On my mind….

All things, ,

What’s on my mind this week is that recently I’ve been having a little trouble getting the sleep cycle to stay ‘asleep’. It tends to think 2hr blocks are the norm rather than sleeping through the night all in one go. Not content with that it then goes about teasing me with time awake wondering why I can’t go back to sleep again!

When we were children, Bobby my next sister was one who dropped off as soon as ’lights out’ and was always running late in the mornings, wanting to stay abed rather than get ready for school. I sent her an email the other day…..mid morning our time/ night time hers …..not expecting a reply until late afternoon, and was surprised when one arrived not too long after.

Here’s part of her reply plus part of my follow up

  • B – So it’s 1:30 am I have odd sleeping habits these days – 9pm can’t keep my eyes open. 
    10:30 turn in – midnight wide awake and mentally solving word problems  – 2am thinking have a quick look at phone check emails look at weather and newspapers hope to go to sleep soon I got to be up and at it at 7am.   Then 7am dead to the world  – 8 am oh no is that the time already I’m late again 😂😂😂 – 9 am sod it. Can wait I’ll do it when I’m ready .
  • Me – I’ve been there done that with sleeping patterns- isn’t it a lovely surprise on the odd occasion to wake and realise you’ve slept through the night.  
    Often sleep in 2hr blocks so tried telling myself ’try for 4x2hrs’ before I settled down…..didn’t work. 
    Turned the clock/radio the other way – took it out of the bedroom- didn’t make much difference- I’d see the time on my way to the loo and realise how long I’d slept/ not slept.  
    Won’t get back the time I’ve lay there thinking do I need to pee again or can I will myself to go back to sleep….get up go drop off almost instantly…not going to happen
    Yes I hear your pain xxx

For the time being Mr Insomnia – the evil one who stops you dropping off to sleep in the beginning – has left the building but his little friend – the one who who wont let you go back to sleep – the one I have discovered goes by the name of Middle of the Night Insomnia – has been having fun in the bedroom recently. I certainly didn’t invite him and there’s no apparent reason why he’s come visiting

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle-of-the-night_insomnia

https://www.medicinenet.com/why_do_i_wake_up_every_two_hours_at_night/article.htm

~ ~ ~ ~
So if you are familiar with those times when your mind wants to carry on at full pelt instead of closing down –  look carefully at the fun going on below – it is possible the answer to my and maybe your problem lies there 😊

I have absolutely no idea whereabouts on the internet I found this – Entitled ‘A Womens Brain’ or ‘Why Women find it hard to go to Sleep’ –  (which is a bit sexist) but I can totally relate to all the stuff going on. 
It’s a hoot – Keep your eye on those little blue balls and follow them down the line

Linking to Denyse’s ~ Life’s Stories. Pop over and see what she’s up to this week

Corinne is back with Monday Musings – this week wondering why we do specific things

35 thoughts on “On my mind….”

  1. I hear you. I have been stuck in that two hour malarky for years now. A three hour sleep is luxury.
    The woman’s brain thing made this woman’s brain v tired…

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  2. I have mainly 4 hour periods…but also I’m exhausted and often asleep by 10pm. My meds alarm is set for 7.30am/pm….mostly because sometimes I go back to sleep when B has slammed down his garage door at around 6am. I’ve no idea why he slams it down because it doesn’t lock! And although he doesn’t work weekends my internal clock now doesn’t get it!!!

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    1. Four wouldn’t be too bad – with a little break in the middle then another four means you’d get a good amount. Trouble is does the body agree that ‘a little break’ means maybe 30 mins not 2 hrs

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  3. Some nights I awake around midnight (I’m in bed by 9 and sound asleep shortly after putting my head to pillow) and get up to sit in the living room with a cat or two and just let my mind run on its merry way. Back in bed by 2 and usually out like a light. Mot nights, I sleep “hard” and wake up between 6 and 6:30. No caffeine after noon and an early dinner.

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    1. Seemingly many years ago it was the norm for people to have a break in their night’s sleep. They’d get up and do things then go back to bed “first sleep – second sleep”. I’d get up except for the fact our bedroom is close to the lounge, closing the bedroom door would disturb The Golfer, then he’d would want to know what I was doing and would lie there waiting for me to come back to bed (then ‘complain’ the next morning about being tired. Been there- done that 😊

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  4. Hari OM
    Having had several nights in the last week (and this occurs regularly) where insomnia won, I have total understanding and sympathy. Been out today, and was wanting to come to bed to sleep… but the minute I lie down the eyes pop open. Not particularly busy mind, just one that won’t sleep! Hey ho… YAM xx

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  5. I have been up every 2 hours since the last covid jab. Hate it. Normally I sleep four to six hours at a stretch and occasionally the full eight. I don’t feel like I’ll be sleeping much tonight, either.

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    1. Hopefully your sleep system rights itself Joanne. It’s more difficult for people who usually are able to get through most of the night without waking

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  6. I can very much relate to this! I go through various cycles but at the moment I seem to fall asleep watching TV. I wake up and drag myself up to go and change into my pjs, wash my face, brush my teeth etc. Go to bed (this is usually around 10 to 10:30pm). Turn TV off. The silence – it means I can’t sleep. If it weren’t for hubby I’d leave the TV on and then I would sleep! No matter what though – I wake early – usually around 4-5am’ish – always needing to go to the loo. Go to the loo and back to bed but never ever can I get back to sleep. Lately though – since it’s gotten a bit cooler – I’ve noticed I’m managing to sleep more 5-6am’ish so that’s a win!

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    1. Strangely Min my waking began when the nights started to get cooler. I thought maybe cold feet were the problem – even though it was comforting an extra blanket plus hot water bottle didn’t make much difference. Need silence, next door’s heat/cool air unit is on their nearest wall and if they’re using it that annoys me summer (windows open) winter (windows closed) I can still hear it click on & off.

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  7. That diagram was a real hoot, quite mesmerising in fact Cathy! Maybe when you wake up watch it so that it almost hypnotises you to sleep. I feel for those who have insomnia of any sort and thankfully I rarely have trouble either going to sleep or staying asleep, Every now and again I might wake and can’t go back to sleep as my brain starts whirring but, I often have great ideas in the middle of the night too.

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    1. Isn’t a great gif Debbie….as you say, mesmerising watching the blue balls moving around popping up here there and everywhere. They all seem to be connected to each other. I will admit to having the occasional sneaky look – but not during the night though 😊

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  9. I simply decided not to worry about it and that seems to have fixed the problem…. go to sleep …wake up,,, say to self ‘oh I’m awake’…roll over, rearrange feet a couple of times, go back to sleep… rinse repeat… etc. Stressing about not sleeping is possibly as modern as loads of other stresses in our lives.

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    1. It is all so easy for ‘some people’ especially the likes of you Tigger. You’re right about not sleeping 8hrs being something modern – I mentioned in another comment it’s not that long ago 2 sleeps was the norm. Bed down just after dark – wake a few hours later, do a few things – bed down again then get up with the sun. Simpler times…..possibly an afternoon siesta might help If I was sure I’d sleep at night.

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  10. With everyone on this one. Started about fifteen years ago with work related issues. Guilty of getting up in the night and working just to stop myself of worrying about how I was going to fit everything in. Even though I am retired now the waking still happens. Can’t explain it, but I do allow myself when possible to sleep as long as I need. Alarm usually set to 10am to stop it getting too ridiculous. A straight through sleep of more than six hours is a cause for celebration.

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  12. I play thismindless game on my phone and that seems to shut down the thoughts and send me back to sleep…it’s a weird one, the interupted sleep.

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    1. Lucky you Lydia, If I got my phone out I’d never get back to sleep- the ‘light’ would definitely wake me. My brain would be racing more than before

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  13. Loved the diagram and I can so relate. I am trying not to take to reading or watching anything when I wake up in the middle of the night, but it’s hard sometimes to lie awake and ‘do nothing’. I find reading non-fiction at night is more likely to get me to sleep than reading a story which I ‘have to’ finish!

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    1. I’m with you Corinne on the not making the brain work during the night – books phone computer are definitely a no no – I’m trying to still it not excite it 😊

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  14. I had a looong period of middle of the night insomnia through my mid 40s. I think it was caused by anaemia.
    Generally speaking I am asleep by the time my head hits the pillow but irritatingly awake to go to the toilet sometimes just an hour later

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  16. I miss the dead to the world sleep of my younger self. I do sometime manage to hit it for about 25 minutes after lunch. I wake up drooling, proof that I really conked out. Otherwise it is off and on all night.

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    1. Elizabeth, I’ve heard Nana naps can solve many problems – obviously from what you’re saying, getting a solid 8hrs isn’t one of them. They don’t do that for me either

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  17. Oh yes, understand this well. However, I do seem to be able to get 7 hours most nights. I have a small anti-d which helps me sleep and a routine of a meditation from calm. If I am still awake after that, I use another Sleep story. We have slept in separate rooms for years due to health issues and that works for us. I also can get into over thinking but now do not let it take over and I think my meditation has helped there. I am so glad I do not have to get up for work any more!!

    Thank you for joining in this Monday’s #LifesStories on Denyse Whelan Blogs. The community of bloggers here connects us wherever we are in the world. Looking forward to seeing you in two week’s time on Monday 6 June. Winter in Southern Hemisphere & getting close to Summer in the Northern part of the world. Denyse.

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    1. It’s obvious you’ve got all your bases covered in the search for a good nights sleep Denise. Funnily I had no problems with sleeping when I was employed- maybe being on the go is the answer to the problem.

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