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Returning To Insomnia & The Hope It Is Temporary
For years, I have had insomnia on and off, and for years, I’ve written about it. In 2017, on my personal blog, I wrote 3 articles about it, 2018 had about eight posts, and between 2019 and 2021 another ten articles appeared my The Apples in My Orchard blog on WordPress.
I’m not alone. Over 30 million Americans suffer from insomnia and over 237 million experience it worldwide. It is a sleep disorder that affects many, and that is an understatement. I have several risk factors for this disorder. They include: being a middle-aged woman, being a “worrier,” being a night owl by nature, and having a genetic predisposition for it(standfordhealthcare.org). My mom has had insomnia her entire life.
My problem with this disorder is cyclic. I have sleepless nights for a while and then, they stop. I know what triggers them and I do my best to avoid those things that instigate a sleepless night. Firstly, I try to maintain good sleep hygiene. This includes going to bed and getting up around the same time each day. I’ve found that I need 8–9 solid hours of sleep to feel my best. If I go to bed at 10:30 and read for 30 minutes, I shut the light out at 11 pm and sleep will usually come. I’ve been naturally waking up between 7 and 8 am.
Reading before bed helps me relax. My focus is on the story and not on things that might be…
