Sunday Insomnia

When I was in high school, I was a good student with a heavy schedule and worked at maintaining a good GPA. I slept fine Monday through Saturday, but on Sundays I often had trouble either falling asleep, staying asleep or sometimes, both. I worried about the week ahead in the wee hours of the night. I can't tell you when it stopped as it wasn't an every week occurrence. I also can't say it stopped because of anything I consciously did or did not do.

The busiest years of my adult life were when my sons were very young and again when I went to work for my husband as an office manager. It had been a long time since I had worked full time but I was up for the challenge. I still carpooled them to school, practices and games, music lessons and catechism.

Sunday night insomnia returned not during those busy years when I had so much to juggle, but during the last two years that I worked. I have no idea why it came back then. It disappeared again when I retired. I've had an occasional restless night, but I could lay the blame on a pressing personal deadline, a legitimate worry, or something I ate or drank too late in the day.

Guess what is visiting me again?   Last night I was awake between 3:00 and 5:00.  Nothing is happening this week that has me worried or excited. I didn't feel anxious in those hours, just wide awake and then annoyed. I turned away from the clock. That didn't help. I tried a relaxing technique where you concentrate on relaxing your toes first and work your way up your body. I felt limp like spaghetti. Wide awake spaghetti.

I recalled reading a blurb on insomnia that suggested counting backwards by threes from 300. The idea is that this takes your mind off your worries, but is boring and will lull you to sleep.

Ha!

300...297...294...hey, 294 is the first three digits of my phone number!...291...288, oh, that is funny, my sister-in-law was just talking about too many eights in the knitting pattern she is using and how she couldn't count by sixes now.

Hmm, where was I?

300...297...294...291... on so on,  down to 222...that used to be the name of a pain reliever sold at pharmacies in Canada. Hmm, was that the real name or was that what we called them here in the States?...Shoot! Where was I was before I started thinking about Canada?

300...297...294...

It was a long night until just before the alarm went off. Thanks to my slave driver friend Theresa, I made it to the gym this morning despite sleep deprivation. She assured me my snoring didn't bother any of the other members. 

I'd smack her, but I just don't have the energy for it today. She'd better look out tomorrow though!