The Big Sleep

I just hate it when I wake up at 3AM and 10 minutes later realize I am AWAKE.  Usually it happens when something is worrying (stressing, frustrating, irritating) me.  As for myself, if going back to sleep is an option, it happens within minutes.  Otherwise, my brain starts opening all the doors to the rooms marked – Mistakes and Other Idiocies. 

OK, I might need to explain that remark – I picture the inside of my brain as a long, narrow corridor with doors along both sides.  The doors are marked with different memories.  Mostly, the doors stay closed unless I want to revisit something.  However, at times, the stupid-things-done doors pop open and all those memories flood out to the corridor.  Then, my choice is to wallow in despair or get up.  I get up.

As I was reading the news feed (at 430AM), I came across an article on sleep myths – yes or no.  Appropriate for up, dressed, and ready for the world at 430AM. 

So, Did You Know?

1 More sleep is always better (no, you really can sleep too much and harm your health)

2 Taking a nap in the afternoon can fix insomnia (actually, if you sleep long enough to enter a REM or deep sleep cycle, it can mess up your body clock even more)

3 It’s better to have a warm than cool bedroom (no, you sleep better in cooler temps).

4. Adults need five or fewer hours of sleep (no, not if you want to function at your best during the day, not be sick, be mentally strong; for that you need 7 to 10 hours of sleep each night)

5. It’s healthy to be able to fall asleep ‘anywhere, anytime (no, this is a sign that you are not getting enough sleep and you’re falling into ‘micro sleeps’ or mini-sleep episodes, your body is so exhausted that whenever it has a moment, it’s going to start to repay its sleep debt.)

6. Drinking alcohol before bed helps you fall sleep (yes/no alcohol may help you fall asleep, but it traps you in the lighter stages of sleep and dramatically reduces the quality of your rest at night)

7. Not sleeping? Stay in bed with eyes closed and try and try (no, it takes a healthy sleeper about 15 minutes to fall asleep. If you’re tossing and turning much longer than that, you should get out of bed, change the environment and do something else – hence being up at 430AM)

8. Watching TV in bed helps you relax (no, these devices emit bright blue light, and that blue light is what tells our brain to become alive and alert in the morning therefore avoid blue light before bed, from sources like a television or your smartphone, and do things that relax you)

     NYU Langone Health’s School of Medicine

Well, I thought it was interesting.

I drove to Victoria today for, what was, my last visit with the foot doctor.  Got the new orthotics.  Noooo – didn’t see the DR or nurse, just “here they are and goodbye”.  I’m not feeling confident.

We are supposed to get rain today so, I’m going to try to finish reading

Jane Seymour: The Haunted Queen by Alison Weir.  Jane Seymour was the third wife of Henry VIII (Katherine of Aragon #1 and Anne Boleyn #2).

“Acclaimed, bestselling historian Alison Weir draws on new research for her captivating novel, which paints a compelling portrait of Jane and casts fresh light on both traditional and modern perceptions of her. Jane was driven by the strength of her faith and a belief that she might do some good in a wicked world.”

Normally I enjoy historical novels based on real people, but this one has been tedious.  It’s 500-odd pages.  My biggest criticism is – it could be at least 100 pages shorter if the author didn’t repeat the same words over and over.  But Jane was not as dynamic as her two predecessors so I guess the author has to throw in words, words, words to reach the desired number of pages. 

And, finally

HAPPY BAT APPRECIATION DAY!

Bat Appreciation Day occurs annually on April 17th, as they are now beginning to emerge from hibernation.  It is also an excellent time to learn about the role bats play in nature. One important reason to celebrate bats is that they can eat up to 1,000 mosquitoes in an hour.

I am all in favor of that!

17 Apr 2019