I'm at the age where sleep comes in bits and pieces and it's not because I have a baby waking me. Most nights I'll fall asleep quickly and wake up within an hour and then toss and turn for 1-2 hours. This week though, I've been waking up at 4:00 am and this morning couldn't get back to sleep. Many of you may have experienced the joys of menopause and this season of life but I do not usually do well with a lack of sleep.
My foremost thought when I awake during the night is to ask the Lord if there is someone who needs prayer and I go through all those I pray for asking for the Lord's blessing in their lives.
This week I realized it might be due to the fact that I am thinking about our move and all that I need to get accomplished before the end of March. Prior to moving to Colorado if I couldn't sleep I got up and packed throughout the night, which may end up happening here. If that isn't enough, my mind often thinks allegorically and this morning it was working like that. You see today I have to visit our dentist and have a cavity filled and it made me think about getting rid of the decay in my tooth, scraping it out and filling it to prevent more problems. This of course made me ponder our spiritual lives and the need to rid our spirits of decay,death, disease and sin and fill ourselves with life from the Lamb. But we also need to be cleaned by the blood just as the dentist drills away the decay(yuck!); ridding ourselves of the old is not always easy and without pain. Dying to the flesh always has a cost but the reward far outweighs any price we could pay.
I can't say this makes me jump at the chance to go see my friendly dentist today but I know it is for my good.
Blessings to you this day!
a taxing day!
3 hours ago
Ohhhh the sleep thing. Mercy. I take one Tylenol PM and that helps a lot. I don't have any caffeine after 12 noon. I always know if i do because i wake up and can't sleep. I think of all kinds of things to write about and then in the morning I don't really remember, or I think, that was not really that great of an idea. I go to the dentist next week. Same problem as you.
ReplyDeleteA very good application from the natural to the spiritual. As a pack rat in the natural, I tend to keep stuff in the spiritual that blocks me from God. Purge!
ReplyDeleteHaving trouble sleeping? Me too. But yes, stress can cause sleepless or restless nights.
Short of taking Tylenol PM or additive sleeping pills, please consider a natural herb.
Consider trying (2) Evening Primrose Oil 500 mg softgels at bedtime. This is a natural Omega 6 fatty acid which we often lack in our daily diets. It's helped me with joint aches, sleeping, and pre-menopause moods. Gosh, what a Godsent this little softgel has been! When my primrose is not enough as a sleeping aid, I add the Valerian Root.
Valerian Root 450 mg capsules made by Origin can be bought over the counter at Target or Walmart. I take only one a short time before bed and it makes me drowsy. I need only one but others may need two - test it for yourself. If I wake up in the night, much like you do, it keeps me drowsy (promotes relaxation) enough to fall back to sleep without having to toss and turn for a long time. This herb is tried and true for me with no drastic side affects except needing a little more time in the morning to get going but maybe that's just me. I don't recommend anyone taking it in the middle of the night. It needs to be taken a few hours before bedtime because it can be long lasting. Warning: it's a stinky pill. LOL
Both non-additive.
I hope you can use this info.
We are having spring weather here...to match yours! 52* today!
ReplyDeleteLinda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/
What a nice blog. I take a nice long walk in the evening, go to bed a little later than I use to and sleep comes w/o a problem Fresh air always does me in.
ReplyDelete