Sunday 29 January 2012

Insomnia

Insomnia but not Faithless
I have of late been suffering from a prolonged bout of insomnia. The term is relative to me as in general, I'm a very poor sleeper. It usually takes me 2 - 3 hours to get to sleep but since November last year, if I do get to sleep, it's taking 3 - 6 hours.


The problem is that I just can't turn my brain off. It is constantly brining up some memory, imagining some scenario or attempting to solve some problem which presents itself in 'self-talk'. The only time I can get to sleep with 5 or 10 minutes if hitting the sack is if I've had a few drinks but alcohol induced sleep is of poor quality and ultimately detrimental to one's health.

When I do manage to get to sleep, I often have quite disturbing dreams featuring all sorts of monsters so even that is not at all restorative. One of my latest nocturnal horrors featured transdimensional arachnid beings who were kidnapping people and ingesting them via a nauseating process of liquefaction.

I have tried every trick and recommendation in the book to try and get some decent kip but all to no avail. A while back, I thought the gym and Ovaltine were working wonders but now even that mighty combination has been overwhelmed.

I am therefore extremely lucky that my job involves the use of flexi time which means my extreme morning lethargy doesn't cost me.

I actually remember the last time I had a good night's sleep where I woke incredibly refreshed. It was during the summer of 2009 - I woke up at 7.30 to a cheery chorus of birdsong led by an enchanting blackbird and a soft breeze which was just catching the curtains. Now that is the stuff that dreams are made of!