I Always Get 8 Hours of Sleep…It Just Takes A Few Nights To Get There.
- lifelessonsfrommem
- 31 minutes ago
- 5 min read
I’ve always been a pretty good sleeper. Memaw would have us go to bed and wake up at the same time everyday—well, during the summer months we did tend to go to bed later because it was light outside but we had to be up early because we lived on a farm. Because of this, we would take naps. I loved them because Memaw didn’t have central air and only one air conditioner. It was located in her bedroom and was always on. We would take naps in this freezing room while it was so hot outside.
As I have gotten older, sleep is still pretty good–most of the time. There are times when I have trouble falling asleep. Or I wake up in the middle of the night and have a hard time going back to sleep. I did some research and I have found two ways that help me get to sleep or go back to sleep. Actually, one way was from Memaw. There are many ways on the Internet, but these two help me the most.
Memaw’s idea was the worry dolls. I described that in another blog over a year ago. I also described in detail the sleep stages. In case you missed it, here is the link:
But why is sleep so important? Let’s talk about that first, then I’ll tell you my second technique I have found.
Sleep is essential for survival, just like food and water. It is essential for both humans and animals. During sleep, your body and brain repair and restore itself. This can include cell growth and repair, repairing tissue, hair growth, muscle growth, preparing neurons for learning the following day, and replenishing all the chemicals you used during the day to be active.
Other things also happen in our brain and our body during sleep. Hormones are regulated, the immune system is strengthened, even our brain works to store our memories better by consolidating short-term memories into long-term storage. This is also the time our brain cleaning system flushes out toxic waste.
Lack of sleep has severe consequences, especially over time. Issues may include possible cognitive decline and emotional instability. This makes sense. When you are sleep deprived, you have a hard time focusing and problem solving and you tend to have less control over your emotions. However, if you regularly experience poor sleep (like more than a third of adults), then you have increased risks for physical issues like heart attacks, Alzheimer’s disease, and even death. This is because your brain has that cleaning system to get rid of toxic wastes and it can’t do that if you don’t reach stage 3 in sleep. Also, lack of sleep also increases your risk of motor vehicle accidents, which can result in injury and death too.
When we have difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep, it is called insomnia. This is a very common sleep disorder. Almost everyone experiences it at one time or another. Most people experience temporary insomnia--insomnia every once in a while. This may be due to stress, health issues, or temporary medication. For example, if you are having a stressful time at work, this may make it difficult for you to fall asleep. You lie awake, thinking about work and all the issues, and this can increase your stress. This is normal, usually situational, and resolves itself over time. About 1/3 of adults experience insomnia on a more regular basis and 10-15% of adults have chronic insomnia.
Insomnia comes in many forms. You may have a difficult time falling asleep. You may wake up many times in the middle of the night and can’t fall back asleep. Or you may wake up after a few hours of sleep and stay awake. All of this is common if it occurs occasionally.
If you have persistent, chronic insomnia and it consistently affects your waking life like work or family, then you need to seek professional help.
For the occasional insomnia, I may do the worry dolls if I am worried or anxious about something. Sometimes, I don’t think I am worried about anything. I’m just having trouble falling asleep. This is when I do the Cognitive Reshuffling.
Cognitive reshuffling is a relaxing brain exercise. When we go to bed, sometimes our brains are still very active. They may be thinking of the day's events or things that are causing us stress. Just counting sheep isn’t enough to quiet our brain. We need an engaging activity that will “bore” the brain so it quiets down and we can drift off to sleep. Cognitive reshuffling is the perfect activity.
It is a very easy exercise to engage in. Here are the steps:
As you are lying in bed and can’t sleep, choose a word that is neutral--something that doesn’t cause you an emotional response. It should be 5-12 letters long, although don’t get too hung up on how long it is. Some word examples may be: library, blanket, window, overalls, backpack
Now go through each letter and create as many words as you can for that letter. Let’s use “library”. I would take the letter “L” and try to come up with as many words as possible that started with “L”--lunch, lima beans, Linus, letters, etc. As you say each word, visualize that word in your head for a few moments. For example, visualize “lunch”, then move on. Visualize “lima beans”, then move on. Don’t get to worried about the details.
Then I would take the second letter “I” and create as many words that start with “I”--ice cream, igloo, indigo, In and Out Burgers, etc.
Keep going through each letter. Make sure your words do not have a theme or story. That defeats the purpose. They should be random and have no connection. We want your brain to become bored.
Usually, you will drift off to sleep before you finish the letters of the word that you choose. If you do finish, then just choose another word. The idea is to keep your mind busy with nonsense so it can relax and you can fall asleep. This cognitive reshuffling is better than just tossing and turning because it keeps your mind off of important things but it keeps it more busy than just counting sheep.
Finally word of caution. Don't EVER look at the clock all night! Looking at the clock will ONLY cause you more stress. Don't worry about what time it is. Just try to relax and do any brain exercise that is boring, like Cognitve Reshuffling. You will get caught up on your sleep eventually. If you are tired the next day, have a Red Bull. This, too, will pass.
Blog Website: https://www.lifelessonsfrommemaw.com/
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