WHERE IS MR. SANDMAN?
It’s 3:00 am. It’s always three am. I’m wide awake. No use lying in bed and becoming frustrated. I tiptoe to the door, careful not to wake the dog and the snoring husband. I open and close the door quietly. I can either climb the stairs to my office and write some poetry, work on my book, or watch Netflix. I decide between making hot cocoa with a touch of turmeric for my joints, or a glass of water. Sooner or later, the dog discovers I’m awake and whines behind the bedroom door. I can hear her from my desk upstairs. Funny how my husband can’t hear her from his side of the bed. I go back downstairs and let her out. I decide to watch Netflix with the volume low and the subtitles on. If I’m lucky, I’ll fall back asleep before 6am.
How rare is it to have insomnia like this? I remember hearing my dad in the kitchen many nights growing up. I could hear him taking out a pan, opening the refrigerator door, and making hot milk on the stove. Being a light sleeper, I would often join him in the kitchen and watch him eat a piece of toast soaking in a bowl of warm milk. That was how he handled his sleepless nights. I know my dad and what kept him awake at night: worry and joint pain. I can relate to that. To quote F. Scott Fitzgerald, “The worst thing in the world is to try to sleep and not to.” Dad and I are insomniacs, along with 10% of the population. I can’t tell you the last time I slept through the night. It is a rare and a special occurrence. For the unlucky ten percent of us, it can either be a small inconvenience for a few nights a week, or a nightly habit that is disruptive and makes nighttime unbearable. Apparently, adults should be getting 7-9 hours of sleep and 4-6 REM cycles per night.
There are two kinds of insomnia: acute (sleeplessness for a few days) and chronic (weeks to months) and there is primary, meaning it happens on its own, or secondary insomnia, which is the result of other health issues. I have chronic secondary insomnia.
Insomnia is more likely to occur if you have the following issues:
· Family history: genetic sleep conditions
· Bran activity: active brain or brain chemistry differences
· Medical conditions: chronic issues, pain
· Mental health conditions: anxiety or depression
· Life stress: family problems, violence, worry, fear, job, money, relationships, trauma
· Life changes: moving, divorce, work
· Routine and habits: naps, caffeine, alcohol, smoking, blue light from screens
· Light sleepers
· Age related insomnia: circadian rhythms, health issues, sleep become “fragile” as we age
· Hormonal issues: menstruation, pregnancy and menopause
The risks of insomnia are depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, apnea, type 2 diabetes, mental health issues, and mood swings. Here are frustrating cycles: sleeplessness can lead to weight gain, but being overweight can cause sleeplessness. Depression and anxiety can lead to sleeplessness and sleeplessness can lead to depression and anxiety. Cognitive function is affected by sleeplessness. The brain needs restorative rest otherwise memory, decision making, and problem solving is affected. Even creativity can be dampened by insomnia. Here’s a scary one, there is some research that shows that chronic insomnia can break down the connections between neurons in the brain and even lead to an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
Knowing this is not going to help you sleep tonight. As with everything, the advice to my fellow insomniacs is to keep active and eat right. Eat smaller meals earlier in the day. Keep off the devices as they use light that makes our brain think it’s not night and it can disrupt the release of chemicals that tell our brain and body to stay awake. Of course, you should see your doctor and see if medicines can help or if current medicines are causing sleep issues. Naturally, there are things you can and can’t control, such as health issues, pain, and worry. Try writing your concerns or worries in a journal before you sleep. Quiet your body and mind by developing a habit of gratitude and prayer. Be consistent with your schedule. Use a sleeping mask, wear plugs, and make the room extra dark. Experiment with white noise. Make sure your pillow and mattress are in good shape. Maybe look into herbal remedies. Give Melatonin a try. Drink warm milk, chamomile tea, or tart cherry juice.
Be glad you don’t live in 17th century Europe when some used the “pigeon cure” involving the halving of a pigeon and placing it on either side of your head for better sleep! Good luck my friend, from one insomniac to another. Legend says, “If you can’t sleep, it’s because you are awake in someone else’s dream, so if everyone would just stop dreaming about you, you’d be fine!” I hope Mr. Sandman brings you a dream tonight, and I’m not in it! Good night and sleep tight!
