Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Insomnia

Don't I wish!
Sleeping Cat #1


Don't I wish I could sleep like a cat?!

Sleeping Cat #2

Many nights I just spin around and around in bed like a top.
Insomnia!

Night after night the E-P falls asleep within seconds of his head hitting the pillow.
"Aarrrgggg!" says the insomniac!

Spin!  Spin!
Turn! Turn!
On top of the covers!
Under the covers!
On top...!

"ZZZZZ, zzzzz, ZZZZZ, zzzzz," says the sleeping E-P.

Sometimes life just isn't fair!

 Sleeping Cat #3

So I'm sitting awake very late last night,
and I'm reading the latest issue of Discover Magazine
in the hopes of getting sleepy.


Discover Magazine January/February 2013

It's always inspiring!
Consider this quote from Corey S. Powell, Editor in Chief:

          "Collectively the 100 stories in this issue represent tens of thousands of people-years of work - 
a monumental, global effort to expand the reach of the human mind."

(p. 6, Discover Magazine, January/February 2013; emphasis mine)


Sleeping Cat #4


Oops!
Should have picked something else to help me sleep!
When I hit story #9, I discovered I am indulging in Social Jet Lag,
and this is not good!

It has significant consequences for your health.

Yikes!
I have mastered the art of SJL!

"9:  Social Jet Lag" by Erik Ness 
(p. 30, Discover Magazine January/February 2013)

Social Jet Lag, according to biologist Till Roenneberg of Ludwig-Maximilians University, occurs when you skimp on sleep during the work week, then stay up later and sleep longer hours on the weekend. This behavior puts you at higher risk for obesity and depression.  

A neurologist from Harvard, Orfeu Buxton, determined last year that depriving participants of sleep and changing their sleeping/waking schedules led to a dysfunction in their pancreases.  Subjects developed a type of hyperglycemia that is a precursor to diabetes.  

Obesity? 
Depression? 
Diabetes?

But I have so many reasons for not going to bed on time!

Staying up all night to watch a meteor shower?  
Been There Done That!
Many things astronomical, countless times!

Vincent van Gogh Starry Night

Staying up late to finish a good book?  BTDT!  :)
Complete a jigsaw puzzle?  BTDT!  :)
Playing Bejeweled?  BTDT!  :)
Editing Photos? Yes!  :)
Scrubbing dishes or folding laundry?  Sometimes!  :(

Sleeping Cat #5

Now I've known for for a while now that too little sleep could result in weight gain, 
but I always figured that you could make it up by sleeping in on the weekend.
Who knew that varying
when you went to sleep and when you got up
could be so detrimental to your health?

And the scientific evidence about the dangers of sleep-deprivation mounted last year: 

University of Chicago endocrinologist Eve Van Cauter and her team have been studying the link between obesity, diabetes, and sleep deprivation for more than ten years.  Last year they discovered that the fat cells in people who are sleep-deprived metabolize glucose 30% less efficiently than those who get sufficient sleep.

Too little sleep> inefficient fat cells> too many pounds!  :0  

A Swedish study discovered heightened activity in a region of the brain associated with hunger control in people who were sleep-deprived.

Too little sleep> too hungry> too many pounds!!  :0

If that wasn't enough for concern, other studies indicated that sleep-deprivation along with insomnia resulted in higher risks for hypertension and Alzheimer's.

I am seriously headed for trouble!!!  :0

Sleeping Cat # 6


Okay!
Got it!
I resolve to go to bed at a regular time every night.
I resolve to get up at a regular time every morning.
I resolve to sleep enough hours every day.

So I guess I need to start channeling sleeping cats.
They seem to have it figured out.

Sleeping Cat #7

D-a-r-n!
It's way past my bedtime!
Did I mention staying up late to write blog posts?

Okay, I resolve to start tomorrow night!


The Beatles -I'm Only Sleeping - (REVOLVER) Remastered 


12 comments:

  1. Well, insomnia is something that the cats in these photos are clearly not suffering from! My two cats don't have a worry in the world, and sleep away the majority of the day. They really do have it figured out, don't they?

    I'm sorry to hear that you're having trouble sleeping. I hope you figure out what's causing it, and get back to getting enough sleep!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the well wishes, Martha.
      I kept thinking of that last cat a long time last night, and of course, the Beatles song kept running through my head too. I just have to get myself into a regular routine to start with. I can be so undisciplined!
      I hope you are having a happy day!

      Delete
  2. Well, Louise, I could talk about this all day. Seriously. I've always been very interested in how sleep or lack thereof affects your brain. Who knew I'd come to find out in my very own life?!?!? This year I slept VERY LITTLE because of my youngest daughter's reflux. I seriously did not know a baby could survive on so little sleep. But she did and has flourished. What happened to me? I gained 18 pounds in one year. I cried when the doctor told me. But they told me it's completely normal for someone who slept as little as I did. Lack of sleep triggers your hunger hormones. You have to get energy from someplace, right? Anyway, I loved reading this post and would resolve to sleep more but my girls seem to control my sleep at the moment. I am awakened during the night EVERY SINGLE NIGHT....sometimes multiple times...and I'm not always able to go back to sleep. What to do, what to do? We moms don't have it easy, that's for sure. Hope 2013 is a good sleep year for you, Louise!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh Audrey!
      You are struggling through a difficult time for sure!
      I'm glad that your youngest daughter has flourished! That is worth a great deal.
      Eighteen pounds - that is hard, but at least it can come off!
      Maybe it's added pounds that can lead to depression - especially for women.
      I wonder if researchers have considered that?
      I'm a master at scrounging energy from Hershey kisses and sugared coffee.
      All the sleep research doesn't bode well for people today because the problem of sleep-deprivation is getting worse -
      as is the problem of varying sleep schedules.
      I wish you a good day, and here's to a good night's sleep for you tonight!

      Delete
  3. I haven't seen that mag for a while now....think I'll look for this issue....looks interesting.
    I can't say I ever had a problem falling, and staying, asleep. There are nights though depending on what is going on. You must know what you don't like to read...maybe that would put you to sleep if you found those boring articles/books. Who knows?!
    I truly can appreciate what chronic insomnia must be like if it is anything like how I feel if I miss only one night of sleep.
    I know, how about house walking to induce sleep?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Jim!
      You know, I just might try house walking! And I'm trying to think what's in my house that's boring to read. Maybe some of Terry's immigration manuals. They're pretty deadly.
      If only losing weight were as simple as sleeping more and regularly! I just need a healthy dose of self discipline. I can be very disciplined about things I'm passionate about - the really should dos, not so much.
      The Discover magazine is awesome. Usually I just read it while having a long cup of coffee at Barnes & Noble, but this issue I had to buy. Thank goodness B&N lets customers browse books and magazines! I certainly spend enough money there as it is.
      I've been thinking about your friend Dave and his wife Janet all day. I can't even imagine what they are going through.
      I hope all is well with you, Ron, and Sophie Doodle!

      Delete
  4. I worked shift work for years in 2 jobs and man/woman....does that do a number on you....oh yes! I can remember in 1978 while working at the Children's Hospital after 12 hour shifts...heck I don't remember anything...oh yeah...drinking valerian root tea...I need to sleep please! Thank God it was only one year and then we TOOK OFF for Vancouver....aargh I couldn't deal with 12 hr shifts any longer! I still awaken in the middle of the night and then solve all the world's problems for the next 2 hours...hey I did that the other night...there shouldn't be any news on the TV then, right! So tonight I should sleep...I better.
    Love the meow meows, just like Sophie snoozing and turning over...cuties!

    Ron

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    Replies
    1. Hi Ron!
      The Discover article also talked about shift working and how bad that is on a person's health. I bet that you were wonderful at the children's hospital, despite the long hours. You have such a kind, warm, and caring personality.

      I regularly worked 11-12 hour days at school, but my body couldn't take it any more. Twenty-five years of that was tough on Terry, too.

      I'm also very good at solving the world's problems in the middle of the night. If only the world would listen to and embrace my solutions, it would be a much better place!

      I'm glad you liked the kitties! They are so cute, and they look soft and purry.
      Have a great evening!

      Delete
  5. I can't sleep too! I stick to a regular pattern, so that's not the problem, but no matter how tired I am, I have trouble sleeping.

    Those kitties are adorable. When I wake up in the middle of the night, I pet my cat, who is always curled up with me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lucky you, Terry! I would love to wake up in the middle of the night and have a kitty to pet instead of spinning around in bed and trying to solve the world's problems. Unfortunately my Terry is not a cat lover. Of course, cats love him, and he enjoys petting them as well - just not living with them!

      I'm sorry that you have trouble sleeping too. It's no fun. I may try Jim's housewalking suggestion. The only problem is that if a good song came up on my iPod shuffle I might start dancing around the house, and then I'd be really awake!

      Have a great day!

      Delete
  6. That's really tough. I know it's hard and you worry about not sleeping, which makes it worse (my mother is a non sleeper!). I know for me, a hot bath, 'nuit' herb tea and crisp linen sheets knock me out for eight hours!
    Ivan

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  7. Hi Ivan!
    A hot bath sounds lovely, and I'm drinking "Sleepytime" tea, but I don't think I can trade my flannel sheets for linen right now! Too cold! I'm still microwaving my teddy bear and sticking it in my bed to warm it up before I climb in. Last night was a lot better.

    I so enjoyed your roses this morning. Roses don't do so well where I live.

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