Last week was a bad sleep week for me. Truth be told, every week at my stage in life has its sleep challenges. But this particular week was different from the rest. Instead of being awake for two or three hours during the middle of the night, I woke every morning at three and never went back to sleep. Not one for tossing and turning, I accomplished a lot during those predawn hours. Created and installed this new website, as a matter of fact. Why didn’t a take something to help me go back to sleep? I never have trouble falling asleep at nine-thirty when I go to bed. My problem occurs when my husband’s snoring invades my peace or when my full bladder nudges me awake. While over the counter sleep aids bring on restless leg syndrome, I have prescription meds at my disposal. I just couldn’t take a pill at three and be able to wake up at seven. I now understand why my grandparents ate dinner at five, had their pajamas on at seven, and went to bed at eight. When you wake up before the chickens, you’re ready for bed by dusk. A bad cycle for sure. Unless, of course, you’re eighty.
I went to a party on the Friday night of this very bad sleep week. Spaced out from exhaustion, the only place I really wanted to be was in my pajamas. But we’d made this commitment months before, and canceling at the last minute because I was tired somehow seemed wrong. I’d been looking forward to the event, anyway. So I sucked it up and donned my cocktail dress. I encountered several friends at this party who experience the same sleeplessness every single night. While none of them offered any suggestions of things that might help me sleep that I haven’t already tried, I felt better having someone to commiserate with. Misery loves company and all that. A few more days of sleeplessness passed before my body snapped out of the bad cycle and I was able to get a solid uninterrupted eight hours. Insomnia will return, of that I’m certain. Whether tonight or in a week or not until next month. One night at a time is the only way I know to handle it.
What about you? Do you suffer from insomnia. What are your suggestions for handling it?
