THREW Mikes EyEz

Original Writings, Images, Video and Artworks of Mike Hartley

Tag Archives: sleep


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Sleep it off

What do you do to improve your sleep? – Now that is a timely question today.

I laughed at this question for a while because just before this and old friend and I were trading emails about lack of sleep in our lives.

And for example, we have tonight. I fell asleep at 8pm last night and woke before midnight. I’ll probably be up the rest of the night/morning now. Even though I’ve been retired for 2 and half years, that last decade of working the overnight shift screwed up my clock badly. My body is more comfortable now, being up late at night.

I sleep in little shifts. And I do get more than I used to when I was working. Taking advice from me might be suspect but I’ll offer some anyway.

I suggest a hammock, great for sleeping.

Can you swing it? Photo by Mike Hartley

The most important factor in my sleep is my mood. If I’m satisfied with the day and my life, I can rest easily. If I’m troubled, it’s a crap shoot. Sometimes listening to a little music or watching a little comedy will put me in the right spirits and make going to bed easier.

Finding a way to wind down and relax is big for me. I can be physically exhausted from watching grandkids and not sleep well. It’s more mental for me. Letting my mind slow down and downshift a few times enough to have some good thoughts and fall asleep.

Quiet is also essential. Remarkably my hearing is still in good shape, and I’m woken easily by sounds. I rarely sleep in a storm. Sometimes the basement has helped in that regard.

If I’m sleeping well, I go with it and sometimes get 7-9 hours. It’s not often, but here and there. But if it’s not working, I don’t lay there endlessly looking at a seam in the wall that could use some touch up. I get up and get to work and hopefully take a nap later.

Naps are cool. I took them long before I retired. Being I wasn’t getting a lot of sleep some days, I would catch sleep as I could. When you’re trying to sleep during the day it’s not like the rest of the world stops and says, “hey we got to let these night shift workers get some sleep, can you keep it down.” Quite the contrary in fact.

So, I learned dark out curtains are important. Silencing phones and shutting the door to my room. This is where I will also acknowledge that the effort of my better half to work in silence while I slept for a few hours was remarkable. Living on opposite schedules 4 days a week is difficult on both parties.

Then I flipped back to a day schedule to participate in family and other normal activities that day dwellers did. An interesting life, I don’t recommend it with one exception. In my younger days when we started a family, I worked nights and my better half days and we shared watching the kids so one of us was available for them and saved having daycare costs.

As I thought about how to wrap this up. I thought about the weirdest place I’ve slept in. I once slept on the 18th green (no I wasn’t a member). I’ve slept in and on my car. I’ve slept on my desk and under it at work. I’ve slept on a roll of newsprint (those are big). I’ve slept on a beach and in a boat. Under the stars in a sleeping bag. I’ve slept on a roof and on a pool float. I even fell asleep once on my motorcycle once.

Sleep On a Beach – great for sleeping with the sounds of the waves. Get a dark pair of shades and umbrella.

Always something flying at the beach. Photo by Mike Hartley

Whatever you do, get your sleep on, because it’s important.


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Sleep freak

I have no regular sleep pattern. I was doing okay for a while after retirement, but it didn’t last. I’m up all hours of the day and night. I nap mainly. An hour here, 2 hours there, maybe 3 or 4 hours when I actually get in bed. But no longer usually. I guess that works for me.

I wake up lots of times due to my restless mind. The majority are aches or spasm related that disturb my rest. Sounds also play a part in that because I guess I hear very well still.

I have no trouble falling asleep. But still, a few hours and I’m awake. I’m getting better at making use of the time instead of fighting it. And I think that is helping when I do lay down for some rest again. I’ve stopped being frustrated when I wake up.

Like this evening, I fell asleep around 9:30pm and woke at 1am and worked till 6:30am and then nap for another 3 hours.

There is still the occasional night, that I’m just up all night and sleep a few hours during the day.

Maybe after a certain number of years of working night shifts, you become part or wholly nocturnal.

I love standing outside on a summer evening looking at the darkness and listening to the sounds of the night. Photo by Mike Hartley

Tonight, I will probably flip the script and stay up till 2-3am and then crash for 3-4 hours. I can’t wait till it warms up so this nocturnal creature can start venturing out at night again.


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Sleep n Dogs

It was great to finally get some good rest last night. And I hope that continues now that we give our grand dog back to my son and his family today. She’s a cute little thing, but boy she wants constant attention. My better half takes the bulk of the care because the dog is more attached to her.

I love pets and always have. But dogs are ones that we just couldn’t have unless some changes were made. For instance, we would need a fence so they could go out on their own instead of having to be walked a few times a day.

Next is training a dog not to sleep on the bed which our grand dogs are used to. I’d also have to get used to raising anything of importance above tail level. This one has a tail that moves like a housekeeper with a duster on meth.

I’m not sure I could get used to the dirt level they increase. It’s like this active group of children who go in and out all day and shed also. It might cost me a housekeeper.

Like most dogs this one is fixated on food. You can’t go to the kitchen without this companion. Nope that won’t work for me.

Guess I’m just used to having a cat most of my life. We have no pets now because the trauma of losing them is too much for my better half to bare again.

Anyway, I think I’m developing a new sleep pattern. I’ve been passing out shortly after dinner the past week or so. Usually waking around 1am or as late as 3am. I feel good. It feels like I got some deep sleep.

My previous pattern was staying up till 11 or midnight and getting up at 4-5am. For some reason I almost never sleep past 6am regardless of when I go to bed. But I never felt rested and felt tired during the day.

This last week I haven’t felt the need for a nap.

Random Thoughts of the Day

  • Remember to laugh some each day.
  • I’m turning off news that broadcast lies without challenging them.
  • The older I get the longer it is each day to work out the kinks.
  • Nobel prize for inventor of the heating pad.
  • I feel the need for some classic rock this morning.


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Coming into the light

Many a night I am awake all night working, but being on vacation the last few days I’ve been able to flip my sleep to nights. And some more hours per night, and boy does that make a difference in both physical and mental health.

I’ve so enjoyed rising just before sunrise and being able to enjoy the SUN all day instead of having to sleep through half or more of it depending on the season.

Catching the first rays of the day. Photo by MIke Hartley

Nights have always been part of my work schedule to some degree. That is quite disruptive to sleep schedules, not that I’ve ever had one, with the exception of maybe my first few years of life. I guess with the end of full-time work in sight it’s making this last year a little more challenging.

Then again it could be the age thing trying to sneak up on me. Regardless it’s now a struggle at a few or many points in the evening. My eyes get heavy, my body aches, my concentration isn’t what it was and I just get tired.

I have to keep reminding myself, I’m in the home stretch.

I like Ruffles in my Roads. – Give me the back roads of rolling hills and twisty turns all day long. I’m going to let the younger crowd have their way on the big state and interstate highways. A lot less stress and more enjoyment on the back roads.

Homes, neighborhoods, and farms dot the route instead of concrete barriers and super hot asphalt. Cruising speeds are more enjoyable because you’re not surrounded on each side and back.

I’m looking forward to my Sunday morning cruise. Photo by Mike Hartley

I hear the Maryland Miata group is meeting tomorrow morning and if nothing more pressing is going on I’ll swing by and see some fellow 2 seaters.

Random Thoughts of the Day

  • The first sad day in Margaritaville ever.
  • I’m going to make this a strong 4th quarter.
  • Several forecast days of 90+ degrees after Labor Day should indicate summer is far from over.
  • I’m assuming the role of grillmaster today.