Falling Asleep

TIME PASSES SLOWLY when you’re lying awake at night.  You open one eye, look toward the clock.  2:06  You alter your position slightly, pat down at the bag.  Should I get up and go?  Will that make me more comfortable and likely to fall back to sleep, or more awake?  You scootch up, adjust the pillow just a trifle.  I’ve got to stop thinking about stuff.  Shutting down your mind is what you need to do.  Is that even possible?  2:10  Your spouse moves, snorts, lets out a breath.  That thing about counting sheep must be just a joke.  My big toe is throbbing again.  You hear a loud car passing outside.  Oh please, I just need to sleep another couple of hours.  You change position again a bit, move your head from left to right.  2:12  Suddenly you become aware that you had a dream.  I was asleep!  Open the one eye to check.  2:21    

I have no issues falling asleep, even on a train it’s quite easy. 🤫😬

Hi Henry, what you described is what I go through most nights, and for the last 2 weeks, our bathroom is being remodeled, so it's too much of a hassle navigating the work area half asleep.

Ya well, give it a few more years, youngun'...

I hate you....just kidding, pure jealousy.  I used to be like that.  Then something happened.  It's called getting old.

Terry

Getting Support in the Ostomy Community with LeeAnne Hayden | Hollister

Been there, done that.  

I find that as soon as I get in bed, it's like someone has zapped me full of energy. No matter how many sheep 🐑 I count, how many times I change positions, it's too hot 🥵 so blanket off, too cold 🥶 so blanket on. Then, just when I have found a comfortable position, I get a damn itch on my leg 🦵 so I start all over again. Zzzz yawn 🥱. Xx

About 7.5 years ago, I wrecked my Harley and suffered a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). A brain injury can wreak havoc on your sleep.

To overcome my inability to get consistently restful sleep, I started doing a lot of research and here are some of the things I've learned:

Consistent patterns help. Going to bed and walking up at the same time every night establishes a strong circadian rhythm for our mind and our body. 

Blue light can suppress melatonin production. I avoid the TV for the last 30 minutes before bed. I have set my phone to automatically switch to gray scale an hour before my standard bedtime.

A dark room is the best for sleeping. I use black out curtains at home and a sleeping mask when I travel. If I need to know what time it is, I can find out without having a bright digital clock next to my bed all night. There is no TV in my room, and my phone is in sleep mode and set to do not disturb. If someone really needs me to wake up for an emergency phone call they have to call twice in a 5 minute period, and I've told this to my family members.

Finally, I use a pink noise machine because scientific studies show that they help us to sleep better - we get more REM sleep and deep sleep both with pink noise in our sleeping space. There are two reasons for this, first, they mask outside noises. And second, pink noise isn't radio static like white noise, it's lower frequencies that are found in sounds like rivers, waterfalls, and the ocean - or the sound of wind blowing gently through the trees.

I actually have a blog about my recovery path from brain injury and my time as a full time care giver for my mother, who had dementia. Here's my post on sleeping better:

http://www.mytbiblog.com/sleep-after-tbi/

Oh yes, those damned itches!

I like listening to Native American flute, Tibetan flute, or samurai music if I want to relax. However, usually I can be snoring before I fall asleep. I know, it's a special talent of mine. 😬

Not only are you fearless, you are one lucky man to recover from a bike accident. Rarely do most walk away from that type of accident.

You came back. Blessings, man.

Been riding since I was a teen. Much safer back in the day.

Today, it's not.

Thanks for a very informative response.  I agree with Warrior; I felt safer on my bike back in the Sixties and early Seventies when I was riding every day.