Does anyone remember the film Sleepless in Seattle? That title, if not the plot, comes to mind on nights like this when sleep eludes me and the best I can hope for is a short nap to get me through to early afternoon.
By then, my massage appointment will be over and I can have a hot shower and possibly sleep. Someone asked recently if my appointments were a luxury.
I can tell you this: Anyone with chronically tight muscles, overused joints and low back pain despite daily stretching, will benefit from the hands and knowledge of an experienced massage therapist. What was once monthly has become weekly as I am getting older. Massage cuts down on, but does not completely eliminate, the pain or stresses on my musculoskeletal system. It keeps me out of an orthopedist's office and free from long term physical therapy. Pain medication is not effective and muscle relaxants have unpleasant side effects and can impair function temporarily. Stretching, massage and movement help and have done for years. Luxury? I think not.
We each live in our bodies, no matter how worn by time, age or injury, without respite. In my case, a premature birth and diagnosis of cerebral palsy at one year of age has meant I faced challenges in movement, balance, stability and motor skills. In addition, I walked and moved differently to most folks which added stress to joints and muscles and ultimately resulted in wear and tear not commonly faced until one is elderly. These began for me in my late twenties and have grown with time. Add in a few crappy injuries and you've got a body which is prematurely aged.
That I remain upbeat and happy for the most part is a testament to something shrinks label resilience. Defined as the ability to cope despite obstacles or setbacks, it equates to mental toughness and I would add, the ability to learn to do things differently in order to get the most from every day. Why some have this quality and others do not is a mystery to me but I suspect nature, nurture, environment and example have more than a bit to do with its development. A mental health professional would be better able to elaborate on this. I am merely speaking from my own experience.
This does not mean that I do not face bad days or sleepless nights. I am having a sleepless night now. The fact that I can write about it somewhat relieves the frustration I feel and I know, like bad gas, it will eventually pass. Good sleep hygiene helps as does meditation. If nothing else my furry, nocturnal friend is entertained when I keep his schedule, play with him and feed him early.
What do you do when you cannot sleep?
7 comments:
When I can't sleep and it's not do to some physical discomfort like a cold or hurting back, it is usually do to anxiety in one for or another. I have some success playing word or number games in my head. Just enough to distract but not enough to stimulate too much. I also hide the clock. Looking at the clock gives me anxiety about not sleeping. Hope you have a better night tonight.
I am so glad you get massages. I am sure that there is nothing that could help you more. Different challenges require different therapies.
Thanks for the reminder about massage. When I can't sleep, I read.
I often have troubles with sleep. Not in going to sleep, but in staying there.
I read. I pat the cat. I get up and listen to the early morning. If the worst comes to the worst I iron. It is not a job I like. Sometimes it makes me sooo tired I go back to bed immediately. At other times I at least get the job done.
It is early morning here. And I am reading blogs, with a cup of water beside me.
I hope you have a better night tonight.
It's rare for me to have trouble sleeping, as I tend to get too little and therefore fall asleep fast and sleep hard. But occasionally I will, and tend to lull myself to sleep trying to brainstorm a new craft using materials I already have (a challenge for me as I'm more of a copier than an originator of ideas). I don't read because I will stay awake for hours doing that. And if I just can't sleep and I'm worrying because I have a full day the next day and don't want to be exhausted, I tell myself that lying down is at least more restful than getting up and around. I also make sure I'm warm enough, cool enough, and not thirsty or needing the bathroom. Sometimes the warm/cool thing is not easy to realize at first - for me, anyway.
I'm glad your massages give you better function and some pain relief. Anything that works, even somewhat, can make the difference between okay and really not okay. And if you combine several partial remedies (say, massage plus pain relievers plus warm bath, for example), they can work together to offer what is sometimes significant relief.
I always have problems sleeping. I always get up and do something, then go back to bed again and try again. It really depends on my mental state. If my mind is bussing then there is no way I can sleep, so I try to clear my mind and I often find I will finally drop off.
I went through a period of waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to get back to sleep. It was exhausting. Thankfully that's over! Reading before bed always knocks me out. Also, since I've started drinking herbal teas at night, that has worked wonders when it comes to sleep!
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