Sleep Over
I used to sleep.
It sounds like such a stupidly small and obvious statement to make, but as I type it there’s a strong mix of feelings: anger, sadness, frustration, resentment, regret - the lot. Why? Well, I’ll tell you.
I used to sleep…but I don’t now.
Well, that’s not strictly true - I do sleep - but not enough. Here’s a brief but generally accurate timeline of my sleep history, all wrapped up in a ball.
Sleep environment: bedroom. I’ve slept in the same room for over a decade. It’s a reasonably large bedroom with wide windows and decent air-flow. I share the bed with my wife, a light-sleeper who is usually disturbed by me if and when I awake during the night (no matter how quiet I am).
2014
I start to wake around 7am and begin to run to the next town for coffee.
2016-2018
My wake up time changes to around 6am.
Pandemic
During the pandemic, I get Covid. It’s not particularly bad (I even run with it) but I do lose my voice and feel a bit crap. It lasts a few weeks. At this point, I start to wake up at 5am…
…and then 4am…
…and then 3am.
It’s at this last juncture that I begin to feel really cut off from the world and from the rest of the family. I feel like I have constant jet lag and that I live in a slightly different dimension from everyone around me. I’m tired during the mornings and practically wiped out by 3pm. My nights are unpredictable.
2021-present day.
My sleep pattern returns to normal, for a given value of normal. I now sleep from around 11am until 5am. If I go to bed earlier, I wake up earlier. I wake at least ONCE during the night. The room is usually dry (bone dry) but I’ve tried switching off the air-con AND using a humidifier. It makes no difference.
THE PROBLEM
Waking up between 5am and 6am and literally NEVER getting more than six hours’ sleep.
THE SOLUTIONS (I’ve tried)
Health checks (I was on the alpha blocker Tamulosin for a time as we thought I was waking with a need to visit the toilet - it soon transpired that I was waking without that need and just lying there.
Aircon (we’ve tried leaving it off and opening the windows instead)
Humidifier (we’ve tried one)
Vicks vapour rub (we’ve tried putting it on the soles of my feet, behind my ears and on my chest, back, beneath my nose.
Later bedtime (I still get the same amount of sleep)
Earlier bedtime (ditto)
Dropping alcohol (I usually drink a glass of wine each day, often less)
Reducing coffee (I do have a medium cappuccino at Costa - but that’s at 6am!)
Showering before bed (no difference)
Listening to podcasts (I have no trouble falling asleep, so that’s a non-starter)
Sleeping naked (no difference)
Sleeping fully-clothed or in pyjamas (no difference)
More exercise (no difference)
Less exercise (same)
Magnesium, Valerian root, Melatonin (just made me tired the following day)
So - dear readers - any suggestions? If you have some, please email me at mrdaveystone@icloud.com - I’m open to trying most things that are either low-cost or, better still, FREE! Thanks in advance - hope you’re enjoying the blog.
