About Me

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Davison, MI, United States
I am a middle child,born to middleclass parents.Two older brothers,one younger sister.I am married,and have 3 children, Elizabeth who is married and has 3 little boys. She is lucky enough to be able to stay home with them. Her husband, Alan is a Dr. of Physical Therapy. Jonathan who is single and has just finished college and is still trying to figure out life. Katherine, who had a brain tumor and died at the age of 11, 18 years ago.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

zzz...


Sleep is something that most of us take for granted. I know that I have. If I have been awake, I usually know that I have something on my mind, I’m sick; I’ve had too much sugar, too much tea, too much diet coke. Or, I am so absorbed in a book that I can’t put it down, or a movie is on that I can’t seem to turn off.


Now, I have no sleep again.  It is four something in the morning. I am awake. I am pretty sure it is the medication that my Neurologist prescribed. It was to help me stay alert during the day and help me with my energy level.

Sleeping as a child, I used to have issues. I had nightmares a lot. I walked in my sleep. My brother Jeff also walked in his sleep. I once climbed over the open stairwell railing and fell down the flight of stairs, landing five steps from the bottom step. When I landed, I broke the front of the step off that I landed on.I broke my tailbone and hurt my back. I think that I was in the third grade when that happened.

I am a restless sleeper. I can’t get comfortable. It is almost like the story of The Princess and The Pea. We have a pillow top mattress, but I still added one of those memory foam mattress toppers on top of that. I have an ergonomic pillow that molds to the shape of my head, a pillow that is so soft that it has lost its shape and another pillow for my legs so that my feet hang off the edge. The temperature has to be just right-cooler the better, but not cold. The sheets need to have a sateen finish otherwise they are too scratchy for me. I told you that I have sleep issues. However, once I am comfortable, then I fall right asleep. I also have to deal with a sleep apnea machine that drives me crazy! I am horribly picky and I know that I sound crazy.

When I came home from the hospital, I was afraid to to sleep, because I was afraid that I wouldn’t wake up. I wasn’t afraid to die, I just was afraid because I didn’t understand what was happening to me. The pain was significant and the painkillers that I took caused me to see giant rabbits that walked around like the old movie, Harvey, with Jimmy Stewart. These rabbits were angry, however. That medication got changed.

I would like to be a person that wakes up with all kinds of energy for the day. You know, that perky “What shall we do today?” kind of a girl. But I am not. Even as a child I was grumpy, slow moving and didn’t start to show any energy until mid-morning. At least that was the way I used to be, prior to my health scare in August.

There are lots of suggestions on the internet for insomnia: drink warm milk, take a warm soothing bath, lavender scent relaxes, yoga, no food or drink after 8 PM, Valerian, melatonin, massage, listen to music or relaxing sounds that have been recorded-sounds of waves, heartbeats, drink herbal tea-chamomile, catnip, fennel or anise tea. Sleep with your head facing north. Wiggle your toes. Count sheep.  Use visualizing  exercises to relax each part of your body. Rub your stomach. Try deep breathing, visualize something peaceful or something boring, yawning, backwards counting, green cows or purple cats- Visualize an animal in the wrong color. Personally  I like the idea of a green cow.


I don’t feel anxious, however, I am concerned about my lack of sleep. I need to get sleep back.  I need restorative sleep to get the rest of my body healing faster. 


I looked up scripture pertaining to sleep:

Proverbs 3:24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid; 
   when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

Psalms 3:5 I lie down and sleep; 
   I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.

Psalms 4:8 In peace I will lie down and sleep, 
   for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.

Matthew 11:28  Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Hebrews 4:10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.

I am going to go to bed and read over these verses. I like Proverbs 3:24 and like the idea that He will make your sleep sweet. God is good all the time.  Good night.


*The picture of the girl yawning comes from:/https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpivJbZOUsrHK7VhBxsm77SEaPMQ5pu0CwLQNSbj9pV5bIn1YSw44vXdvGcRC5ZP3BPUp0dDxXShvuUN3jDEFF18-OX2LZ5lqW0RWXUDTGnK5NL5VfVRvLgCPkvGvcwA5NL9WEqVxfe0M/h120/MP900431663.JPG

1 comment:

Shelly said...

I love those scriptures and meditate on them myself when I have a hard time sleeping. Hoping you get a good sleep tonight-