SLEEPLESS NIGHTS AND CONVERTED METH LABS

I had trouble sleeping last night. It was probably not helpful that I pounded a Starbucks energy drink at 430 PM. But even though it was a “bad night” sleeping. I feel semi-reasonable.

It wasn’t a “sleepless” night. Just semi-sleepless.

What keeps me up at night?

How much time do you have?

On a practical note. When I drink caffeine late in the day it sets me up for trouble.

I am a big fan of caffeine. Caffeine in it’s many different forms (coffee, “red-eye” from Starbucks, and ENERGY DRINKS).

SMELLY FUMES

Side Note: The lovely Mrs. Jones tells me that the main ingredient in energy drinks (Taurine) is mass produced in converted methamphetamine labs in China (she doesn’t quite say it that way).

Direct quote from TLMJ: “The fumes from the warehouse are so bad that you can smell them from miles away”. I don’t know if this is true. But, if so, that can’t be good.

Back to the original point.

JACKS AND MIMICS

Caffeine jacks you up. Raises your blood-pressure, unleashes other chemicals into your system.

Add in the Taurine from China and you have a serious chemical reaction. In addition to making one “more alert and awake”, this physiological flood mimics the fear the response.

This process mimics what happens when you are anxious.

Neither of which are good for “sleeping”. In the meantime, I have this latent fear and anticipatory dread floating around in my head.

DREAD HEAD

There is always some anticipatory dread floating around in the back of my mind. Right now, much of the dread is related to a loved one. But, in reality, it can be anything.

Someone once said: “Your anxiety will find something to stick to”.

Another way of saying this: “What is the target of your anxiety”?

YOUR ANXIETY

“Where will you aim your anxiety?”

If you have a loved one who is dealing with substance use disorder or mental health issue you have an “anxiety target” readily available.

Back to the story.

I lay down and I dose off. I sleep for maybe 30 minutes. Maybe less. But the caffeine jolts me awake.

It’s still not fully metabolized. So, all the sudden, the leader of the caffeine army shouts out a command: “Whoa what is this all about. WAKE HIS SORRY ASS UP!”

Now, I’m lying there fully awake. You can guess the rest of the story.

The tape starts to play. The rumination and rabbit holes. Chasing scenarios.

Playing the “what-if” games. Hyperactively bouncing from one topic to another topic.

Always landing back on my worries for my loved one. The train has left the station.

That brings me to my recommendations:

1) GOOD SLEEP HYGENE

Good sleep hygiene is an all-day process.

Watch what you eat. Watch your caffeine intake. Try to get out for a walk.

Decrease stress. I suggest the “Free Three”.

VERY IMPORTANT ***** Do not pound energy drinks at 4:30 pm.

Stay away from anything manufactured in an abandoned methamphetamine warehouse.

2) RESET THE PROCESS

If you do wake up and your anxiety finds a target, take an action to reset the process.

Last night, I got up and came down stairs. I read a little and I wrote a little. DO NOT CHECK YOUR EMAIL. I’ve done that before. Bad idea.

3) MEDITATE AND BREATHE

Meditate, or at least, do some breathing exercises. Bring your “physiology back down”.

I had taurine and caffeine bouncing around my bloodstream. My meditation practice met its match and was not very effective.

4) GO BACK AND LAY DOWN

Go back and lay down. If it continues, repeat the process.

But the next time try sleeping somewhere else. The couch, a spare room, your car, the garage, park bench (just kidding).

Morning will come. You will be okay.

Just be very careful. You will be compelled to use Red-Bull, Pop-Tarts, and coffee to get through. DO NOT DO THAT.

Because you will just repeat the cycle all over again.

Now you know…

RELATED NEWS – Shocking figures from the British Soft Drinks Association reveal the volume of energy drinks consumed in the UK increased to 679 million litres last year.

Read article – https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/energy-drinks-increase-stroke-risk-13746362

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