The Prompt: How long does it take you to fall asleep?
I’m starting this post wide awake at 11 while everyone else is asleep. That in spite of the fact that I am still sick and felt bone tired earlier. And I take bedtime meds that are slightly sedating.
Typically, I fall asleep soon after I am comfortable. I try to maintain a consistent sleep schedule of 11 to 7. For the past six weeks, that hasn’t happened b/c I’ve been ill. So I am very out of whack.
I can fall asleep with the lights on, tv on, etc. The only thing that bothers me is the sudden loudness of the 11pm news. Or SNL – so loud. So Laura tends to watch downstairs. My other downfall are the 10 PM dramas that I like to watch – CSI and Person of Interest. I don’t allow myself to watch anything else as two nights of watching stimulating television until 11 PM keeps me up for another 30 minutes or so just sort of amped on the shows’ adrenaline.
In the AM I used to wake at 7 on my own. These days my doc told me to sleep until I wake which us still typically 8 hours – just starting at 1 am. Sigh.
I am also pretty insistent on not staying out late – by 1030, I want to be on my way home. This cramps our wild middle aged lesbian style but what can you do? I do regret not being able to see some of the local drag performances, but thats why there’s YouTube.
I’m trying to remember falling asleep as a child – I know I felt better when my Dad was home. He worked shifts. I would lay in the dark until he came home at 11. As soon as he greeted the dog, I could fall asleep.
Another quirk that’s probably common – sleeping better when you’ve changed the sheets and bedding. I also like having the window open even though we live near a highwsy. The swish of traffic is comforting.
The major challenge to sleep is the cats. They tend to curl up at my feet and bite me when I prod them to move. Or join me for a nocturnal trip to the bathroom causing much unwanted hubub when I just want to get back to bed.
What keeps me awake? Anxiety. I can obsess about anything from money to fantastical scenarios of mayhem & destruction. Pain is another factor. Apparently I sprained my back in a recent car accident. So ouch. Allergies. Cold feet. Words With Friends. Terrified dogs in thunderstorms.
Did I answer the question? Anywhere from 3 minutes to 3 hours. I’m finishing this up in the AM and it took over 3 hours … I know because I set my “ocean sound” app.
This is perhaps the most boring post I’ve ever written, but I’ve done my NaBloPoMo duty! 🙂
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Anxiety. It affects so many things. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Yay for duty! And I’m with you on the clean sheets. Someone asked me once if I could have anything in the world what would it be. I didn’t really stop to consider, but said “someone that would come in and put fresh sheets on my bed every day”. I think I made the lamest wish of the night, lol.