The Thing About Sleep, Part 2

Well, y'all are just the bee's knees, really.  Thank you for all the encouragement after this post.  Even though it probably didn't sound earth-shattering to you, I was hugely nervous about sharing my sleep struggles.  They've been such an issue with me for so long...I told my husband, after I hit "publish", that I felt like I was standing in the middle of the street in my underwear. 

I want to be sure I represented accurately where I am in this little journey I'm on (based on some of your comments and e-mails, I think I may have unintentionally given the wrong impression).  Right now, I'm not a raging insomniac, up prowling around at all hours.  Ambien works wonderfully for me, and I take it most nights.  Like I said, the dose I take is very small, so I feel like it's fairly safe (though I'm NOT crazy about taking it, still).  I don't know where I'd be without it:  probably a raging insomniac, up prowling around at all hours.

Several of you commented or wrote to me privately about sleep medication, some of you sounding hesitant to try it.  There's not much I'm absolutely certain of, but this one thing is for sure--a good doctor should listen carefully to you if you're suffering from chronic insomnia.  Be sure you rule out physical causes.  I actually did see a sleep specialist once.  He told me I was healthy, just a little neurotic (okay, those weren't his exact words, but that was the gist.  I'm not offended, since I'm quite aware that I am, in fact, a little neurotic).  He recommended this book.  At the time, I was in the throes of anxiety disorder, so it wasn't exactly what I needed.  But it did sound very helpful (the authors seemed to "get" how an insomniac thinks), and when I'm longer a mommy of a toddler I plan to try it.

And also, in case anyone is interested, Ginger pointed me toward some information about Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome.  It may not be a full explanation of what the deal is with us night owls (or is it "we night owls"--now that I've done a grammar post, I'm a little paranoid), but it's worth investigating.

Lastly, Kim left the following comment in my post:

Thought I would mention, too, that in my sleep-deprived, depressed state scriptures about sleep mocked me: "The Lord grants sleep to those He loves..." made me feel very hopeless. I wish I had a better answer for that but just wondered if you had ever had that happen.

Oh yes, Kim, I did.  "Lord," I prayed, "if you grant sleep to those that you love, and you're not granting me sleep, do you love me?"  As only a Father could, He assured me that He did by reminding me that His scripture speaks of seasons for different life events, and new mercies every morning (even for the sleep-deprived, frantic young mom).  He reminded me that David and Job and Samuel and countless others in Scripture faced sleep interuptions when it served His divine purpose.  And He reminded me that if this cannot separate me from His love, then surely a few sleepless nights wouldn't do me in.

Comments

[Stacey]

I'm sorry to hear about your sleep problems. I missed the other post. We know exactly what it's like at our house, my husband has a slight case of narcolepsy. Anyway, I'll say a special prayer that you'll start sleeping better!!

[kep]

I'm so glad you feel a little better getting it all out there, at least. Blogging is so nice for that kind of thing.

I don't have anything very helpful to add on the sleep topic, but I will say that I believe you are right in saying "us night owls" in that sentence you were paranoid about. "We night owls" would be the subject, and you were using it as the object. :) I'm completely with you on the grammar. I'm a bit of a freak about it, actually. Liked your WFMW a lot.

[owlhaven]

When I can't sleep, I usually assume that there must be someone who needs prayer and I pray for everyone I can think of... that way at least I am redeeming the time and hopefully being a blessing to someone even if I'm not getting sleep....

Mary, mom to many

[Faith]

IF IT MAKES YOU FEEL ANY BETTER I CLOSED MY EYES AS SOON AS I SAW YOU STANDING THERE IN YOUR UNDIES! ;D

SLEEP TIGHT!

[Brandie]

I read a lot, but have yet to comment, but have to say, you are not alone on the sleep/anxiety issue. And thank you - because something in this post just clicked in my head and I feel hopeful about someday feeling like I actually got enough sleep! So thank you =)

[Antique Mommy]

I was an insomniac all through my pregnancy. I would stay up all night working on art and design projects. For some reason I seemed to be extraordinarily creative at that time. All that to say hormones have a lot to do with sleep regulation as you probably already know. You may consider having your thyroid checked.

[PastorMac's Ann]

Aw, Shannon. I'm glad you don't believe that God's doesn't love you because sleep isn't something that comes easy. One can't read the Psalms without finding David singing about being up during the night. (And he was a man after God's own heart afterall, surely God loved him!)

I am often up late but don't usually have trouble sleeping when I finally decide to. I have had nights though, with hour on hour of waiting for sleep to come.

When I was thinking about you awake during the lonely hours of the night, two children's songs came to mind. Michael Card has a song on his Sleep Sound in Jesus album. It's called Even the Darkness is Light to Him. Here are some of the lyrics.

Even the darkness is light to Him, and night is bright
as the day. So you are safe though the light grows
dim, even the darkness is light to Him.

The father above does not slumber or sleep, He
faithfully watches our way. Then there’s no reason
for you to weep, the Father above does not slumber or
sleep.

And another one by Rob Evans (who some of us know as "The Donutman") called He Never Sleeps The chorus goes like this-

And even though the Good Shepherd counts sheep, He
never sleeps. He never sleeps. And even though the
Good Shepherd counts sheep, He never sleeps. He never
sleeps.

I know this is long. I apologize. I just wanted to encourage you - that when you're not sleeping, He's not sleeping with you. You are never alone.

Thanks for sharing this with us. Praying for you.

[Karla]

You don't know where you'd be without Ambien and the sleep it helps you get? Why, you'd be out in the middle of the street, in your undies. Of course! :) Just kidding!
I know how frustrating this can be. Soon after our Bean was born, colic and reflux hit and I went (seriously) three weeks with NO sleep (neither day nor night - seriously). I do wish you sound sleep!!

[Sarah]

Every morning (I usually don't get enough sleep) I just sit in the middle of the floor and thank God that it's a new day and that He can bless my interactions and my children and husband. Even just the 2 minute "centering" that adds up to is enough to make me a little less crazy during the day.

I have faith that someday I will be able to sleep in...