As you may know, this September I added a little extra to my schedule and I’m now working on my Master’s degree. I’m really enjoying the new experiences that come with being a mature graduate student, but I have a slight complication I wasn’t expecting. I. Can’t. Sleep.
And I really like my sleep. Correction: I like how I feel after a good night’s sleep.
It’s possible that this bout of insomnia is still about my brain building new neural pathways to help me absorb all the new information. To test that theory, I stopped doing homework at night so my dear noggin could slow down before bed-time. I don’t know if having a homework fast after 7PM has helped or not, because I. Still. Can’t. Sleep.
Like a floater on the water, I bob along the surface of restful sleep, knowing it’s there, but unable to plunge into its cool, thick, restorative depths.
And then I realized: it’s perimenopause. Yay. (She types facetiously.)
Insomnia has always circled the periphery of my life, showing up like clockwork once a month, for one night only. (Minus the fanfare.) Now that my cycles aren’t like clockwork any more, I seem to have developed a new relationship with insomnia – but I’ve decided it’s not going to work out. We’re breaking up.
When I don’t sleep, I get… um… testy. I’m not as proactive. I forget things. My face gets drawn. Over time, I know that shortened sleep will affect my waistline, and my health. (For info on the health benefits of sleep, go here.)
Now that I’ve recognized the problem, I’m on it.
I’m focused on keeping my blood sugar balanced through regular mealtimes. Exercise in the morning. No caffeine after noon. (I love tea.) No sugar (even fruit) after supper. I’m taking my adrenal support in the morning before I eat. I’m supporting my liver. I’m drinking lots of water during the day (but not in the evening.) Night-time activities will be quiet and relaxing. (Still no homework past 7pm.) I’ll let you know how it all works out.
If you have tips to get you through your sleepless nights, please share them below. I’m sure we’d all love to benefit from your experience.
Until next time,
I wish you vibrant health and blissful, restorative sleep!
Lisa
