Christina on Day 1 of her CFS Sleep Makeover

I’ve written about my Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) many times, and in many places. (ChristinaGleason.com | Suite 101 | Type-A Parent) I was doing pretty well for a few months, but I’ve recently fallen into a flareup cycle again – and insomnia has been nearly as bad as it was before I started taking medication (trazadone) to help me sleep. No matter what time I go to bed, I haven’t been able to fall asleep before 2:30 or 3:00 for weeks, if not months, and it’s been weighing heavily on my body and my ability to think. (And with a creative job that involves writing, that is a big problem.)

I’ve been trying to make some healthier changes in my life, in the hopes of improving my overall health in addition to my energy levels. Eating Cheerios (or another whole grain cereal) every day has straightened out my ornery digestive system, which has contributed to improving my mood and my energy in its own way. I’ve tried adding more exercise into my routine – knowing my limits and what I can tolerate before I bring on a full CFS crash – to help my body expend more physical energy during the day so my brain will shut off and allow me to fall asleep more easily at night. The mental part hasn’t helped yet, but I know the physical part is still good for me.

Christina on Day 1 of her CFS Sleep Makeover

So I talked to my doctor yesterday about my continuing sleep struggles, and he recommended a new sleep hygiene regimen.

My Sleep Makeover

Although “sleep hygiene” seems like a bit of a buzzword, there are a lot of common sense tips involved that I’ve had varying degrees of success with. I don’t drink caffeine after a certain time in the evening. I have a bedtime routine (pajamas, washing my face, brushing my teeth, etc.) that takes about 15 minutes that lets my body know I’m getting ready to wind down for the day. Tom and I read in bed for about 20-30 minutes each night, which also helps to relax the mind.

But I have a terrible habit of gaming right up until the last second before I start getting ready for bed. Mostly, that means World of Warcraft, but I’ve recently gotten on a Scramble with Friends kick that’s had me bringing my phone upstairs to play in between chapters of my book. This is part of why I’m too wired (pun intended) for sleep – electronic stimulation.

So my doctor suggested I need to quit the electronics at least an hour and a half before bed. He tried to suggest three hours, but I honestly don’t think I’m ready for a change that big, and I told him so. I decided I should wean myself off things gradually, and I told my husband I would log off WoW by 11:00 last night. It turned out to be 11:20 when it happened, and I was finishing up a few Scramble games until 11:30. But that was still an improvement over the night before, when I’d brought my phone upstairs and played my last game around 1:00 am before we turned the lights off. I still went to bed around 1:00, which admittedly was still pretty late, but I hadn’t touched one of my gaming devices after 11:30.

The one time I opened my eyes after turning the lights off, it was around 1:30. But I did not see 2:00 am, for which I am very grateful. I woke up this morning feeling like I’ve had the best night’s sleep in a while. I’m still tired, but one night without tossing and turning for hours does not make up for previous weeks of lost sleep. When my alarm went off this morning, I didn’t feel like I wanted to go back to sleep either, which was a novelty. I was up and dressed within 25 minutes. This may not seem like much, but lately it’s been taking me over an hour to drag my sleepy self out of bed after waking up.

Baby steps, right? I’m going to see if I can get the games off my screens by 11:00 tonight. Without the 20 minute grace period I ended up taking last night.

I’m not going to post about this every day, but I’ll keep you updated when I see some more noticeable results – or when I slip up.

When do you put the electronics away? If you’re having trouble sleeping, it could be too much mental stimulation from all of your modern devices!

Christina Gleason (976 Posts)

That’s me: Christina Gleason. I’m a writer, editor, and disability advocate. I'm a multiply disabled autistic lady doing my best in this world built for abled people. I’m a geek for grammar, fantasy, and casual gaming. I hate vegetables. I cannot reliably speak, so I’ll happily conduct business over email or messaging instead.


By Christina Gleason

That’s me: Christina Gleason. I’m a writer, editor, and disability advocate. I'm a multiply disabled autistic lady doing my best in this world built for abled people. I’m a geek for grammar, fantasy, and casual gaming. I hate vegetables. I cannot reliably speak, so I’ll happily conduct business over email or messaging instead.

3 thoughts on “CFS Sleep Makeover: Day 1”
  1. Best wishes on your new sleep routine! Hopefully it will help you get the rest you need. I have had some issues with playing Words with Friends on my phone after I get in bed and that has kept me up way past what I intended several times. So now I’m trying to play it only during the day or early evening. We’ll see how that goes. 🙂 But yes, electronic stimulation, especially interactive, can really wreak havoc on one’s ability to wind down and sleep.
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  2. Thanks for sharing this! I don’t have CFS, but I have struggled with sleep for years. It is so difficult for me to wind down, and I completely relate to your struggle to unplug at night. This has given me some resolve to start cutting back the electronics at night, too.

  3. Congratulations for following the sleep make over rigidly. I hope you’d be able to continue that. Since when did you start with the makeover? I should do it too.

    -Belinda

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