Sleep is a big deal in our society. Lack of sleep is also a big deal and has generated 1,000s of articles discussing causes, cures, temporary or permanent relief and so on. My husband sleeps like a full-bellied infant. I sleep like a watchful night guard. I can drift off to sleep usually fairly easily, but if I get a tickle in my throat or on my foot or hear my husband snort a few times I am awake and must start the relaxing process all over again.
My bedroom is well-designed for the end of a busy day. The only distractions are small and medium stacks of books in regimental rows, along with two e-readers and the landline and a clock radio on the end tables. I work at keeping the bedroom as zen as possible, to the point that I took down a bunch of pictures a few years ago and have not got around to replacing them with something more sleep-inducing. I still need to add some small photos or art to the wall at the foot of the bed.
I work at this because I have periods of insomnia. I avoid alcohol, caffeine, and sugar in the evening. I read my Kindle on the non-blue light mode; I do not read the news or social media or text friends and family. I keep to a routine as much as possible and being retired this is 90% possible. I keep plants in the bedroom in the winter to purify air and create a non-wintery mood. In the photo above the plants are on a stand in the window behind me as I take this photo. About the only thing I do not have is a noise machine.
Good sleep for an individual can range from 6 hours to 9 hours a night depending on the individual and his/her metabolism. My fitbit does tell me I average 7.5 most nights. Please note the first two items on the list below are Friday...I guess I really caught up with a nap, although I know for a fact I did NOT nap that long, my naps rarely lasting more than 30 to 45 minutes. Maybe I was just reading and lying VERY STILL?
Some doctor's say that insomnia is a psychiatric disorder. I am not that willing to submit to that. I think it is chemical, but then chemistry impacts our psychiatric response to things, so who knows.
I have noticed that full moons are usually a trigger for my sleeplessness. I close my non-blackout curtains but still seem to find myself wide awake around 2:00 A.M. I lie restless for 20 minutes while my mind goes through a roller coaster of 100's of subjects, issues, problems, etc. Eventually, I throw back the blankets and get up to find some way to fall back asleep again.
Two nights ago I was mocked by the full moon. It seems to want to "parhteee" in the black and piercing, cold, winter air while all is still and oh so quiet.
I have no desire to dance. I feel like a zombie and am just thankful I do not have anything on my schedule for the next day!
I put on my slippers and take my camera outside. I forget to check the settings and in the dark attempt a few photos with no tripod but also no shakey caffeine drug.
While it is indeed freezing the water is not and dances with the moon to the quietest of waltzes. At least the moon has some company. It is light enough that I could go for a walk without a flashlight.
Eventually, the cold seeps into my hands and shoulders and I cannot control the shake of the camera and get the watery photo above. I look to the inviting warmth of the light through my kitchen window.
It is time to go inside. Maybe I can wrap myself again in blankets and warm slowly to a coziness and finally get the sleep I deserve!
I usually like what you write but I REALLY liked this. The description of the room made me smile -- it sounds (and from the photo, looks) lovely and serene.
ReplyDeleteBill, you are very kind and sweet! Thank you.
DeleteYour bedroom seems very simple and non-distracting to me. Anyway, the only solution for me is to read a novel, either before bed when it puts me to sleep, or if I wake up in the night when it puts me back to sleep. Can't be non-fiction. Certainly can't be the news, or the TV. Only a novel works b/c it takes me out of myself and puts me right into slumber. But . . . as you suggest, everyone has to find their own way. Sweet dreams!
ReplyDeleteZen indeed. You would hate my bedroom. Art everywhere.
ReplyDeleteUsually I can get right asleep. I make a point to drink no water after 8 pm. Last night I had the hiccups until after ten. I was in such trouble and was up at 0130, 0230, 0430, and finally got up at 0530. LOL Then I fell asleep over my coffee and book until 0830. I feel pretty good despite myself. I feel for your sleep troubles.
You got some pics which is a fine thing while I am still playing chicken and hiding form the cold in The Great White North.
ReplyDeleteBTW someone commented to you about dogs and ticks on my We Have Cat post.
Sleeping has never been a problem for me, thank goodness. We go to bed around 10 and get up about 7:30. You'll notice I said "go to bed" not "go to sleep"... as I do read until I fall asleep (many times with my glasses still on and the book in the bed). However, at our age (73) we do get up several times during the night, but usually fall right back asleep. There is the occasional wake up at 3 am night (usually when something is worrying me)... at which time getting up and making a cup of hot tea relaxes me enough to return to bed and sleep. I think everyone has to find their own way to work around those times. Hope you find something that works for you.
ReplyDeleteOne thing i've found out about a "white night" (when you wake up and can't get back to sleep right away) is that mine are best spent doing something quiet until i can fall back asleep.
ReplyDeletePrayers your sleep improves
ReplyDeleteI am lucky to get more than 4 hours. No caffeine after 3 PM. After large earthquakes I sleep more, rarely more than 6 hours. I think some folks naturally don't require lots of sleep, night guarding cave genes thing.
I'd be embarrassed to show you my FitBit sleep menu. Yours is most impressive. My husband goes to bed long before me, so I'm always fumbling in the dark to get into bed. Problems of the night hawk. I don't think that's psychological. I think its just my circadian rhythm. My mother and one out of three brothers the same. To avoid lying there, I don't bother to head to bed until midnight. Or 1. Average about 6-7 hours. (Glad to see someone else has those red marks, though.)
ReplyDeleteI read where this full moon was sometimes called the Snow Moon. Your photo seems to agree. I wish you a fine night's sleep tonight.
What a lovely calm and serene bedroom you have. Well I am up a couple of times during the night because of the dog barking. Watch something interesting on tv or music till she falls asleep and then manage to fall asleep when I get to bed. Secret for me is to go to bed early and get 4 hours sleep, after that I can cope but that full moon does really have some effect on females!
ReplyDeleteIn our case, my husband generally falls to sleep easily but I vary for that. Unfortunately, sometimes he snores or makes noises which vary a lot and they impact my falling asleep. Sometimes I can tell him to quit and he does. Sometimes, not so much. My method of falling asleep when I wake up at night (usually just once) cannot be recommended as it involves taking a low dose (.5) lorazapam, which is a generic tranquilizer, which is a controlled substance. I've used it since I was in my 40s and at the same amount. I routinely will be warned by pharmacists that it's addictive and will cause me to use more and more. That is why i keep to just one and only rarely use it during the day at all (a required social event is sometimes the exception or particularly bad news). By now, for sleep, I am not sure if a placebo would do the same thing as if it works, I'm happy, when it doesn't, I lie there. I don't mind so much lying there if I can use that time to work through ideas. It's when I think badly of everything I'm doing (or the country or the family or...) that it's a nonproductive time.
ReplyDeleteIF my husband wakes when I do, we will both get up for a while, read stuff on the internet, answer emails or whatever for an hour and then seem to fall back to sleep fine.
For some reason, this full snow moon has not made sleep hard for me. I have even had some creative and helpful dreams. (Got some good photos of it too which better half took since my familial tremors limit my long distance photography these days).
I go to bed and I go to sleep.
ReplyDeleteI was having trouble sleeping for years, would be awake most of the night at least 3 times a week and wakeful periods the other days. the husband would always fall asleep before I would and then start snoring. so I started my nights on the couch and then moved to the bed after he stopped but the act of moving would waken me and then my wakefulness in bed would make me worry about disturbing his sleep. and then the dog came and sleeps in the bed and then the cat decided that she needed to sleep in the bed too except they wanted to sleep next to me so I'm was sandwiched in especially since the husband is considerably larger now than he was. when I went to Portugal, sleeping alone in a bed I was surprised that I actually slept! since I've been back I've been sleeping in the spare bedroom and get a good 8 hours or more. I will still occasionally wake around 2 or 3 but rarely will I be unable to go back to sleep.
ReplyDeleteI've read that one long sleep isn't our natural sleep cycle, that two short sleeps with a period of wakefulness in between is and that during Victorian times, people would get up and get dressed and even conduct business or at least use that time to attend to personal affairs.
They would also find other willing company and make love for hours. LOL I got to thinking at 0330 last night, and it took me an hour to get back to sleep. Tonight we are heading to the Bob Segar concert here. I wanted to ride my scooter to the building, and at 0330 I didn't have enough sense to fully wake up and look up the rules for the facility on Google. This morning, I find I can use it but must check in with Guest Services. Oh, wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI hope you find a solution to your thinking, your waking, as the pictures are wonderful but not sleeping is so hard on your body. I'm so sorry.
Sleep is critical! I use melatonin and it works wonders since I stopped sleeping soundly after 50. Now I sleep like a baby again!
ReplyDeleteLike my mother and brother, I am not a great sleeper. Naps keep me going.
ReplyDeleteFull moons affect me, too and like you, I often wander about with my camera. Once I caught the full moon shimmering on the surface of the tea in my cup! Some nights are 6 hours of rest, some are interrupted every few hours. If I simply can't fall back to sleep I get up, make a cup of tea and some toast, sit in my rocker, and ponder the vagaries of life. I don't ever turn on a light - I don't want to be THAT awake!
ReplyDelete