Is something going la la la inside your head, and when you close your eyes you see whizzing shapes? If so, you've won a prize!!!
Depending on the prize, at least that would make insomnia fun.
...
I've spoken about this before- to the professionals, and more often than none, the advice is the same:
1. Keep busy.
2. Don't lie in the dark thinking 'for fucks sake I should be asleep and blahh blahh rarr rarr ahhhhh'.
3. Don't eat.
4. Don't exercise.
5. Get off your ass and don't get back in bed until you are super dooper tired again.
OK.
Here's my version.
1. Countlessly tell yourself that you should be asleep, all is fine in the world and those weird things you see at night are probably your brain cells or retinas moving around when you eyes are closed.
2. Don't eat.
3. Drink lots of water.
4. Think about the people you could happily text silly things to, but don't.
5. Think about getting up out of bed, but don't (I'm sure I'll fall asleep in a minute...), except when needing to pee.
Just so you know- if you realllly need the extra establishment... that version never helps. It usually incurs waking up feeling hungover, angry and sick of your tired panda face. The following day usually feels like this:
1. Wake up, screaming 'whyyyyy'
2. Get ready- hot shower a must
3. Shout at everything that goes wrong, or at things you drop on the floor because your hands are shaking
4. Eat your entire body shape in food quantity, drink copious amounts of caffeine to survive the day
5. Feel sorry for yourself, and tell people who give you three of their seconds to hear about it- usually the ones who make 'poor you, but I don't really give a shit' expressions, and then walk off (I'm sure we are all guilty of it- can we blame us?!)
The day is then, at risk of ending in the same vicious circle- because you have had stupid amounts of food and caffeine to survive the day, to avoid that lovely sleepy fuzzy feeling. Symptoms of this incur in a head drop, most commuters witness on the AM train- neck jolts and swivels, when you thought that closing your eyes for 'just a second' wouldn't do any harm. I usually get sleepy all day, until around 5-6pm when I should be winding down, but no- I tend to start waking up again.
Here are some new rules I tried out last November, and they did help.
1. No caffeine after 12pm (so only 1-2 cups per day).
2. Eat light in the evenings (no food baby inducing carb fest).
3. Make sure everything you have to do, is done by 6-7pm (depends if you work regular shifts or not).
4. Exercise- the earlier in the day, the better- even if it's toning moves to pull in front of a mirror.
5. Avoid watching TV/listening to music to 'wind down'. Sometimes it's good to read, e.t.c. in silence.
6. Make your bed a nice place to sleep. Even if it means putting a little chocolate on your pillow at night- make your bed, even if your lazy ass doesn't want to.
Routine helps. Keep at this for 1-2 weeks and stick to a regular bed time- even if you are being poked in the night for fun times, or are called for drinks after work.
STICK TO IT.
You will be a much nicer person after 1-2 weeks of sleep try outs, rather than months of cranky broken sleep patterns.
If, and I've met some, who have suffered from this for years- the most important thing to do during the day to maintain strength and a positive mind, is your food intake.
Wholewheat carbs, bananas (great for potassium!), yogurt, a balance of fruit (probs no more than 3 a day) & veg, and protein (leaner kinds or veggie alternatives). I've read that if you take a shot of espresso and snooze on the train- by the time you have made your commute, the espresso should take affect. I've read somewhere that brazil nuts and black coffee post workout, are good for a protein build- who the jeff knows where I read that (perhaps men's health) but it's worth a try. Nuts, seeds and all that jazz really do help with protein and vitamin intake; a nice way to combine them is with yogurt, oats and honey (for brekkie or a snack).
I would say eating regular is a must, little and often. Breakfast is the exception, where I personally find a big meal doesn't send me to straight to nod. Though, for later in the day, there's nothing like a fat belly full, where all the blood rushes to your stomach to digest, and leads you to nap (for the rest of the day!) and then wake up later between 6-8 pm and think 'oh shit, I should be going to bed now but I've just woken up!'
The above point reminds me, even if you are lucky to work shifts (my work days end at 3pm this week) do not fall asleep until your scheduled bed time. If you break the pattern, it's over.
I'll be up in 5 hours & 15 mins time. In all honestly I haven't got my ass out of bed yet, accept to sit on the edge- I've written instead. I think I'll walk around my room, stretch and try doze again.
Good luuuuuuuuuuuck!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment