Now I lay me

[vaneramos]

I succeeded in going to bed by 10:30. I expected to have a hard time getting to sleep, especially since I had forgotten to take mirtazapine until I was getting ready for bed. Usually I take it an hour or two earlier to help make me sleepy. Of course I frequently ignore the sleepiness and stay up to do whatever I feel like doing; precisely the irresponsible behaviour I need to overrule, but forgetting my medication doesn’t help.

Still, I managed to get in bed on time after the usual, obsessive fussing: looking around uselessly for the book I wanted, finally finding it, going pee, relocating my laptop into the bedroom for reference, snuggling down before realizing I wanted the alpaca blanket from the living room to keep my shoulders warm, stalking naked through the cold apartment to retrieve it, snuggling down again only to find the alpaca too scratchy, and by that time it was still only 10:27, then remembering I had only committed to turning in by 11:00 this early in the game, but I didn't care.

I finished the winter chapter in Cultivating Sacred Space, then dug back into About This Life by Barry Lopez.

Amazingly, I started to feel drowsy before long. When I closed the book and rolled over to turn out the light, the clock radio said 10:57. I fell almost immediately asleep, but woke up at 2-something and had to pee again, which is unusual in the night. I had no trouble settling down again. The radio at 6:00 did not disturb me much. Since the shop will be deserted today except for me, I had allowed that I might sleep in, and I surely did until almost 7:30. It was the best sleep I have had in ages. At this rate I might make some headway against the darkness around my eyes, though I don't suppose every night will be this easy.

Comments

[changeling72.livejournal.com]

Glad you managed to get your new regime off to such a good start. I slept well too, although walking to work in the dark this morning was a shock to the system!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I can imagine. What time do you start? Yesterday I noticed the sun rising just as I got in the car to drive to work around 8:10. I don't expect it is rising much earlier yet, but the clear morning sky was unusual and refreshing. It felt like greeting an old friend.

[changeling72.livejournal.com]

I start at 07.30 on Tuesdays, though normally I start at nine. It was pitch dark when I walked to work just after seven. The sun was out at lunchtime, though it's trying to rain at the mo.

[corridor7f.livejournal.com]

I was giggling at you trying to settle into bed, only because I can identify with it a lot.

I have no set routine and usually rebel against being tired as well - if I am in the middle of something, I won't pay attention to when I should go to bed.

I've heard your "settling into sleep" prep should start an hour before you actually lay down in bed.. seems unreasonable for most people, though.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

It takes me at least an hour to wind down and get ready to sleep. The problem is I've been using computer games to wind down, but in fact they compel me to keep going after I get sleepy, so that has contributed to my perpetual sleep deprivation. Reading is better for my brain and makes me sleepy enough so I'm willing to roll over and turn out the light. Hence, I'm working on this new habit (or actually restoring one I had a couple years ago). But the whole silly routine of getting myself to do something I really want to do, but don't want to do, and getting distracted by all kinds of stuff I don't want or need to do—is pretty comical!

[apel.livejournal.com]

Me too! Today I was home at 7.30. I should start my going-to-bed routine in 5 minutes. Is that going to happen? Not very likely.

BJ Fogg, a Stanford researcher on using technology to change health-related habits, is planning some sort of program to help people get more sleep. I'm following him with great interest.