Insomnia

Insomnia, amIright?

It looks like there are at least two types of insomnia.  The one where you can't fall asleep, and the other one I just discovered the existence of.  It involves waking at 2-3am, no matter when you went to bed, and being unable to go back to sleep.

I already take a fair dose of melatonin each night.  12mg.  Sometimes that is joined by other meds as needed. 

This 'maintenance insomnia' truly does sucketh.  One never gets enough sleep, and that is cumulative.  After a few weeks of living like an exhausted pigeon, I started doing research.

My blood sugar often drops a bit low, as checked at 2am.  But, sometimes on nights I sleep well it does the same thing.  I'm already juggling to my blood sugar balance again after starting an eating change, so working on that.  A better explanation is a cortisol jump that naturally occurs in the wee hours for most people.  It's suggested that it's the bodies way of preparing for waking up.  Perhaps my cortisol stress hormone whatsis is wonky, because I certainly do wake up stressed.  Usually my brain flings a totally loathsome dream at me right around 2am, and I wake breathing hard and heart thumping.   Weeeee.

I decided this needs pro help, so I messaged our lovely and competent Doc, who is a friend as well.  She came back with two suggestion that were right in line with my thinking.

1. On waking at 2am, take a small dose of melatonin (1-5mg) and see if that helps going back to sleep.  I tried it, and it didn't.
2. Trazadone, starting at 25 mg and fiddling upwards to find the right dose.  She explained how it's safe and non-addictive.  Okay, we have that in the house for other people, at 50mg and 100mg dosages and Doc knows that.  Herself said the girl child has been at 100mg since she was 9 years old, taking it when needed.  Huh.  I guess I can do that to try it.

On a night I had already planned to sleep in the recliner keeping Herself company, who was sleeping in the other recliner for reasons.  I took 100mg of Trazadone and 10 minutes later I died... or something like that.  The next morning I found out 3 other people had gone through the room and I has spoken to them.  Also, I got up twice to pee, once more than usual.  The thing is, this was all news to me.  I didn't recall any of it.

Waking up groggy is an understatement.  Sleep is good, unconscious is not.  Someone packed my skull with old gym socks, and that someone was me.  Never again.

Last night I tried half that much, 50mg.  Better.  Woke once to pee and this time I remember it.  Slept from 10:30 pm till 6 am and woke refreshed for the first time in months.  Here is the sleep record my watch tracks:

Typically, if I get any deep sleep at all it's 5% or less.  13% is miraculous to me.  Also notice the significant lack of awake time.  I'm usually awake 6-8 times a night, not counting the 2am demons.  Only twice is also miraculous.

Tonight I will back the dosage down to 25mg, and if that works as I guess it will, I'll petition Doc for a scrip at that dosage.  Once that is a stable dose I will move it to the 'as needed' category.  Save it for those times I am on day 2-3 of too little sleep.  Not every night.

So, my friends who join me in old fogeyness, maybe this info will help you if you get what I got.

7-12-26 Mega Meme dump

 W: 320.8        BS: 94

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Loads of memes today.  Many swiped from Sarah Hoyt.

7-11-26

 W: 318.8            BS: 74            

Asked doc for suggestion on sleep. I tried one last night. A p-scrip that I knew was always someplace around the house, but I never used.  Doc said start at 25mg.  Herself said daughter has been taking 100mg as needed since she was 9.  Okay, I took a 100mg at sleep time.  Fell asleep in the recliner, already planned as such for reasons.

Had to get up a few times to pee (dang Lasix), and was groggy both times.  Sometime before waking I had a dream in which I was waking from a dream and said never that much again as it made me mentally fuzzy.  I woke up and did exactly that, talking  to the same person I was talking to in the dream.  Inception much?

(Update)  As I am slowly becoming aware, I can see that People were around me and doing things last night.  I slept through that.  I SLEPT THROUGH THAT.  Normally a cat fart will bring me wide awake.  One footstep on the stairs at night and I'm awake and can tell you which kid is up.

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In other boring, I've had the dehydrator running most days.  In pint or quart jars: Mirepoix, onion, Italian seasoning, mixed assorted greens (Horseradish, radish, Kale, and Swiss chard), oregano, mint, basil, and celery leaf.  Still riding on last years dried peppers,  tomatoes, and tomato powder.

That quart of mirepoix (Onions, carrots, celery) was chopped, dehydrated, roasted, and chopped again. It will make at least ten pots of soup or sauce.

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The words 'good' and 'evil' can be exchanged for many others.
This does not require a spiritual perspective, but grounds perfectly
in the realms of psychology and human nature.  The basic message is clear.
If X cannot prosper in the face of opposing opinions being voiced, 
Then X is a lie that does not wish to be exposed.

I think this is true, I tell you three times.
I've applied this notion in business and academia
for my whole life. A large percentage of people 
firmly believe that if they can get YOU stuck in a barrel,
then THEY will not be in a barrel.

7-10-26

 W: 321.4        BS: 74

I'm tired, Boss. Tired.

'Sleep-maintenance insomnia'.  Note to self:  Research this.

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CNN again.... lol.

 

LOL.... CNN at their usual competence level.

There IS no 'Rep. Jack Kimble'. It's a fiction and satire account on social media.

I'm thinking.... 'BillyJoeBob's Bait, Tackle, and Discount Editorial Board Services'. You know, out on Rt29 just before the swamp?

The thing is, I don't *try* to pick on CNN. They are just the biggest and most well known outlet, so when they do their daily dumb is really stands out.

As for the McConnell thing, hell yeah that should be news. What's also news is the idiots on the Pube side have a senator who nobody even knows if he is alive, and it still can't hold a candle to the Nazi loving rapist the other team tried to field.

7-9-26

 W: 319.6   318.8          BS: 89        BP: 160/89  138/64

Yes, that BP is high.  It's taken at it's highest point of the day, just after getting up in the morning.  I try to check at consistent times, and for BP take the worst case.  Luckily all three numbers come together first thing after I awake.

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Booze?  I have admitted to myself that if I have spirits I like in the house, I will drink them. Often to excess.  Does that mean I am an alcoholic?  In response, I am bringing less home to stock the cabinet, and thus avoid the issue.

Now I notice something else.  Today I am without such bottled joy.  I have all the time, money, and transportation to make a boozemart run.  It's only 5 miles for Pete's sake.  What is stopping me is shear laziness.  Am I an alcoholic if I'm simply too lazy to run and buy a nice bottle of something tasty?

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7-8-26. Soooo very memish.

 W: 321.0        BS: NA

Down at 9, up at 12.  Usual causes I suppose.  Today will be quiet I think. Or busy. Whatev.  I'll do some stuff, if I feel like it.

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Huh. Walmart stopped delivering groceries to our area. Delivered one day, lost that option the next day. Same stunt Pizza Hut pulled... just changed their map and suddenly we are a few hundred feet out of their delivery area.

Family of four buying groceries weekly... and that's money they won't see again. On the other hand, I had to buy a one year 'Walmart +' membership to get the free shipping and delivery. Considering I usually buy groceries weekly, that seemed to make sense. Now they are not delivering weekly groceries? Not so much sense.

So, I'll use up that years membership having Walmart ship things to my house for 'free'. All the heavy things I don't want to carry. Cat litter, critter feed, bottled water, softener salt, bulk paper goods; They can bring all that to my front porch where I shall be relaxing with a cigar, smiling.

(update)

This morning Walmart showed No Grocery Delivery For YOU. This afternoon they show delivery here, but it's weird. Before everything was marked 'out of stock'. Now they show delivery for some items but not others. No milk, but plenty of half/half. No eggs, but yes to butter. Yes to muffins but no to any other bakery stuff. Just weird.

I suspect it may be a case of BillyJoeBobs Bait, Tackle, and Discount IT Emporium striking again.

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It begins.  German lunchbox.

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Semi-fake, but very accurate.

Q: Do I believe I have the right to control other people's lives?

A: No, I don't. When I was young I thought I knew best and everyone should just listen to me, but I matured. I grew up, and the day I realized other people's lives were just that was the day I became an adult.

Q: Do I believe other people are required to listen to my opinions?

A: See the above answer. I used to, but then I was not a child anymore.

Q: Do I believe other people are required to care if I'm offended, and do something about it?

A: Sounds pretty asinine and immature, doesn't it? I'll go with 'No'. I'm not three years old anymore.

Q: Do I believe there should be one set of rules that everyone must be held to?

A: I used to, but then again I used to believe a lot of silly crap. Rules are rules for people who are willing to, or can be forced to, abide by them. It's 100% a risk Vs. reward judgement every time and every day for every person. No, obeying rules without question is not a virtue, it's a copout. Rules work if and when they are well designed for everyone's benefit and more people agree than not. If that fails, it falls to the rifleman's quarter mile to resolve the issue.