By Mick Holien
As pretty much a Type A personality I have always been the kind of guy who grabbed sleep when I could, never awoke after I closed my eyes and if there was a chance to be lazy and sleep for seven hours would relish the opportunity.
I have done it many ways.
.
When I was working mornings in the radio news business I got up at 3:30 a.m., hit the station just after 4 a.m. for the first of three news blocks that started at 6 a.m.
Upon returning to print I basically worked swing leaving the shop at 11 p.m. and usually being unable to unwind for a couple of hours.
Of course, on game night it usually was after Midnight until I shut down and traveling with the Grizzlies I sometimes didn’t return until early morning after awaking often by 4 a.m. to make a charter flight bound for who knows where.
But in the last decade I have discovered this phenomenon they call “retirement” where unless there is an early board meeting of some kind I don’t have to set that wretched alarm clock.
The problem is no matter how tired or what time I bed down I sleep in about three-hour cycles, often can’t go back to sleep and usually rising at no particular time but not feeling rested.
Sleeping medication is not the answer for me although it has been prescribed,
The experts say while 40 percent of all more mature folks – lol here- exhibit my symptoms because as we age there is a decrease in the deep sleep patterns accompanied by periods of wakefulness.
I don’t know about you, but I have heard of Rem (rapid eye movement) sleep’s deepest cycle when we’re dreaming but that is about the end of my understanding.
So a couple of tips from Medline Plus:
No power naps – oh no!
No late day caffeine.
Moderate exercise in the afternoon.
Avoid late night stimulation
Go to bed at the same time
Avoid tobacco
Check with your Doc that sleeplessness isn’t being caused by a prescribed drug
Late night alcohol may put you quickly to sleep but cause you to wake up later
But keep in mind something I also didn’t realize that depression can cause sleep disorders. Just sayin’
