[Tired Ted]

Hiya Groggy

Well . . . I almost made all of my programmes and it wasn't for the flaming adverts I would have seen the end of Mr Selfridge ! I rewound it 3 times but bobbed off each time so I gave up and rolled over on the sofa to a COMFTY sleeping position and in your best French voila I was asleep for almost 4 hours.

My bladder woke me up for its constitutional just bedroom 2.00am so I decided to go to bed. My mister seemed pleased to see me and we had a lovely cuddy buddy but I must have been snoring as I felt Mr MANopaws stomp off to his wee room 10 minutrs ago. At least he did any muttering under his breath this time and was relatively quiet about it !

I was gagging to see if you were awake, or not and nearly got my iPad from under the cuvs when he did an Elvis and thank goodness I didnt as Mr M unusually came back in the room almost straight away . . . Never been so pleased to have been lazy, or not get my tired eyes open quickly as he would be terribly upset to think he gave up the big bye bos and I was laid awake in it . . . Because as we know . . . In non-insomnia land a bed is for sleeping !!!!!

Oh well must close now as I am up c 5.20 am as I am back to full time hours this week and I like to start at 8.00 am as I can get a better parking spot at this time.

Give that gorgeous pup a big cuddle from Auntie Teddy and here's hoping she is just what you need to help you sleep through !

TT x

[Tired Ted]

OMG ! . . . There I was . . . Frustratedly debating whether to get up and how to entain myself when I did get up and then the flaming alarm went off . . . Couldn't decide whether to be pleased it was time to get up or disappointed because I could roll over . . . rover.

Anyway there I was bleary eyed . . . all ready for my pre-get up stretches when Mr M came bounding in, pillows in hand. We usually work on the principle of . . . one out . . . one in . . . but this morning I am am all out of sync as I hadnt even had time to roll off before he was in !! Mind you I can't complain as he has been soooo understanding and I should really go in the single bed as I am shorter ( note I did not say smaller ! ) and I need the extra space for my snooze mobile and lotions and potions to help me sleep !

Oh well . . . Time to jump in the shower as I like to have a shower then relax and take my time getting ready as I leisurely get through my pot of delicious Italian coffee . . . Coming around should be as relaxing as getting to sleep in my opinion and as I can not usually control getting to sleep at the moment, I can control the enjoyment of waking up and starting the day.

Hope you had a good night / mornings sleep and post to you soon.

TT

[groggy]

Hey Teddy,

I love how you start your day in a luxurious manner.

I've planned to do that too, countless times, but can never think of anything as luxurious as staying under the covers, in bed, until the last possible moment… (and then doing everything else in a big rush) – drat!

Well, as it turns out, pooches are not an insomnia-cure! Who would've guess, huh?? 😮

I was up til 5am again and woke up at 9am. So far I've been able to avoid napping. I'm taking an hour's break now, smooching with the canine on the sofa, and then we'll go for a long walk… (this is the theory – hope I'll be able to put it into practice, without any major glitches!)

Hope you had a good day starting the week at work. When do you hear back about that stupid assessment?

Wah, can't write more now, brain is requesting I shut my eyes and rest a bit… (hope that's not a nap sneaking up on me!!)

XXX Groggy

[Tired Ted]

Hi Groggy

I am known for my love of luxury . . . why not . . . I am worth it !

What a shame the pooch did not help with your sleep but at least you got cuddles and cuddles are good for making you feel good so this is an ideal substitute for the torture of a long dark night alone and I bet she was happy to see your face and snuggle in.

My day hasn't been too bad although my eyes are struggling now ! Mr M and I are going out for our meal tonight and I am leaving now and we will go straight out to our local pub, no dobut and no doubt it will mean a bottle of wine, which will no doubt throw a spanner in the works for my diet this week and will probably mean I will now be starting it next week . . . oh no . . . de ja vu . . . that other vicious circle in my life !

Not sure when I will get the assessment but it will come when it comes . . .

I will close now as I am just about to shut shop and go home to a nice meal we don't have to cook . . . don't fancy my chances of sleep avoidance when I get home . . . how has your nap attack gone today ?

Take care and post to you soon.

A very Tired Teddy x

[groggy]

Hey Teddy,

well, I did end up dozing off for a short nap – honestly can't say for how long – I think between half and hour and an hour? Pooch and I have just come back from a 2 hour walk, and exercise is good for insomnia, so that's cool.

It's funny – the dog is jet black and seeing as it was getting quite dark, I could only see her LED glow-in-the dark collar zooming and bobbing about in the shrubbery…

We are now snuggly and curled up on the sofa. Pooch is under her blanket – that's the other thing she adores, next to cuddles, is blankets of all shapes and sizes to snuggle under… the little cutie…

Not much else to tell, really. I am making a little progress on the “fighting tiredness during the day” front…. even when a crippling wave of tiredness hits me, I'm now learning to “push through” it, without feeling like that's a form of torture and feeling I should call the UN Human Rights Commissioner…

Babysteps…

Enjoy your meal!!

Groggy Gal

[Tired Ted]

Hiya Groggy Gal

I thought of you earlier when I got in my menopawsmobile ( my new car ) and tried my memory stick with new music loaded on it.

I didn't know how it worked and was too tired to look in the manual so I just plugged it in and then music started playing and guess what the first track was . . . It was ' Ready Teady ' by Elvis . . . Well I laughed my socks off and didn't even know I had the song downloaded ! I was singing along and pulling my best Elvis face . . . Good job my man with the white coat was not around !

Good for you going on a 2 hour walk . . . I have read somewhere that exhausting yourself physically is good for helping you sleep so heres hoping for a good nights sleep for you.

We had a lovely meal but we were both sooooo tired we brought half a bottle of wine home and Mr M has got in the bye bo's for an early shif before the insomniac kid ( me ) gets in. I have another of my favourite programmes starting again tonight but not sure I will make it as it starts at 9pm but I have got it taping. It is an American series called Revenge . . . Not sure if you can get it where you are but I loved the the first series.

You are doing really well and I think we have both come such a long way since finding this website . . . I think we will always have a predisposition to insomnia but as you quite rightly say . . . Small steps. I would be very happy with an improvement a few days a week as I don't expect a full recovery, just to learn a way of living with insomnia as peacefully as possible.

Ciao for now

Full up Tired Teddy

[groggy]

Hm, Teddy, this sounds like me:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delayed_sleep_phase_disorder

I will have to ask my Dr when I see him next.

[Tired Ted]

That must be a relief . . . Finding what could be your problem . . . Please let me know what your doctor says and does about it

GOOD LUCK !

[groggy]

Hm, yeah, kind of a relief, I guess…

Like it says in the link, I've tried pretty much “everything” from meditation to sleep deprivation to sleeping tablets to sport to relaxation techniques to sleep hygiene to sleeping on the sofa, etc etc, since I was 7 years old – all without success.

So yeah, in theory it would be kind of good to know “this is the cause”…

On the other hand, I guess I'd been hoping that I will find a “miracle cure” at some point and put it all behind me (unrealistic really, I know)… So if it was that, errr… that then sort of rules out a miracle cure…

So yeah, I dunno what to think of it really. No point in trying to guess anyway, as I think the different kinds of insomnia, with their different causes, effects and treatments sound pretty complicated and I would probably just get myself muddled.

I feel odd now tho – having seen Dr's about this issue for 20 years that not one Dr has suggested this…! (Tho the link did explain that most Dr's truly don't know much more about insomnia than the average lay-person…)

A similar thing happened with my menstrual migraines – I have been to so many Gyns over the years due to having moved cities/ countries several times – and never did one of them even suggest that my extreme period pain could have to do with menstrual migraines…

Makes you wonder what the point is of going to see Dr's at all, really!!!

Ach, I dunno. I guess I'm not fully in tune with the idea yet that this is MY insomnia, so I need to be proactive in managing it, cos no one else is gonna make it go away. I guess in part I still wish that it would “just go away” on its own… (Me being lazy, I guess…)

So is your insomnia “just” from having bladder/ bowel issues from the entrapped ovary (dunno if you have pain from it too?) ? Or is there also a hormonal menopawsal element to your insomnia?

Have your Dr's made any suggestions as to treatment of the entrapped ovary? Can they do surgery, for example, to untrap it? Or are you supposed to put up with it/ get used to it? And have they made any suggestions of how to treat the insomnia that's connected with it?

Hm, well I don't see my Dr til the end of the month and he's pretty good, so he'll probably say “that is a distinct possibility” and set me up with an appointment for a sleep clinic. I dunno how long the waiting list for an appt will be – so there's not really going to be anything to “report back” with for quite a while I guess….

I guess I'll have another look at the link tomorrow, when I've had a night to sleep over it (or not to sleep over it, as the case may be, haha) and try and see what my gut instinct tells me… There are a few things that “click into place” when I read it… but who knows…

Sleep tight, in case you're off to bed!

I might post again later, cos I'm not particularly sleepy yet…

Sweet dreams,

Groggy

[groggy]

Hm, okay, so from what I can tell it's worth me trying the following: getting up at 6am every day and not doing ANY daytime napping for 3-4 weeks and to see if that changes the time when my brain falls asleep at night. If it does adapt, then it's not that Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder (well, as far as I understand what I've read).

I'm (once again!) a bit embarassed to say this, but I've never made the concious effort to do that…

I mean sure, for school and previous jobs, I've had to get up that early, but would often nap or catch up massively on sleep on the weekend etc…

Since I've always been “on my own” with my insomnia so far, I've never had the strength to face 3-4 weeks of chronic medium-grade sleep deprivation… and to find the discipline to stick it through, even on weekends etc, and never to cheat by “accidentally” sleeping in…

So I guess that would be the most sensible approach? To try sticking to such a sleep schedule, while I wait for my Dr's appt….

Oh Lord. That means setting my alarm clock to 6am – waaaaaah 😮

Well, I guess if I've gotten thru so many years of insomnia so far, another 3-4 weeks of even more sleep-deprivation isn't going to kill me…

Right. Well, I will report how I go…

XXX

Groggy

[Tired Ted]

Hi Groggy

Well I bobed off c 6.30 pm and woke up c 9.30 pm so that's 3 hours sleep clocked up already – YEAH !

You have obviously tried everything to help with your insomnia and it is such a shame that after so much effort, you have suffered for so many years.

I think your new plan to get up at 6.00 am to try to get into a pattern is a great idea and remember you are no longer alone as I am at the other end of Insomnia Land. I may not be asleep at the same time as you but I am always up at 6.00 am and promise to look out for your posts as soon as you get up to encourage you to start the day . . . At least this way you will have the time to enjoy a luxury come around like me and remember . . . while your are having this decadent wake up time for yoursel you will at least be in a fairly relaxed state . . . Especially if like me you struggle to get your eyes open first thing some mornings !

My insomnia started when my ovary first started playing up on 7 July 2012 as the pain stopped me getting to sleep. It wasn't agony but it was too painful for my mind to forget about it. I struggled with this until my first hormone injection early October 2012 which improved the pain significantly . . . Well at least so I could get to sleep. Unfortunately one of the side effects of my hormone injection treatments is insomnia . . . AAARRRRGGGGGGHHHH ! Who said I was not lucky ! I did say today that I think my body and mind suits insomnia as I have had such a productive time at work and have made less mistakes than I may have done on full sleep ( not that I made many, you understand ! ) I always said that I didn't know how I managed to concentrate and didnt make any mistakes on my big project for September so heigh ho . . . Insomnia is maybe the way to go !

I was offered surgery for my ovary but I wouldn't consider having gynae surgery in Hull after the cock up that was my hysterectomy 5 years ago and I would be prone to more adhesions anyway . . . At least I know the problems with this one very well and have found a way of managing the pain. My Gynaecologist has said he would be keen to talk about surgery if the pain comes back when we stop my injections in 18 months. The side effects of the injections are really not pleasant but on balance they are not as bad as the pain without them.

Unfortunately there is no miracle cure for insomnia and I do think that we will have to be accept it, learn to live with it and make the best of it and who knows we may even get to enjoy it !

Remember . . . slowly, slowly catchy insomnia monkey !

Oh well time to close as my programme has nearly finished so I am going to kick Mr M out of the big bye bo's for my snooze.

Until the morning insomnia pal

Tired Teddy x

[groggy]

Hey there…

Ah, you're such a sweetie – your posts are always cheering me up…

Yes, I know the “insomnia high” too – the heightened concentration… I've had it happen with exams often – that I've not been able to fall asleep the night before and then written a much better exam than I would've expected cos my brain was on that no-sleep-high… Not sure what it is tho, medically speaking…?

Well, it looks like I am on an all-nighter… At least the pooch is slumbering deeply, dreaming away, her paws twitching/ running in her sleep…

I am kind of excited to test this get up at 6am every day (including Sundays) and NO naps… I know I should've done this YEARS ago, but yeah, never found the time/ patience/ strength to try it. Hope I'm still excited 3 or 4 days down the track… haha… Lord, my poor boyfriend – how is he going to cope with probably mega-grumpy me?? Or maybe I'll become really docile, haha… like I do on long-haul flights, where I can't sleep either and I am sooo polite to the stewardesses and am SOOO grateful for a glass of water or tomato juice… pffft! ^_^

Gah – you're going to get an entertaining bunch of posts to read too, over the next few days and weeks then!! You can watch my slow but steady decline into insomnia insanity… 😮

Right, I should switch this laptop off and “rest” for a bit.

See you at 6am then… tho I think you're an hour behind me… (me: Berlin/ you: UK)

Wishing us both peace – with or without sleep

XXX

Groggy

[Tired Ted]

STAND BY YOUR BEDS . . . I am up and groggy won't be far behind !!

I had a hoped to stay in bed until 5.30 am but had information overload whizzing through my head so got up just before 5.00 am to review my documents before my meeting with the Top of the Shop ( the boss ) / Human Remains ( HR ) and my line manager. I was going to go on my own as I came out of the union as they didn't help me get back to work 5 years ago but I am joining again and I am putting myself forward for the Welfae Officer for the union as I am good with verbal cuddles ! Plus if can make life easier for someone else who is being ” done wrong ” that will be a comfort for my suffering . . . plus I will be abe to go to the union honchos for advice on my rights next time they start pushing me around, rather than spending hours and hours trawling the Internet to not find what I need.

Oh well . . . Time to hump in the bath as phase II of my luxury wake up regime . . . Did you notice the 'Ello 'Ello mistake in the early part of this paragraph ? I obviously meant jump ( not hump ) in the bath !

Look forward to hearing how your first early rising is going.

Bright as a Button Teddy x

[Tired Ted]

Are you up yet Grogz ??

[groggy]

Well, WHOOPS!!!!

Day 1 of my experiment is going in true Groggy Gal style….

Fell asleep at 5am with alarm clocks going off at 6.

My brain was SO confused – couldn't work out what the noise was, then figured out it was objects in the bedroom making the noise (2 alarm clocks & 2 phones) and started “touching” every object in the bedroom in an attempt to make everything stop making noise… 😮

Pooch was not impressed (about all the noise) and looking at me with her “eyebrows” raised….

Now we've kind of tried to stay awake but kept dropping off in between and just got up at noon to let her have a pee in the garden….

Well, I am deciding not to be frustrated or embarassed about this (progress, huh?!) but to tell myself that my brain and body will learn to adapt to my new schedule soon.

Sorry I wasn't there to say hello this morning 🙁

[Author]

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