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52 Pounds in 52 Days

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Restful sleep has been an ongoing issue for me, and one that has seemed to be worsening over the last few years. This can happen with age, and it appears I am suffering from something called “terminal insomnia,” where I don’t have trouble falling asleep, but have trouble staying asleep. 

This means I may turn off the lights at 10, awaken between 1 and 3 a.m., and have trouble going back to sleep, sometimes staying awake until it’s almost time to get up, then struggling to get up when the alarm goes off. This seems to be true whether or not I have a particular worry, and means that more often than not, I only have about four hours of uninterrupted sleep a night, and probably no more than 6 or 7 hours total. On the weekends, I am often awake before 5 or 6 a.m., with no alarm set. It’s probably not helping the problem, but sometimes on the weekend I give in to the temptation of an afternoon nap that can last a couple of hours. 

I don’t figure there’s any harm done, but admit it could be contributing to insomnia in the long run. I still often feel ready to go to bed by 9, regardless. Caffeine too late in the day could also be a contributing factor. On a recent Sunday, I made a point of not taking a nap, getting an afternoon walk in, and having an hour of time before bed where I wasn’t looking at screens, but still got horrible sleep. I woke sometime in the middle of the night and again at 4 a.m. If I got back to sleep before my 5:30 or so alarm time, I couldn’t tell it. 

Had I had a late afternoon coffee that I forgot? I honestly don’t remember. I went into my work week knowing I had a long day ahead, with an evening meeting to attend, but I still managed to cram in a 15 minute walk while the sun was still up and feed us some rotisserie chicken and a vegetable for dinner.   

Maybe some of the rest of you are in the same boat. If I am physically and mentally exhausted it doesn’t help me resist those other things that are contributing to my obesity, like snacking on sweets during my afternoon slump or avoiding exercise. 

Here are some tips I put forth in another article about mental health and good sleep habits as they relate to winter weather and reduced sunlight hours during the day, but they can be applied at any time. Maybe you can practice what I preach, as I am attempting to.       

Make an effort least two hours away from such screens before bedtime, but don’t spend too much time in bed trying to go to sleep when you aren’t ready to drift off. Read a book or some other material that isn’t on a phone or other blue light screen or do some other quiet activity like light housework. Try to avoid subject matter that can overstimulating or cause anxiety, like the news, and try to put away your worries until the next morning. This might mean keeping a journal focused on positive aspects of your life, like gratitude, or prayer, meditation, deep breathing exercises, or a warm bath or shower.

Don’t eat too close to bedtime and keep the bedroom quiet, dark, and a comfortable temperature.   

And exercise doesn’t hurt, as long as it is not too close to bedtime, which can cause the post-workout euphoria you feel to keep you awake. Try to get some sunlight in the late afternoon (as it is available) to help regulate wake/sleep cycles, but again, not too close to bedtime. That shouldn’t be too difficult this time of year when it is dark by 5:30, but that may mean stepping away from work for a few minutes to catch some fresh air. Moderate exercise at least two hours before sleep can also help regulate sleep cycles and burn off excess energy, but be aware that it can also cause a heightened wakeful period, and adjust accordingly so you aren’t still feeling too awake at bedtime. 



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