Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Good Sleep Hygiene

OK, so about 2 weeks ago my inability to fall asleep, stay asleep, and get restful sleep increased significantly. Even with the Lunesta, I often wondered why I even bothered to climb into bed. A few days ago the next pain and muscle aches went into full swing. Bleh!

Anyway, I've been reading this book by Fred Friedberg (A psychologist and a CFS sufferer.) He devoted a full third of his book to relaxation therapy and developing a pre-bed wind-down routine. The CDC also recommends good sleep hygiene and a wind-down routine. This all fits with the advice of my doctor. So, I've been working on one. Last night was the 3rd night of my little experiment. I took my Lunesta and then I spent a full hour listening to my iPod in the dark in the TV room. I started with a 15 minute chapter of a Batman series in the style of those old radio shows. Next I listed to 30 minutes of (Slick's) Enya music. I finished with 15 minutes of a meditation podcast. I woke up 1 time last night. This morning I woke up more refreshed than I have in months. I plan to make this (and the other recommendations) part of my daily routine. I'll keep you posted on it's effects.

CDC - CFS Treatment

No comments: