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Jul 9, 2008

PERCHANCE TO SLEEP

Insomnia is a terrible affliction and I must have tried every remedy and trick in the book... sigh... to get a good nights sleep. Everything except sleeping pills that is, which I am scared will have the same effect as the terrifying sleep paralysis I also occasionally suffer from - and warm milk, which is an abomination..!

The strange thing is, I can easily fall asleep on the settee with the telly blaring away - but once my head hits the pillow the eyes fly open and stay that way till after dawn. Every once in a while, when really overtired, I’ll drop into a coma around 4.a.m and sleep till past noon. It’s dreadful when this happens, because waking up feels as though I’m fighting my way out of a clinging, foggy syrup…where monsters hold me down in a vice like grip and sit on my chest till I can’t breathe… then at the very last moment, when I’m turning blue… they release me and let me wake up…WHEEZE…(!) shaking and sweating, to find I’ve slept half the day away. Bah!

But apparently all the evil spawn of insomnia, such as irritability, headache, forgetfulness and clumsiness - can now be beaten! An article dated 23 June 2008, in Times Online, under the title: ‘Elderly dehydrated in care homes’, is waxing lyrical at how 8 to 10 glasses of water a day, is proving a rejuvenating miracle for elderly folk!

Quoting from the article: Gary Fitzgerald, Chief Executive of Action on Elder Abuse said:

“It is amazing that something as simple and straightforward as water could have such wide benefits for care home residents, including a reduction in falls, better sleeping patterns and less agitation…..”

He also said a lot more but this was the bit that got my attention and so I decided to try it – and hal-ay-loo-ya it really is a miracle! Sloshing to the W.C. 30 times a day and night has worn me out entirely!

On the downside though, I am now frantically searching the web for articles on combating water intoxication and water retention – cuz, oo-eee, excuse me - if I suddenly laugh or sneeze….

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have the opposite problem. I can get to sleep without any problems, but no matter what, I wake again three to four hours later and am wide awake. The only answer is to start my day in the small hours, and then have a sleep during the day.

Like yourself, I have no problems falling asleep in an armchair!

In fact, I think I'll have a little doze right n

Geri Atric said...

Hi grandad ~ Sweet dreams! Ah the tribulations of getting older! Still, a nap in the afternoon can be quite nice...?
I also drop off after dinner, so perhaps I should move that meal up to midnight..?
Is that what it's like in old folks homes do'ye think? Pissing, eating and prowling around half the night, or falling asleep sprawled in front of the box?

Hmm... sounds like it could be fun!

Anonymous said...

Have you considered just sleeping on the settee, Geri?

Whenever I can't get to sleep in bed, I take myself off to the sofa and within minutes, I'm gone.

I'm not convinced beds are actually the right shape for sleep. Whenever I buy a sofa, I first test it lying down.

Anonymous said...

The Old Folks sounds pretty exciting all right. Do you think they'd let us vary the routine occasionally?

Geri Atric said...

declan hi - yes I have spent the occasional night on the settee but I kept waking up to turn over. It was either that or roll off! I'm rather a wild sleeper.

grandad - well you know, we could just take over the place! Bit like those frisky old folks in that pod film? What was it called again? (Drat this memory of mine!)

Geri Atric said...

Cocoon! (I googled it).

Anonymous said...

:lol:

Geri

Have you tried a bit of "the other"?

A few fantasies and you'll be away in a hack!

Just don't blame me if your bladder bursts as you reach crescendo!

Geri Atric said...

Steph! (I'm blushing!) Still, you've got me thinking. Perhaps I'll give up the water and go back on HRT!