Another #bandofsketchers catch up. Prompt was vehicle. Digital drawing, in Artrage app. I’m up late because someone was in the garden. We rang the police and they are trying to catch them. Can’t sleep so drew a green car.
Vehicle
Tag: Insomnia
No sleep
Nothing helped last night, counting backwards, trying breathing techniques, listening to the radio on very quietly. I couldn’t get comfortable, the bed cover was wrinkled, I kept getting cramp.
I’m surrounded by three cats, one on an armchair, one on the settee, which was getting in the way of my legs, one on the cat tree. I just realised they are being supportive. I know it sounds strange, but they have become much more attentive since my injury.
I’m going to make a warm decaff coffee and try and sleep…
And yet I’m just listening to the awful news about the flooding in Libya and the Earthquake in Morocco. My problem is nothing compared with that. The world is a cruel place.
Late
What time do you go to bed and wake up currently?
Early to bed, early to rise, just isn’t me!
I think my circadian rhythm is out, because over the last few months I’ve gone to bed later and later. Then I eventually sleep for a few hours, before waking up around dawn. Then sadly I look at my phone! Spend an hour or so catching up with videos and messages, before falling asleep again and waking up in the late morning.
I don’t want to be this way, I sometimes need to be up and out earlier, but insomnia and an overactive brain can see me struggling to sleep. It doesn’t help that I have to wear a mask at night to help me breathe. I also do have painful joints and my arm is still very shaky and sore (I sound like a wreck!).
One thing to do is to think the word “the” over and over to yourself. This was recommended by my friend and it works when I remember to do it. “the” is a word with no connotations, it interrupts your train of thought and gives your brain time to disengage (at least that’s what I think!).
Anyway hope you all have a good night’s sleep. Best wishes!
Sleep deprived
I was looking at a friend’s Facebook page and she talked about how some nights she sleeps well but on others she struggles to sleep at all with lots of thoughts flying around inside her mind.
It reminded me of something I now do. I’m not pretending this is a cure for the problem, but it might help? I wrote a comment about sleeping problems: “I get them a lot, but someone told me to think the word ‘the’ over and over again. It takes your mind off other things, while it is innocuous enough not to prompt other thoughts. It doesn’t always work but it certainly helps.”
It’s interesting that I’ve got so old without anyone sharing advice until this suggestion, except the old idea of counting sheep!
Time management!
What’s one small improvement you can make in your life?
I need to start going to bed earlier. I’m always up late and it’s not good, then I get insomnia and I get up late. It’s a real dilemma to face. Not working also means I don’t have a routine to follow, and recent events have made me worse. I need to get out in the sunshine and boost my vitamin D but it’s easier to sit and feel anxious.
How do I do one thing to get me going again? Perhaps I should set my alarm every morning? Yes I could sleep through it, but at least it might give me the incentive to do things. Normally by the time I get up its after noon….
Why? Social media to some extent, and a constant need to watch the news. I’m caught in that dopamine trap of wanting to keep checking my phone, and yet I want to break away from it. I don’t read click bait but I do look at sites about politics a lot. I’m well informed. But why? it just ups the anxiety levels..
STOP!
Cat on the bed
Heat seeking cat… I went to the bathroom and came back to this! He must have snuck in while I was downstairs. Made himself at home, comfy and warm and in my spot! It isn’t helping my insomnia, but he looks so cozy I don’t want to just kick him off! But I guess he will have to move or I will be relegated to my old armchair! He’s so sweet, he’s stretched out his paws and put them next to my hand… Now he’s rolled over to show his belly! Sweet, and cheeky cat!
Wound up
How do you unwind after a demanding day?
You have to relax and unwind sometimes. But it can be difficult. Those that know me will understand that I use art to relax me. I draw or sketch. But the problem is that I can already be too wound up to begin drawing. Sometimes I will try and do some breathing exercises, six breaths in, hold for three, six out, hold for three. I do that for a few minutes to calm my breath. I learnt it from yoga class.
My worst situation for unwinding is when I go to bed. I suffer from various health issues and try various techniques to relax. Breathing, or trying to see a golden healing light when I close my eyes. The imagined light enters your head as you breathe in and descends to your feet, then as you breathe out it travels back up and out of your head. It’s hard to describe, but it sometimes works. Imagination is a good thing, learning to control thoughts. I’m hoping it might help my insomnia, even if it’s only a slight improvement….
Other times I just look at my phone. It’s really bad I know, but I go into my own little world and ignore the rest of it. I switch off my mind to my hubbys voice sometimes. I think its rude of me, but I feel cocooned and detached from worries. Maybe not the best thing to do.
The painting of the governor is an example of my work, where I spent hours painting it, concentrating until my hands and shoulders ached. Mentally unwound, but perhaps physically the opposite!
Sleepy (insomnia diary)
Five hours sleep, that’s not bad for me. I woke up twice in the night, and on the third gave up and got up. I feel so tired, I have things to do, an appointment to keep. Just had breakfast and I’m nodding off… I don’t know how many times I’ve dropped my phone on the floor because it’s slipped out of my hands. I sometimes manage to catch it, but my old phone had a cracked screen because I dropped it so often.
I think I’ll take a nap for an hour!
I’m late!
Time, delay, late, always late.
I can’t sleep due to insomnia. So when and if I do sleep I can’t always get up.
So I’m late, it takes me time to get ready, I have the best intentions, but by the time I’m sorted out its sometimes too late to get things done or go somewhere. I do hate it, thank goodness I don’t have early starts at work like I used to.
My car clock broke (I think its mechanical mechanism froze this winter), so I don’t rush to appointments any more, I’m not trying to beat the clock as it isn’t there. I have to try and work the time out by listening to the radio. If the shipping forecast is on I know it’s either very early or late at night!
Three hours sleep.
Grey Dawn awoke me
Went to bed at three
Read a book to soothe
But could not grasp sleep
Dreaming the word eluded
My mind on fire
Swirling like smoke
Snap a nap then awoke…
I want to find a way in
To oblivion.
Mallaband-Brown 