Falling asleep. Is it easy or hard for you? I had an eye doctor appointment yesterday morning and I was on the road by 9:15. I was sitting at a light in Buffalo waiting for the left turn light to change and I was rocking out to “You Should Be Dancing” and I happened to look at the car to my right and I saw the a woman in the passenger seat was sound asleep. The man looked bored and she was sawing logs. The first thing I thought was they must be traveling because it’s pretty early in the morning for a nap.
It then left me to wonder how easy it is for some people to fall asleep. I have a heck of a time falling asleep. As I’ve gotten older, it’s gotten even harder. I used to be able to lay in bed for 10-12 hours. My body could never take that now. I’d ache. I also used to be able to take a 2 hour nap in the afternoon. I can’t do that anymore either. My best naps are the cat nap variety. If I can sleep soundly for 20 minutes or so, I wake up feeling terrific. BUT…the downside to that is I sometimes need to “prepare” to get that 20 minute nap. It’s got to be dark, cold and silent. This is one of the reasons why I need to sleep alone. I just can’t stand any sounds. The picture I’m using in this post, if that was my husband and I and I was trying to sleep and he was there with the light on and sitting up AND eating, I’d stab him with his silverware. There is NO way I could sleep like that.
Paul can fall asleep playing games on the computer or in the car while I’m driving. He can fall asleep almost anywhere. My brother told me he’s the same way. He can pretty much fall asleep anywhere but his sleeping “problem” as he gets older is it’s harder to stay asleep for a long period of time. He wakes up a lot more.
How about you? Have your sleeping patterns changed as you’ve aged? Can you fall asleep anywhere or are you more like me? Do you have to have the “perfect” conditions in order to get that cherished and much needed nap?
Us Girls..Our Views 
Well since you brought it up….
I NEVER had a problem sleeping until Buddy was KIA. That’s when it all started for me. I don’t take sleeping pills (Tamazapam) nearly as much as I did three years ago but maybe twice a week now.
And my wife knows that if she falls asleep in the front seat next to me and we are the only ones in the car…. 🙂 Sometimes I think she “fake sleeps” just to get me going. lol
I’m sorry about your sleeping problems. What you went through was horrific.
LOL!!!!!
Sometimes it seems that it takes me forever to fall asleep. My husband, Jason, could fall asleep in bed while I’m still trying to talk to him. My mind just wanders when I’m trying to go to bed. I wish my son would take naps in the afternoon so then I would be able to also. As far as sleeping in the car goes, well there is NO way I could do that when Jason is driving!! He just doesn’t seem to pay attention all the time. I need to be alert too!! 😀
Jason, are you going to take that??? That’s why I drive. LOL!!
Unfortunatly I have no choice but to take that. On the way home from St. Cloud today, Jenny said to Hunter and not me, look at that tractor, at which point I looked at the tractor and not the road. Luckily Jenny was watching the car in front of us who decided to turn all of the sudden without the use of their blinker… Whew crisis averted…….
Boy am I ever glad nothing happened. It sucks when someone does something on the road with no warning.
I begin sleeping as I walk towards the bed . Either I am totally asleep or half awake after that.
Sleeping is one of my greater strengths. Too bad there isn’t much money in it.
I could sleep almost any time if I decided to do it. But I don’t just “fall asleep” unintentionally unless I’m both exhausted and lying down. And since I am a night person and usually get my “second wind” in the evening, I don’t try to go to bed until I’ve gotten something accomplished. This is to make up for the fact that I am worthless until 2pm on some days.
I can relate to the inability to sleep in the passenger seat of a car. I have been in the car many times with someone who falls alseep driving AND refuses to give up the wheel once you holler at her to wake up. It makes for interesting travels. I also don’t usually sleep in planes, so that’s a great time to read a novel.
I usually don’t have any problems falling asleep. I come from a long line of World-Champions in that particular field. I can sleep pretty much anywhere, anytime. I enjoy afternoon naps, and can knock off a 2 or 3 hour one, so I don’t do that much at all.
The only time I really have trouble is if I’m mega-stressed or if it’s the first night in a new place. When we go on vacation, that first night is always spent tossing and turning, and it’s very frustrating, because usually, there’s something planned for the next day, and I know that sleeping in or grabbing a nap isn’t an option.
I used to sleep in the car all the time… can’t now, since I’m the only driver. Which actually causes some problems – I have to be very careful of the route I choose to take, that it has lots of good scenery so I don’t get bored; and that I take lots of rest stops. Otherwise, I get “highway hypnosis” and will start to nod.
I will also NOT sleep on planes, trains, etc. My family are also world-champion snorers, and that can get very embarrassing in public…
I don’t have problems falling asleep or staying asleep, but I’m sure that will change as I grow older. Toby likes to make fun of me b/c when I sleep in the car I look like my mom! :O
I have a terrible time falling asleep. Once I am asleep I usually wake up a couple of times but go right back to sleep. I go to bed and usually it takes 1 or 2 hours. I take Elavil which is supposed to help but I have my doubts though it has helped my depression. I am the happiest tired person you will meet. Actually, I do take a nap when Lilah takes her nap and I ususally don’t feel too tired throughout the day.
I have problems falling asleep. Sometimes I’ll lay in bed for 2 hrs. before I fall asleep. But once I do fall asleep “look out” I can sleep for 14 hrs. straight (if I want to) I always have to set an alarm clock or I’ll sleep 10-14 hrs. I’m exactly the oppisite of my dad.
I think that’s so strange that your dad can wake up when he’s supposed to with no alarm clock.
I can often do that, too! It really is bizarre. But it’s also a handy trait to have.
I used to be like you Joy were everything had to be just so in order for me to sleep.Cool,dark quite.Still does to some degree now too but I am on a medication for my migraines(its an antidepressant in low dose)and it really helps me to fall asleep.I still cant stay in bed for super long..probably no more than 8 hours or my body/neck is sore and I wake with headache.
It depends on what kind of day I had. Busy, then it only takes 20 minutes or so. Sometimes it takes hours, like last night. Both Jason and I had a problem sleeping last night, we looked up and it was 2am…he gets up at 5am. 😦 I felt bad for him this morning.
It also depends on how stressed I am. I tend to do all my thinking when I lie down. Normally Jason can sleep anywhere, and be sleeping in a matter of minutes. I need a bed, and for it to be dark. No cars, planes for me…I can’t sleep. I’m too afraid something will happen.
I wish I could nap, I have never been a very good napper even as a kid I remember just staring at the ceiling. I’m a lot like you Joy as far as the sleep thing. I wish I could fall asleep easily anytime but that’s just not the case. Navar is a fantastic sleeper I usually watch him fall asleep I’m usually trying to talk to him. Oh well..