get some sleep

Three things that helped me the most:

1. Curbed caffeine, no alcohol
2. Supplemented on occasion with melatonin
3. Sleep diary to understand patterns (both when things were good and bad)

Just two more nights to record in the sleep diary. It’s been a fun project, mostly because I feel that the sleep has gotten better! I had one night at S’s house and one together at mine this weekend, and I was able to sleep both nights! (it’s so wonderful to WAKE up next to someone you love, rather than lie AWAKE all night next to them—if they’re sleeping that is!)

I noticed that this month I only sleep about 6-6.5 hours. I’ve been functioning okay on that. And 8 am is truly my body’s “happy time” to wake up.

Well, so I’m guessing more so than the actual recording of the sleep habits, it’s the other habits that have been helping. Changed my caffeine consumption radically from several cups of tea and coffee a day to ONE cup of tea, in the morning and that’s it. And I haven’t drank any alcohol in a month either.

My sleep diary is helping me be aware of the good sleep I’m getting, and when the bad sleep happens what the patterns are. Or rather, pattern IS. It seems that the days of no sleep are immediately followed by anxiety, restlessness, and then physical symptoms recurring. This is also helping me see how much my mental state and physical state are connected.

So far it also seems that when I am home, in my apartment, I do fine. But when I’m at S’s, I can’t sleep. My guess is that I am not relaxed there. This, of course, is a much larger issue!

It’s just never going to happen. I’m never going to be a morning person. I finally faced this fact last year, and asked my boss if I could work later hours (10 to 6) and he agreed (he’s not a morning person either!). It’s the best situation for me.

Everyone’s body has a natural rhythm, in which you have to go to bed when you’re tired and wake up when you’re rested. Simple as that. Mine is a later than most. Ideally, 1 am to 8 am.

And YET people assume that if you come in later than most, you are LAZY or something. One coworker every now and then (this morning in fact), does that tsk, tsk thing. Or will make a comment on how they were looking for me earlier this morning and I wasn’t there. Another one asked me, well, now that it’s winter and it gets darker earlier, are you going to switch your hours back?! What is THAT all about?!!

Feeling much better today. I did manage to sleep, but I was in my own apt in my own bed.

I told S that I need to ‘practice’ sleeping at his house. He thinks it’s important, too, and that one should be able to sleep no matter where they are (he’s right of course).

I’m glad at least that I am not having trouble sleeping at home. That used to be a problem. So one frontier down, one to go.

and I know it’s because I didn’t sleep all night. I see the effects so clearly after having had a few relatively good nights.

I have to get the hang of sleeping at the beau’s house. I have to go up there at least a night or two each week, and this is a not a restful way to live. It’s going to take me two days to recover!

Though I wasn’t ‘anxious’ my brain really never just shut off. I was awake well past 6:30, and then it was just a matter of time before having to get up. That in and of itself is a source of anxiety.

Now, in hindsight, I think I should have gotten up, got a book to read, or done something, but in the middle of the dark night, when all you want to do is sleep, it’s hard to think straight.

I was thinking of what I need to keep track of in my “sleep diary”. Stuff like this would be good:

How long (hours)
Time
Did I have any dreams
Trouble falling asleep
Trouble staying asleep

(Incidentally, last night was a GREAT night of sleep!)

Sleep (and I) have suffered a stormy relationship for too long! It’s time to harmonize.

During the day:
1. No caffeine after 3 pm
2. No alcohol for this month
3. Meditate or relax or whatever to soothe the mind. This must be done during the day so I get better at it at night!

Nighttime:
1. Try to maintain a consistent bedtime. Even if S is over or I’m there. Say 12 – 12:30. This is possibly the biggest challenge of them all.
2. Pajamas, brushing, flossing, etc. Whatever I do, do it consistently.
3. Melatonin (?)

And maintain a sleep diary for this period.

and according to when my last entry was, maybe it has been?

four nights in a row of good sleep!

Non-chemically induced sleep last night.

Hope to repeat it again tonight (which will be a challenge because again I’m going up to S’s). It didn’t go so well last weekend, but here’s another chance to try.