Wide awake.

I go to bed too early. Need to stop that...

Last edited Mon May 25, 2020, 06:12 AM - Edit history (1)

Usually a nite-owl, sometimes get caught with tv and/or news, and see sky turning light.

DARN, sun has officially risen, but not visible, 'cloudy!' 'Nite.

I might as well get up and make coffee. I can't get back to sleep.

I don't have any problem going to sleep and can go to sleep just about anywhere. Staying asleep is tricky.

6 hours of sleep is about all I need normally so I stay up till 11-12. If I go to bed early because I'm exhausted, I could very well be up by 4 or 5, ready to go. I've been up since 4:30 this morning. Cleaned the kitchen, did some paperwork, made out my daily to-do list, updated the checking account registers, cleaned out my e-mail in box, got pork out of the freezer to thaw, put food and fresh water out for the dog, watered the plants downstairs, and emptied the dishwasher.

lives on my back porch. I've got yard work planned for the rest of the day, if rain permits.

It can't have a lot of music, just a single voice speaking. If the volume is low enough, the effort of trying to hear calms any hamster brain I might have and puts me back to sleep.

I have classical music on at low volume and when the talking starts, I wake up. Light sleeper anyway and can only sleep about 90 minutes at a time after about five or six hours I have to be up. I do take naps during the day.

There are many simple ones that anyone can do.

So maybe one of those white noise apps might help. For me, BBC radio overnight is exceedingly soothing because I used to listen to it when working overseas for years and was sometimes the only consistent source of English language I heard.

But, what helps me sleep most is having my sweet pup beside me or at least close by.

Still, if I wake up and can't immediately drift off, I've found it usually means I need to work on destressing, or limiting late-day caffeine, or timing carbs so that I don't go to bed hungry. If stress is the issue, upping the long walks helps me along with music.


Good luck.

and just pet his head. That helps some.

If one would look at my posting history, they'd see a number of posts of mine made around 3-5 am EST.

It's a natural sleep aid that our bodies produce. As we age, we make less which is why we sleep less as we age.

Also, a little weed never hurts!

If I do my prescribed back exercises in the morning, which involve gentle stretching, I have much less back pain but I am too lazy to do all of them. I want to get up and charge my caffeine habit...

And, when I do wake up, I say mantras in my head to get back to sleep. I have been doing that for years and it really helps.

My main mantra is "Every day, in every way, I'm getting better and better".

That's what I sleep most nights choppy 5 hours. A bad night is 2 or 3 hours which does happen.

a piece of toast with jam, a cookie, or something else that's sweet and drink a big glass of milk. It will take 20-30 mins for the effects to kick in.

Start watching a peaceful movie.

Also cannabis, with or without the THC is relaxing and can assist in sleeping. Most noncaffeine teas will help. If tea isn't your thing, a lavender sachet near your pillow will do the same. My mentor would bring me a bundle of lavender when I was sad or depressed to help calm me.