August 20, 2009

It's not easy being chemical free

I can't sleep.

I have troubles with insomnia from time to time. It has been going on all week, and I can't seem to find the solution. During the day I am tired enough to feel sick to my stomach, but I still can't shut off the chatter in my head when I hit the sack. I generally resist turning to pills for the answer. I don't want to become dependent on chemicals to solve a problem that has a simpler solution.

I have pretty bad allergies, and I have relied on Allegra to get me through the worst months. When my insurance company stopped paying for the prescription (for a replacement that my doctor says works for 1% of the population), I looked to natural alternatives. I started rinsing my sinuses with saltwater. The theory is that you rinse away the irritants before your body has a chance to react. It isn't the most pleasant therapy, but it is pretty effective. I still had to turn to pills for a couple of weeks this year when the natural approach wasn't enough.

So back to sleep. I have turned to Tylenol PM the last couple of nights in hopes of a good night's sleep. I have used a half dose before, and it has been enough to muffle the chatter enough to drift off. Not this week. It is so frustrating to lie awake at night with random thoughts flying through your head, when you could so easily fall asleep at your desk during the day. If the chatter was worth listening to, it would be one thing. I'd get up and write down the solution to all the world's problems. But too often it is just bizarre segues between worry and random thoughts.

Then you turn to drugs, and it turns out drugs aren't the answer. So tonight - wine. No dependency problems there, right?

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