Now I may be striking on an issue here that may affect many of you reading this. Sleep or should I say the lack of it, is a huge problem for me at the moment and I’m looking for ways to improve the situation.
I seem to have got into the habit of waking up at 3 to 3.30 every morning and then not getting back off again into the land of nod. This is nothing new though as for periods of time in the past, I’ve gone through phases where sleep has been erratic and I’ve been irritated by it.
The only difference these days is that I don’t get worries, annoyed or stressed out by the fact that I cannot sleep that well. Its concerning as I work full time and with my daily commute to and from the office, tiredness can often be a problem throughout the day. I get through it because I enjoy my work, but to have a full night’s sleep before doing it would be great and very helpful.
Studies, both scientific and anecdotal, have shown that many visually impaired people suffer from varying degrees of sleep deprivation. The most common reason for this has been given as the loss of natural light and hence affect that this has on the body clock. I think, however, that it would be completely wrong to put such a simplistic answer on it for everyone, but it’s still interesting to reflect upon.
Again, studies and practical reflections have shown that taking various natural and chemical (legal I may add and stress) substitutes have helped to give people more relaxed and sleep filled nights. The drug Melatonin, for instance, has been used by many (legally) to achieve a better night’s sleep. Personally, I haven’t gone down this route; preferring to try and do some serious mind clearing and relaxation techniques. Yes, these did work for a while, but maybe after some time, relaxation tends to get over ridden.
I wonder if information processing and the way that we do this has something to do with having problems in getting sleep. We live, as I’m constantly being told, in a world where information is instantly available visually and therefore more accessible to those who see. For us, when alternative formats and methods are available, information is largely (but not exclusively) audible and therefore processing is different. May I stress at this point though that it doesn’t make us in any way less intelligent than our sighted peers. What it does question and put out for debate ‘does information processing have an effect on our ability to relax and sleep’.
It may well do, but like any process, surely we can train our minds around it. One thing is for sure though, all of this considering, debating and hypothesising is making me feel tired *yawn*. Now does this mean, at last, a good night’s sleep? Hmmm, dream on!