My world is changing. It hasn't changed completely yet but I see things coming and it's a lot and I am pre-emptively sad. I get through the waking hours ok but I've been waking at 3am every night with an overwhelming sense of, well overwhelm and sadness.
Did you know that 3am wake-ups come from stress? Our cortisol (stress hormone) starts rising around 3 and keeps rising so that it wakes us up in the morning but if cortisol levels are already high, we reach waking up levels at 3. I've only heard this recently but it seems to me to be regular as clockwork. From a health and science viewpoint it's fascinating. From a body inhabitors viewpoint it's just annoying.
I have noticed that my best chance of settling back to sleep is by listening to a mans voice, i figured it out because I woudl try to listen to audio books and wouldn't manage to last long. It was great for falling asleep but not good for book listening :)
Lying awake this morning I remembered the radio program which captured a huge 30% of Sydney listeners back in the day. I'm not sure how long the Midnight Matchmaker show ran for, the final episode aired in 2015 and the host worked in radio for 47 years.
Midnight matchmaker started at 11pm and lonely hearts would call to talk to the host with the soothing voice. I have some vague memories of hearing the show at times although I don't know why I would have been listening. Maybe I was out in the car late at night. I don't listen to radio in the house.
Midnight matchmaker actually succeeded in making a number of matches and I think it probably soothed a lot of people to sleep. Or back to sleep. I wonder if there's some show which has taken it's place in the darkened bedrooms and kitchens of this city?
What do you use to help you sleep?
I am so sorry to read this. Is there anything you can do to ward off the changes?
ReplyDeleteI often wake at three. And have done for years. If I cannot get back to sleep I simply get up. I have been known to start the ironing (a job I really don't like) if I cannot sleep. I often get tired and go back to bed and if I don't I have a job I don't like done and dusted.
It's just life: an old dog, children moving out, frail parents. Not all bad things but sad in their way.
DeleteI can't tell you the last time I ironed and I actually don't hate it once I've started. It would be a good thing to get out of the way
It is interesting that we never say 'its just life' when things go right isn't it? And yes, those are all sad and difficult things. I like some things ironed - pillow cases for example and linen clothing so ironing is a job I foist on myself.
DeleteCrisp linen is a thing of beauty 😍
DeleteThe sad transitions come to us all , I just didn't expect to stare down the barrel of so many at once.
It's possible the timing will work out better than I imagine
I don't use anything to sleep but of late of been waking half an hour before the alarm sounds, and sometimes I go back to sleep but mostly I just get up.
ReplyDeleteI remember some kind of radio matchmaker show but it would have been local and it had a different name.
Radio matchmaking was probably a tried and true concept in a lot of places. I didn't take enough notice and now I'm curious
DeleteI need lots of help. I need total darkness, so I take a pair of panties and drape over my eyes even at night. I listen to Rod Stewart's American Songbook I. Number II has too many horns. Sitting in my lift chair with feet up and trying to listen to an interesting program on TV puts me to sleep too often!
ReplyDeleteRecently my cd player broke but I managed to go to sleep anyway! One night I could not find the panties I keep in the bed for my eyes. I slept anyway.
Menopause really affected my ability to sleep. I took estrogen for 25 years, but when I had uterine cancer, the doctor refused to give me estrogen prescription.
Yes, the worrisome things in life keep me from sleeping. I have to tell myself NO when I start thinking about these events.
I really don't know what the answer is for you or me. But, some things work for a while.
Linda,
DeleteAfter reading your blog all this time I know your sleep is very fractured.
I was a great sleeper up to my early 40s and I had a number of bad years.
These days I mostly do ok
Do you use earplugs? My heath obsessed daughters use eye mask, mouth tape and earplugs as well as having a strict bedtime routine