What a nightmare
Like many a Ruster a good night ‘s sleep comes to me rarely. As I write this I have had 3 hours sleep, awoken and will probably get back to sleep in a couple of hours’ time.
I read somewhere that 8 hours continuous sleep is a recent phenomenon and in the nineteenth century such a break was the norm.
People would even visit each other in the sleep break in the early hours.
Personally I enjoy the quietude of the early hours and get enough admin stuff done to justify my siesta later.
My dreams are vivid and often transcend into nightmare.
Last night I dreamed I was swimming in the sea when I was attacked by an unknown assailant in the water. I put up quite a fight – this was unlike me as I am a real coward. Next thing I was tumbling out of bed on the floor. Clearly the movements I had made ejected me from the bed. I sustained no injury, though was a tad shocked. I climbed back in and was soon asleep.
The former England cricket captain and psychologist Mike Brearley attached such importance to his dreams that he wrote down each in detail. I had a French girlfriend who did the same and I was forced into silence, not an easy condition for me, in the morning as she wrote down each detail and stressed the necessity of doing this immediately after she had awaken.
I guess what I’m saying is that everyone, in sleep just as in their waking hours, has the right to their own pattern that works for them.
I have no desire to take a sleeping tablet as these are – I understand – highly addictive and my daily medication amounts to 6 pills a day anyway.
Furthermore my bladder does not last the night and my continuous sleep length is not more than 4 hours, so I see little point.
My father too was a poor sleeper and most tired between 4 and 5pm in the afternoon. My mother suffered from nightmares so it looks like there is something genetic here.
Occasionally I read articles about symptoms of depression and one of these is poor sleep. I don’t believe I am a depressive, nor should anyone be so categorized just for a poor night’s sleep.
