Early early morning
Firenze
Shipmate, Host Emeritus
in All Saints
I have a sleep pattern whereby I usually wake between 5 and 6 and get up about 6.30. I potter round the 'net, play games until about half eight or 9. Then wash, dress, breakfast and off into the day.
It begins now to feel not the best. The same activities bring back the same trains of (largely unhelpful) thoughts, the news is usually depressing, the games grow stale.
How do others begin their day? What is the best way to use the quiet, dark hours?
It begins now to feel not the best. The same activities bring back the same trains of (largely unhelpful) thoughts, the news is usually depressing, the games grow stale.
How do others begin their day? What is the best way to use the quiet, dark hours?
Comments
I tend to listen to something on my iPhone. There are various things I subscribe to on BBC Sounds, and I can also access talking books in BorrowBox via my local library membership. I try and choose something that is sufficiently engaging to distract my thoughts, but not so gripping that it actually keeps me awake. Because it is there on my phone, I don’t worry about falling asleep part way through and missing something. If I really want to listen to it I can pick it up again later on.
I suppose the short answer is that I lie in bed and listen to something(Through earphones, of course).
And I can't put anything in my ears besides my hearing aids.
This is my sleep pattern too.
What I have found useful: after an hour or two of news and games, I often do "gentle yoga for bigger bodies" or another comfortable beginner yoga video from YouTube. I play it very quietly, and so far it has disturbed no one in my household lo these many months.
Why I have found it a good thing to do in the early early morning:
It took me a while to find a favourite video. I scrolled through YouTube and dismissed many for being too difficult, too fast, can't stand the instructor's voice, etc.
My goal isn't fitness. It's just to move a bit, quietly, for a little while and in a peaceful way.
It's also inexpensive: I bought a low-priced yoga mat, which is quickly rolled up and thrust behind some furniture when I'm done. It's a low space commitment too.
You're right to start prepping for old age: you definitely do lose it if you don't use it.
However, I need to be dressed to exercise.
On a work day if I wake up with a bit of a margin before I have to start, I'll either catch up on the news and social media or just stay put and try to visualize a relaxing scene I feel comfortable in. Mornings can sometimes begin with a vague sense of anxiety or gloom and that seems a helpful way of beginning and trying to shake it off.
At weekends I just take my own time. One thing I've sometimes been tempted to do is go and do something creative on the computer. The small hours are generally quiet and undisturbed (though there is a small child next door who doesn't always sleep well) and if my mind is working clearly I might get an outline of something down. However, in practice I rarely do this as I usually have to consider full-time employment and storylines are therefore mentally composed instead.
As a cure for insomnia I used to listen to the World Service on the radio through earphones, despite the programmes being sufficiently interesting to keep me awake, but one morning I woke up with a thumping bass beat coming through the walls - or so I thought - it turned out I'd inflicted tinnitus on myself. I haven't used earphones since. Luckily it's diminished to barely noticeable unless I now listen hard for it in a silent room, but the last thing I want is to give it any chance to revive.
Some hearing aids these days can connect to devices via Bluetooth, but that might be a big investment if yours don’t already.
But plugging into any external source while in bed is just not a goer.
Once the brain is awake it will be churning out random thoughts for about 2hours As long as daylight doesn't seep through the curtains I will eventually go back to sleep.
I do not get up, as switching on the light will really wake me, but listening to the radio often helps. I used listen to audiobooks until my 3rd CD player wore out (Any kind of earphones, buds or cans hurt my ears).
I have recently changed from listening to the World Service, as most of the programmes I was awake for annoyed me. Currently I am playing Classic FM in my wakeful hours but am beginning to find that very repetitious. Mostly it is pieces I enjoy, but recently the Adagio from Spartacus (Khachaturian) three times in 24 hours did seem a bit too much.
I generally decide it is morning between 05:00&06:00, and get get up at 06:30. Bedtime is approximately 11pm. I dare not go to bed earlier as I do like it to be past midnight before I have to do the first trip to the loo.
It's just about bedtime now - Goodnight all!
Now that my commute is a 10-minute walk, I set the alarm for about 7, do Wordle and potter about on Facebook until 7:30 and then get up.
At weekends, I get up about an hour before I have to be anywhere (which usually means the church, which is literally across the road from my flat).
What I do early in the morning depends on how sleepless the night has been: sometimes it feels like a sleepless night just continues through a sleepless day. I usually sit up in bed and read the psalms, the Catholic routine of the daily Office, very familiar and soothing or even soporific at times. Then I do some writing (morning pages), have some tea and do stretchy exercises on a mat out in the back garden, followed by some meditation, coffee and back to work.
Other mornings, because I am a prolific dreamer, I jot down dreams and associations in a dream journal kept beside the bed. I read poetry or fiction and then brace myself for news headlines. Most mornings involve pottering about before I'm fully awake enough to reply to emails or start work: I water plants in pots, fill dogs' water bowls, stare vacantly into the fridge while wondering what to cook, chat to partner who is also an early morning person but someone who jumps up, showers, makes breakfast, calls hospice night staff, very busy and practical while I am wandering about trying to recall the dog's name.
I shared my dilemma ( getting back to sleep) with Mrs RR. "But that's easy." she said, "sit beside me on the sofa and I'll put my favourite gardening program on the TV". She looked me levelly. "I guarentee you'll be asleep in five minutes."
For Mrs RR, the same effect can be achieved with any Wagner opera DVD, however exciting it is.
I tend to pray a lot in the wee small hours and hope that the Good Lord, too, is awake. Though I suspect my prayers will send even Him to sleep.
Often I wake around 5 and put the radio on, but do nothing active before 6, when I might look at things on my phone. When it is lighter, I might get up and start the day’s tasks.
Now off to find a "Yoga for the very unfit" You Tube video.
I'm retired so I refuse to get up before 7am. But when I do get up I tidy up, then walk the dogs before breakfast, whatever the weather. I often go in my pyjamas underneath my waterproofs then have a shower when I get back. 🐾🙂
As an elderly msn ( I think I've now reached that stage rather than approaching it) it's neither an if or a usually.
But not every day, although I am getting more larkish as I age.
When my wife, who teaches yoga, wakes up earlier than she’d like, she does yoga nidra. No mat, or getting out of bed, required, and she goes right back to sleep.
If I wake in the night for call of nature and can't get back to sleep, I listen to a podcast on my phone. I have a favourite one that sends me off pretty quickly. It's not intentional but I've heard this particular episode a couple of times, so I'm not trying to stay awake to make sure I get the complete story, so very drowsy making and I love the caster's voice, nice and relaxing.
I am sure the cats hang around outside the bedroom door listening for my glasses case to snap shut as they are often there when I open the bedroom door.
First thing of a morning is kettle on, loo visit, make coffee, back to bed for online newspapers and persusal of death notices. Listen to morning radio with chats to favourite producers, breakfast (leisurely) and into the day with cups of tea, morning jobs and chats to family members.
I like a bit of Tai Chi too, but have gotten out of the routine of late, as has my walking due to hot weather. I'm hoping to reverse this as we come into Autumn/winter
Well, that explains my sleep pattern. Thanks. I shall think now that it was a throwback to my ancestors. One important question I need to know. Did they snack? Was chocolate involved? How about peanut butter?
Fixed coding - Nenya, All Saints Host
Next week I am being collected at 5am for a long day trip. I have no idea how to prepare for it. I can see I won’t fall asleep at all or will go to bed early and be awake at 2!
Well, apparently during the Middle Ages, a primary activity during The Watch was sex. Make of that what you will!
(a) fight the French
(b) fight the Infidel
(c) fight the Vikings
(d) run the yardland/farm/estate/whatever or
(e) repopulate the country after the Plague
Oh c’mon — they had hearths and candles and puppet shows! Priorities!
My best advice is to have them be your alarm clock. Do whatever you would usually do for an alarm but ask them to be the back up. When I do this, I sleep well. Also, prepare everything the night before.
I'm one of those who has had some nasty trauma affecting my sleep for several years. Was finally connected with a useful medication and am losing my aversion to sleep. It's such a relief.
We don't have that over here, but it sounds nasty, I hope Rev Chopped is better soon,