxiety issues but I never let it plague me.

I've noticed as I'm aging that my mood is seriously going south? I was in a toxic job for 4 years recently and at the end their my body was so beaten up that I quit. I was walking/working 30k+ steps everyday. It was an early start job also (6am. Had to waken at 4.30am). We also started a new supervisor and she was hell. Wanting more and more out of us. Bare in mind the company were paying the lowest minimum wage offered here in the UK. I am financially fine so I just woke up one day and says.. I'm finished with them. That was 5 weeks ago. They have phoned me numerous times to return but I've said no. I was a hard worker and jobs were being pushed my way constantly because I always would make sure the standard of finish was high. Good for them but not for me. The endless phone calls also tells me just how hard I actually did work for them.

My plan was to take 2 full months off. I would just spend time with friends/family. I would get back full swing into my training. I had dropped my training to 2 days per week because I was always home late and exhausted. I still tried to fit 2 full body sessions in a week though. I had lost alot of weight aswell so I've spent this 5 weeks in a serious surplus. My sleep still isn't incredible but it's 10x better than when I was in that job. I average 6-7 hours a night.

I am exercising daily. I also cycle alot.

I'm on TRT. 120mg a week and my levels sit at 1100. I keep my e2 around 40. So my hormones are good.

I am still feeling fairly low? Not sure why it is?

Have any of you guys hit a rut and ever discovered the cause? It honestly feels like a low dopamine sort of state. I've had a look online at some supplements that maybe can increase my dopamine levels?

Another addition I've added recently is cold water therapy. I bought a plunge and keep it at around 10c (50f). It's early days for this though.

If anyone did hit a random low. What was your cause?

Anything worth looking into?

I've still got a few weeks before I start looking for new employment. I won't be taking another job like I had. The work environment was insanely toxic.

Thanks

 

[muscleman]

I am sorry to hear about your hardships! I am actually almost hitting 50 and actually 10 years ago I was at my peak of weight training. But I pushed myself with strong PWOs and then life was really hard with lots of moves in between countries..

I am afraid there is no magic quick fix and everybody being exhausted for different kind of reasons also have their unique bodychemistry.

Most often I think it is our own mind and likes and dislikes etc that creates suffering and depression from not being able tro satisfy desires and work for many can be challenging in that we have our duty and need to make a living and some workplaces are less suitable for some people and many don't love their work.
Being unhappy with outer circumstances as well as any negative thinking will affect our physical state of being including hormone levels.

I haven´t dug into it yet but received a shipment right from the source of what is supposedly purified shilajit. I have never tried it yet so cant tell how it works,
I understand for many it is too much of a leap to look into homeopathy? For me too being raised in Northern western intellectual Europe where homeopathy generally is looked upon less favorably. If you havent had the experience and dont believe in it I respect that. If interested I have contact details for one of the by numerous largest homeopathy consultation foundations in India who have had great success using homeopathy over many years on so many thousands of patients.

Some days I think about "the Rock" Dwayne Johnson being about my age and I read just a little about his training and how he is up early morning doing cardio and then some more throughout the day....
But but I am pretty much a regular Joe and a lazy ass too and that doesnt get better with age!

Hopefully one day I might grow some wisdom and peace in my soul because right now I know little and little how to help you.
But you will find what is best for you! Imagine the Sun of energy in your navel centre that is also the physical visualization part for manipura chakra, the third chakra from the bottom in yoga science and they say when it is fully activated we will have so much energy and not get sick etc.... But I have just read about it and hoping for it to be true! I do believe and believe you have to power to believe in you too!

 

[Smont]

My honest opinion is it has nothing to do with age and everything to do with this crappy modern world

 

[Smont]

Also the dopamine thing, if you were a adrenaline junkie or a drug attic or alcoholic at some point in your life and cleaned up. I can see sober regular life not providing a dopamine hit like it use to. I absolutely feel like that happened when I quit drinking and going out looking for crazy **** lol

 

[Smont]

Sober homebody steve does not enjoy 1/10th of the stuff I use to

 

[Resolve10]

You just left a long-term crappy situation, it may just take time to recover. Even if things are "better" now that you left it is likely a big change which can cause changes in how you are reacting to things.

Between aging, large lifestyle changes, and the cycling I don't think it is too surprising to be feeling down or possibly even low-level depression.

Given the big changes just give it some time, doesn't mean you can't continue to work on things to look for some relief, but I just wouldn't stress on it being unprecedented in that situation. Hopefully you find things on the up as time goes on.

 

[lanky]

generally once you get in your 40's you start to look back at life and have some regrets and also are able to see into the future more and can create some anxiety over financial and legal situations i have been in/ planning for retirement/taking care of aging parents and death of family members and failing close relationships(i work with my ex and her mom). as you age things that were once important and or bothered you no longer become a worry and new problems occur that you will have to deal with them as they come. problems i never dealt with and suppressed in my 20's and 30s did not magically go away and now i have to deal with them in my mid 40's which sucks even worse. i enjoy fishing and golfing and try to get a balance of outdoor activities when i am feeling down has helped tremendously

 

[Dblock]

Well said Lanky….I feel the same especially about the part of certain things bothering you at a younger age which are trivial now, you get older and wiser but the things you care about change for sure

 

[SweetLou321]

You be dealing with burnout. Overworked and under slept with a lot of stress will take time to recover from it. Feeling related to depression are commonly felt in burnout. Focus on managing stress and getting as much unrestricted quality sleep as you can. As far as supplements, rhodiola has some data helping with burnout. Other adaptogens like ashwagandha could also be useful for now.

 

[lanky]

definitely eating and sleeping well helps with managing stress, burnout sucks, i was working a career for 11 years that was pure hell alone coupled with 6 years of litigation. sad to admit my mind went to really bad places, i held all the stress in because i did not want to worry my family, in retrospect that was the worst thing i could have done. i did not seek medical help but i was acutely mentally ill .fortunately a door opened up for me 6 years ago and it is 60% less stress.

 

[bell1986]

I am sorry to hear about your hardships! I am actually almost hitting 50 and actually 10 years ago I was at my peak of weight training. But I pushed myself with strong PWOs and then life was really hard with lots of moves in between countries..

I am afraid there is no magic quick fix and everybody being exhausted for different kind of reasons also have their unique bodychemistry.

Most often I think it is our own mind and likes and dislikes etc that creates suffering and depression from not being able tro satisfy desires and work for many can be challenging in that we have our duty and need to make a living and some workplaces are less suitable for some people and many don't love their work.
Being unhappy with outer circumstances as well as any negative thinking will affect our physical state of being including hormone levels.

I haven´t dug into it yet but received a shipment right from the source of what is supposedly purified shilajit. I have never tried it yet so cant tell how it works,
I understand for many it is too much of a leap to look into homeopathy? For me too being raised in Northern western intellectual Europe where homeopathy generally is looked upon less favorably. If you havent had the experience and dont believe in it I respect that. If interested I have contact details for one of the by numerous largest homeopathy consultation foundations in India who have had great success using homeopathy over many years on so many thousands of patients.

Some days I think about "the Rock" Dwayne Johnson being about my age and I read just a little about his training and how he is up early morning doing cardio and then some more throughout the day....
But but I am pretty much a regular Joe and a lazy ass too and that doesnt get better with age!

Hopefully one day I might grow some wisdom and peace in my soul because right now I know little and little how to help you.
But you will find what is best for you! Imagine the Sun of energy in your navel centre that is also the physical visualization part for manipura chakra, the third chakra from the bottom in yoga science and they say when it is fully activated we will have so much energy and not get sick etc.... But I have just read about it and hoping for it to be true! I do believe and believe you have to power to believe in you too!

Thank you for your comment.

Yeh maybe I'm looking for a quick turn around in health. Looking back at the last 4 years of my life. I was seriously running my body into the ground. Like I was saying. 30 thousand + steps everyday. It wasn't just walking. Most times I was carrying heavy items also. I was sleeping like 5 hours a night. So my body has took a beating.

I quit a few weeks ago. I actually woke up and could barely walk. It was like my body was just saying. Nope. My partner got me back to bed and they just says. Not think it's maybe time to stop? I agreed and just haven't returned. A company like that will never keep staff. Their paying so poor and wanting so much from their staff. I can honestly stack shelfs in a supermarket and get paid more? Makes zero sense.

How is your health overall? Do you keep yourself active?

I've been training alot more recently and have been loving it again. I was miserable training while working. Just so much stress on my body. I try and do an hour each day. I bought a cold plunge also. I do an hours training and do a cold plunge directly after it. The feeling is incredible tbh. I fast until 1pm so my schedule is. Wake. Have an hour with my partner. Coffee and chat. Train for an hour and then cold plunge. I get myself cleaned up and changed and then sit down to food. My partner fasts also so it's ideal. I've currently got my calories in a surplus so I'm trying to grow a little. My metabolism seems crazy high still so I'm pushing 4000+ calories. Enjoying it so far.

My issue is around 4pm I get this intense wave of fatigue. It's been so consistent that my partner will always say. You going to get some rest? So I have an hour or 2 to get a nap in. Then the evening is food and odds and ends. Keeping myself busy isn't an issue. My problem is how low my mood has been. It will take time I suspect.

I've read about Shilajit. I've thought about picking some up before.

Are you on trt? I've been on it a few years now. I really enjoy it. I also run natural supplements now and again also. Recently picked up one that looks good. Gonna run this a month and see how it does. Nothing can really compete with test mind lol. Even a 100mg dose boost adds much more mass. I don't go above my trt dose though. Too easy to get addicted to the feel and gains. Also the estrogen can start getting crazy.

How's life for yourself bud?

Again. Thanks for the comment. Reading all these has really cheered me up. A nice bunch on here.

 

[Smont]

generally once you get in your 40's you start to look back at life and have some regrets and also are able to see into the future more and can create some anxiety over financial and legal situations i have been in/ planning for retirement/taking care of aging parents and death of family members and failing close relationships(i work with my ex and her mom). as you age things that were once important and or bothered you no longer become a worry and new problems occur that you will have to deal with them as they come. problems i never dealt with and suppressed in my 20's and 30s did not magically go away and now i have to deal with them in my mid 40's which sucks even worse. i enjoy fishing and golfing and try to get a balance of outdoor activities when i am feeling down has helped tremendously

Do you ever find yourself getting anxiety thinking back of the stuff you Used To do worth certain situations and even though it's been like 20 years ago in your head it Feels like it was yesterday and it's almost embarrassing lol. That happens to me a lot when I think back about all the fun I used to have but I have anxiety thinking about it because of how reckless it was

 

[lanky]

Do you ever find yourself getting anxiety thinking back of the stuff you Used To do worth certain situations and even though it's been like 20 years ago in your head it Feels like it was yesterday and it's almost embarrassing lol. That happens to me a lot when I think back about all the fun I used to have but I have anxiety thinking about it because of how reckless it was

not so much anxiety over the previous stuff but yes very embarrassed, sometimes i will be laying in bed trying to sleep and something really cringy i did many years ago will pop in my head and make it even harder to sleep. most of my anxiety right now is over the future for retirement planning and wondering how my health will be around that time and who will take care of me

 

[bell1986]

not so much anxiety over the previous stuff but yes very embarrassed, sometimes i will be laying in bed trying to sleep and something really cringy i did many years ago will pop in my head and make it even harder to sleep. most of my anxiety right now is over the future for retirement planning and wondering how my health will be around that time and who will take care of me

What age are you if you don't mind me asking?

I live with a friend and he's 68 and he's incredible for his age. Very fit and capable. He's still strong and doesn't lift weights.

I think the main thing about aging is keeping a positive mindset but also to keep pushing your body. Aa you age your body is less likely to hang onto muscle. I think most guys in their 50/60's should think about trt. It would keep their sex drive great and also help maintain most of their mass.

 

[lanky]

What age are you if you don't mind me asking?

I live with a friend and he's 68 and he's incredible for his age. Very fit and capable. He's still strong and doesn't lift weights.

I think the main thing about aging is keeping a positive mindset but also to keep pushing your body. Aa you age your body is less likely to hang onto muscle. I think most guys in their 50/60's should think about trt. It would keep their sex drive great and also help maintain most of their mass.

44

 

[bell1986]

44

Aw your still a young buck lol plenty of time left

How has your overall mood/body changed with getting 40+?

I've noticed a huge difference since I went from 35 onwards. Especially if I go a night out. Alcohol I use to tolerate ok. Slight hangover the next day. Now though. I'm destroyed for days and days. I just don't drink now. Absolutely ruins my mood for days on end. Just not worth it.

Are you currently working? I just left a job. I'm sort of anxious but also relived regarding it. The company want me to return asap. They phone me every single day and they get other management to email me. Kinda stressing me out tbh

 

[Dustin07]

Just throwing my hat in here, I turn 42 next week and generally speaking, I feel 16. I still like punk rock, blue hair, extreme sports, and tits. But the daily grind and repetition of work can really weigh us down. I think men are supposed to have a battle, a fight, and sometimes when life is a little too much on cruise control, it can feel like we aren't fighting for something. That cruise control doesn't mean it's easy, but the challenge might not be rewarding and that can be really hard. I think as the other guys mentioned above, you do that for long enough and you do end up having to struggle with the fatigue of burnout.

If anyone did hit a random low. What was your cause?

life is hard. But, it's supposed to be, IMO. When dad and I started our biz 22 1/2 years ago I remember at one point being frustrated that we weren't filthy rich yet with gold plated door knobs and whatnot and it just sorta clicked to me that we are supposed to grind.

I love this:

Real Lions Love to Hunt.

hang in there champ, ups and downs are what build a good life. I tell myself to minimize the bad, and maximize the good. Gym, marriage, and the rest of life are the same to me. 9 out of 10 days it's discipline that keeps me going, then that 10th day hits and it's all 100% worth it

 

[lanky]

Aw your still a young buck lol plenty of time left

How has your overall mood/body changed with getting 40+?

I've noticed a huge difference since I went from 35 onwards. Especially if I go a night out. Alcohol I use to tolerate ok. Slight hangover the next day. Now though. I'm destroyed for days and days. I just don't drink now. Absolutely ruins my mood for days on end. Just not worth it.

Are you currently working? I just left a job. I'm sort of anxious but also relived regarding it. The company want me to return asap. They phone me every single day and they get other management to email me. Kinda stressing me out tbh

definitely body changes around age 38 or 39 i hit a wall and lost some mass and strength steadily over the past 5 years. areas that were once lean have a slight layer of fat over my lower abs although i am still very lean compared to 99% of the people in america. .hairline has receded quite a bit over the past 25 years,. have been employed with the same healthcare company for 18 years although in a better department now than 6 years ago. .i was never big on drinking, i will have an occasional bit of whiskey with a cigar but average maybe one or two drinks a month if that. i would rather go out and get a nice steak as a treat compared to a crappy pint. i definitely have less zest for life compared to my 20's and 30's

 

[kisaj]

Do you ever find yourself getting anxiety thinking back of the stuff you Used To do worth certain situations and even though it's been like 20 years ago in your head it Feels like it was yesterday and it's almost embarrassing lol. That happens to me a lot when I think back about all the fun I used to have but I have anxiety thinking about it because of how reckless it was

Lol, I do this ALL the time and all sweaty palmed just thinking about it. Cliff jumping, doing 80 on the highway just sitting in the back of a pickup, all the running from cops, etc.. The fact that I am here today is nothing short of a miracle.

 

[Smont]

I'm heading for 40.

All through my 20's and early 30's I was always upbeat and happy. I did have anxiety issues but I never let it plague me.

I've noticed as I'm aging that my mood is seriously going south? I was in a toxic job for 4 years recently and at the end their my body was so beaten up that I quit. I was walking/working 30k+ steps everyday. It was an early start job also (6am. Had to waken at 4.30am). We also started a new supervisor and she was hell. Wanting more and more out of us. Bare in mind the company were paying the lowest minimum wage offered here in the UK. I am financially fine so I just woke up one day and says.. I'm finished with them. That was 5 weeks ago. They have phoned me numerous times to return but I've said no. I was a hard worker and jobs were being pushed my way constantly because I always would make sure the standard of finish was high. Good for them but not for me. The endless phone calls also tells me just how hard I actually did work for them.

My plan was to take 2 full months off. I would just spend time with friends/family. I would get back full swing into my training. I had dropped my training to 2 days per week because I was always home late and exhausted. I still tried to fit 2 full body sessions in a week though. I had lost alot of weight aswell so I've spent this 5 weeks in a serious surplus. My sleep still isn't incredible but it's 10x better than when I was in that job. I average 6-7 hours a night.

I am exercising daily. I also cycle alot.

I'm on TRT. 120mg a week and my levels sit at 1100. I keep my e2 around 40. So my hormones are good.

I am still feeling fairly low? Not sure why it is?

Have any of you guys hit a rut and ever discovered the cause? It honestly feels like a low dopamine sort of state. I've had a look online at some supplements that maybe can increase my dopamine levels?

Another addition I've added recently is cold water therapy. I bought a plunge and keep it at around 10c (50f). It's early days for this though.

If anyone did hit a random low. What was your cause?

Anything worth looking into?

I've still got a few weeks before I start looking for new employment. I won't be taking another job like I had. The work environment was insanely toxic.

Thanks

I wanted to revisit this thread and ask how your doing. Did you take those 2 months off? Back to the gym? How's life treating you

 

[bell1986]

I wanted to revisit this thread and ask how your doing. Did you take those 2 months off? Back to the gym? How's life treating you

Hey mate.

Thank you for asking. I really appreciate that.

I'm doing better. I did find a a few issues. I done an in depth bloodwork and found I had seriously raised prolactin levels. I gave SNS Inhibit P a try but it was making me feel very anxious. I don't do too well with P5P. I eventually just took a micro dose of caber and got it to the lower end of the range. This made a big difference. Just waiting on a doctors test to see what's going on.

I'm also on TRT and my bloods showed lower end DHEA/Pregnenolone levels. I added in HCG + Dhea + Pregnenolone. This also gave me a boost. Though for 38 my libido is still poor. Not sure if the prolactin has done some damage and may need time or something else is off? I'm hoping this picks up. For now it's Cialis lol

I'm still not back into employment. I looked at my finances and spoke with my partner. I can comfortably do 6-12 months completely off. I'm going to take the break and focus on myself. Been trying to get back into a good sleep routine also. It's improved alot.

I'm training about 5-6 days a week now. Feeling alot stronger again. When I was working the crazy hours I honestly dreaded training. I have built a decent physique and to go and lose it now is just out of the question. Got myself into a good routine. 1 hour of lifting + 30 minutes cardio.

I also looked at my diet and noticed a couple things. My fat intake was poor. 40-50g a day. I should have picked up on this tbh. I noticed my joints etc becoming sore. My omega 3 intake was poor also. I don't react well to omega 3 supplements. Give me terrible depression for some odd reason. I've been eating mackerel daily (Absolutely hate it lol) but it has an awesome epa dha content. I seem ok with the fish.

I was also lower end on vitamin D also. I react poorly to vitamin D also (I know my body's fooked). Tried every brand/type/blend. Within 2 days I become very irritable. I'm now using a UVB lamp + sunbeds a couple times a week. We also went on holiday a few weeks ago and I got as much sun as possible. Will see how my bloods look next time.

I'm glad I done bloodwork. If you get an in depth panel it's so important. I would never have worked out any of these issues.

It's a slow process. I let my body get to really bad place. I was looking after myself but my output was just too much. I couldn't tolerate it.

Still having good days and bad days. Definitely an improvement though.

How are you doing yourself? How is life for you? Are you doing much over xmas and new year?

Me and my partner are staying in London for new year. Looking forward to it. It's manic but an awesome city.

Hope your well

 

[Smont]

The dhea/preg issue isn't terribly uncommon on trt. Once the issue arises the supplements don't seem to work, but hcg and then adding dhea/preg does seem to fix the problem. If down the road, make sure to occasionally supplement with a little dhea and preg to keep it that way. I actually use dermacrine for that reason at only 2 pumps and I feel great on trt with it. 3-4 is better but 2 seems fine And it makes that bottle last a very long time. Sucks about the prolactin levels, that's odd. I wonder if it's stress induced. If p5p messes with you then try some cortisol blockers. You seem like your a bit high stress lately anyway so I figure it's worth a shot.

I'm doing alright, thank you for asking. I had a rough start to winter and some tragedy in the family but I'm getting through it. That's what actually made me think to check how some of you guys are doing. I'm not in a position to take that much time off but I do have a flexible work schedule so I've been taking a few days as needed. Aside from that I have my daughter home from college and I just started doing some training with my nephew and that's been a good time

 

[bell1986]

The dhea/preg issue isn't terribly uncommon on trt. Once the issue arises the supplements don't seem to work, but hcg and then adding dhea/preg does seem to fix the problem. If down the road, make sure to occasionally supplement with a little dhea and preg to keep it that way. I actually use dermacrine for that reason at only 2 pumps and I feel great on trt with it. 3-4 is better but 2 seems fine And it makes that bottle last a very long time. Sucks about the prolactin levels, that's odd. I wonder if it's stress induced. If p5p messes with you then try some cortisol blockers. You seem like your a bit high stress lately anyway so I figure it's worth a shot.

I'm doing alright, thank you for asking. I had a rough start to winter and some tragedy in the family but I'm getting through it. That's what actually made me think to check how some of you guys are doing. I'm not in a position to take that much time off but I do have a flexible work schedule so I've been taking a few days as needed. Aside from that I have my daughter home from college and I just started doing some training with my nephew and that's been a good time

Hey bud

Just had a look at Dermacrine. That looks an awesome formula. I think I will actually pick up a bottle of this.

Yeh DHEA/Pregnenolone both down regulate due to a lack of Leutinizing hormone if I remember correctly? I done bloodwork and mine we're rock bottom. It's an easy fix though. Alot of guys have no clue about these neurosteroids on trt. Just jab testosterone and look at test/e2 numbers and forget about the rest. It's actually a common cause of people having awful libidos on trt.

I have Evomuse Ammo (Cortisol blocker). Think I should give this a go? I'm definitely a stressed type of person. The last few years have been manic tbh. 3 years ago my mum was diagnosed with stage 3 throat cancer. Was major surgery or death. She's ok now though thankfully. She's unable to speak at all though and not being able to hear my mums voice completely messed me up for a while. A year after her cancer my brother got sepsis and passed away (He was 42). I then quit my job in August of this year. So Yeh been a rough period the last few years.

Sorry to hear about your family issues. What line of work are you in? Are you going to have any time off over this Xmas period? Trying to balance a work/life balance these days is tough. As you get older a 24 hour day feels less and less. Feels like trying to slot in what you done years ago feels impossible.

How are you with sleep? I've been trying my best to improve my sleep as much as possible. Getting to bed earlier and hopefully push a solid 8 hours. I do good most nights. I was in a sleep deficit for 4 years straight. I forgot just how important sleep is. My body was falling to peices when I wasn't sleeping well.

Anyway. I hope you have a nice Xmas. Try your best to look after yourself. Take care

 

[Smont]

Sorry to hear about the family, I know how you feel, I have similar issues with my parents and some loss. My sleep is terrible, haven't slept through the night in my adult life and nothing really keeps me asleep. I fall asleep no problem, just wake up a lot. And you know How some people say they're not morning people. I apparently am a morning person because 99% of the time im wdie awake as soon as my eyes open. Its odd. In the nicest way possible, I'm not looking for suggestions on sleep, I've gone through every avenue several times, and I'm over it, I've actually started to find I enjoy waking up and doing stuff in the middle of the night lol. I've tried the pitch black and no electronics and nope, dont help. So i watch TV, read, whatever. My life is so hectic I've grown to enjoy the time when my family is sleeping so I get my me time. Even at the cost of sleep. It's 445am as I type, I'm watching a documentary and it's the 3rd time I woke up. I basically take lots of naps. My father lived his entire life like this. Hes 72 and he still does. Our lifestyles are polar opposite but we have the exact same sleep issues..

My main job I would say is painting/construction. I work construction in a union and I paint for myself. I also do diet and training for a few ppl, most are online but 2 of them I train in person. I have 2 painting jobs going on currently as well that need to be finished by new years. I have 3 ppl helping on this one tho and that grants me a little space to breath. Whatever free time I have left il spend with my daughter or in my greenhouse. While I enjoy my kids and a few select family members, the majority of my family I don't care to be around. I love all of them, I'm just burnt out on there nonsense. Il make my rounds as fast as possible so the kids can see everyone and get gifts and I make a exit ASAP . My family is very big. My entire life every holiday became a chore. 5 houses on Christmas, a different family members house for each meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner) on Thanksgiving and Easter. Then I had kids so we gotta go to her families houses too. It gets old so I put my foot down. No1 gets to dictate my holidays anymore so me and the kids do whatever we want or don't want now. It's infinitely less stressful and annoying.

Hopefully my 5am rambling makes sense happy holidays

 

[bell1986]

Sorry to hear about the family, I know how you feel, I have similar issues with my parents and some loss. My sleep is terrible, haven't slept through the night in my adult life and nothing really keeps me asleep. I fall asleep no problem, just wake up a lot. And you know How some people say they're not morning people. I apparently am a morning person because 99% of the time im wdie awake as soon as my eyes open. Its odd. In the nicest way possible, I'm not looking for suggestions on sleep, I've gone through every avenue several times, and I'm over it, I've actually started to find I enjoy waking up and doing stuff in the middle of the night lol. I've tried the pitch black and no electronics and nope, dont help. So i watch TV, read, whatever. My life is so hectic I've grown to enjoy the time when my family is sleeping so I get my me time. Even at the cost of sleep. It's 445am as I type, I'm watching a documentary and it's the 3rd time I woke up. I basically take lots of naps. My father lived his entire life like this. Hes 72 and he still does. Our lifestyles are polar opposite but we have the exact same sleep issues..

My main job I would say is painting/construction. I work construction in a union and I paint for myself. I also do diet and training for a few ppl, most are online but 2 of them I train in person. I have 2 painting jobs going on currently as well that need to be finished by new years. I have 3 ppl helping on this one tho and that grants me a little space to breath. Whatever free time I have left il spend with my daughter or in my greenhouse. While I enjoy my kids and a few select family members, the majority of my family I don't care to be around. I love all of them, I'm just burnt out on there nonsense. Il make my rounds as fast as possible so the kids can see everyone and get gifts and I make a exit ASAP . My family is very big. My entire life every holiday became a chore. 5 houses on Christmas, a different family members house for each meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner) on Thanksgiving and Easter. Then I had kids so we gotta go to her families houses too. It gets old so I put my foot down. No1 gets to dictate my holidays anymore so me and the kids do whatever we want or don't want now. It's infinitely less stressful and annoying.

Hopefully my 5am rambling makes sense happy holidays

Hey

Sleep is a very tough issue to tackle tbh. Some get away with simple magnesium supplements. Melatonin helps some. Weirdly I react poorly to both Magnesium and Melatonin! Magnesium gives me insomnia and melatonin I wake up with a banging headache. Fookin annoying! My diet should hopefully cover all my magnesium tbh. I do put foods into chronometer and see where I'm at.

What sleep methods have you experimented with? Have you tried things like gaba rasing supplements? How do you sleep on alcohol? Does your sleep change with hormone fluctuations? I've had many a nights of insomnia. Manyyyyyyyy lol. I seem to stress alot. My mum I love to peices but she piles a ton of stress onto me. I do my best to just agree with her. She's done her part for me so it's my turn to do my part for her. Talking about stress. Have you tried cortisol supplements? Evomuse Ammo? I've still yet to use it. I did do a 4 point cortisol test last month and it looked ok. Though... Results don't always show as real life scenarios. I will pop an Ammo tonight and see how I feel. I always take a note of a new supplement and then I log exactly how I feel it's working. Positives and negatives. As I've got older I seem to handle less and less supplements. Even a multivitamin messes me up these days.

I would love to get into the fitness/nutrition field tbh. I have a passion for it. Did you need to do much to get into this field?

I picked up some dermacrine You said 2 pumps does you ok? Have you ever done bloods to see where your dhea levels are at? I done one last year and my dhea was sitting at 2.4 (Range 2-12) so it was very low. I took 25mg DHEA and the next day I felt incredible. Felt like an adderal pill After a while though 25mg became too much. Started getting headaches on it. Been playing around with doses recently. Though. Dermacrine just seems ideal. A little pricey here in the UK but I don't put a cost on mental state. I would pay any amount for improvements tbh.

So alot of cooking at xmas then? We only have a few over at Xmas. We still cook a disgusting amount of food. I think everyone does lol. Want to hear what we done? Last year we made full plate fulls of xmas food. Froze it and we had plates in November Still tasted awesome. Are you a Xmas/New year type of guy? I use to be but here in the UK xmas has became too commercial. They were advertising xmas at the end of August here.... No joke. Full xmas displays in shops. Wtf. We're leaving for London for new year. We're staying for a week. I love London. It's so manic. Can't beat being crammed into a train tube and someone breathing into your eye sockets I do love that craziness though.

How long have you been training for? I've been at it for about 7 years. 4 of those years I must have put about 5 lbs of mass on though. My last job I was walking 40k steps a day. My body just refused to add mass to it. I think I just burned off any excess calories tbh. I do look much better though. I'm lean and definitely look like I lift. Not overly mass'y though. I've gained weight much quicker ever since I quit my job. It's great to see the scale moving tbh.

Anywhoo. Thanks for the message (At 5am ). I also enjoy being awake at early hours. Just so quiet and peaceful

Take care

 

[Dustin07]

What sleep methods have you experimented with? Have you tried things like gaba rasing supplements? How do you sleep on alcohol?

I know @Smont doesn't drink, my wife says wine destroys her sleep. When I'm struggling I like to pop 1 or two melatonin gummies 30-60 minutes before bed (5mg each). They really help me a lot. other products that I have associated with better sleep are xpg alpha gel, xpg suppress c, and a good ZMA supplement. I have been through periods in life where high stress destroy sleep to the point that the brain hurts and feels like it's dying so I feel for you if you're struggling! My wife and I set up a huge fish tank and I spend a lot of time every night tending to it and enjoying it, I believe it really really helps unwind my brain and lower my bp etc. I consider it another vitamin in my life.

 

[Smont]

I don't know how I sleep on alcohol because when I did drink, I drank till I passed out. Other then that I'm not interested in discussing my sleep anymore, I prefer it this way now lol

 

[bell1986]

I don't know how I sleep on alcohol because when I did drink, I drank till I passed out. Other then that I'm not interested in discussing my sleep anymore, I prefer it this way now lol

Drink until you pass out. Can't count the amount of times I've done this lol. Woke many a times also and been like... Hmmmmmmm. This isn't my room

Hey if your sleep works for you and you can function. Who is anyone to disagree?

Anywhooo

Have a very nice Xmas and a nice new year

 

[bell1986]

I know @Smont doesn't drink, my wife says wine destroys her sleep. When I'm struggling I like to pop 1 or two melatonin gummies 30-60 minutes before bed (5mg each). They really help me a lot. other products that I have associated with better sleep are xpg alpha gel, xpg suppress c, and a good ZMA supplement. I have been through periods in life where high stress destroy sleep to the point that the brain hurts and feels like it's dying so I feel for you if you're struggling! My wife and I set up a huge fish tank and I spend a lot of time every night tending to it and enjoying it, I believe it really really helps unwind my brain and lower my bp etc. I consider it another vitamin in my life.

Melatonin gives me a stinker of a headache. Even 1mg! I've tried it in every form. Just can't tolerate it sadly. It's an incredible ingredient tbh. Apart from sleep it's an awesome anti oxidant. Infact I think it ranks above glutathione?

I've got a bottle of suppress-c their also. What did you think of it? I used half a bottle and eventually stopped. I think I switched over to Emodin after it and that was very strong feeling.

My BP is 108/69. I actually think my pressure could do with a slight nick up tbh. I get awful light headed everytime I stand up. I was using potassium salt for months. I actually think my potassium levels are too high? I opened the tub and just added some more celtic sea salt to it. Seems to have helped though.

We actually have a huge fish tank. My partner is a lover of fish. It's amazing to just sit and watch it. My partner can sit for easily over an hour place with a chair and just zone out.

How is life just now for you? You all set for xmas? I find this time of year so stressful tbh. We're having the family over and we're doing all the prepping. Just ridiculous amounts of food. I'm excited.....for the binge lol

Anyway pal. Hope it's a nice one for you

 

[Dustin07]

I've got a bottle of suppress-c their also. What did you think of it?

Immediately my wife and I both felt like it contributed positively to sleep. we've been using it for a few months though and I'm a couple bottles deep so now it is just a routine to put it on and I don't really notice it anymore, lol.

We actually have a huge fish tank. My partner is a lover of fish. It's amazing to just sit and watch it. My partner can sit for easily over an hour place with a chair and just zone out.

me too, even the small maintenance I find to be pretty relaxing. I like thawing out food for the fish and corals every night and then using this 15" like turkey baster style feeding tube to target feed the corals etc. I know taking that quiet time and enjoying it all can't be bad for my health, its very meditative! we moved up from a 40gallon tank we had for 3 years to a 112 gallon system. previous owner had offered me all his rock and corals and fish and I turned most of it down because I wanted to enjoy the journey of spending a few years building up the reef myself one piece at a time.

How is life just now for you? You all set for xmas? I find this time of year so stressful tbh. We're having the family over and we're doing all the prepping. Just ridiculous amounts of food.

SAME! Christmas is a major love / hate holiday for me. I love the lights, music, nostalgia and food but I'm a horrible gift giver and christmas present shopping stresses me out. We did the bulk of our Christmas last night with our kids, they were over till midnight, then back at work today. But after we clock off tonight, i'm on PTO for the next 5 days. Wife and I will enjoy traditional Chinese food and Christmas movies on the holiday. it will be very very chill...

Merry Christmas!

 

[bell1986]

Immediately my wife and I both felt like it contributed positively to sleep. we've been using it for a few months though and I'm a couple bottles deep so now it is just a routine to put it on and I don't really notice it anymore, lol.


me too, even the small maintenance I find to be pretty relaxing. I like thawing out food for the fish and corals every night and then using this 15" like turkey baster style feeding tube to target feed the corals etc. I know taking that quiet time and enjoying it all can't be bad for my health, its very meditative! we moved up from a 40gallon tank we had for 3 years to a 112 gallon system. previous owner had offered me all his rock and corals and fish and I turned most of it down because I wanted to enjoy the journey of spending a few years building up the reef myself one piece at a time.



SAME! Christmas is a major love / hate holiday for me. I love the lights, music, nostalgia and food but I'm a horrible gift giver and christmas present shopping stresses me out. We did the bulk of our Christmas last night with our kids, they were over till midnight, then back at work today. But after we clock off tonight, i'm on PTO for the next 5 days. Wife and I will enjoy traditional Chinese food and Christmas movies on the holiday. it will be very very chill...

Merry Christmas!

Hey

I might give the suppress C another go. I've noticed my deep sleep on my watch has been trash recently. I sleep 8 hours but get like 40 minutes of deep? I always feel it the following day. Total zombie. Do you just apply it at night?

What size of tank do you have? I'm certain ours is a 300 litre capacity. It's a fair size. A couple years ago we went on holiday. We arrived back home and opened the front door. Whoosh the worst smell ever. The heater element had stuck itself on and cooked the tank. Fried all the fish. My partner was devastated. It was alot of really old fish that we had for years. We started back over and now have timed and safety heaters. Is your tank tropical?

Yeh xmas is just stressful. I was in town earlier and must have got rammed with a trolley about 10 times lol. People just panic buying. Xmas has lost it's spark now. It use to be awesome when it wasn't just about presents.

What other sort of sleep supplements have you ever used? I've managed to get my physique to a decent place. I've just been focusing on my health now. Always looking for some goodies. Especially wanting to focus on getting my sleep really good.

Have you got your GDA's and evomuse defuse all sorted for tomorrow? Lol. I certainly do!

 

[Dustin07]

I might give the suppress C another go. I've noticed my deep sleep on my watch has been trash recently. I sleep 8 hours but get like 40 minutes of deep? I always feel it the following day. Total zombie. Do you just apply it at night?

I typically apply it to one foot every morning and most evenings when I remember, especially on those days that I lift then take a shower at home. I did a little sleep tracking a while back and stopped because I am the type of person where too much information can be a bad thing as well. The more information and data I receive in life the more I sense that I'm better off just going by "feel" rather than numbers if that makes sense.

What size of tank do you have? I'm certain ours is a 300 litre capacity. It's a fair size. A couple years ago we went on holiday. We arrived back home and opened the front door. Whoosh the worst smell ever. The heater element had stuck itself on and cooked the tank. Fried all the fish. My partner was devastated. It was alot of really old fish that we had for years. We started back over and now have timed and safety heaters. Is your tank tropical?

We just upgraded to this 425 liter / 112gallon system last month, it also has an 8 gallon auto top off tank and has been a heck of a learning curve with the complexity of the plumbing, sump etc, but it's a blast. I find myself looking forward to going home and checking on the tank. I have an Inkbird system on it so I can monitor the temperature remotely and the app will tell me if the temp has spiked or dropped. Took me a week or so to get that dialed, but no alarms (knock on wood) in a few days lol. pretty good device for like $30! I have 2 heaters on our tank, a 300w and a 400w. Someone mentioned to me that they keep 2 in case one fails so that the water doesn't immediately crash and it was a light bulb moment like damn, that's genius! lol we recently had massive wind storms and 500k people in the region lost power. the local fish hobby groups on FB were filled with people who's tanks crashed. We run LPS, SPS, and soft tissue corals. My favorites right now are my anemone who apparently was very happy because he split/reproduced last weekend and now is two, and my torch corals.

Yeh xmas is just stressful. I was in town earlier and must have got rammed with a trolley about 10 times lol. People just panic buying. Xmas has lost it's spark now. It use to be awesome when it wasn't just about presents.

So I ran into the mall last Sunday to pick up a special order item for my wife (which of course was not ready, and led to some panic spending) and could not find parking ANYWHERE at the biggest mall in the region. it was packed! The traffic was a mess, but I thought you know what? Good ! it was honestly amazing to see so many people out doing their Christmas stuff because the malls have been dying the past decade, then we had the covid era, and nobody was ever outside. even local bars/live music dens etc were all dying and lately in 2024 I feel like I'm seeing humans out doing human stuff again. I hate traffic and I'm an introvert but I do like to see people out being people.

What other sort of sleep supplements have you ever used? I've managed to get my physique to a decent place. I've just been focusing on my health now. Always looking for some goodies. Especially wanting to focus on getting my sleep really good.

Oh man I don't even know if I can remember them all but in recent memories the things that seemed to have positive effects on my sleep are ZMA, XPG Alpha Gel, Suppress-C, and of course the melatonin. My wife also takes zinc and magnesium separately. She sleeps like a baby and only complains about her sleep if she has too much wine at night.

 

[neutrino]

I'm heading for 40.

All through my 20's and early 30's I was always upbeat and happy. I did have anxiety issues but I never let it plague me.

I've noticed as I'm aging that my mood is seriously going south? I was in a toxic job for 4 years recently and at the end their my body was so beaten up that I quit. I was walking/working 30k+ steps everyday. It was an early start job also (6am. Had to waken at 4.30am). We also started a new supervisor and she was hell. Wanting more and more out of us. Bare in mind the company were paying the lowest minimum wage offered here in the UK. I am financially fine so I just woke up one day and says.. I'm finished with them. That was 5 weeks ago. They have phoned me numerous times to return but I've said no. I was a hard worker and jobs were being pushed my way constantly because I always would make sure the standard of finish was high. Good for them but not for me. The endless phone calls also tells me just how hard I actually did work for them.

My plan was to take 2 full months off. I would just spend time with friends/family. I would get back full swing into my training. I had dropped my training to 2 days per week because I was always home late and exhausted. I still tried to fit 2 full body sessions in a week though. I had lost alot of weight aswell so I've spent this 5 weeks in a serious surplus. My sleep still isn't incredible but it's 10x better than when I was in that job. I average 6-7 hours a night.

I am exercising daily. I also cycle alot.

I'm on TRT. 120mg a week and my levels sit at 1100. I keep my e2 around 40. So my hormones are good.

I am still feeling fairly low? Not sure why it is?

Have any of you guys hit a rut and ever discovered the cause? It honestly feels like a low dopamine sort of state. I've had a look online at some supplements that maybe can increase my dopamine levels?

Another addition I've added recently is cold water therapy. I bought a plunge and keep it at around 10c (50f). It's early days for this though.

If anyone did hit a random low. What was your cause?

Anything worth looking into?

I've still got a few weeks before I start looking for new employment. I won't be taking another job like I had. The work environment was insanely toxic.

Thanks

For me, the rut came about 7 years ago, when I finally got sober and realized I had done nothing with my life, while my peers had passed me. I quickly realized that I need to do something, so I attacked school with an unprecedented hunger. Graduated summa cum laude with an associate tech degree 2 years ago and am about to graduate summa cum laude with my bachelors. Then heading for a masters. This entire process has yielded me job opportunities that I could only dream of in the past. I am also now married. I am no longer the black sheep of the family and have instead become the balanced cornerstone that family approaches for advice. Life just keeps getting better and better. The key was: FIND A LATTER TO CLIMB! I do not do well in a complacent environment. IMO: complacency is a close cousin of death. Cognitive decline seems to quickly impact those that do not continuously learn/challenge themselves. It appears that my personality requires of me to perpetually be working towards a goal, and I am beyond ok with that.