Your sleep is not broken – Part 3

Posted on by nyamazela

“We truly live in sensory overload. The biggest culprits, of course, are our beloved and dreaded smartphones. Putting our phones down is so hard. But the ‘Ists’ tell us that the general anxiety increase so many of us experience around phone usage is usually because of exhausting over-stimulation rather than the content that’s necessarily absorbed. Looking down in a slumped posture with a glaring light, darting images, noise and speed-reading content can’t help but keep the brain frenzied and wired. Without sensory rest, we can’t control the overwhelm.”

I Haven’t Been Entirely Honest with You, by Miranda Hart

Put your phone downSo, you’ve read Part 1 and Part 2.

You know all about the Pink Elephant Paradox. You know you cannot control sleep. You’re no longer getting into a tizz, looking for patterns and secrets in a quest for the holy grail of good sleep.

And now you’re a non-judgemental, compassionate detective/scientist, challenging unhelpful thinking and allaying unfounded fears.

I think you’re ready for the next sleep-gems. So I have one question for you…

Q: Why do sleeping pills often work?

Continue reading Your sleep is not broken – Part 3

Your sleep is not broken – Part 2

Posted on by nyamazela

“Emotional rest might mean finding moments to feel how we feel. Letting emotions move through us, sharing an experience. I know, for instance, if I don’t have a little cry every few days, then I’m probably keeping things in. That’s just me. I need a regular weep, joyful or otherwise.”

I Haven’t Been Entirely Honest with You, by Miranda Hart

For my first few of sleep-gems, read my last post.

Did you try the Pink Elephant experiment?

Did you try staying awake even though you were tired?

How did that work out?

Ready for my next few sleep-gems?

Continue reading Your sleep is not broken – Part 2

Your sleep is not broken – Part 1

Posted on by nyamazela

“I know I’m not alone in the sometimes-ludicrous worry of, “I must get 8 hours sleep!” And if I wake up and it’s been 7 hours and 46 minutes, “Oh God, the day’s ruined!”

I Haven’t Been Entirely Honest with You, by Miranda Hart

Can't control sleepI’ve always loved sleep. Bedtime is possibly my favourite time of day. You’re thinking, “She’s crazy!” right?  – Perhaps!

Stay with me … I’m going to challenge your thinking!

Growing up, my days were predictable: I woke up, went to school, played outside, and ate at mealtimes. I was sent to bed at the sound of the 8 o’clock news. I got a concessionary cuddle and a few pages of a book. And just like that, I was asleep (out cold for at least 10 hours) before I knew it. Sleep was never a concern.

So, what went wrong?

Continue reading Your sleep is not broken – Part 1

How I fixed my sleep … without sheep

Posted on by nyamazela

“Sleep is like a cat: It only comes to you if you ignore it. I drank more and continued my mantra. ‘Stop thinking’, swig, ’empty your head’, swig, ‘now, seriously empty your head’.”  

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn 

Larson cartoon animal humourDid you know?

The first reference to counting sheep is found in a twelfth-century Spanish book, Disciplina Clericalis by a lad called Petrus Alphonsi. It’s a collection of fables in which the author tells one humorous tale about a King and his Story-teller counting sheep. Apparently counting sheep was a widespread practice in early Twelfth century Islamic countries, which fascinated and influenced our dear Mr Alphonsi. No doubt a shepherd or five was known to fall asleep during this monotonous daily routine …

Et voila! The origins of a completely useless remedy for insomnia.

So you can’t sleep? Neither could I – on and off for almost 10 years!

Now I’m sleeping like a baby. Continue reading How I fixed my sleep … without sheep

Keeping my head above water

Posted on by nyamazela

“John kept referencing something called the ‘Downflooding Angle’. I looked up the term in the ‘Code of Federal Regulations’ – a multi-volume compilation of all US rules covering every conceivable industry from education, to energy, to agriculture, to shipping. The ‘Downflooding Angle’ refers to how far you’d have to tip a boat in calm conditions for water to penetrate the boat’s first nonweathertight opening… With a list like that, you couldn’t stop water from getting in. The vessel would never be able to right itself.”

Into the Raging Sea by Rachel Slade
Subtitled: Thirty-three mariners, one megastore and The Sinking of the El Faro

SS El FaroLet me introduce you to ‘Maria’, ‘Irma’, ‘Harvey’, ‘Matthew’, ‘Joaquin’ and ‘Igor’ – all category 4 and 5 tropical hurricanes of the last decade. ‘Florence’ is visiting the west coast of America as we speak.

I love extreme weather … that is, when I’m in my bed cosy and warm.

Last night an early Autumn gale came up and blew eerie groans among the trees outside our window. Reading the newly-published Into the Raging Sea about hurricane ‘Joaquin’ and the sinking of the US cargo ship SS El Faro on 1st October 2015, was about as much reality as I needed. Continue reading Keeping my head above water