Losing out on zzzz's

I'm trying to figure out why in the last several weeks I've had trouble sleeping early. I do know that sometime in the past, this has already happened to me. I can't quite remember what triggered it the first time and why it seems to be happening again now.

So I read up on insomnia. Because it's useless to deny that I am part insomniac. I can't sleep earlier than 1 am, sometimes even when I'm dead tired. Often I finally shut off much later than 1 am.

Could be hormones. My menstrual cycle has been a cause of some worry because it's not as regular as it should be. At the time I expect my monthly period, it'll start but not run the full course, which is usually 5 days. Well, it says that hormones, especially when it precedes the menstrual period might cause insomnia. So that's something to consider.

Stress. I've been under a lot of it in the last couple of weeks. Even during times when I thought my life was stress-free it probably wasn't. But there have been a lot of things to worry about in the past couple of months (and I have the white hairs to prove it!) so it must be contributing to the restlessness I feel, which results in my not getting sleep when I need it.

Or it could be that my mind and imagination, prone to over-activity, is acting up. It refuses to shut down even when I am so tired, ergo, I can't sleep. I can't even set my alarm for some early morning appointment because I usually end up waking every hour waiting for the alarm to sound off!

And finally, there is the internet which keeps me so hooked that it must be raising my mental alertness more than necessary, preventing me from resting for the day.

I need to work out a plan to combat this disorder, because having a history of anemia, insomnia is definitely not good for me.

I need to De-Stress

The day did not start well. It wasn't even noon yet but my head was already pounding. Not a healthy sign. But what to do? Several stressful situations were coming up one after the other. I knew my face was already pinched by lunchtime and I felt like screaming STOP! My blood pressure must have spiked then. It did not help that I was prescribed progesterone pills to induce menses because I had a condition. The menses was coming, no doubt, whether I wanted it or not.

I forgot to eat. Bad, bad, bad. Well, I finally had my pasta with pesto sauce around 2:30 p.m. I finished about 2 mugs of warm water. By then I must have gone to the john four or five times. Not good when you have your period and you need lots of fluids. Thankfully, the office was quiet for most of the time I was in a snit. And through simple breathing, relaxing and praying, I got over the stress little by little. I laughed some and that felt good.

I'm still stressed out, I know. I can feel it especially around my shoulder blades and my temples. I really need to de-stress soon. Until that time I can afford to go have a massage, it'll have to be breathing exercises for me. Aaa-uuhmmm...