The worst part about suffering Insomnia is waking up after you have actually gotten some restful sleep. It like being dragged from the depths of the ocean to the surface and if it happens too quickly it can ruin your day.

I know that some people use the snooze function on their alarm clocks regularly and it works for them. They wake up gradually at their own pace and I can see how that would be attractive. Unfortunately I had some snooze button mishaps in college that make me less inclined to use the snooze function on my alarm clock. Furthermore, the whole stop-and-go idea of using the snooze button to get a few minutes of sleep is not attractive to me because it is not restful sleep which I am lacking right now. A few minutes
of light snoozing while anticipating the alarm to go off again is just not something I need.

I bought an iHome iH5B alarm clock that i use with my iPod to wake me up. The good thing about it is that the volume on the music or alarm increases gradually over a short period of time so I don’t get jolted awake (which sometimes causes a headache of enormous proportion). I have also considered the Progressive Wake Alarm Clock which wakes
you slowly using lights and aromatherapy. The only reason I didn’t get it is because it’s not iPod friendly yet. The idea is wonderful and I will always be on the lookout for an alarm clock that uses light and sound together to reduce wakeup shock.

The older I get the harder I find it to go to sleep at night. My brain won’t shut down. In fact I think about more stuff when I’m trying to go to bed than I do working and piddling around all day. I have had several serious bouts with insomnia as an adult. Some of these have been the result of my heart arrhythmia which was misdiagnosed as depression and anxiety for several years. It turns out that I have a Magnesium deficiency and have to take Magnesium Oxide supplements to quell that issue. Since moving to Raleigh I had problems sleeping in my new apartment at first, especially after my new furniture came. You would think that an air mattress would strike fear in the heart of an insomniac before a big old Sealy Posturepedic would. At any rate, I have consulted a few web sites and read a lot of blogs to help me in my quest to re-gain my natural sleeping habits. I think part of my problem is that I am used to having a TV in my bedroom which always lulled me into a coma at night. I don’t have that luxury right now and my body is giving me hell for it. Here’s what I have done so far to try to ease myself to sleep:

• Eliminated caffeine after 6pm
• Re-oriented my bed so my bedroom reflects the layout of my old bedroom
• Purchased a memory foam mattress topper
• Purchased luxury (hotel quality) sheets
• Placed scented candles in my bedroom with relaxing aromas (don’t worry I don’t burn them when I’m trying to fall asleep)
• Purchased an iHome iH5B iPod compatible Alarm Clock Radio which I listen to before going to sleep (the headphones got painful)
• Worked on my GTD To Do List (on Tracks Train) to unload some stray thoughts
• Completed repetitive and boring tasks
• Read books and blogs
• Called and spoke with friends and family on the phone to the point of exhaustion
• Counted sheep (I am not lying)
• Kept a handwritten journal where I unload emotionally before bed
• Taken Melatonin and OTC Sleep Aids (sparingly)

The combination of these things has earned me a few nice nights of sleep, however I cannot seem to sleep more than 6 hours at a time with any consistency. I have had less than 7 total hours of sleep since this time last week and it is obviously frustrating. This sleep deprivation is also having a negative effect on my attention span when I work, and my drive to write and be creative. I have been woken up in the middle of the night and headed the computer because I have discovered that I had something to journal
or blog about, but being up for such long periods of time and not being able to create anything is crippling me.

People are quick to give advice and say that maybe I am indeed depressed or having bouts of anxiety, but I don’t feel either at all. I have been happier since I moved to Raleigh than I was the entire time I was in Florida. I miss my family but it’s no different than when I was in college. I do not experience any bouts of panic or nervousness. I would almost feel relieved if I could pick out what exactly is keeping me from resting even if it was depression or anxiety.

I plan on attempting the following to see if it will help me change my sleeping habits:

• Shower before bed
• Listen to Jazz (which can aid in creativity too)
• Read more books
• Schedule specific times for writing and working on my blog
• Journal every night even if it’s only a sentence or two
• Start a regular exercise plan (even if it’s only simple things I can do at home)
• Move to an apartment complex that was built more recently (these buildings have thin walls and the floors make too much noise)
• Drink warm milk or herbal tea before bed

If you are reading this and have any suggestions I would appreciate all the help you can give. Sleep deprivation is worse than water torture and I don’t wish it on anyone. I seem to have had more than my fair share over the past 6 or 7 years.