I sometimes wonder if others think about things as I do... and/or how others handle the same situations...
Ok, I'm going to write about something that goes on with me every night... and I believe it's an 'age' thing. Most of you who have reached the ripe old age of 75 (maybe some younger, some older) know what I'm talking about. It's that middle of the night dilemma when you know you should get up and visit the facilities, but you don't want to... you're warm and cozy and have that foggy sleepy feeling which you know could go away as soon as your feet hit the cold floor.
I tend to have conversations with myself a lot... especially during the night. They usually go something like this:
"Get up!"
"No, I don't want to."
"You have to. Now Get Up!"
And of course you know that you have to... and do. But I follow certain procedures to avoid waking up totally.
Best to have slippers or socks close by to avoid cold floors.
Best to not open your eyes too much (only enough to see where you're going).
I tend to 'wobble' during the night (you know from side to side). I tell myself I've become a Weeble (remember that old ditty - Weebles wobble, but they don't fall down)
Best to get in and out quickly and not 'think' about anything as this will get your brain to start thinking about things that worry you... and you'll never get back to sleep.
And by all means 'avoid looking in the mirror' as seeing what you look like in the middle of the night half asleep and with bed hair might just give you a heart attack.
Most of the time this works. Sometimes not so much.
And then I go through a similar ritual in the morning... talking to myself:
"Oh God, it's morning..."
"Time to get up!"
"Don't want to..."
"But you must. Besides, you know you feel better once you're up and about."
"This is true..." and usually gets me going.
On rare occasions, I have said:
"Oh my God... "
And DH has responded with "What's wrong?"
"Nothing hurts..."
Now I'm very lucky in that I'm not one who experiences chronic pain as I know some do. But it's rare to wake up at 75 and not have something hurting (with me it's usually my back or my head). These aches and pains do go away as the day progresses...
Anyway, I just wonder if others go through this too. Do you talk to yourself like this?
Well, that's it for today. Sharing a personal idiosyncrasy. If it's TMI, then please ignore.
Hugs, (virtual)
Rian
(Leaving you with a picture of some home-made nutty granola I made this weekend)
Ha ha! Yes, and I haven't hit 70 yet.
ReplyDeleteWell, Sheila... most of these night shenanigans started in my 70's... but I'm sure everyone is different.
DeleteSuch dialogs are a running commentary in my head through the day and part of the night but once I am asleep I tend to be asleep and out for the count.
ReplyDeleteOut for the count... all night? That's wonderful.
DeleteI know what you mean about getting up in the middle of the night. I have finally decided to turn on my bedside light because light helps me keep my balance. I know its best to not turn on a light, in aid of falling back asleep, but it is safer for me this way. My dog doesn't even wake up; he sleeps on my bed.
ReplyDeleteWe keep the low light on in the hall, so no, I don't turn on any lights. But of course you need to be safe. My friend slipped at night and broke her hip... doesn't even know how... think she just got up too quick and lost her balance.
DeleteI'm 56 and I've been getting up at least once in the night for quite a few years now, as much as 4 times, though more often 1 or 2. Usually I can sleep for about 2 hours before I'm up, and then I'm often awake for a couple of hours. It makes getting through the days especially challenging, and certainly doesn't bode well for me as I get older. 🙄
ReplyDeleteI can imagine that it does make getting through the days challenging. I sometimes think we are no better than our iPhones - as they/we get older we can no longer keep a charge.
DeleteI'm 77, and sleep through the night. This makes mornings dicy.
ReplyDeleteThe 'sleeping through the night' part is wonderful, Joanne.
DeleteI'm 66 I wake up once about two hours before true wakeup time. I take my thyroid pill and sleep for a couple of more hours. I always want to go back to sleep after waking up and have to argue myself and get to doing hat I need to get done. Sometimes I lose the argument and go back to sleep instead of getting up. That is always a mistake and makes me late getting everything for the day done.
ReplyDeleteThe few times that I simply can't go back to sleep (usually because something is on my mind), I do figure that I may as well be doing something that needs doing than stay in bed... and do get up.
DeleteI get up once in the night. I know I have to do it, I always do. So there's no argument. In the morning, well, my wife is usually up and in the kitchen already, so I moan and groan and get out of bed to join her.
ReplyDeleteDH and I go to bed together and get up together - for the most part... and those nights when I do get up and can't go back to sleep, he always comes looking for me. I'm usually having cup of tea (used to be with the cats) in the kitchen.
DeleteI get up usually twice, and I never wake up the whole way, so going back to sleep is easy. But I laughed at your internal dialog, very well described, Rian. I miss your cats, too.
ReplyDeleteI miss our cats too... although I have to admit, it's one less thing to trip over.
DeleteThis was too funny—Rian, you are definitely not alone! I often have those same arguments with myself after sleeping a couple hours, INCLUDING the “getting up and doing some major wobbling”. But I will do you one better... I don’t want to turn on the bathroom light & REALLY wake up, so it’s kind of a “shot in the dark” and sometimes my aim isn’t always true. (Sorry if that’s TMI.) Anyway, your granola looks delicious :^)
ReplyDeleteNot TMI... just funny. Luckily I don't have that problem.
DeleteAnd my home-made nutty granola is delicious... or so my family says. My daughter says I should sell it as it is better than she has ever bought. (She goes to Farmer's markets a lot).
I'm 61 and have that conversation with myself just before I go to sleep at night. I always watch the news in bed, start to doze off, then realize I need to get up and take care of things. I often wake once or twice in the night as well, but generally don't remember those visits.
ReplyDeleteTake care, stay well!
That reminded me, Mae. If I don't get up and happen to fall back asleep, I end up 'dreaming' about looking for a restroom... so even my mind won't let me forget even if my body falls back asleep.
DeleteSometimes I wake up a little earlier than usual with pains in my legs. After I get up the pains fade away without medication. It seems like a built in alarm clock.
ReplyDeleteI know, John. On some days my legs or my back hurt, somedays my head... then it all goes away after I'm up a bit.
DeleteI talk to everyone, including myself. Sometimes, my deepest conversations are with myself and I still can't win an argument.
ReplyDeleteMy pet peeve is forgetting to put my socks on before I go to bed. I can't sleep without them and squabble with myself whether I should get up or not. This often takes several conversations and only when I feel I am in agony do I leave my bed and walk four or five steps to get my socks out of the drawer. Oh, the suffering that I go through!
I have to have my water, my kleenex, my cough drops, my book, bed buddy (not DH... a heated bed buddy), and iPhone there on the ready...
DeleteOh dear me, yes. And not only ones but often twice a night. I get up rather late nowadays and if I need the loo at 7 am I always go back for another sleep. If I’ve had a bad night I always go back whatever time it is and do my best to catch up. Why not? That’s what old age is all about, freedom to choose what suits you.
ReplyDeleteIt is nice to be able to go back to bed if one needs more sleep, isn't it Friko? Either that or plan to take a nap later in the day. I've always felt that 'naps' whenever one wished was the greatest boon of retirement.
Deleteoooooh a bathroom story!! more appropriate for me today then you will ever know. i have a stent in my right ureter, makes you pee every 1/2 hour and boy at 62 do i feel old!!!
ReplyDeletethat granola looks so good, how about a recipe?!?!
Oh, Debbie, I do feel for you. With me (and no stent), it's about every 2 hours.
DeleteAs for the granola, it is good. I will try to remember to post a recipe.
Not to 70 yet but yes, having those conversations already. During Pandemic, with having to quit Working outside of the Home due to my Risk Factors, I Imagined I'd sleep in more... quite the opposite, I find I now have Pandemic Insomnia more often than not! And I have realized I totally Suck at Pandemic Home Schooling the Teen Grandchild I'm Raising who is in her Freshman Year of High School now and has Special Needs Academically. The Man and I were Graduated before her Principal or any of her Teachers were even Born, so there's this Gap Academically we can't seem to Bridge. *LOL and Le Sigh*
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine trying to home school during this pandemic... although I do think it's a safer option. Our 22 year old grandson lives with us and was 'furloughed' so many times during the pandemic when others at his work became ill with Covid that he now doesn't work or take classes. It's fine with us. Want to keep everyone safe, but just wonder how long this will go on.
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