Confessions Of An Insomniac...No Cure, But A Plan
I confess I am an insomniac. I am used to having trouble falling asleep, and staying asleep. This is my norm. But this past week has been extreme even for me. I am surviving on 2-3 hours a night of interrupted sleep, and really starting to feel unfocused, unmotivated, and unable to gather my thoughts. Surprisingly I am not irritable. Maybe because I am actually too tired to be annoyed, or mad at anyone right now.
Iphone 8
Tonight I am determined to get at least 6 hours of sleep. As an insomniac I know all about sleep hygiene. My doctor has lectured, I mean informed, me that I shouldn't have my iPhone, my iPad, or my laptop near my bed, which of course they all are. But in my defense, the phone is on night mode at 9pm, and I am off the iPad early, and I put my Macbook away no later than 9pm every night as well. I have done the research, and there are literally hundreds of suggestions on the Internet on how to fall asleep, and how to get back to sleep when you wake up. Honestly some of the suggestions are downright bizarre, and I will not be attempting those. One suggestion I will be utilizing is the bedtime alarm clock on my iPhone. You tell it when you want to go to bed, and when you to get up, and it will give you notice that it is time to go to bed. It also wakes you up of course.
I guess the most important factor in poor sleep is identifying the root cause. Like I said, I have always struggled with sleep, but this week is extreme. Am I suffering from some sort of anxiety? I don't think so. Am I stressed? Well no more stress than usual, but with my fuzzy thoughts right now, it's hard to do any real analysis. Once I get some rest I can possibly figure out what caused the disruption.
Okay, so here's the plan. I am starting off with a warm bath with lavender oil, candles lit, and old school Sia playing. If I can't get relaxed from that I am doomed. After the bath all electronic devices go off, and dimmer goes off on the nightstand clock. I will take some melatonin, which is a natural hormone that the body produces that helps control your internal clock. I am going to place a small towel under my pillow with a few drops of lavender oil and 1 drop of eucalyptus oil on it. Next, I am going to lower the temperature in my home by a few degrees. Lastly, I am going to crawl into bed, and focus on clearing my thoughts. Sounds like a good plan, right? Wish me luck...
Are you an insomniac? What do you when insomnia strikes?
