August is the typical month when my insomnia really takes hold. I think it has something to do with the quality of light and allergens in the air, but I am not certain. Anyway… what ends up happening is that I find it incredibly difficult to get to sleep. Once asleep, it is easy (sometimes too easy) to stay asleep, but crossing the threshold from wakefulness to sleepytime is a bit of a bear. There for this post is all about insomnia.
Thanks this week go to Lsig (see you in a few weeks), Susan, The Ex-Wife, Grapes, and Some Other Guy,
Onto the questions!
1. Have you seen the Al Pacino/Hilary Swank movie Insomnia? I haven't, but it looks like it could be good.
I have not seen this movie. I vaguely remember it existing.
2. Have you seen the Norwegian movie Insomnia starring Stellan Skarsgård upon which the Al Pacino movie was based? I haven't seen that one either.
I am unsurprised that the above movie is a rehash of a Norwegian movie. Hollywood has been lifting ideas from Scandinavia for years. That being said, no, I have not seen this version either.
3. Do you prefer to get up and do stuff when you are having trouble sleeping, or do you rest in bed and hope it helps?
It depends on the day. Sometimes I feel like staring grumpily at the ceiling until I am asleep, and others I get up. It also depends on where the doggos are sleeping. When they are on me and immediately next to me, the chances of me getting up and being productive are weaker.
4. Are you getting enough exercise? That helps with sleep.
I am not getting enough exercise. I was ramping up the exercise regime and my feet decided to fall apart (Thanks, Dad!... I inherited his shit feet). I have torn one of the lateral metatarsal ligaments in my left foot and potentially one in my right foot. The feet are finally feeling better enough to possibly get on a treadmill for a real amount of time. I figure the treadmill might be the best way of re-experiencing the MCU. Trying to determine if I should watch the movies chronologically or in order of release.
5. Have you seen Insomniac with Dave Attell? Love that show. Hilarious. Sadly, it does not appear to be available streaming anywhere.
Dave Attell, the machine gun of comedy, is a favorite of mine. Insomniac was a bunch of fun. One of the things I loved about it was seeing Dave sit down with comics he clearly wasn’t super friendly with and try to chat with them like long lost friends. Watch one of the conversations with Dane Cook and see how much Attell is not happy that it was happening in his life.
6. Anyone else in the family have insomnia?
My mom has it somewhat… but it is hard to tell with her if what she is reporting is true or not. She is an unreliable narrator at best. My daughter has it as well. She has trouble getting to sleep and staying asleep once she gets there. That being said, she also doesn’t realize half the time when she has actually fallen asleep and woke up later thinking she had been awake the entire time. I think she feels that most of her life is a fever dream.
7. What do you count to get to sleep?
Dolla Dolla bills, y’all… I don’t have enough so I get done quickly
8. Do you subscribe to the Victorian Era idea of the Little Sleep and Big Sleep, where people go to bed early and get up for a bit in the middle of the night and going back to sleep until a normal time in the morning?
Nope, I get to sleep at 1 or 2 in the morning on a good day and get up at 7 or 8 pending on what has to be done in the morning. On the weekends the dogs make me get up and then fall asleep on the couch. For some reason, the doggos don’t like to sleep in on a soft comfy bed.
9. If you were to get up in the middle of the night like the Victorians, what would you do?
Well, of course, I would chat with the neighbors about how the livestock are doing.
10. Do you read before bed? Some people say that reading before bed is helpful.
Sometimes I do. The problem is that I read from a Kindle app on my iPhone and that’s more screen-time, Baby!
11. What keeps you up at night?
Part of the answer to this is “I wish I knew.” The other part of the answer is stress in its many forms. I very rarely can point to a specific event or series of thoughts that keeps me up at night. Occasionally there is a specific thing, but more often than not I lay awake looking at the ceiling wondering why I can’t sleep. I need to get back on top of the meditation thing.
12. What can you easily sleep through?
Most things in the morning. That being said, I tend to be a relatively light sleeper.
13. What is the weirdest insomnia cure you have ever tried?
I have tried most of the standard ones. Warm milk… bleck! counting “sheep” (dolla dolla bills, y’all), deep breathing, reading… There are not tons of folk remedies for insomnia that I have seen.
14. Do your dreams ever wake you up?
If by “dreams,” you mean aspirations and difficult to reach goals in life… well, those never wake me up because I have none, for I am dead inside. Looking into my eyes is nigh unto looking into the soulless black eyes of a doll devoid of life and emotion. My aspirations are ash and my goals are the sweet release of death…. If you mean sleepytime dreams, occasionally.
15. Are there any consistent tools you have to fight insomnia? For instance, BBC documentaries, or Echoes with John Diliberto?
The most consistent tool is to attempt to put myself in a relaxed state that leads to sleep. This is harder to do with a cpap.
16. Have you ever listened to the New Jersey band the Insomniacs?
Nope.
17. If you have a bout of insomnia, what do you do to power through the day?
Sheer raw will power. It’s like I am a goddamn Green Lantern. I wrap myself in willpower and punch through the day. I have recently kicked the green goddess to the curb. I miss you Mt Dew! I miss you so much!
18. How often do you have insomnia?
Is too often an answer, because that’s how often. At least once a week.
19. Is sleep overrated?
No. Not at all. In fact, I would say that sleep is underrated. Grossly underrated.
20. How much sleep did you get last night?
3.5 hours. And I am a good goddamn delight to be around. The lack of sleep has not affected me in the lightest. Not. In. The. Lightest.
To recap:
I am running on empty
I think I have averaged about 4 hours a night for the past week or so
Seriously, the tanks are empty
It is amazing I am even remotely pleasant
I am a goddamn joy to be around
I might have gotten on the Mt Dew train over the weekend
It was a moment of weakness
If I were in the Green Lantern Corps, I would drink Mt Dew All. The. Time.
I am starting up some life coaching tomorrow
That will be good
Maybe my dreams will be more than ash
And my goals more than the sweet release of death?
One can dream…
Oooooh, it’s already working
Little Man started his sophomore year last week
Q is starting her 5th grade year tomorrow
So that’s what’s going on here
How are you?
Have you lost weight?
You look great
See? A goddamn sleep-deprived delight
Have a great week everyone!