sleep/red wine

[Big Fella]

I've been having trouble sleeping. I'am lucky if I get 3 or 4 hours of good sleep a night. It has been suggested to me that I try a glass of wine before going to bed. As the benefits of a glass of red wine a day have been noted, I'd like some suggestions as to what a decent red wine would be. Thank you!!

[Texican]

I've been having trouble sleeping. I'am lucky if I get 3 or 4 hours of good sleep a night. It has been suggested to me that I try a glass of wine before going to bed. As the benefits of a glass of red wine a day have been noted, I'd like some suggestions as to what a decent red wine would be. Thank you!!

Depends on what you want, Big. Are you into dry tastes/aromas? Sweet? Fruity? Tart?

Boujoulais burgundies are nice, fruity and bold. Though between 12.00-20.00 USD a bottle, they can get pretty steep. I always cook with these wines, so I would never drink a wine that I would never cook with.

If you like sweet, check out a Cypriot wine called Commandaria. Supposedly the oldest known red wine in existence, Commandaria has a sweet, dessert, rum raisin-cherry taste to it. In the Eastern Orthodox Church we use it a lot as a communion wine, as it represents the qualities of Christ (his sweetness as well as his boldness). Crusaders used to drink it, so it isn't that bad! It also has a decent alcohol content that is right up there with madeiras and ports (in fact, I think in some grocers in Texas, you can't buy commandaria on Sundays, since its ABV is higher than most wines).

If you go for the Commandaria, take a look at a brand called St. John's.

[kwk285]

It depends on what you call decent. I worked at a winery years ago and found that there were certain wines that I liked over others. Some peoples' preferences were different.

My recommendations would be, if you are just going to drink the wine by itself, go with a softer wine. Some good wines would be Pinot Noir, Merlot, or a blended table wine. For a wine to not be considered a blend, there needs to be at least 75% of one type of grape. The wines that I listed are more mellow wines.

If you are going to have your glass with dinner, you can choose a heartier wine like a Zin or a Cab.

Price wise, you can find many good wines for under $10.

[rtaylor61]

Wine might be a good stop gap measure, but I'd recommend seeing a doctor. My first thought is sleep apnea.

Randy

[atskuv]

If you want to try a good cheap drinkable dry red wine with some nice fruit try a Montepulciano d'Abruzzo like Citra or Capestrano both should run $6-$8 for bottle and $12-$15 for a magnum.


I like it over ice the way I was taught to enjoy homemade Italian reds by my older Italian friends and family members. Montepulciano doesn't have that strong deep flavor and high alcohol taste that mos homemade reds have.
I have just come to like my cheaper reds on ice it makes them more refreshing and gulpable.

Heck I have even put ice in some more expensive reds after dinner to finish off the bottle and make them feel more refreshing and gulpable. kinda like a super expenive wine cooler
If you decide to buy some post back and let everyone know how you like it

Jeff


PS:Is "gulpable" a real word I always use it when I want easy drinking red?

[atskuv]

Come to think of we had a bottle of Montepuliciano with our Christmas prime rib dinner and yes I added a couple of ice cubes to the glass, errr glasses.

[castlecraver]

Self-medicating your sleep troubles will almost invariably be counter-productive (and could very well be downright dangerous). I recommend you consult first with a sleep specialist, and have the red wine earlier in the evening if you still desire.

[farace]

Self-medicating your sleep troubles will almost invariably be counter-productive (and could very well be downright dangerous). I recommend you consult first with a sleep specialist, and have the red wine earlier in the evening if you still desire.

I would add to that, that as I understand it, while in the short term alcohol can help relax you and put you to sleep, in the slightly longer term, over a couple of hours, it acts as a stimulant, and you can wake up later in the night with difficulty returning to sleep.

OTOH, I understand a glass of warm milk can indeed help.

[rm71]

There are some natural teas which taken before bed can help you sleep. cammomile is one of them. Ypu may also like to try celestial seasonings "sleepy time" herbal tea.

[Ecuador Jim]

I've been having trouble sleeping. I'am lucky if I get 3 or 4 hours of good sleep a night. It has been suggested to me that I try a glass of wine before going to bed. As the benefits of a glass of red wine a day have been noted, I'd like some suggestions as to what a decent red wine would be. Thank you!!

If you have a good wine shop near you, I'd visit it, and ask for the person who does the wine buying. Ask him or her to recommend a couple of things, and give them a budget.

It's easy to give someone a great $30 bottle of wine; the trick is to give them a great $10 bottle. The same holds true for shopping for yourself.

[SilkySmooth]

I think you need to find out what is preventing you from sleeping. Then address that problem.


==Tom

[Must Dash]

I had a similar problem, a few hours sleep then too many thoughts (some of which involved shaving) criss crossing my brain and preventing me from getting back to sleep. Wine didn't help. Whiskey did. So if the grapes don't work, maybe the grain will.

And for what it's worth, my two favorites are Lagavulin and LaPhroaig. In that order.

Cheers and sleep well.

Jeremy

[garfinkel]

I've been having trouble sleeping. I'am lucky if I get 3 or 4 hours of good sleep a night. It has been suggested to me that I try a glass of wine before going to bed. As the benefits of a glass of red wine a day have been noted, I'd like some suggestions as to what a decent red wine would be. Thank you!!

I have had sleeping problems all of my life. My mother told me, even as a baby, they couldn't get me to fall asleep. Now I am almost 38, and not much has changed. I get about 4-5 hours a night.

Now, don't get me wrong. I love my wine, bourbon, scotch, rum, and so on. And, I often call upon these friends for assistance to help make me a little drowsy. However, alcohol isn't the answer. Any sleep you get from drinking is not a true, restful sleep -- it is quite disruptive.

Check out this brief article to learn more: http://sleepdisorders.about.com/cs/a...a/nightcap.htm

Someone here mentioned warm milk. While it sounds like a cozy idea, it most likely won't help much. The amounts of tryptophan and melatonin found in milk are minimal. You are better off taking a melatonin sleep supplement. Don't over-do it. Follow the instructions or speak to a physician. I have found that melatonin does help. Also, magnesium deficiencies have been known to contribute to sleep-loss. Try magnesium citrate.

And make sure to avoid certain things a few hours before bed. Of course, no coffee, tea, soda or other drinks with caffeine. Avoid using your bed/bedroom for anything other than sleeping or sex. You want to condition your mind/body to understand that it is a place for sleeping only. Don't exercise, play video games, or do anything that would overstimulate.

Good luck. I know how it feels.

[SilkySmooth]

If you really are a "Big Fella" it might be from sleep apnea. I would suggest a sleep study.


==Tom

[TimmyBoston]

Don't use alcohol as a medication for insomnia. See a doctor.

[zatoichi]

You should really see a doctor. Don't use alcohol as a sleeping medication, you might develope problems with alcohol because your sleeping problems might even get worse with alcohol. You might not be able to sleep without alcohol at all afterwards. Difficulties to find sleep is a common symptom, the causes range from sleep apnoea to depression. There is really a huge variety of causes that only your doctor can find out.

[rikrdo]

but until then,
buy some Melatonin and see if it helps.

[mr_economy]

Yet another recommendation to try melatonin. Unlike other sleep aides, your body actually produces this stuff, but our enjoyment of artificial lighting late into the night interferes with the body's natural production of it (thus throwing off your circadian rhythms and making it difficult for you to fall asleep). Take 1mg about an hour before bed time, ensure at least 6-8 hours between bedtime and when you must wake up, and you should sleep like a rock. The only common side effect is an increase in vivid dreams, although most people find them to be quite pleasant.

[zatoichi]

Yet another recommendation to try melatonin. Unlike other sleep aides, your body actually produces this stuff, but our enjoyment of artificial lighting late into the night interferes with the body's natural production of it (thus throwing off your circadian rhythms and making it difficult for you to fall asleep). Take 1mg about an hour before bed time, ensure at least 6-8 hours between bedtime and when you must wake up, and you should sleep like a rock. The only common side effect is an increase in vivid dreams, although most people find them to be quite pleasant.

Does it really work? I have heard in pharmacology that you guys in the US use it for inducing sleep, while we Europeans are more reluctant about it, as it's value still seems to be unclear. Yet, we try to use it to relieve jetlag, but it is not prescribed, I think, just over the counter medicine.

[Prof]

I agree with the notion that using alcohol as a crutch to induce sleep is a bad idea.

But:

1. Don't just buy a wine from some random store. Ask around for a good wine store in your area and go there to learn. They will be able to find you something you like in a good price range. You may not hit gold right away but a few visits with feedback to the staff about what you like/disliked will help clear things up. Wine is an adventure, if you go in with the goal of learning and apreciating then you will do well.

2. Melatonin is very good. I recommend it.