Jul 27 2008
How Do You Deal With Little Sleep?
What do you do when you can’t fall asleep? (I know, I have blogged about sleep issues a few times, but you know how it goes…when you can’t have something you desperately want or need, that’s all you focus on.)
Last night was another brutal night. I couldn’t fall asleep.
I was grandma-sitting, so I went to bed pretty early, around 11:30. I did not fall asleep until after 4:00 am. I couldn’t shut my brain up. I told it and told it, but it wouldn’t listen. I tried reasoning. I tried cursing. I tried threatening. Nothing would shut my brain up.
I tried putting on a pretty calm movie to focus on and lull me to sleep, but the problem was the volume would increase with music so that would startle me. So, I turned that off and put SoapNet on thinking that would lull me to sleep. Well, I wasn’t paying any attention to it, so my brain would start chattering again.
Ugh.
I had to get up to take care of grandma today (parents went away for the weekend, so it was my job). I set my alarm for 8:00, but I snoozed until 9:00 when I had to force myself to get up to give her breakfast.
I had to focus my attention because when I am this tired, I often put the milk in the freezer and fry the paper towels instead of the bacon.
I am so grouchy when I get this little sleep. Poor grandma tried to be cheerful and I just scowled and grunted.
How does lack of sleep affect you?
For me, not only am I grouchy because I am tired, but I am in physical pain. I always can tell when I am tired by my body. My legs ache, my lower back feels like I was hit with a bat and my arms and hands tingle and pinch. I won’t mention the usual headache because I have those frequently regardless of the amount of sleep.
I always wonder how things affect other people. If I am the only one affected by something in the way that I am or if others have that too. So I ask, what does lack of sleep do to you?
Nards, I have fallen asleep with a tv on for years. Recently, I realized I shouldn’t, so I went over a week without it on and slept fine, but lately, I try it and I can’t fall asleep because my brains won’t stop…it seems that if I have a lot on my mind, I need the tv to distract me. Otherwise I can turn it off and sleep ok…
I know it’s a bad habit, I want to break it. I’d like to eventually not have a tv in my room….
Fly, I will try that. I know there are certain topics I can think about that usually work to make me sleep. I think I need to make a list and keep it by the bed…a list with all suggestions so I can try them all and also to remind me of what might work…when I’m laying there I don’t think of the things that have worked in the past, like tea or aromatherapy or, oh, wine… :)
Christina,
I rarely drink tea so I don’t think about, but I have had the sleeptime tea and it does make me sleepy…I have to go buy some.
ya know, I tried warm milk once and it made me a little nauseous. I don’t know if I didn’t have it warm enough or had it too warm, but ew, I couldn’t drink it…how warm are you supposed to have it?
Haha, so you were high! I hope you didn’t have any cats around! hehe!