I've been working with my doctor to find a medication that will allow me to sleep at night without giving me narcolepsy the next day. So far, no luck.
The last drug I took had the opposite effect. Instead of lulling me into a gentle sleep it gave me uncontrollable jitters. I woke myself up from a nap kicking one leg, while the other leg shook like a meth addict desperate for a fix. It was all kinds of weird, like an insect you squish but it keeps twitching for another minute.
Restful, that is not.
Over the past years I've fallen into a really bad pattern of getting up at 6:30 (ish), to work by 9:00, home to nap from 4:00 – 6:00, then bed at around midnight. Of course I'm not tired at midnight, either, thanks to that hefty two-hour nap. But without it I'm completely miserable, trashed for the entire evening.
I know if I'd just endure one sleepy evening I could re-set my internal sleep clock, but everyone else in the house keeps late hours, too. How could I sleep when everyone else is awake?
I know, I know, I should put my foot down and make the rest of the house get to bed earlier. In theory, sure. In practice? Not so much.
Going without sleep takes a terrible toll. Not just on overall health, but appearance, as well. This was me this morning, on first looking in the mirror:
A little tired, a little ragged around the edges. And, to top it off, Mt. Zitmore erupting on my jaw.
I'm thinking, "It's bad, but we can work with this."
Once I took a shower, got dressed and put on some makeup it made all the difference in the world. Who'd know I hadn't slept the night before!
Then, some coffee!
Only 12 cups!
I drove to work, feeling re-charged. I was a NEW WOMAN! Who needs sleep? It's so overrated!
I MAY NEVER SLEEP AGAIN!!
THIS IS CRAZY-INSANE! I'VE NEVER BEEN MORE PRODUCTIVE!
just… five…minutes…
or……..50……
zzzzzzz……………………..
please shut up and go away……
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…..
pleeeeeaasssssee…………..
Bluestalking 
Your cartoon drawings are priceless! A new calling? ….
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George,
I did a couple a few years ago, then fell off the bandwagon. Now I’m experiencing a resurgence. Must be the coffee!
Before you know it art galleries will be clamoring for my originals. And you can say, “I knew her before she became a sought-after artist.” Kind of makes one teary-eyed.
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Please let me know when you find the magic sleeping bullet (as I type right now at 12:37 a.m.). All I can say is “Insomniacs Unite!”
Love the illustrations.
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Dina – the only thing I find that works (without use of drugs) is eventually exhausting yourself so thoroughly you can’t help falling asleep. Also, using it as a positive and getting some reading done. Which explains why I’ve already read so many books this year. Most of them have been read between 3:00 and 5:00 a.m. As long as I’m up I may as well do something constructive.
But my doctor recommended instituting a sleep ritual, doing the same thing every night. First you do things like wash up, change into p.j.s, then lower the heat a bit. Progressively turn off the lights, and allow yourself to read a chapter in a book if you wish (or do a Sodoku or whatever you’re interested in), then turn out the lights. If you can’t sleep after 20 minutes or so, get up and leave the bedroom. Watch boring TV or read something that’s slow-going (appliance manuals would be great!), then try sleeping again. Repeat as necessary.
I guess it’s the routine that resets our body clock, eventually. Mine’s still out of whack, though I slept a little better last night, still waking up randomly though.
And I hear with middle age upon me this is par for the proverbial course. Great!
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