Karen's Weekend Assignment # 199: When Do You Sleep?

"Night has brought to those who sleep, only dreams they can not keep."

-Enya

Weekend Assignment #199: What is your usual sleep schedule on weeknights? Are you an "early to bed, early to rise" sort of person, or do you stay awake far into the night (voluntarily or otherwise), and get up as late as your work schedule permits? Do you give priority to getting adequate sleep? If so, how is that working out for you?

Extra Credit: If you had no work or family scheduling obligations, would your sleeping pattern change substantially?

-Karen Funk Blocher

Sleep. Yawn. Yawn, yawn, yawn... stretch. Excuse me, I was just enjoying a bit of a snooze. LOL. I am sleeping really well these days, especially since last summer, when I set about changing my sleeping schedule 360 degrees. I have been a lifelong sufferer of insomnia. My first bout began when I was about 12 or 13. I went through long periods of not being able to go to bed and sleep like my friends did. In retrospect, I think I know what probably kick-started the situation. My father worked the graveyard shift when I was a wee folk of about 2 and continued to do so until I was about 6 years old. My mother would allow me to stay up until my father came home, and then he and I would play or talk or listen to music. So, I am pretty sure that my sleeping habits were conditioned at that young age.

As an adult, it wasn't and isn't reasonable to keep those hours, although when I began blogging I did. Alan is a loud snorer, and there was no sleeping with that, so I sat up at night and blogged and when I was finished, I did whatever housework that was needing to be done, and then climb in bed next to him just before his alarm went off, so we could spend some time together. It worked out ok, it made since to sleep while he was at work, that way everything got done, and we wouldn't have to miss spending any time together because of chores. But life kind of played us a few cards I wasn't counting on.

First I got Fibromyalgia and that zapped all my energy, then I got diabetes, and that brought with it challenges of it's own. The Fibro was bad enough, now throw on top of everything, having to adjust my whole lifestyle to suit the diabetes, and what you get is a girl who better learn to go with the flow and life like most of the real world, whether she likes it or not. But actually... I really kinda do like it. :)

I began by taking some classes in sleep hygiene and with the new meal adjustments such as eating lighter dinners, and getting some exercise several times a day, I feel much more relaxed and ready to sleep by the time we go to bed. In fact, I look forward to it. It wasn't any more difficult to change my sleeping habits, then it was to change my sleeping habits. The additional exercise has aided my relaxation and so put it all together and you see a happier, healthier lady then I was a year ago.

It's undeniable. Keeping yourself on a proper schedule with nutrition, sleep, play, and exercise is good for the body and the mind. I still blog, I still get my housework done, I still go out and take photos, I still read, I still watch David Letterman, only now I watch him on the DVR. :) I have David Letterman with my Special K Red Berries in the morning. YUM. DELICIOUS even. So what about the only other part of my staying up late... talking on the phone and texting with my pal H.P.? Well, our friendship is going on 5 years now. He makes time for me, even if it has to be in the middle of the day. :)

So, to directly answer Karen's question... I usually go to bed at 10:00 pm and rise at about 7:30 am, unless Elvis decides otherwise. On the weekends I might stay up a little later, if there is a good movie on, or something special on TV. I have a few friends, that keep later hours, and sometimes I stay up to talk to them, because, I would miss them very much otherwise. Sometimes Alan and I will play a board game, and we will usually play it out, rather then go to bed and try to resume it the next day, but mostly it's 10-7:30 for me :) Boring... but true.

Extra Credit: Nope, I am doing something right with my diabetes and my general overall health, so I would have to say NO, nothing would change dramatically.

-OndineMonet
"Sundown In Moss Beach"
Moss Beach, California
Tuesday, January 15th, 2008
Early Evening