The Huffington Post is running a series of articles on getting enough sleep. It's called the Sleep Challenge. Usually I eye-roll these articles. I've read plenty of articles on how to "avoid" insomnia. I put avoid in quotations because I'm very skeptical that it can be completely avoided.
I battle insomnia off and on. Usually I can kind of feel it coming and just resign myself. I program the television to auto-tune, I make sure I have a book to read, I use my lavender-scented B&BW lotion.
I am wired as a night bird. Kevin unfortunately is not. He is a Morning Person. The fact that we have murdered one another is simply a miracle. I can't count how many times he has rolled over at 2:30 in the morning & muttered "For the love of God, just go to sleep." As if I hadn't thought of that!
You'll notice that often these posts pop up after 8:00 pm. It seems to be the time that my brain comes alive. I've often told Kevin that if I thought I could get away with it, I would so vacuum at 10:00 pm. Instead I do laundry, start the dishwasher, read, write, whatever I can do quietly.
Back to the insomnia thing, all of the above seems to be breaking the rules. No computer within an hour of bedtime. This makes me laugh because it's just not feasible for many people in this culture.
Also, no television in the room. Again: fail. If the only television were in the living room I would probably get Less Sleep. I would have to actually get up in the middle of the night versus just turning on George Lopez then eventually falling back asleep.
The other two no-no's are alcohol and exercise. Neither of these are a problem for me but I could see the allure of having a nightcap. Warm milk has been an old standby that does help as well.
The one thing that I did notice working is dimming the lights about an hour before bedtime. I've mentioned before that one could do surgery in our bathroom and the kitchen is nearly as brightly lit. Turning off or dimming those lights does seem to make a difference so good to know.
One other theory that I'm experimenting with is exact bedtimes and waketimes. It does seem to help. However, this is not always feasible, especially once summer comes and our schedules vary.
The one Never Fail technique...no not sex, although that works for boys...is putting in Sabrina. The Harrison Ford version. Something about that movie puts me out every. single. time.
How do you fall asleep?
3 comments:
the hubs and i are just the opposite. though we're both night owls, i have no problem going to sleep at all, ever. the hubs, however, does have trouble sometimes and he stays up watching tv. he has an ambien scrip but doesn't like to take it much.
I, too, have issues falling asleep at night. I can't have caffeine past 3 pm. Sometimes, I have to take NyQuil just so I can get some sleep. I know that's bad, but as a teacher, it's really important not to go into school looking like death, or the kids will crucify you alive. Also, it's really hard to stand in front of a group of people and teach all day when you're pretty much incoherent.
I fall into bed exhausted every night at 11:30 or midnight. I am just worn out. That helps, I think, because before we would be up until 1-2 am. Not any more. We don't have any tv in the bedroom and I don't really read in there either. I try to just sleep in there or else I would never leave.
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