Oh dear! First time in a very long while that I can't sleep. 3.30am here in UK. Mind in overdrive and thinking about things that are causing me anxiety. Can't seem to switch off! Anyone else awake??
Wide Awake: Oh dear! First time in a very long... - PMRGCAuk
Wide Awake
Written by
Kendrew
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
106 Replies
•
Hi Kendrew,1036 p.m. here in North Carolina, USA. I hate those middle of the night wake ups! I keep a good book next to my bed and usually just give up and read. I don’t work so I know I can sleep until 8.
Thankyou so much for replying. Has made all the difference. Just knowing I'm not the only person wide awake removes that feeling of isolation you get!I'm not working at the moment either so don't have to worry about getting up early. I love reading but weirdly don't find it helpful in the middle of the night. Usually can get back off to sleep but not tonight!
Hi,Sleep hygiene is a whole subtopic under PMR/GCA. The first year ( been on this train for 5 years) I only slept 3 hours a night. I mostly sleep good now.
I do love how this blog rolls on around the world. Lets see who hops on.
🙏
I'm 22months into my experience of PMR and like yourself I was lucky if I managed to achieve 3 to 4hrs of sleep per night during the first 12mths. Things had improved and I've been averaging 6hrs a night, but early to bed has meant waking at 4.00am most days.....which is fine as I like to be up quite early. Tonight though has not been good and not sure why. One thing is for sure though....I'll be so tired tomorrow (particularly after zoom yoga with Yogabonnie) I'll definitely sleep! Haha!Going to try and get back to sleep again now. Thankyou so much again for responding forwardmotion. Hope you sleep well. Night. God bless.
Me too Kendrew. Not anxious though. You can find soothing sounds on BBC Sounds or YouTube , like a winter walk. Xx
Hi SheffieldJane. Thankyou for the the recommendation. I'll try that. Haha!....I probably shouldn't say this, but it's quite reassuring to see that even you, with all your knowledge and expertise also have nights when you can't get to sleep.
I've actually just been looking at the stars. It's a very clear night here and the Geminids meteor shower will peak in a couple of days. I've just seen 2 shooting stars! So the night is looking up!... literally! Thankyou for responding.
On around the 21st December the Christmas Star will be visible in the sky. It is actually two planets crossing, one might be Saturn, I can’t recall. This hasn’t happened for 800 years and has not been visible to the naked eye since the 12 hundreds. I think it is off to the south and it is really big. There, I bet your eyes are getting heavy now. Amitriptyline 10mgs, taken 1 hour before bedtime can be helpful.
I read about that star line up somewhere. Fancy Greek word has name for it, of course I don't remember it but it starts with an s. Just a comment from another person with bad sleeping pattern. Hope you all get to sleep soon 😴
Hi Hollyseden! It is a nuisance at the moment. I am on Australia time.
Join the club!😄
All the things I've seen call it the Great Conjunction.
The word I couldn't remember was 'syzygy'
Incase it causes you a sleepless night wondering what word I was talking about 😄 it's 'syzygy'
Blimey - what's that worth in Scrabble?
Haha Quite a lot I'll bet
Jupiter and Saturn align.......🌟
That sounds quite spectacular!
It should be, let’s hope we can see it. We need something spectacular to end this year on.....
We absolutely do! Fingers crossed.
I fell asleep finally and woken now at 7.40am, so not a very long sleep, but heyho! I loved hearing about the two planets crossing. Thankyou....definitely going to look out for that.
Jupiter and Saturn - do you think it is a symbol of hope? I wonder if I will be able to see it or will the mountains get in the way ...
I've been doing some reading up on this and apparently the conjunction will appear low in the western sky after sunset on the 21st. Don't know if yhst helps?
Was thinking that if you can actually see the conjunction with the mountains as the backdrop (or foreground!) that'll be so spectacular. You'd have to try and get a photo and post it??
PHOTO? ME? I don't have a phone. We do have a camera. Somewhere. No idea if it works ...
I am in New Zealand and it is going to be visible for four nights
The great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn which last occurred 800 years ago.
Lucky you! Too much light pollution to see any stars here in London. Being able to stargaze would have been a small recompense for insomnia back in the days when I was awake most nights. It's just once every 8-10 nights for me these days.
I am quite fortunate Marijo1951. I'm in the country and street light is at other side house but goes off between midnight and 6am. Last night seemed particularly clear and as I lay in bed I could see Orions belt and others I know, together with many I don't know! Was so pretty
I've just read your profile and see that you teach small children, which must make it particularly hard to suffer from insomnia. I'm always grateful that at least I was already retired when I was struck down...
I do and have had two returns to work since diagnosis. I'm currently off for this second time because I've had to increase steroids after the 2nd return and that has put me back into the immunocompromised category again! Hopefully back in feb if I'm down to 7.5mg and with reduced contact time with children. Frustrating thing is that I was absolutely fine for the two months I was back. Just a small amount of tiredness, but only work mornings so rested in afternoons. Just the way it goes sometimes.
Good luck with everything and enjoy Christmas!
Thankyou. You too
you will have to download my RELAXATION and listen to me drone on and on. 61 points is sure to put you to sleep next time! sites.google.com/a/apps.hop...
Haha! Actually....when you do the relaxation at the end of the yoga, I find your voice very relaxing and soothing. Definitely not a drone.😄
PS. Hope you manage to get to sleep soon too.
Yep. Not as early as you but awake since 4am. This taper is throwing my sleep right off!
Morning Coffeebeans. Hope you managed to get some sleep eventually?
No sleep but I feel ok anyway and am at work in my dining room... how are you after your early awakening. Must feel like early evening for you by now!
Haha!.....I'm surprisingly ok....and just done over an hour of yogabonnie's zoom yoga class!! Wad a girl!!😂
Go you! I'm impressed.
I'm off out walking my frail neighbour's dog this evening. I do it twice a week. She's a lovely dog and impeccably trained.
Glad to help out if it means she can keep her dog and i get more steps in.
😀
Me too, up since three, usually have two or three poor nights a week then tired all the next day. Can’t take anything to help, give me nightmares, fall out of bed. This wakes OH in a panic, loud thump, duvet pulled off him and much bad language, then he can’t get back to sleep😴
My husband and I now sleep in separate rooms at the current time. I'm still a very restless sleeper even when I actually do sleep, and that disrupts his night quite badly. He still works so has to be up early.
We've had a double bed with separate mattresses and duvets for 26 years - this year had to graduate to separate rooms! The best bit is separate bathrooms though - just so happens we have an ensuite and a bathroom as the flat was designed as a holiday home initially.
I feel quite sad it's had to come to this, but we both sleep so much better and I don't feel anxious or awkward on those nights I'm restless and in and out of bed. To be completely honest, I do actually like having the bed and room to myself.
Hi, just reading about you girls out there sleeping in separate beds. We've been doing this for a couple of years now, due to both of us snoring, now I can see more benefits sleeping apart as I'm not sleeping well at all, only been on pred 12,5mg for just over a week. Don't get to see stars at night as I live in cloudy, damp Cornwall
Morning Kendrew, My apologies for not replying earlier this morning. Having managed OA for about 30 years where staying in one position for any length of time doesn't work I've got to the stage now where being up and about and reading or watching the TV whilst dozing is relatively normal. It's also quite a good time for catching up on sport etc from southern hemisphere countries. Not that I would get up especially for that. I was, as usual, up around 02:00, when I take my Pred but for some inexplicable reason I missed your post. Like the others hoping that the 21st is a clear night, I'll probably take the bowwows up the back to the moors/hills and combine an early walk with the night sky, of course being on the Pennines the chances are that is will be raining.
Hi Bcol. Thankyou for responding. I know who to message next time I'm awake all through the night!😀 Which side of the Pennines are you? I live in Essex now but I'm a Yorkshire 'lass' through and through.......and how lovely to be able to walk out your door onto the moors.......when it's dark too!
In Wardle so not quite Yorkshire. It is very different in the dark, plus given the present circumstances you don't meet many/any other people which is a definite bonus, but yes really lucky, helps to keep me sane!!!!! ( others might not agree that is the case!!) Peter
Wardle is good. Cheshire is lovely. You don't know any of 'The Real Housewives' do you???? Maybe you ARE one of the 'Real Housewives'?? 😀😀
Cheshire is a lovely county, but sadly the answer to the questions is no.
Haha! That's most probably not a bad thing! I'm sure they're all nice ladies but I'd personally not want their very colourful lifestyles!!
Nah, there not my scene either. I do see some very colourful Peacocks on my walk though, they tend to be very noisy come mating/summer time.
I bet! Don't get any of those round the river but I do know how noisy they can be!
There's one of my pics on the OA site. They are a tad dull at the moment but beautiful come spring and Sumner. Always surprises me that they live up a tree.
I love my birds and actively encourage them into my garden. A friend of mine regularly has 7 or 8 peacocks feeding in his back garden each morning!
That's Brill. You glad your not at work at the moment or are you missing it?
Sorry.....I missed this earlier. Yes....I miss everything about my job....my colleagues , the children and my work. Going back in Sept was such a joy and gave me real purpose to my day again. I can't wait to be able to get back ....hopefully!
Good morning, I'm hoping for you that you have managed to get to sleep today. I have mixed feelings since I retired, I do miss the young ones (secondary) but certainly don't miss the admin and the cr.. that came from government and Ofsted. I do some part time and voluntary work though and have the fun and joys of 3 hours of online Safeguarding this morning.
Good morning Bcol. I've just woken after a more normal nights sleep for me. Think I must have drifted off about 11.00pm and just woken at 6.30am! I must admit that's a longer sleep than usual, but I was exhausted and had done yogabonnie's yoga class too. I normally wake around 4am. I'm with you regarding the admin! In the 25yrs I've been in teaching, it's changed beyond recognition. More paperwork and less hands on time with the children.....which is why, at almost 63yrs old, I'm the Nursery HLTA and not the teacher!! I decided I didn't need the huge stress levels and excessive volumes of work, and now I get all the best bits of the job, lots of time with the children and break up for each holiday minus arms full of planning, record keeping and reports! Bliss! (Certainly come in useful since diagnosis)
Oh dear!....I won't say enjoy the safeguarding but hope the time passes quickly!
Fab nights sleep. At least I'm at home so the coffee etc is close at hand. Off to walk bowwows so ready for the morning's entertainment!!
I don't have dogs but many of my friends and neighbours do and I love watching them all having fun racing around on the meadow opposite my house. Very entertaining! Have a good day.
I had a bad night last night too. My biggest problem is getting off to sleep whereas my husband's head hits the pillow and he's off! I find it's often better for me to just lie there and wait for sleep to come as it does eventually- on a bad night it takes 2 hours😒. If I get up I wake my husband and he does have to work.
Thankyou for the link.
A few tips from a lifelong insomniac:
Room temperature. Make sure it's not too hot or too cold.
Socks. Cool or cold feet cause circulation problems. I've found bamboo socks to be a great alternative to wool or cashmere. Not too tight, not too hot, not too slippery.
Food. Sometimes, you're actually hungry. Try a few bites of low fat cheese (sans crackers), a few grapes or berries, law fat yogurt. Skip other kinds of carbs.
Hot water. Sip it. One cup so you don't spend the rest of the night eliminating it. If you need flavor, go for a little lemon, lime, or stir with a cinnamon stick of float a star anise.
Low intellect activity. Knitting, crocheting, embroidery, needlepoint, sketching or coloring.
Soft instrumental music or audio books.
No screens.
A comfortable chair or couch.
A cozy blanket or throw.
At this time of the year, I can be found re-arranging the ornaments on the Christmas tree, polishing some silver, making bows or tags for packages from old Christmas cards...
I've also been know to don my mink over my pajamas and go for a short stroll, or sit in the yard stargazing. Something about coming in from the cold to snuggle into a comforter with a cup of hot water makes me drowsy. Not last night, though. Near blizzard conditions and sub-freezing temps had me staring out the window watching the storm.
Thankyou for that. Brilliant ideas and many I wouldn't have actually even considered as I wouldn't have thought of them! I'm going to keep the list and have it handy at bedside. I love the idea of stargazing and then coming in from cold to snuggle up warm somewhere......but as you said....not when its sub zero!! Thankyou again.
Even sub zero is OK when you're dressed for it. 50mph winds laden with snow needles is not, although if you've been out for a while fighting to get home I guarantee you you'll be in for a bit of a nap after a snack and a hot cup of something.
If any of these ideas does appeal to you, it's good to have them at the ready before retiring. Pre-select your music or audio book. Set out the project you might want to play with (I keep a couple of baskets near my favorite chair, all set to go.) Cube the cheese and prepare the fruit. Fill the kettle, set out your flavoring, even the cup, plate and spoon. And don't wake yourself up with tidying when you get drowzy. It will wait for morning.
Happy snoozing.
Thankyou. I'm adopting you as my official sleep guru....it all sounds so cosy and sleep inducing.....I almost want to go right up to bed right now! 😄I'll let you know how it all goes.
I went to close the curtains yesterday around 5.30p.m, and directly in front of me in a perfectly clear, dark sky Saturn, Jupiter and the sliver of a crescent moon were low in the south-west, just above a headland. I watched as the moon slowly sank behind the land inch by inch until the last knife-edge tip was gone. Magical. Tonight is a different story, rain. But I'll never forget the brilliance and balance of those sky wonders.
I hope you sleep better tonight!
One word......WOW! I see you're in Cornwall. Not sure if I would be able to see that but going to take a look tonight. Reasonably clear here.
That was what I saw outside my window in Dartmouth Nova Scotia yesterday evening
- first clear night in weeks. But the city lights wash out the stars so if it's clear nearer the conjunction I'll have to find another place to observe from. I could wish for a power outage and clear skies 😈
I'll wish with you. Lots of interesting information on NASA site - for instance it's 800 years since the conjunction has appeared in the night sky so is visible to us. Think I must have strong Neolithic tendencies, they were so weather/sky/stars aware. I get my duvet out when the meteor showers are happening and de-camp to the deck.
So much to contemplate when looking at night sky. I was chatting to my cousin (70yr old cambridge university professor) about the heavens and he said something interesting: that undoubtedly amidst the host of other galaxies and universes, there will be intelligent life. In films and stories etc, we always perceive 'aliens' to be hostile but he reckons we've probably been observed many times by aliens....and rejected! What intelligent life form would possibly want to invest it's knowledge and friendship in a species that for the most part, has little if no respect for it's own planet let alone its own species!! They would see a planet who's resources are plundered and destroyed and a species that repeatedly kills it's own. Not much of a welcome advert!....and does rather make us look quite primitive! I had to agree with him. You can just see them travelling past earth....taking a look and saying. "No thanks"!! Remember my father telling me that some of the stars I was looking at didn't actually exist anymore, but because it took the light from them so long to reach earth we were still seeing it. Unbelievable.
It was suggested on a tv program I watched recently that there has almost certainly been intelligent life in many places in the universe, considering how ancient the universe is, but not necessarily now, at the time we are flourishing. It's possible there's some sort of self-destructive mechanism which prevents species such as ours from infesting more than a small quadrant of space, if they even get off their home planet. We are certainly doing our best to self-destruct at the present time.
So true and so sad. I don't know how you turn that around though....maybe we don't! Maybe we do indeed self destruct. What a waste of our beautiful planet that would be.😧
That's a bit of dim view of humanity as 'infesting' a small part of the universe! There seem to be many billions of £$ spent on trying to leave this particular planet and seek others, guess that's the human condition, always to seek. Especially an escape from PMR...
Maybe the problem is that we're running 'away from' rather than 'running towards'?? I don't know!
When you consider how rapidly humankind is destroying the forests and filling up the ocean with plastic I don't think there is a more descriptive word than "infestation". We are behaving like an invasive species. Which makes me think there is something to the theory that we evolved partially in the ocean, we got part way to becoming marine mammals, then something happened and we returned, half-baked, to the land, where we promptly set about remodelling the planet.
When you were looking at Orion last night the light from the Orion nebula, which is the faint middle star on the 'sword' hanging from his belt, takes around 1500 years to arrive here, so about the time King Arthur was burning the cakes ! If he ever was...
It does make you think, doesn't it? Also the fact that all the water on Earth has been here for billions of years, circulating through the bodies of creatures forever. The breath you breathe might contain atoms breathed by the greatest hero or the worst villain, the water we drink once nourished a dinosaur....
Absolutely....although my cousin says that time doesn't actually exist other than as a human concept. In space there is no such thing as time! He's the scientist.....I personally can't get my head round that!
For a species which considers itself to be the pinnacle of creation we aren't proving ourselves to be worthy.
See what a sleepless night can do?!
Haha! Amazing what kind of a conversation, five sentences..... one sleep- starved PMR sufferer at 3am in the morning and 94 replies later has initiated. So sorry everyone!🙄🙄 I rather digressed!! Well, I'm off to bed now so I'll bid you all "Goodnight" and "God Bless".
Hi Kendrew. You are not alone. I tend to wake at about 2 every night and am awake for many hours. Last night, instead of tossing and turning, I went on an adventure. First time in a supermarket since March ( we are shielding due to husband’s health) . It was surreal- only one other customer in a huge store. It doesn’t solve the problem but it made me feel better! Take care x
Thankyou for your lovely reply. It's somehow quite comforting to know that on those nights that I am awake....others are too. Takes away that awful feeling of isolation! As for your nocturnal shopping trip.....what a good idea! Might as well use that time constructively. I can imagine that it probably was quite exciting. Depending on circumstances, the middle of the night can have an almost magical quality to it. Best wishes.
Not what you're looking for?
You may also like...
only half awake!
what a silly person I am! Am on 4mgs and doing absolutely fine. Really happy I am now down to...
Awake in the small hours
It’s now 3.25 a.m. ! Does anyone have similar troubles with a rumbling rolling squeaking stomach ?...
Brain fog
I can't remember if I took my pred today. Had the box out but can't remember actually taking...
Coronavirus and contact with children
I am sure I read somewhere that people in risk groups should avoid contact with children but now I...
Related Posts
when awake in the early hours….An interesting take on cortisol which I came upon whilst browsing
Thinned Skinned, Moon Faced, Bloated and Down in the DumpsModeration team
Fran_BensonPartner
SophieMBPartner
