Getting Some Zzzzz....

It's a known fact that as people age, mainly women, falling asleep and staying asleep is a problem.  I've battled this problem for years.  I'll go to bed physically and mentally exhausted, but don't fall asleep - sometimes it takes hours. I avoid anything with caffine in it after about 3 pm because caffine keeps me awake. The situation isn't helped when the hubby falls asleep in minutes and is snoring loudly.  It's really frustrating.  Sometimes, I've used OTC sleep aids, but they take a long time work and don't always work for me.  I also have a prescription for Ambien.  But you can't take that every night.

Recently, I saw a piece on television or the internet, (I don't remember which) that addressed this problem.  There was the usual information, except for one little tidbit..."lie still on your back, try to relax your entire body and then breathe in deeply through your nose, hold for a couple of seconds, and then breathe out through your mouth.  Do this for several minutes.".

Since I had taken at least half an Ambien every night for the past week and didn't want to continue that pattern, I decided to try this three nights ago.  I was skeptical.  I realized the next morning that I hadn't tossed and turned for an hour or more before going to sleep.  Coincidence, I thought.  So I tried the method the next night.  I had the same results.  Still a little skeptical, I did the breathing last night and had the same results.  I fell asleep quickly (for me) and slept rather soundly until I had to get up to use the bathroom at about 4:30. 

Historically, if I have to use the bathroom during the night, it takes me a long time to get back to sleep...particularly if it's around 4 am or so. Often, I never get back to sleep.  So I tried the breathing method after returning to bed.  I slept for another 2 hours.

Could it be that I have found a solution to my sleep problem?  If so, "Hallelujah!!"  The true test will be when I try this when I'm away from home, traveling.  Ambien is usually the solution in that scenario.

No Kidding

My six year old grandson is a very literal boy.  He has never been one to understand the kidding and joking that you sometimes do with kids.  His grandpa came up with a nickname for him several years ago.  Many times when Grandpa has called him "Pookie Boo", my grandson would respond "I'm not Pookie Boo.  I'm Aidan.".

When he draws a picture of something, he does his best to make his picture look exactly like the object.  Once he got very upset with his sister when she drew a picture of their family.  She had given her mother dark hair (she's a blonde) and their Dad blonde hair (his is dark).  Also, in her picture, Dad was shorter than Mom.  (Dad is over 6' and Mom is about 5'3".)  To calm him down, I had to explain to him about artistic license and that it was OK for Emily to give their Mom brown hair.  She was the artist, after all.

Last evening, he was spending some time with Grandma and Grandpa.  He overheard our casual conversation about money.  Grandpa said, "Well, you know, money makes the world go 'round.".  Aidan promptly told Grandpa, "Money doesn't make the world go around" ... and then proceeded with his six year old understanding of the solar system.

Of course, Aidan....thanks for setting Grandpa straight.