The frustrating bit of getting better is the insomnia...

[dagibbs]

I don't normally sleep very well -- I have trouble falling asleep, and can't do it if I'm not actually tired, and I wake pretty easily. I don't tend to nap, etc. But, when I'm sick this tends to change -- I sleep more. With this cold, I've been sleeping close to 16 hours a day for a couple of days. This is great while sick -- when you're asleep you're not miserable, and the time just flies by. But when I start to recover, one of the first things I lose is the tiredness... so last night when I went to bed, I'd slept 16 hours of the past 24, and I wasn't sleepy. I tossed and turned for a couple hours, then gave up and read for about 3 hours, then tossed and turned for another couple before finally falling asleep. I'm still sick, still congested, still sore throat, cough is there but controlled by meds, but I'm not sick enough to sleep through it anymore. Ugh. And I feel like not-sleeping will make me more sick. (Cause you get better while asleep, right? At least it feels that way.) And, it means my sleep-cycle is screwed up, too.

But, it means I'm getting better. That's the bright side.

Comments

[scuddycat.livejournal.com]

Hey David,

I hear you about about not getting enough sleep when you are trying to get better!

Two suggestions. I'm not sure if you have tried Melatonin to help you get to sleep. It's a natural over-the-counter product that helps some, including me. It doesn't leave you tired in the morning, unlike pharmaceuticals. I've taken it as late as 4am for an 8am wake up and wake up not feeling groggy.

For the staying asleep, if it is noise that wakes you easily, have you tried ear plugs? Soft foam ones are comfortable and work wonders.

Good luck!

[dagibbs.livejournal.com]

I've tried Melatonin while travelling -- it didn't seem to make any noticeable difference. Might work for cold recovery, I can give it a try.

As to ear plugs, if I'm trying to sleep somewhere particularly noisy, say rooming with a bad snorer at a convention, I'll use them. But long-term I find they irritate my ears too much.

[elizilla]

I'm sorry to hear you too are sick. It sucks. I wonder if we all got this crud at the con?

In other news I have accumulated two more packages for you to get, when next you visit.

[dagibbs.livejournal.com]

This is long enough post-con that it seems unlikely I picked it up there -- and there's enough crud floating around Ottawa that it is likely local.

Yay more packages!

[ironphoenix.livejournal.com]

Sympathies... I hope your sleep cycle settles down soon!