Happy New Year! How'd You Sleep?

It is January 1st, 2014 and the World is MY Pearl.  Statement of fact.

Why?  Because I got a good night''s sleep, straight through, without waking.  I feel like a million bucks and ready to take on anything.  The best, most important thing for an insomniac like me to do after a good night's sleep is to take note of everything that was done differently in the lead-up to increase the chances of repeating it in the year ahead.

Last night, I was careful to get utterly no sugar in the 5 or 6 hours before bed.  Half the world was celebrating the outgoing old year and incoming first moments of the new year, and I celebrated with some low-carbohydrate broccoli and cheese patties.  Think what you'd like, but I'd eat them four nights a week to insure sleep like that.  Fortunately, I'm pretty sure I won't need to do that, but avoiding sugar always seems to help.

I cut back Melatonin use.  I've been trying to eliminate regular use and dependence on any sleep aid from my regimen, after reading reports that "too much of a good thing" can easily become bad.  In keeping with that goal, I cut back Melatonin by one-third starting a month ago and it's had a negative effect on my sleep.  It seems I'm getting somewhere on that effort.

I slept in my own bed, with my favorite sheets, in a cold room under light but warm covers.  Over the years, I've given my bedding a lot of thought and effort.  I don't like heavy covers.  An eider-down in East Europe would make me scream.  Or sweat.  I also don't like polyester; it pills.  I like a nice, light down comforter, dressed in cotton and linen duvet with plenty of feather pillows on the side.  I currently sleep with five pillows.

I eliminated tech and gadgets.  I did watch TV in my bedroom, but I shut down the computer a full 90 minutes early.  I put the phone on the side and tried to limit exposure to any bluish, insomnia-inducing tech-light.  I mostly succeeded.

2014 ushered its own noisy self in.  Since I worked early this morning, I didn't go out.  But I didn't go to bed "early," either.  A double feature of my favorite British sit-com was on and I treated myself to both episodes.  I got to sleep a full hour later than I should have.

But with in spite of less pillow-time, I had more quality shut-eye than I have had in weeks.  I woke up ready to take on the world.  I made New Years' Resolutions, career and workout goals and greeted everyone I met with a smile.  It's amazing what a good night's sleep can do for attitude.

And if this was any indication of what 2014 will bring, we're in for a wild, amazing, exciting, GREAT ride!

One more thing, if you didn't sleep as well as I did and you don't sleep well on a regular basis, you can change that.  It may be any of a hundred different things.  Check out The Great Sleep Checklist to see if it will help you.  It's never too late to start sleeping well.