Alexey Venetsianov ~ Sleeping Girl
I have always been an expert sleeper. I’m one of those people who wake up in the same position they went to sleep without any recollection of the hours in between. I’ve been known to sleep through earthquakes, storms and noisy parties. I have taken for granted my ability to sleep.
Until recently that is.
For the last three months I’ve woken up every hour and a half drenched in sweat. Hot and irritated, I find it difficult to go back to sleep. During the day I drink caffeine to keep me awake and at night I take ‘may cause drowsiness’ painkillers to knock me out. My life is a dance between stimulants and relaxants. I am aware of how unhealthy this is.
Being in sleep deficit makes me mentally unbalanced. I’m more emotional, make more mistakes and have no patience. My ex-husband was an insomniac — now I wonder if it is what eventually drove him mad.
This past week the hot flushes seemed to have eased and I’m sleeping through the night. I am grateful for feeling almost normal again. I’m still tired when I wake up, as if I haven’t yet caught up on my sleep, but the madness seems to be receding.
Do you suffer from insomnia or do you sleep like a baby? Do you have a cure for insomnia? Tell me about sleeping …
PS: The title of this post is a quote from the ‘To be or not to be’ speech in Hamlet. Hamlet is actually talking about killing himself — the sleep he speaks of is the sleep of death. Too creepy …
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{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Katie,
I was having the same problems and was also beside myself. I make sue my room is really cool before I go to bed, may not be possible if really hot and no air con. I take Dr Sandra Cabot Health Magnesium Complete. I don’t have a great night sleep every night but the best sleeps have are after going to the gym before work in the morning. Since removing my implanon my night sweats seem to have decreased. Maybe just a coincidence. I get where you are coming from, it was me a while ago!!!! E xx
Magnesium is something I haven’t thought of. I might try it. Exercise definitely helps but it’s tough when I’m exhausted to start with! Thanks for the support Miss E (and please hurry up and have your wet season so we’re not all so hot down here
)
P.S. I love that painting
It’s started!!!!! Raining off and on for last 3 days. More than 50% chance of a cyclone on Tues. It’s been disgusting here as well. I understand about the tiredness. I intentionally made my PT sessions before work so I had no choice, and took Berocca Performance and a strong coffee beforehand. Bloody killed me, but I did finally get myself into a routine. I also believe, and it not for everyone, but my change to Paleo/Primal way of eating has also helped. But that’s just me.
Yay for the weather. Boo for the paleo — for some reason the smell of meat makes me nauseous at the moment… All I want to eat is toast.
Wild Yam and Evening Primrose helped me with hot flashes. These supplements help to balance hormones so maybe this would help your sleep pattern get back to normal (?)
Sorry to hear about your sleep pattern being messed up. I relate at the moment myself, though for reasons of stress (a whole different set of hormones) but I am missing the same type of sleep you describe…expert. I can’t wait to get back to it.
Good luck. The two supps above really helped me. I’d say if you try only one go with the Wild Yam.
Hugs,
Laura
Oh and if that (they) don’t work try Red Clover. All of these come in capsule form.
Sorry to inundate your comment section but I just thought about this.
I should add a disclaimer to the suggestions I wrote above that I am not a medical practitioner or an herbalist.
A doctor actually advised me of those supplements.
Cheers.
No worries Laura — just think of the comments as chatting at a dinner party so no disclaimer required
I have this notion that I shouldn’t try to alter my hormone balance because they’re doing what they need to … but if things get worse again, I may try your suggestions.
Hm. Chatting at a dinner party…yes. I like it.
I laughed at your mention of sleeping through earthquakes.
We’ve had maybe a total of two of those in my area in my lifetime so far and one of them was when I was a kid, which happened in the middle of the night.
I remember my parents talking about it the next day and I had no idea what the heck they were talking about. I never knew or felt a thing.
I know when you’re a kid most people sleep like rocks, but I carried it through adulthood. Something I’ve (like you said) have taken for granted. But no more.
Glad your hot flashes (flushes) have eased up. Hope they stay that way for you.
I am one, and have been blogging about my attempts to get rid of insomnia. In your case, it’s probably a temporary thing. I’m jealous of your years of great sleep…. if only….
I can’t imagine dealing with it all the time. Poor you
Just drink more
Well, it aint your vitamin D levels, that’s for sure
.
More booze and more sun (you forgot more sex) Thanks sweetheart
I go back and forth from sleeping like the dead to no sleep for days. My mind gets spinning and I get insomnia, been fighting it since high school. Does not help that I am a night owl but forced to work early mornings in my current job, not a nice mix. I tell myself stories to sidetrack the spinning cyclone of thoughts or mentally write out conversations I want to have, after a few scenes I am dead to the world.
I agree with the cool/cold bedroom, always helps, that an no lights or electronic devices glowing in the bedroom.
Ah, strategies to quieten the mind — I think we all need those at some point. Thanks for the great suggestions, Amelia x
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