But whatever noise I make, I don't make it as easily as many people. As a seasoned insomniac, I see the ability to sleep easily as a luxury which is out of reach for me. I envy those who can drop off anywhere; the power nappers, the dozers, people who can sleep in buses or trains (I have never understood how the latter don't regularly get carried past their desinations). They (you?) are the lucky ones.
And yes. I know all about the warm bath and the milky drink and the winding down blah blah blah. I can do all of those. It's just the sleep bit I haven't cracked. I've tried acupuncture, hypnosis, Reiki, reflexology (the therapist twiddled a toe and said there was something wrong with my liver. Clever, eh?).
The thing that really puzzles me is how no-one has yet cracked the switching off mechanism; that moment when the brain loses its grip and begins to wander off and do its own thing. I shall be very excited if anyone ever uncovers that particular secret.
In the meantime, thank heavens for books and reading. At least in the small hours, when everyone else is asleep, there's something rewarding to do.
I get through a lot of books.
Congratulations and well done for getting to Z. Brilliant posts. As for sleep, well that's a puzzle. I have the occasional night when I either can't get to sleep or wake up and can't get back to sleep. I think the body catches up. Of course more intelligent people need less sleep, so make the most of those extra hours.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Maggie. I must be awfully intelligent!
DeleteAnd...you did it. You're at Z. You know what? After so many posts, I need some zzzz.
ReplyDeleteTeresa
Me too, Teresa. Me too! Thanks for the visit (and for joining - I'll pop over to your place later on).
DeleteI sleep a lot better since I got my CPAP machine, but it doesn't cure insomnia. I used to travel a lot on committee work with a friend who could power-nap. "I'm going to go to sleep for 20 minutes," she'd say, and she'd do it. Then she'd wake up and say, "There, that was just what I needed, now I feel better." I was amazed, and SO envious.
ReplyDeleteK
Kay, I'll have to look up your CPAP machine (of ocourse, I mis-read it at first...).
DeleteI really feel for you Francis. I can think of few things worse than insomnia. I need less sleep than most but sleep exceptionally heavily when my head hits the pillow. I suppose if I had insomnia I'd have to play the Glad Game: presumably I wouldn't have terrible nightmares.
ReplyDeleteI'm really going to miss your A to Z April Challenge. Unless, of course, something just as good replaces it. I've got a feeling we won't be disappointed.
Thank you kindly, GB. In a funny way, I'll miss it, too, although it was hard to keep up, especially if I was busy or with family at week-ends. I'll try not to be disappointing!
DeleteAs a fellow insomniac, I sympathise with you, Frances. I just can't allow my brain to switch off. Perhaps I'm afraid of missing something. I agree it does wonders for our reading capacity. But I can feel ridiculously tired as early as nine in the morning. That's when my eyes finally want to close.
ReplyDeleteWhen I had to go into hospital for a routine procedure once, I was asked to get into the bed at ten in the morning, but that they might not get round to my turn until lunchtime. Within seconds I was fast asleep. They barely needed to administer the anaesthetic.
Commiserations, Joanna. The sleepers don't realise how lucky they are, do they!
DeleteSympathies on teh insomnia - I only suffer from it occasionally and that's bad enough. And, yes, it's when my brain is too busy to sleep. Whereas husband - he can sleep anywhere at anytime! Well done on reaching z.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rosemary. And now the much-neglected WIP beckons...
ReplyDeleteI can so relate...and everyone tells me You just need more exercise...try harder...start earlier...and my favorite you just need to get up earlier. Really? I need to get up earlier? what do I do if I don't go "down" at all? sheesh!
ReplyDeleteYes, books and writing have been a god send!
Wander
You are right, Wander, and those who give all this advice have never known an unbroken night's sleep!
Delete