I'm not having a very good day. It's been a very bad day, as a matter of fact. I didn't go to sleep until 6AM this morning, woke up at 1PM, putzed around for a while in my pajamas, pigged out on FiberOne and raisins (Jeez, I can't even pig out properly when I'm upset), took another nap from 3-4:30 and then woke up still feeling sad. I'm so upset that I can't even bring myself to watch television or to run the errands that I needed to run today.
So, it's pretty obvious that I didn't have anything to smile about and my mouth was set in the same straight line for most of the day.
But then my birthday present (the bday's on 3/14) to myself arrived: a brand-new black iPod with an inscription in the back that reads, The Nerd's iPod, Sabila Khan rocks and rolls.
I smiled.
All's not that fucked, after all.
3 comments:
Ouch!
Insomnia sucks. It sounds like your brain is working a double shift. Staying up late on the computer doesn't help either because it may stimulate your mind and prevent you from winding down.
I have trouble with my sleep too, but it's periodic. Because I have a general idea of what you're going through, I'm going to give you some suggestions.
Rationale
Too much time spent in bed frustrated and unable to sleep leads to a learned association of the bed with the inability to sleep. Too much time spent in bed also leads to more shallow and fragmented sleep and therefore sleep is less restorative.
Habits
- Keep a regular sleep schedule. Go to sleep and get up at about the same time each day. Wake-up time is particularly important - keep it the same, even on weekends!
- Sleep only as much as you need to feel refreshed during the day.
- Go to bed only when you are feeling sleepy. Do not try to fall asleep - this only makes things worse. If you are unable to sleep within 20 minutes, get up, leave the bedroom and do something else (i.e. listen to quiet music, drink herbal tea) but avoid stimulating activities (i.e. smoking, watching TV, working on the computer, etc) Return to bed when you are sleeply. Repeat if necessary.
- Avoid taking daytime naps as they can be very disruptive to your night time sleep.
Lifestyle
- Excercise regulary - ideally in the morning or afternoon, or at least 4-6 hours before bedtime.
- Don't eat/drink anything containting caffeine (i.e. chocolate, tea, coffee, cola) within 6 hours of bedtime.
- Don't smoke or drink alcohol within 3-4 hours before bedtime (this doesn't apply to you I think)
- Try to set aside problem solving or worry time early in the evening (i.e. make lists of problems and whether there is anything you can do to solve them). Avoid worrying in bed.
Bedroom
- Keep room comfortable, secure, quiet, dark, and cool. (too hot or to cold will disturb sleep)
- Limit the bedroom to sleep and only sleep (do not watch TV, eat, etc)
- Keep pets out the bedroom if they are disturibing your sleep.
Before bed rituals
- Have a light snack before going to bed if you feel hungry.
- Schedule relaxing activities before bedtime (note: watching TV may stimulate the brain)
- Have a hot bath for at least 30 minutes, 2 to 4 hours before bedtime.
I hope this helps. I can post more info you're interested.
Wow! Thanks for the advice. Hopefully, I won't have insomnia anytime soon again but if I do, this will be my primer to sleeping! You're awesome.
You're welcome, Sabila.
Sweet dreams!
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