Does anyone out there suffer from insomnia?  I know that everyone goes through phases in their lives where they cannot sleep, but I mean a real wicked case of insomnia for an extended period of time where sleep is elusive?

I’ve discovered that many people have difficulties sleeping and I’m not sure if this is a modern ailment or not.  My thinking is that hundreds of years ago, when people had to physically work from sun up to sun down just to run their household, getting a good night’s sleep wasn’t such a problem.   I may be way off base, but it makes sense.

In this modern era of stress and depression and anxiety, people have more time to ruminate over issues.  Many people do not exercise enough (me included, but I’m trying) and their bodies aren’t as physically spent at the end of the day.  Weight issues cause snoring, apnea and other problems that harm healthy sleeping patterns.

So here’s the deal.  I cannot sleep and have had major sleeping issues off and on my entire adult life.  I’ve been to a sleep clinic where I’ve been recorded while I was sleeping (or lack there of), I’ve had medical tests out the wazoo, changed my diet and exercise habits, lost weight, and prescribed medication.

I still cannot sleep through the night.  I am one of those people that generally has relatively few problems falling asleep, but I cannot stay asleep.  I was prescribed a “Z-drug”, which is like a benzodiazepine except thought to be less addictive.  It now turns out that they are probably as addictive as the old-school benzodiazepines.  Thanks, doctor.

These sleeping pills are supposed to be taken “as needed”.  I started talking them every night.  When I expressed concern over addiction, the doctor said not to be concerned about that right now (that’s a joke, me not be concerned).  I was still waking up in the middle of the night and having problem falling back asleep.  The doctor then told me to take two sleeping pills a night, which apparently is enough to put a lumberjack in a coma, but I still wake up in the night.

We all know the saying, “there is no rest for the wicked”, but really, were the things I’ve done that bad?  Oh well, what can you do?  Just wait for nine o’clock so I can take my sleeping pills.