Source: http://aakharjyoti.com/2011/08/22/osho-unwinding-before-sleep/
When one thinks of the basic necessities in life, food, clothing and shelter come to mind. I would also add sleep to my personal list. As you know, infants spend the majority of their time sleeping and as we get older, the average becomes 8 hours for adults. This may seem like a lot, but are there some days where you’ve had 8 hours of sleep and felt like you could have used more? I rarely get 8 hours of solid sleep, so consider yourself lucky if you can reach that magic number. My ears seem to become supersensitive as I try to fall asleep, thus I manage to hear every little sound and sense every little movement. I toss and turn quite often, trying to get that perfect position to send me into the land of dreams. Although the neighbourhood we live in is super quiet, I can’t help but still wear earplugs. The bf snores here and there, so rather than waking up in the middle of the night to block the sound or block his nose (ha ha), I immediately put them in before bedtime. They’re like my security blanket.
I am a very light sleeper and occasional insomniac. I am constantly tired. I am eagerly counting the days till the weekend so that I can catch up on the sleep I so desperately need. I’m sure my earlier than a sunrise wake-up time and long hours at work doesn’t help too much either. I have no choice but to come home and take a power nap before I rush over to my second job. You would think having two physical jobs would be able to knock me out just like that. If only it was that easy!
I have been a light sleeper and insomniac for as long as I can remember. I have memories of reading books in the middle of the night just to make myself tired. My mom is also a light sleeper. She also takes naps. She is quite sleep deprived to the point where she often takes sleeping pills to help her sleep. I haven’t gone that route yet, but as part of my quest to seek solid sleep I have recently started taken melatonin supplements.
What is melatonin?
Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain. It assists in the regulation of other hormones and maintains the body’s circadian rhythm . The melatonin supplement has more to do with the timing of sleep, rather than actually helping you fall asleep. However, taken in higher doses, the side effect can be drowsiness. I have upped my dosage three times the normal amount and I still feel like a$$ when I wake up in the morning. According to the article Melatonin seen as a safe pill to nudge you into dreamland, the sedative like effect doesn’t seem to work on everyone. Just my luck. The only thing I have noticed since I have started taking the supplement is that I have been dreaming some really weird dreams here and there. Even nightmares.
Prior to trying melatonin supplements, I tried the usual suggestions to help me sleep: warm milk, chamomile tea (I often have to wake up to pee in the middle of the night already) no tv or computer before going to bed, going to sleep at a normal time, listening to soothing music, exercising (not right before though). Even counting sheep. I tried to imagine each of them jumping over that damn fence in a different way.
NONE OF THEM WORK FOR ME!!!
It just boggles my mind constantly how people can pull all-nighters or thrive on little sleep. Just a coffee or two and they’re good to go. I’ve come to the conclusion that where I think drinking coffee will help and I happen to like the taste of it, it doesn’t wake me up. I like to think it will. One of these days. But it never does. It gives me that warm hug and disappoints me at the same time. When I’ve been severely sleep deprived for a few days, all I can think about is SLEEP. I have to fight to stay awake while driving to and from work through loud music and blasting the A/C.
Whereas my mom and I are light sleepers, my dad and my sister are heavy sleepers and can pretty much sleep anywhere. They could probably sleep through a tornado. Where’s the fairness in that? I would give my right hand (it’s fine, cause I’m a lefty..ha ha) to get consistent sleep or get it more than once in awhile.
Hopefully this article didn’t put you to sleep. 😉
I can’t say that I struggle to fall asleep to be honest. I sleep and snore sometimes like a baby the Mrs. says. Sometimes I have a glass of milk before bed and that helps me. I do need my coffee in the morning that’s for sure.
Ah, you are one of the lucky ones. I am extremely jealous. 🙂
T needs the TV on to fall asleep usually. Warm milk also helps
I hardly ever have trouble sleeping unless I’m excited/stressed about something. I need a lot of sleep and usually am out cold within a few minutes. That said, as a kid I was a total insomniac and would lie awake for hours – I guess I just didn’t need as much sleep back then.
My bf can also fall asleep with the TV on. It is a complete distraction for me.
Melatonin hasn’t worked for me in the past when sleep trouble was stress related – but valerian has. Have you tried that?
These days, all I need to fall asleep is a game of sudoku. Something about spending 3-4 minutes on that little number puzzle just shuts my mind off of thinking of all the stress and I’m able to close my eyes and go to sleep. Without it, I’ll lay awake forming lists of everything I need to accomplish the next day.
No, I have never even heard of valerian. I will have to look into that more. I love sudoku, but for me, I find working on puzzles and crosswords is something to do during the day on my coffee break at work. People at my work are REALLY into crosswords.
About 5 years ago I had a bout with severe insomnia for about six month where I literally did not sleep AT ALL. It made life hell. I took Ambien, but in the end it made me still feel drowsy during the day anyway, so I decided to never take one again. Then out of the blue my circumstances changed (my bf broke up with me and I moved to a new apt). Pretty much overnight it went away, although I am a lighter sleeper in my “older age.” I take the herbal supplement Valerian if I need to. The point is, maybe you have a lot more on your mind than you think you do. Sometimes worrying about falling asleep actually makes it tough to sleep. But everyone is different. I tried all the other remedies too, and I heard that having a TV in the room is bad, but to be honest watching the food network is a good sleep aid. Forget the “experts.” Good luck, I know how hard it is.
I LOVE the food network and their marathons. To be honest, right now I do feel like I have a lot more on my mind now that my sister is getting married in the summer. I’m the MOH so I have a lot of responsibilities. Thanks for the well wishes!
I’m guessing you don’t have any kids, because weekends are not for catching up on sleep. They’re for waking up around 7:30! That’s what my daughters think anyway..