I’m going through one of those phases when I’m not sleeping soundly every night. Too much going on in the world and at home, too many demands on my mental and emotional energy. Usually I can hit the pillow and just drop off, maybe getting up once during the night for a trip to the bathroom, then back to sleep. Not so at the moment, and it’s just so annoying.
I listen to guided meditation and sleepcasts. I’ve recently tried listening to brown noise in my mediation app. According to the Cleveland Clinic, this is low frequency sound, like distant thunder, waterfalls, or heavy rain. The version I have sounds like a low rumbling and is surprisingly soothing. If I’m stressed and my blood pressure is up, this background noise seems to quell my heart rate. I’ve also tried a form of ocean breathing, which is calming.
But sometimes my brain just keeps on whirring. Counting backwards from 100 and starting over when I miss a number works occasionally to nudge me off my train of thought. So does naming all the state capitals (yes, I’m a nerd). Or free-associating with nouns starting with the same letter.
Sunday night, however, I just gave up. I went to bed early because I was really tired and also thrown off by the switch back to standard time. I woke up after only two hours of sleep. It wasn’t even midnight, yet. Aargh! I went through my whole routine and nothing worked. So I caved and took a Benadryl, despite no rash or other allergic reaction. It knocked me out, thank goodness, but it always leaves me groggy in the morning.
So my next quest is to try low-dose Melatonin. I’ve never done this before, but it feels like my aging brain sometimes cannot get my natural melatonin to flow. I’m going to start with a very low dose of 1 milligram and see what happens. I’ve read about using it to help with transatlantic jet lag, but never tried it for that, either. It seems safe enough. So, we shall see.
Sleep is so essential to maintaining good health, especially when the world is going crazy.
And the antidote to all that crazy is to participate in preserving our precious democracy. (How’s that for a segue?!) Today is Election Day here in the USA. there is so much at stake. Be sure to exercise your privilege. If you haven’t already, please get out and vote!
Evelyn Herwitz blogs weekly about living fully with chronic disease, the inside of baseballs, turtles and frogs, J.S. Bach, the meaning of life and whatever else she happens to be thinking about at livingwithscleroderma.com. Please view Privacy Policy here.
Image: Greta Bartolini
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