Insomnia
When I was younger I used to say, "I don't know how to sleep." Sounds strange, but for as long as I can remember I didn't sleep well. My mom was (still is) a crazy night owl. Regardless of what time she gets up in the morning, she does not go to bed until at least 2am. While, thankfully I have been able to ward off that trait (ugh, 9pm bed time?)... I'm pretty sure I got her restless nights among many other not so good genes....
In college I was horribly bad at sleeping... I would lie awake until my alarm would go off for class - SNOOZE, repeat.... Oops, I missed class....
When I moved to Arizona post college and actually had to get up and get to work, and SNOOZE just didn't cut it anymore, I eventually started to sleep a little more. But, again I would go through some weeks on end with little to no sleep.
I am however, pretty lucky that I can function, quite well on about 7hours. 6 if need be. Yes at the peak of Ironman training there are some nights were I could actually find myself asleep for 8-9hours, but never were those consecutive hours.
I wake up all the time. I hear a noise, or get hot... or have to pee.... Shane, or Baxter steels my covers, or my pillow... or my half of the bed. I mean, I could hear a pin drop and I'd prolly wake up.
RARELY do I sleep well when traveling, even in the Lavish Four Seasons accommodations when I travel for work I don't sleep well.
I remember my first encounter with Prednisone for my lungs (in college).... I was a MESS. Wired, no sleep, no appetite..... felt like I could run a marathon, well except for the lack of you know, fitness or lung capacity... Each time over the years I have been on prednisone, it seemed to get worse. I finally asked my Dr. about it, and he provided me with some Ambien Samples.
Mother of God, it was heaven... 8 solid hours of dead on dog tired hours of sleep. I have a wonderful NP friend how raids her drug sample closet at work when I travel now and supplies me with help for my sleep...
Ambien has become my friend... But, on the same token, I know it has some odd, and not so good side effects. 1. I forget conversations. 2. I sometimes sleep too hard and don't remember going to bed. 3. I don't like the idea of being in a drug induced sleep all that often. 4. I don't want my body to become reliant on it!
So, I'm kinda not sure what to do at this point. First, I thought it was the remodel. My lungs got trashed, and I got all hopped up on multiple steroids to clear them. Next, even though my lungs were much better, Shane & I were not sleeping in the same rooms because of lack of SPACE between the spare bed, two dog bed hogs (I know, I know, our own fault!)... and well, just plain old not being in "our bed" or room for that matter....
Then, lack of sleep + weak lungs = lowered immune system = got sick for a week... Sick for a week means coughing fits and headaches and well, once again no sleep.
BUT, what I CAN NOT figure out is why, when I'm feeling MUCH better, we are in our bed... and I'm training 10+hours a week I still can't freaking sleep.
Like last night.. I'm tired... had a nice glass of wine to wind down in bed by 10pm and STILL awake until well after 3am??? Only of course to be woken by Abby who enjoys eating random things she should not eat and puking them up when I for once, am ACTUALLY sleeping...
And of course, being the light sleeper I am instantly woken up, jump out of bed to help her, clean up the mess all the while SOMEONE else is barely woken up, or at least he is pretending to not notice the VOMIT and me on my hands and knees cleaning the mess up. Just NOT fair!!!
So, here we are going on almost 6 weeks of little to no sleep and I'm exhausted. Is it so much to ask for my body to just freaking fall asleep?!?!
In college I was horribly bad at sleeping... I would lie awake until my alarm would go off for class - SNOOZE, repeat.... Oops, I missed class....
When I moved to Arizona post college and actually had to get up and get to work, and SNOOZE just didn't cut it anymore, I eventually started to sleep a little more. But, again I would go through some weeks on end with little to no sleep.
I am however, pretty lucky that I can function, quite well on about 7hours. 6 if need be. Yes at the peak of Ironman training there are some nights were I could actually find myself asleep for 8-9hours, but never were those consecutive hours.
I wake up all the time. I hear a noise, or get hot... or have to pee.... Shane, or Baxter steels my covers, or my pillow... or my half of the bed. I mean, I could hear a pin drop and I'd prolly wake up.
RARELY do I sleep well when traveling, even in the Lavish Four Seasons accommodations when I travel for work I don't sleep well.
I remember my first encounter with Prednisone for my lungs (in college).... I was a MESS. Wired, no sleep, no appetite..... felt like I could run a marathon, well except for the lack of you know, fitness or lung capacity... Each time over the years I have been on prednisone, it seemed to get worse. I finally asked my Dr. about it, and he provided me with some Ambien Samples.
Mother of God, it was heaven... 8 solid hours of dead on dog tired hours of sleep. I have a wonderful NP friend how raids her drug sample closet at work when I travel now and supplies me with help for my sleep...
Ambien has become my friend... But, on the same token, I know it has some odd, and not so good side effects. 1. I forget conversations. 2. I sometimes sleep too hard and don't remember going to bed. 3. I don't like the idea of being in a drug induced sleep all that often. 4. I don't want my body to become reliant on it!
So, I'm kinda not sure what to do at this point. First, I thought it was the remodel. My lungs got trashed, and I got all hopped up on multiple steroids to clear them. Next, even though my lungs were much better, Shane & I were not sleeping in the same rooms because of lack of SPACE between the spare bed, two dog bed hogs (I know, I know, our own fault!)... and well, just plain old not being in "our bed" or room for that matter....
Then, lack of sleep + weak lungs = lowered immune system = got sick for a week... Sick for a week means coughing fits and headaches and well, once again no sleep.
BUT, what I CAN NOT figure out is why, when I'm feeling MUCH better, we are in our bed... and I'm training 10+hours a week I still can't freaking sleep.
Like last night.. I'm tired... had a nice glass of wine to wind down in bed by 10pm and STILL awake until well after 3am??? Only of course to be woken by Abby who enjoys eating random things she should not eat and puking them up when I for once, am ACTUALLY sleeping...
And of course, being the light sleeper I am instantly woken up, jump out of bed to help her, clean up the mess all the while SOMEONE else is barely woken up, or at least he is pretending to not notice the VOMIT and me on my hands and knees cleaning the mess up. Just NOT fair!!!
So, here we are going on almost 6 weeks of little to no sleep and I'm exhausted. Is it so much to ask for my body to just freaking fall asleep?!?!
Comments
Anyway, when I quit taking the Ambien even though I'd been on it such a short time, my sleep got really screwed up. I had night terrors and nightmares and tremors and a racing heartbeat. I would wake up 5 times a night in a cold sweat--it was awful. Come to find out, this isn't an uncommon reaction, even though the Ambien drug info listing says "no known side effects."
So just telling you all this to make sure you are careful. Since my little episode, I've read so many stories of people who took it for prolonged periods and had much worse consequences. :(