Sleep, circadian rhythms….

Posted on June 26, 2019June 26, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Age, Aging, Asleep, Bed, Early night, Insomnia, Late night, Life, Rest, Sleep, TiredLeave a comment

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Dear Agony Aunt,

My sleep patterns have stayed the same for twenty years. Staying up late was to do with being awake when my husband got in from work around 1am. I would then have to get up for work in the morning so was always tired. He could sleep in later as he was on a permanent “noon” shift. Now however he goes to bed a lot earlier than me. If I go to bed early I have to read to relax and then I can nod off. He, on the other hand, must be in a different time zone to me. He goes to bed if I have to go out in the evening. The last two nights when I got in he was in bed by 9.30pm.

Great you say. But then he woke up at 2am as I was coming to bed and we ended up chatting till 4am. It was getting light.

So Dear Agony Aunt, what do I do? Eschew grown up bedtimes and go to bed early. This would have the effect of trying to get us back in sync, but I would have to miss late night TV and news. Or should I just go to bed when I want, which would at least prevent me lying in bed trying to get to sleep for hours. I’m hoping this is a phase. My hubby is getting older but he lives on nervous energy, he’s always moving and talking in the day, and it’s like his batteries have drained in the evening. Maybe I should make him strong coffee….

Fell over..

Posted on May 30, 2019May 30, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Age, Fall, Frightened, Garden, Health, Knee, Life, Middle aged, Moving plant pots, Scared, Shock2 Comments

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I was trying to help move a huge flower pot with an olive tree and a walnut tree growing out of it. My husband was pulling the pot and I tried to push.. He pulled me over! I crashed into some plants luckily not the concrete. Im glad he was there! I realised I was OK with only a slightly bashed knee. But I don’t have the strength to get up that I once had. I was flailing around on the floor, like the dying fly dance from the 70s or 80s. I managed to turn to my knees then he hauled me to my feet. My knee is a bit sore but it’s the shock and surprise, you feel yourself topple, everything goes sideways. Then it’s shock that you are on the ground. Last time was because a chair leg broke. Then I broke a rib so I count myself lucky today. Its scary enough when you are a child and fall over, when you’re a middle aged, unfit female it can be frightening. X

Chairs

Posted on May 5, 2019May 5, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Age, Blogging, Chair, Count, Election, Equality, experience, Life, People, Seat, VotingLeave a comment

sketch-1557095124218 As a candidate at the recent local elections count I was surprised by the lack of seating for candidates, counting agents and guests inside the sports hall being used for counting the vote.

The staff counting the votes were all supplied with a seat but members of the public were not.

After being on my feet visiting houses for most of the day from early morning onwards, and particularly because I am no longer as fit and healthy as I used to be, I felt the lack of chairs or other seating was at the least an oversight, and to be honest pretty unfair. People ended up sitting on the floor but not everyone can do that.

I managed to grab a chair early on during the count but was not able to use it through the whole evening. I shared it with others who were equally exhausted because of the work they had done over the day.

I think the local council should have taken into account the age and fitness of the candidates and their supporters. There were some quite elderly people there. People who stand for local elections are representative of the whole community. There has to be some level of fitness but standing up for 7 or 8 hours for the count is surely not feasible.

Ending in Age

Posted on March 24, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Age, Fun, Humour, Playing with words, Poem, Poetry, WordsLeave a comment

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A friend just requested words ending in ‘age’ and I thought it could be an interesting thought poem…

Age?

Adage,

Phage

Macrophage

Page

Stage you are at or on?

Usage

Rage

Beverage, tea or coffee?

Haylage

Forage

Silage

Tonnage, now that’s heavy

Cage

Mage

Sage

Last ice age?

Cabbage

Carriage

Wage

But not gauge!

Cycling home

Posted on March 7, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Age, Cycling, Fun, Humour, Lake district, Life, Scotland, Short story, Silly story, Very short story2 Comments

“I used to be fit.” The old timer said as he looked down sadly at his old bike. “I could ride up to the lake district, round Windermere and back home in a day. Now look at me, my knees are wrecked, my back aches and my balance makes me wobble all over the place.”

“You need to keep cycling though, I said, I know it’s tough, but if you stop now you will probably stop for good.”

“I’ll ride to Scotland and back he said, no doubt it will take some time.”

“But you don’t know the way. Why not try cycling on canal towpaths?” I suggested.

That was two weeks ago. I haven’t seen him since. Though I did get a post card from John o’Groats saying “in Scotland, can’t find the canal!”

Life

Posted on November 9, 2018November 9, 2018 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Age, Aging, Blog, Blogging, Health, Life2 Comments

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The older you are the faster life seems to go. Whether it is because of all the experiences you have had so you know what to expect, or your mind is so used to days flowing into weeks and months….. Its like the song, you turn around and youth has gone, summer turns to autumn and winter.

This year has been one of the best in my life in some ways. My health has been OK, I’m not at work so I don’t feel all the stress I used to, and because I lost weight I have been able to get about better. In contrast time seems to be affecting my partner more. He is still fit, but struggles to stand up and does not exercise as much. I’m sure it’s more to do with putting on weight, but it’s not helping that he is older than me.

I wish I could go back in time and explain what happened to me as I got older and tell myself what mistakes to avoid.

Life goes on, now I’m more thoughtful and perhaps too cautious. More bothered about going on long journeys and even stupid things like driving in the dark.

Life keeps going. I do as I’m told (mostly) by my doctor. I’m lucky at the moment to have health, home and some happiness. I just hope I’m not tempting fate by saying it!

Old age creeps up on you

Posted on October 23, 2018October 23, 2018 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Age, Apnea, Books, Night, Reading, Sleep, TiredLeave a comment

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The pile of books on the bookcase in our bedroom is growing larger. Books to read before I go to sleep at night. Real books not on an ereader.

Pratchett, Herriot, Cornwell, Stewart, all books I have read and need to move so I can read something new. I recently found my thesis on pre Christian celtic art. I wanted to take it downstairs but I forgot so it’s on the pile. Plus photos from years ago, on the top of the bookcase and on the wall. Real photos printed on paper. I have lots of albums of them on top of a wardrobe, which is like a closet but is made of wood with doors.

The elephant in the room is my cpap machine. It’s an air pump that pumps air through a face mask at slightly higher pressure than normal. I wear it at night to keep my airway open. It forces air through my mouth and nose so my airway doesn’t collapse and stop me from breathing. When you are asleep you don’t have control of your muscles and they can become slack and collapse at the back of your throat. Hence the machine.

OK so I’m not that old. It’s just this paraphenalia that makes me Feel old. But I guess I’m lucky. I was diagnosed Now all I do is read a book till I’m sleepy to take my mind off the mask.

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Age