I just read The Harvard Medical School’s Guide to a Good Night Sleep.
When I came down with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in in February, 1988, I had to spend about 18 hours a day in bed (until the end of 1993).
This began my insomnia. Bed stopped primarily representing a place where I sleep. It began to be a place where I toss and turn, the site of a battle between myself and sleep.
So this new books recommends using a bed only for sleep and for sex.
I spend a lot of time during the day napping or just listening to books on CD or to Dennis Prager’s radio show. I’ve got to stop that so bed becomes a place of sleep for me. If I can’t fall asleep after 20 minutes, the book recommends getting up and watching TV or reading a book or writing a diary.
I’ll let you know how it works out. I’ve become caught in this vicious cycle of not falling asleep until after 3 a.m. (the way it has been for me for about six months), awaking around 7 a.m. and then lying down much of the afternoon because I am so exhausted from not sleeping.
P.S. I am sure my mild to moderate sleep apnea does not help. To combat this, I am losing weight. I’ve made some fundamental changes to my diet and I am down about six pounds in a month.
P.P.S. I have an appointment with a sleep doctor Dec. 28.
