A pretty good 5 hour sleep chart (pre Oil)
At least two nights a week, I work until at least 10:30-11:00pm.
I am a Scuba Diving Instructor and might have been in the pool or in the classroom teaching people to dive or helping them continue their dive education.
When I get home, there is not too much to do – a cup of soup for dinner, watch the news, try and chill out a little so I can go to bed and get some sleep.
Invariably, I get to sleep about 1:30am.
Sometimes later if the night has been busy, or really good – or a little bit challenging.
I am not lying in bed stressing at all. I get colds – sure. But I spend so much of my life in and out of the water that I think its just part of the business. I am not sitting up watching movies until all hours. It was as if my body just was not ready to go to sleep. But I was yawning. And my muscles were tired.
I was really starting to think seriously about a foot bath – as I dont have a bath in my house and could not think of another way to increase my chances of sleep unless I went to the Doctor or to a Naturopath and starting taking drugs or popping pills.
It was all just frustrating the HELL out of me.
It is really hard to be on your game for the next day at work when you only get a few hours sleep.
I could not drag myself out of bed for love or money. I was not doing any exercise in the morning. And I was not leaving myself any time to make breakfast before heading out the door to work – usually late. Or later than what I wanted to be.
I’d been using the Sleep Cycle iPhone application to see what my sleep patterns were like but I was completely lost with what to do with this data and how to increase the amount of sleep I was getting. 5 hours sleep was about the best night – or the longest night I have.
I downloaded the application at the beginning of the year, so I had a few sleep patterns as information to compare.
I got in contact with Gillian from LeEsscience on Twitter. @LeEsscience
We had a quick chat about my problem and she had a think about how she could help me.
Nearly 7 hours and asleep before 1am (Post Oil)
A couple of days later, a little bottle arrived in my mailbox. A blend of Essential oils of Lavender, Roman Chamomile, Sweet Marjoram & Bergamot. Gillian said that they all have uber calming, relaxing & sedating properties.
She recommended that I rub a little on my chest, my shoulders, the soles of my feet and a little under my nose.
With nothing to lose, I took Gillian’s advice.
The first night, I made sure the television was off early, I had a new book to relax with and I rubbed the oil on as per Gillian’s recommendations. It is loving and warming – it has a fresh scent but not overly crisp. It reminds me of my Nana.
After a couple of nights, I noticed a really big difference!
And the biggest difference – the one that means the most right now – is that after I had been working, I was able to get to sleep before 1 or 2 in the morning!
I’m not quite up at the 7-8 hours sleep per night mark.
Getting rid of this niggly cough I have right now might see that improve.
With a huge thank you to Gillian, my sleep is starting to improve and that is all that matters.
You can contact Gillian on Twitter – @LeEsscience – or on Le’Esscience Facebook page
UPDATE!
April 27th 2010.
I had an early morning flight to Wellington scheduled so I made an effort to have an early dinner, to turn off the laptop and the television early and settle myself in my lovely warm bed.
8 Hours!!
I keep my Le’Esscience sleep blend in my bedside drawer so I rubbed a little on my shoulders and chest and the soles of my feet and before I knew it, I was waking up to the sound of my Sleep Cycle alarm clock.
I had finally had more than 8 hours sleep!
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