I was always a “lark” (getting up early to finish papers in college) not an “owl” who could stay up, functioning till the wee hours whether for studying or parties. I became a single mother in my 40s and was always exhausted..,but when that continued when my son went off to college, I finally got tested at a Sleep Center. I have severe sleep apnea and testing 5 years later also found “paradoxical insomnia” treated withe two prescription meds a half hour before turning out the lights. Now I don’t “wake briefly” 100+ times a night when I stop breathing for a few to many seconds at a time (because CPAP prevents that) and actually get to deep REM sleep because of meds. It’s a new life…if only I had done this years earlier 🙂
I had a lightbulb moment while I was reading this. When I was younger, I just thought I was an "old lady" because I didn't like going out all night or doing any kind of exertion and then having to get up the next day for school, work, etc. I thought it was just a personality quirk, but of course it wasn't. It's because I'm disabled! My body needs more time to recover. You make such great points here. Even if we're good at "taking it easy", there's so much more than that when it comes to the true, radical rest we need.
Exactly! I remember in college when I knew many students who pulled all nighters for studying or writing a paper and I just couldn’t. My body wouldn’t let me. So I had to parcel out my work slowly so that I could rest. I just wish that after all these years I was better at resting as I still struggle with it.
I was always a “lark” (getting up early to finish papers in college) not an “owl” who could stay up, functioning till the wee hours whether for studying or parties. I became a single mother in my 40s and was always exhausted..,but when that continued when my son went off to college, I finally got tested at a Sleep Center. I have severe sleep apnea and testing 5 years later also found “paradoxical insomnia” treated withe two prescription meds a half hour before turning out the lights. Now I don’t “wake briefly” 100+ times a night when I stop breathing for a few to many seconds at a time (because CPAP prevents that) and actually get to deep REM sleep because of meds. It’s a new life…if only I had done this years earlier 🙂
Wow! Amazing! So glad you made these discoveries and are sleeping better with treatment. It amazes me what good sleep can do.
I had a lightbulb moment while I was reading this. When I was younger, I just thought I was an "old lady" because I didn't like going out all night or doing any kind of exertion and then having to get up the next day for school, work, etc. I thought it was just a personality quirk, but of course it wasn't. It's because I'm disabled! My body needs more time to recover. You make such great points here. Even if we're good at "taking it easy", there's so much more than that when it comes to the true, radical rest we need.
Exactly! I remember in college when I knew many students who pulled all nighters for studying or writing a paper and I just couldn’t. My body wouldn’t let me. So I had to parcel out my work slowly so that I could rest. I just wish that after all these years I was better at resting as I still struggle with it.
Such a great and important piece, Kelly. Thank you for sharing!
Appreciate you reading, Chris! :)