Friday, August 20, 2010
Day Six - I am a lightweight
I haven't been sleeping and so occasionally I try taking Unisom, Tylenol PM, or most recently Melatonin. These are great. They help me turn my brain off so that I can fall asleep, but most importantly when I wake up during the night for whatever reason, they help me actually fall back asleep. The problem is that they stay in my system forever and make it extremely hard to wake up in the morning which is why I don't take them very often. I am a serious lightweight when it comes to sedatives. In fact, a dose of Benedryl knocked me out right after I gave birth to Tiger and anesthesia works amazingly well for me. Anyway, I have taken Melatonin quite a few times this week and I tell you, it is making it really hard for me to wake up in the morning. I don't think I would be up right now if it weren't for the fact that Tiger woke up early. So, I think that if I am going to be able to succeed in Operation Wake Up Early, I will have to stop taking my little happy pills. The whole point of this is to get my body into a better and healthier sleeping pattern anyway. So here's to optimism (raise glass and . . . clink).
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4 comments:
Beth,
Melatonin is great for helping you adjust to a new sleeping pattern. It helps regulate your light/dark/wake/sleep clycle and basically tells your brain that it's nighttime and it needs to go to sleep. Most of the supplements on the market are actually TOO strong. I imagine you have the 3mg tabs. Try cutting it in half. If you wake up sleepy, walk into the bathroom and turn every light on. That sends signals to your brain that nighttime is over and it's time to wake up. A few weeks of doing this should help you get into a new schedule. Obviously this is easier said than done, and it doesn't work for everybody.
If that doesn't work, there's always Yanabah Navajo Tea.....I hear it cures insomnia and inability-to-get-out-of-bed-syndrome*
*These statments have not been evaluated by the FDA
You should start training for a marathon... You'll sleep like a log every night :) But in all seriousness, intense workouts may help. I know I sleep better when I'm exercising.
You all make my heart swell!!!
Beth, not to interrupt the family chain of advice, but I have tried cutting the Tylenol PM in half or even thirds. It has the desired effect without it being so strong.
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