It's a complaint as old as time, and yet do we really know why you just can not fall asleep.According to the National Center for Sleep Disorders Research, 30 - 40% of American adults
experience some bouts of insomnia during a year. 10-15% report chronic symptoms.
Americans spend nearly $24 billion a year on sleep-related goods and services, buying $5,000 mattresses, 600-thread count sheets, high-end sound machines that simulate ocean waves or exotic animal noises, all in an effort to just get some sleep!
The market for insmonia drugs is expected to grow 78% by 2012, to nearly $3.9 billion. Are any of these 'new' remedies effective....or should we just take that cup of Sleeptime tea or that warm glass of milk...or even press the snooze on the radio & drift off to the sounds of some soothing music....Whatever gets you through the night.
From today's New York Times a series "All-Nighters" exploring insomnia, sleep, and the nocturnal life.A Thousand and one sleepless nights
164 comments:
FYI, before moving on, I left a few items on the old post...
Just thought this might be of some interest...when I can't sleep, I do put the snooze on my clock radio, but instead of music, I listen to sports talk radio-the Fan...no surprise!
Can't wait to dig into this one, Coreen. Sleep deprivation is proving to be the worst problem with my shoulder pain...it keeps me awake all night. I just got the doc to boost my amibien yesterday.
Ivy, let's try to bring them over...I'll try & see if it works....
I misspelled that item, but you know what I mean. lol
I bet we can beat this subject to death.
The sleep remedy that seems to work best for me is going off to an empty guest room by myself. :)
And Ivy, I did catch your link about where do birds go when there's bad weather. It is something I often pondered and worried about. I've even wanted to build some kind of bird weather shelter. I wonder if there's a hurricane brewing if they know and get the hell out of town.
Here's 2 of Ivy's comments, but I can't get the
link to re-take...
Ivy Green said...
Mary,
Congratulations on the little girl! Does she have a name yet? Is it a secret? In my family of a thousand nieces, none of them mind everyone knowing their unborns' genders, but they all keep the names secret until the birth. I guess there has to be some mystery remaining in the universe. lol
February 26, 2010 5:06:00 PM PST
Ivy Green said...
I'm looking forward to the new "roots" show starting next week...ancestry - that's right up the alley of a history buff like me.
Who You?
I thought about Ivy's where do birds go comment too. I notice my guys like today in the snow, go into crevices in the rock wall that borders the yard, into the holly bush too. But where do birds go at night?
Ahh sleep. I don't worry as much about it as I used to. If I'm not having to go to work the next day, I don't want to sleep too much because I don't want to miss anything.
When I had that hyperthyroidism, I couldn't turn down my engine enough to sleep very well. And when I did go to sleep, my bed, when I got up, looked like I had been running in it all night. Maggie would find a place where she was well out of my leg reach.
One problem I have always had is thinking too much when it's dark and quiet especially if I'm worried about something. Then I have to put something I'm really interested in on TV or the radio and listen to it to go to sleep. The more interesting the program is, the faster I go to sleep.
Here's some 'factoids' about sleep from the Allnighters series...
Op-chart-Ben Schott- On the timing & duration of Sleep
I seem to recall that we had snow last year AFTER the hummingbirds had appeared. I was very worried about them, especially at night. I don't know where or how they spent the night, but they survived.
I've been afraid to come back here since my weird problems posting this morning. It was really puzzling. I'm not sure if it was the site or my computer. Either that, or I was going nuts. Take your pick.
Great post Coreen. There's nothing more frustrating than not being able to sleep. With me, it's normally caused by stress, but only happens periodically.
Ivy, you have the right idea. I've never tried Ambien, but it's probably better if I don't, because I know I won't want to give it up if I got dependent on it.
My camp probably offers lots of sheltering places for critters. The roof on the big room has places for birds, squirrels, ferrel cats and anything else that can climb to get into to find shelter. When I got my outrageous electric bill this month, I didn't feel so bad thinking there were probably lots of critters also enjoying my heat.
Mary, Congratulations! A girl. You're going to have so much fun buying clothes for her.
Do you know the exact due date?
And what about dreams? I can't remember the last time I had a dream or what I dreamed about....
Chloe, your posts appeared on my screen earlier, even the twilight zone test you put up...
Chloe, just having some Ambien in the drawer is helpful for sleep. You know you have something available if it doesn't come naturally. I've had a bottle for several years that is almost full. It's a pretty safe medication to take. Just don't take it until you are in bed and don't try eating after you have taken it. A friend of mine was eating a hotdog when she took it and woke up the next morning with part of a weiner in her mouth. No comment Solar.
Coreen, I used to read that cartoon you have in your post everyday, and now I can't remember the name of it. Do you know?
I've been trying to remember for about a year now. Also, do you know which paper prints it now? It used to be in the L.A. times.
LOL Carol. I'm laughing so hard.
Is that a joke!?
Carol, I can't even picture that happening to someone.
Carol, I wouldn't leave them in the drawer. I'd take one every night, until they were gone, and then want more. I won't ask the doc for any for that reason. I mean, I guess I would, if I had a temporary problem causing me not to sleep, like Ivy has with her shoulder.
Do they leave you with a morning hangover?
Synchronicity. I found and read this article this evening before you put up your post Coreen. I was reading on the National Geographic Channel blog about the Orca when I saw this article.
Why do we Sleep? Scientists are Still Trying to Find Out
Can't help Chloe, I just typed insomnia pictures & that was one that came up with others...no tagline, no copyright on it....
Never gave me a hangover but they say take it when you have at least 5 hours to sleep. Don't wait until 2am.
I wasn't joking about the weiner Chloe and the friend it happened too didn't particularly find it funny either. Just a warning.
I find that Benadryl or other antihistamines leaves more of a hangover.
Some people have reported doing things in their sleep after taking Ambien, like sleep eating or walking with no memory of the events. It's rare.
All my talk if weiners made me hungry for a hotdog. I just put a couple on the gas grill. No Ambien tonight though.
I haven't eaten hot dogs in years. Then when you mentioned them the other day, they sounded so good, I've had them twice since. I can't wait until the weather changes, because the cold is still making me hungry all the time. Once spring gets here, I'll start craving fruits and salads, and things that will make it easy to lose a little weight. Also, I'm still going to start exercising. I blame all my problems on the weather.
WHAT.!
Im on a blog with a bunch of pinks, and we finally get to the bedroom, and all u want to do is SLEEEP....no way.....pajama party time....I want pics...now.!!
".. the friend it happened too didn't particularly find it funny either"
... it's never funny to the person it happens to, but it sure is funny to think of that happening to someone else. I can't imagine anything putting me out that quick, in the middle of taking a bite. The only time I've fallen off that quickly, is when an anesthesiologist was involved. Those guys can really work some magic. What's weird is they can control exactly what time you wake up too.
It kind of worked like an anesthetic for me Chloe. It was lights out.
I kind of thought that would wake you up Solar.
Solar, Do you know the name of the cartoon series that Coreen's cartoon came from?
Yeah, Yeah, oh Yeah...I hate when people talk like that...knew a guy named Jack...on the second yeah,...some one in our group would give him a crack.....I was on my way out...will comment on Coreens thoughts tomorrow....meanwhile....
Mary, congratulations...have a little joke for U.!
Cowboy Honeymoon
A cowgirl married a cowboy. He was a man of the world, while she was an innocent with no experience.
On their first night together, they got into bed and started exploring each other's bodies. Things went fine until she asked, "Oh! What's that?"
He replied, "Well, darlin', that's ma rope."
She slid her hands a little farther down and gasped, "Oh, my! What's that?"
"Why, darlin', them's my knots."
Finally, they started making love, but after a few minutes, she cried, "Stop."
Her panting husband asked proudly, "What's the matter, darlin'? Am I hurtin' ya?"
"No," she replied, "I jes' want cha to untie them knots. I need more rope!"
Funny Solar.
Hi Chloe,
No I don't. I did not read too many cartoon strips...not that often..and lost when they are mentioned, other than a cpl. like beatle bailey....or Charlie Brown...Emma will be running u all over the place soon huh?
Carol,
I think the "sleep wiener" should be included on the warning insert that comes with the Ambien package along with the reports of people driving and having sex while sleeping. I haven't ever been "knocked out" by an ambien. Just lulled to sleep as if naturally.
There's a lot of food suggestibility that goes on here. I've been hooked on graham crackers and smoothies since those were mentioned a few weeks ago.
Well, ya'll got me hooked on that No sugar, No fat ice cream. Fortunately I'm out but tomorrow is grocery day.
I used to have a pint of regular vanilla in the freezer for about 6 months and then since talking about it, I've gone thru a half gallon.
Carol,
Thems the only jokes that Maria likes...she likes them a little spicy...not dirty.! so does Coreen, but she will never say so...ha...and Jan, also....hell all u pinks have you minds in the .......
Solar, if you would listen to my nurses talk when no guys are around, you'd blush.
I took a really hot bath, and that seemed to help my shoulder. We'll see how long the effect lasts. Anybody remember old-timers who'd complain about their "rheumatizz" during cold whether, or when it was fixin' to rain? My mom still makes complaints like that, only she says "arthritis." Don't exactly know what "rheumatizz" is anyway.
But maybe mine will improve when the warmer weather get here.
Ivy, Sorry I forgot...take a cold pack to the sore area..compress it for a little while....this helps the sore area's blood circulate...giving it much needed oxygen, and the faster that you do it..the faster that u will heal...no stretching exercises for a little while...just rest it.....
Caro, I have not doubt about that...u made me blush a few times...
Any barometric pressure change will stir up old bone/joint injuries Ivy. Better indicator of weather changes than the weatherman.
Ivy,
If you have access to a whirlpool (I find that gives some relief) or can get to a good masseuse...either is so very helpful
in at least temp. relief of pain...maybe a good
reason to get some spa vacation time....the full relaxation treatment...a gift to oneself...
Solar, working as a nurse, especially in corrections, there's not much that can shock me anymore. I try not to get too gross here.
Some more Hillary stuff...you just have to love this woman....& you can bet she will get it done....
Clinton will try to free fish for Passover
Between Olympic events, NBC's been playing an ad - brought it back, to be more precise - by Liberty Mutual. It features part of a song and lyrics by a group named Hem. I had bought their CD after this ad was first run a few years ago. The lyrics are like a pome:
I am holding half an acre
Torn from the map of Michigan
And folded in this scrap of paper
Is the land I grew in
Think of every town you've lived in
Every room you lay your head
And what is it that you remember
Do you carry every sadness with you
Every hour your heart was broken
Every night the fear and darkness
Lay down with you
A man is walking on the highway
A woman stares out at the sea
And light is only now just breaking
So we carry every sadness with us
Every hour our hearts were broken
Every night the fear and darkness
Lay down with us
But I am holding half an acre
Torn from the map of Michigan
I am carrying this scrap of paper
That can crack the darkest sky wide open
Every burden taken from me
Every night my heart unfolding
My home
I have a bad sleep disorder but it's that I sleep too much. All I wsnt to do is sleep. I took a sip from a coke I was drinking and fell asleep before I swallowed it. I almost choked to death. I had a sleep study done and was diagnosed with narcolepsy. That's where you just fall asleep at inappropriate times or even if you don't even know you're sleepy. Actually during the study I never went into deep sleep. I don't know if that's what's causing the narcolepsy or not.
Solar, she already keeps me running, and she's not walking yet. I could never keep up with her, if I didn't love her so much.
I'm going to have to go to bed and read until I get sleeping. That's the only thing that puts me to sleep. I don't have any Ambien, so I'll have to wind down the old fashioned way.
We going to see the the Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio movie tomorrow morning. I never miss one of their movies, and am looking forward to it. See you guys either early A.M., or when I get back.
Solar is right, ice, on and off, is better than heat even though many think warm feels better. Heat is old school. Physical Therapist says that using heat for periods is like putting your muscle in a crock pot. It slow cooks them. It is also not good for the skin.
Watch the prof athletes. What do they do when there is an injury? They ice it. Ice can also numb and distract from the pain so that it breaks that pain, tension, pain cycle.
See u all tomorrow...Ivy, keep using cold compresses for a cpl of day's...it will go away.! The hot bath is fine...but it is just relaxing your bod..the cold comps, repairs it...I do that to my cabeza dura all the time...my hard head....ha.!
But a nice whirlpool is relaxing.
Whoa Mary, that narcolepsy can be a pretty uncomfortable thing, I imagine. I used to work with a guy that had it, and he'd fall asleep at his desk all the time. That's a horrible feeling to be tired like that. Do they know what causes it?
Chloe, will be looking forward to your take on
'Shutter Island'
Chloe and Ivy,
My DIL's due date is 4th of July. I think the name they are thinking about is Lauren Elizabeth, but that could change.
Pretty name Mary! And that will be cool if she actually is born on the 4th of July. That's not really that far off either.
What's the name of that song Ivy?
I'll let you know how it is Coreen. Leonardo is one of my favorite actors, so I'm sure I'll like it.
Mary,
Miss College was born on July 4! Hubs' mom used to call her "Miss America." lol
Chloe, I don't think they really know what causes narcolepsy. I've read alot about it and some things say it could be due to a viral illness in the past but they really don't know.
I found the song on Youtube.
The name of the song is "Half Acre."
I want to see "Ghost" with Ewan MacGregor. Chloe, "Shutter Island" looks soooo intense. Let us know what you think.
I've heard that song before. I like it and the sound of the group who sings it. Never heard of them before, at least not their name.
Shutter Island has some interesting comments on Rotten Tomatoes.
Chloe, believe it or not, The Crazies, got better reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.
Rut rho, everyone took their Ambien.
You guys are telling me to ice my shoulder and I'm already freezing...I just want to get warm!
I will never forget when I was about 5 years old and running a high fever, my mother plunged me into an ice bath. It was torture!
Very interesting story about the Orca on 360 tonight. Sonjay interviewed the Orca's previous trainer. He said the trainer made some very fatal mistakes. Others have insinuated that also. I'm sure that it would be very easy to get too comfortable around an animal that you have spent so much time around without incident, even with his history. She loved that orca.
Also, an interesting debate between Jack Hanna, everyone knows him, and Russ Rector, founder of Dolphin Freedom Foundation.
Jack, of course is defending Seaworld(on their board) and the Rector guy doesn't think Killer Whales should be in these shows. Jack does make his living showing off animals, so he does have a little conflict of interest. The Rector guys says that there is no documented case of a Killer Whale attacking humans in the wild. Interesting.
This debate may go on for a while but as we all know, business/money and entertainment will win out over what might be humane for the animal kingdom. And as in any big business, a few human sacrifices are also a small price to pay. We are now up to three humans with this incarcerated entertainer. (I don't blame the animal, at least not the one that is black and white and in the pool)
No Ivy, not ice in the bathtub. That could kill ya. Just a little in a little baggy on the point of pain, for 10 minutes on and then off. On for a short while and off. I used it on a tendonitis in my upper back that would often incapacitate me for, sometimes, up to a week or two. I started it as soon as I felt the pain coming on. I could nip it in the bud in a hurry instead of being down for the count.
Carol,
What did the former trainer say she did that she shouldn't have done?
One, that pony tail was a trigger. She didn't always have long hair. She grew it to cut it off for kids with cancer. Another tear jerker. She was shaking that pony tail back and forth.
Also she was too close and laid down looking like prey. The whale guy thinks the orca did kill her for sport. Not his fault though. Just a reaction.
They didn't let the whale guy talk much. Jack got to hog the conversation. I think there might be a live blog going on.
It's coming on again on 360.
Remember those little ice bags that looked like a shower cap with a screw top? Are those still around?
I guess the animal trainers will be studying the orca case from now on for "what not to do." You can never take the "wild" out of an animal captured from the wild. Sad thing is you can rarely return it to the wild either.
Another interesting thing I heard on a video interviewing a whale trainer, maybe one of his previous trainers, is that you can't read a whale mood by their expression.
And it took 40 minutes to pry the trainer out of the whales mouth!
I don't think any of us here suffer from insomnia...otherwise we'd be blogging and posting all night long. I remember when there were always "all nighters" at TM, but many of them have turned into pumpkins too.
Sounds like the people who tried to recover her could have been in danger themselves.
Yes Ivy, it would probably kill the whale to return him. Tilly is a prisoner, a prisoner for big bucks.
I think they still have those kinds of ice bags. I use a heavy duty baggie and washclothes to reduce how cold it can get.
They got the whale to an area of the pool that has an elevator bottom. Brought the whale up. They couldn't get in with him.
There usually was a night shift at TM. I don't think so much any more. C-Bob is sometimes on the night shift. A couple of others that I can't remember. Dexter?
Need to tell Chloe that she doesn't have to worry about getting addicted to Ambien. If going to bed with a book works, that's a better plan because Ambien doesn't make people any smarter but reading books does. I certainly depend on you guys reading books because I don't have time to.
Reading Coreen's link reminded me my s-i-l went for a sleep study last month. She was convinced she had been wide awake the whole night while hooked up to monitors, but the nurse told her it wasn't true, she had slept a considerable length of time.
Even when I don't have to get up early, I have to get off the blog to get comfortable. Haven't figured a way to lay down and type.
Maybe people just dream they are awake. I know that sometimes when I'm getting close to falling asleep, I think I have my eyes open and am seeing stuff and they are actually closed and I'm imagining it.
Also if less time is spent in Stage 3 and 4, deep sleep, you don't feel rested.
Those old-fashioned ice bags could balance pretty well on top of a head. That used to be all we had for air conditioning.
Speaking of reading, I should get back to it before the night is done. I am nearly finished my book, and I do want to know how it ends.
Nite nite.
PS. Coreen, your sleepy post was a hit. Everybody is interested in sleep. Well, maybe Solar is more interested in the aerobic activity that is done before sleeping. He is into that exercise stuff ya know.
Solar,
Loved your joke. I missed it earlier.
And to reduce a very high fever, a luke cool wet washcloth to cool the body down. Pay attention to under arms and necks where blood closer to the surface. Too much cooling causes intense shivering which just raises the body temp. Ice baths was something taught years ago, to treat very high temps Ivy, but it is torture and can be dangerous.
Long distant runners sometimes use ice baths to recover from intense workouts and some swear by it.
You should be in bed Mary! Got to get up early. Get a book.
And Coreen, what about sleep apnea? Isn't that a big business? I wonder how many of us suffer from it? So many of our bad habits/prescription meds contribute to it. How long has it been around? Probably been around forever and we just lived or died with it. Now it makes the sleep specialists lots of money selling those tests and that box and scuba gear that people end up not wanting to wear to bed. (I do know that some people do wear it and feel 100% better because they do)
I talked my SF into going for the sleep apnea studies because every time I went with him to the ER after some farm accident I watched his oxygen saturation fall when he would fall asleep. There is probably some technology we might have been better off without.
My SF is old but still fairly physically healthy for an old guy but not real happy to still be alive. After all the expensive tests, he did have it, got all that expensive equipment and it collects dust. Medicare paid for that. I'm sorry I suggested it.
Carol, just waking up...even though I have been
up for an hour+!...
I also know some who have been diagnosed with
sleep apnea....got the apparatus & can't/won't
use it....& a couple actually do use it....
And I would suspect you are right about the $$$
that are being made as a result of it....
And your comment about Medicare paying reminded me of what a friend said just the other day...His dad got one of those scooters
that Medicare paid a lot for....& he
also got another which was not paid for by Medicare & what he paid for the non-medicare scooter was substantially lower than what Medicare paid....point being...Medicare cost
inflation goes unchecked & costs all of
us taxpayers more than would be the market cost of the product...& the current talking point that changes will somehow cut medicare spending is a bit hollow, since why has the spending not been monitored all along so the
expenses are not so astronomical....my cynic
says its all about greed, everyone benefits when they are using other people's $$$ to spend...
If our lurker from Hawaii is here, GET TO HIGH GROUND! Surfs going to be up!
Hear about the Chilien quake? Awful, 8.8 magnitude. Mama nature is not happy.
This quake was 800 times more powerful than the Haitian quake.
Weather channel says quake is only 500 times stronger than Haiti quake. CNN said 800
Just checking in to say "hi" Went to an all day nursing conf yesterday and back again today. I was exhausted last night - sitting all day makes me more tired than working. Have to have those Continuing educ credits though.
Mary, How exciting to be going to have a little girl grandbaby. I am so happy for you.
How can anyone sleep around here with all of the noise going on.??
I had a bad night and did not sleep all that well.! 2-3 night in the week i don't sleep so well. I used to burn the candle at both ends..and sometimes did not sleep at all for a cpl of days...drank quit a bit and participated in a lot of sports...still did not use this for an excuse to miss work...so it all took a toll on my sleeping cycle, and the internal body clock...will never get this time back..this is why we were always curious about time..and why-how we invented the concept of time...we went by our body clock...realized that things died, and time stopped for them....our fascination with time will never end..and it started with the sleeping patterns of hunter gatherers.....
I don't even know if I sleep, im always off into some kind of adventure in one place or another...have a bed on the moon on my way to Mars....I have been have adventures in Africa for many, many years now...since I saw that Movie Zulu...plus other adventures that I go to.....Anthropology, will take me to some place and time..to discover some weird things about ancient civilization....I can interpret almost all of my dreams..
During some construction problems that come up...after I wake up, concentrate on it,,,and most times when the mind is fresh..come up with a very good solution..
Used to use Ambien, and some of other sleep aids...but stopped immediately..did not like depending on them.... now I just take 1/2 pill of doxyline sussinate...some cheap over the counter stuff 13 gms...been working for years now....and no after affects...
See the picture of me on the left.....no your other left.....this is one of my adventures....and would live out the rest of my life...in this place that no human ever walked on......zzzzzzzzzzzz
During some construction problems that come up...after I wake up, concentrate on it,,,and most times when the mind is fresh..come up with a very good solution..
Wake up, and stay in bed that is...
Having a regular exercise routine, helps one sleep also. I sometimes write...(always mentally) down what my next days program will be..how to prepare for it, and don't worry about it until the next day...writing it down, lets me let is go and get some sleep...I have one of those large calenders on my desk...and write it down on the box that shows the next day..
When I do miss a night of sleep...i don't mope around...I just go about doing things the same way..I don't worry about it...I know that it is just a part of things.....
some people that I talk to.....just make it worse..they talk to themselved all day long..and worry about the loss of the sleep that they did not get the night before....SLAP.....get over it, ( my son Tom) u can't get last night back....and talking your self into another bad night wont help the next day....
I think that we are talked into over medications of this also...there are so many commercials about sleeping aids, that they keep me awake...trying to decide which one..will not work for me....the one that will, and the cost of them..and the time for a doctors appointment, and the time to go and pick them up just to see that they won't work for me.......SLAP....go go sleep already.......
Understanding that the construction of reality that goes on with us..in our minds also helps to sleep...how we conceive the world around us. The neural patterns, and the corresponding mental images( reading a book) of the objects and events outside of the brain......are creations of the brain related to the reality that prompts their creation in the brain.....like mirrors...a camera....a book, a commercial...sometimes I take a few minuets to see what those goofs on 3 1/2 men are up to....a little comedy just before bed helps sometimes.....nothing helps..so I just go with it...
I know that I will sleep eventually cos of a special retinal cells that respond to the day-night cycles. I don't know the names of them right now...but they have; these cell have an influence on the mind. Turning on the sleep cylcel...diminishes the attention and eventually suspends consciousness....background emotions and the related moods become important to me....just before going to bed...I don't let the clock tell me its time to go to sleep....my mind, and body will..but it does end up pretty close to the same time mostly...I think it depends on the overall exposure to light....to the hours and intensity of the day....it is a change in the state of body...how I came to understand a little of this....is studying evolution....of feeling, and emotions......emotions came first...in order to survive..and feelings came later on...
Will make a post about this a little later..and will include a lot of information.....about why its important to take care of ourselves first, and for most,,and then other loved ones....but it all ties in.
Just hope that I make some sense to U....It will if I take my time, and try to explain it in the right way.....
Not that this whale thing is not a tragedy....but to me..it is like a race car driver....they know that sooner or later they will be involved in some kind of crash....the spectators also know this..they sit in the bleachers with their kids.....knowing that at some point..a car or parts of a car will be flying toward them......we all find danger a little fascinating.....
Sorry I had nothing to say all week, and now I can't shut up.....im otta here.!!
"The sleep remedy that seems to work best for me is going off to an empty guest room by myself. :)"
Ivy, interesting b/c that is what I do also. I am afraid I will disturb J's sleep so I go to another room and bed. I usually get a glass of milk or a cup of chamomile tea and a book and that will often do the trick.
Loved all the articles about sleep especially the one with all the pictures. How interesting that we know so little about sleep.
My dad's 3rd wife took 1/2 ambian. She always talked about her insomnia. One night just before my dad died, John and I were staying with them to help out. She took an ambian while sitting at the table and fell sound asleep sitting in her chair. I could not wake her up and John and I had to carry her and put her in bed. She was 87. Thank heavens she was a pretty thin woman.
Sometimes if I can't sleep and nothing else works, I just take one extra strength Tylenol and am usually asleep in 30 minutes.
I heard some really good info this weekend at the Women's Health Conference.
One of the presenters talked about the importance of eating carbohydrate foods with a low glycemic load to keep blood sugar levels lower. Apparently glycemic load is just as important as calorie count. At my age and with my family history of type II diabetes, eating foods with lower glycemic load is just as important as keeping my weight and BMI at a normal level. I am posting a couple of links (sorry it is not in blue) to some glycemic load references
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/foods/grains/gigl.html
http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Glycemic_index_and_glycemic_load_for_100_foods.htm
Other recommendations from the Women's conference were to:
Take Fish oil supplements unless one eats at least 3 servings of fish/week.
Take 1000 mg of Vit D - 3 per day (none of us gets enough Vit D)
Also, exercise every week. The amounts vary but generally at least 70 minutes 3X each week.
Carol, reading about your SF, what is the point of living to a ripe old age unless we are happy to be alive. How sad for your SF.
Mary, I just read your comment about your narcolepsy. That must be really scary for you. Do you dream?
Back last summer, we started sleeping downstairs in one of our basement rooms b/c it was cooler and we didn't have to run the AC at night. I love it because it is cool, dark and quiet down there and I sleep much better and later. I used to wake at 5-6 am when we slept upstairs and now don't wake until 6-7 am. We don't have a TV in the room or any elec appliances except John's alarm clock and I make him turn it where I can't see it if I am turned in that direction. All those little lights in a room keep me awake or wake me up.
Anyone monitoring the sunami watch in Hawaii?
Would be interesting to hear from that little star I see over Hawaii.
I haven't been putting my T on sunumi but everyone here should know by now that I can't spell.
Ivy, I just bet the bread, milk and toilet paper dealers have cleaned up over the last year.
Hi everyone, Didn't have a chance to get online all day, ate like a pig, and now I'm already tired and going to go to bed early to read.
I read the comments, and learned something from all of you. It was nice to see you talkative this morning Solar, but then you disappeared. What's with that?
Jan, That vitamin D dose keeps going up. I've been taking 2000 units per day (usually), but I guess it should be 3000 now. Is it important to break it up into 3 doses like you said? I guess you have to keep taking continuing education even after you retire to keep your license active, huh? Just curious.
Carol, Looks like you and Coreen have been busy today too, and I guess Mary was working.
OK then, as Scarlett O'Hara always said ..... tomorrows another day. Hope to see everyone here then.
Ivy, You too!
"...background emotions and the related moods become important to me....just before going to bed"
I'll keep that in mind.
Chloe, how was the movie?
"Too much sleep as dangerous as too little: study"
This article suggests we go shoot for exactly 7 hours of sleep a night. It didn't really explain much about why more was dangerous.
Too much sleep as dangerous as too little: study
Oh no! Just when we decide to eat wieners again, they find a new problem! Maybe the warning needs to be on the hot dogs, not the ambien. lol
Bad Dogs
Glad to know it is just the shape of the dog and not the cow lips and tips in them that will kill you.
The reader comments following the blog article are more enlightening than the post.
Sleep Apnea Risks
I noticed that my river fell and rose back up over a foot and a half today. That is unusual for it to shift so much. A strong north wind will blow it out but it stays out for a while. Today it made that shift over a relatively short period of time and with no noticable wind. I wonder if that tsunami had an affect on the tidal level of my river?
Chloe,
Get a good rest and come back tomorrow to tell us about that movie.
I mispoke last night, the title of the movie I'd like to see is The Ghost Writer with Ewan MacGregor and Pierce Brosnan.
Carol,
If nothing else, the timing of your river level changes seems very strange.
I've been wondering what those green things are they've been handing out at the winter games medal ceremonies. Here's what I googled up...
"...flowers that are grown in B.C. and Canada, but cannot be sourced from the natural outdoors in February. The predominately green bouquets contain eye-catching green hypericum berries, delicate green spider mums and broad leaf greens. The foliage consists of leatherleaf fern, loops of monkey grass and aspidistra leaves. A simple royal blue ribbon is hand tied around each bouquet and the handles are also wrapped in recycled paper.
Green things
Really can't see how it could affect this area.
Interesting Ivy. I noticed those bouquets also. Don't you just love Google?
I'm a frequent googler.
Interesting information on sleep. Thanks to all of you for posting it.
More about the "green things." I think I fleetingly glimpsed a tv bit about this...
"All of the flowers and greens will be carefully hand selected and shaped into the bouquets by marginalized women, who may be recovering from addiction, leaving prison, exiting the sex trade, or who have been victims of violence, as well as by other women they train with who are changing careers to become florists."
Today I bought some Breyer's No sugar, low fat ice cream because it had only 90 calories per serving. I love their regular natural vanilla. Those 10 less calories made a drastic difference in taste. Won't do that again.
Have you recovered from your all day sitting Jan?
The problem with me and TV is I am always dividing my time between it and the 'puter, and the 'puter always wins. lol
Ivy, How interesting about the green bouquets. I fear I have become bored with the olympics. I am ready to get back to normal programming. My apologies to the olympic enthusiasts.
Carol, I have recovered now. I am good for one day conferences but when they go over that I have a difficult time maintaining interest. Not only that but my back starts hurting and I get really fidgity. I could not do school again. I am the same way with faculty or other kinds of meetings at work too.
Jan,
It's about the end of my attention span too even with my hit-or-miss strategy. NBC coverage is terrible. But I will be watching the ice hockey final tomorrow...another miracle on ice?
We missed the one in 1980 because we had tickets to an opera that night...but at least we got to see the now-late, great Beverly Sills.
I am a frequent googler too. I no longer have telephone books and I am going to clean out a lot of nursing books. I never use them any more. I just google what I need.
I'm over the Olympics also. I've been watching National Geographic about Killer
Whales. They are eating cute little sea lions. I'm pulling for the sea lions. I can't handle these animal programs where there are preditors and prey. Makes me too sad.
Jan,
You sound like Hubs when he sits too long. He just gets up and stands in the back of the room whenever he needs to no matter where or who is speaking.
I am mainly interested in the figure skating and have taped mostly that. I need to go through and watch it. I have watched little TV this past week. I don't know what I have been doing with my time.
I was going to stop watching 2 1/2 men reruns because of Charlie Sheen's alleged domestic violence. John began to get depressed as this was his favorite show in the evening - I felt bad that I was depriving him of something he enjoyed so I relented. I truly don't enjoy the show any longer so have been finding other things to do.
Carol,
This is a gruesome thought, but I have to wonder why the orca didn't eat the trainer if he really meant to kill her...that's what they do to seals.
I have watched the whales and sea lions too. It is hard to watch. The sea lions are so cute. But I like the whales too. It is the food chain.
Jan,
John must not watch "24." There's no thought about Two or Three or Four-and-a-Half Men around here on Mondays...there's only one guy - it's Jack Bauer. lol
I think the Orca was just playing with her. I don't think they would eat a human. They are also well fed.
Not all Orcas eat sea lions. The one that do are called transients. The other just eat fish.
"Each orca population worldwide seems to follow its own rules to guide their diets, associations patters, behaviors and vocalizations, rather than simply show similarities with either residents or transients. Some researchers have suggested that residents should really be called "fish-eaters" and transients "mammal-eaters."
My friend "Bear Woman" went to Africa to live with the meerkats. I found out from her there's even worse stuff in the wild that they don't let us see or even know about on our tv's. We are quite sheltered, actually.
"Orcas probably got their exaggerated reputation as killer whales from reports of transients viciously ripping marine mammals, including large whales, to shreds. To date, however there are no known cases of orcas eating or even harming a human"
I know whales are intelligent but they are wild animals.
John had a snake years ago- before I knew him - Thank God. He fed the snake mice. He said that if the snake was not hungry and the mouse was in his cage for too long, he would not eat it. I assume the snake then began to have a relationship with the mouse which turned the mouse into something other than snake food for the snake. Maybe this is a similar situation for the whale and trainer.
Transient orcas
That quote was evidently speaking of orcas in the wild.
My son is a faithful watcher of "24" I have not seen it. John and I both get too hyped up when we watch something too suspenseful. I think I have heard that "24" is quite suspenseful.
That old Doc I worked for kept snakes in his office. He would have his office manager/slut puppy buy mice for the snake. A couple of times when no one was looking and a poor little mouse was sitting in that cage looking all freaked out, I would catch the mouse and set it free.
Once the mouse bit the snake and I had to help the old gueezer stitch it up. I chose to do the stitching rather than holding the snake.
I was totally cool with the mouse biting the snake. I think I might have even suggested it.
Jan,
I don't watch Jack Bauer either...I never watch any shows on Mondays anyway 'cuz that's my Ladies Night...
Carol, LOL at your story of the snake and mouse. I could not live with a snake.
Ivy, keep up your Ladies Night. It is great to have some "girlfriends." I miss that. I have one friend who lives in Santa Fe. She has always lived in SF but she had a little house here she lived in while here. Then she got a job in SF and I don't see much of her any more.
Me neither Jan.
See y'all tomorrow...
It is 9:43 here. I think I will head to bed and read my boring book. I need to find another one.
Nite all.
Nite.
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