I’m Sleeping better, too

I started taking these vitamins, ones recommended in a book I read. The author didn’t specify doses since he said everyone’s needs are different. He only suggested, which I think was the wiser choice. He suggested certain tests you can have done, but I hear they are very expensive. He said it makes dosage decisions easier if you can check levels. This, however, means even more tests. I figured I’d try his suggestions and see what happens.

By the way, these vitamins were suggested as a way to CURE sleep apnea, not “manage” it. I don’t even have proof that I have sleep apnea, but I think at this point, my sleep has been consistently so poor, night after night, that whatever’s happening is by all means, physical. And nothing but.

I argued this out with Dr. P for so long. She gave me this odd look when I said “physical.” Couldn’t possibly be, right? All in my head and of course I’ve been “running manic” (her words) consistently for the past four years. I doubt it. I think I’ve even proved it. If proving is possible. I also know that “stress” doesn’t worsen it. Money worries do not cause insomnia for me. I still sleep rotten no matter what. I find the only thing that influences my sleep is what I eat. And the vitamins.

It’s amazing that they work so well. I can’t believe the answer was so simple. I’m not sleeping perfectly but so much improved that I don’t feel that constant exhaustion anymore. Not only that, but my short-term memory has improved. I don’t lose things all the time like I did for a while. I used to waste at least an hour a day frantically searching for lost things. Now, days go by when I have not misplaced anything. I don’t drop dishes the way I did while exhausted. I believe what was happening was that I fell asleep for a micro amount of time, like less than a second, but that was enough to loosen my grip on whatever was in my hand.

This is how I know this isn’t coincidence. For two days, I was too lazy to take my vitamins. I didn’t think much of it. I got to the end of the day and realized I had not taken them, then it was so late I just said “fuck it” and went to bed. After two days of not taking them, I had noticeably worse sleep.

This is what I am taking. I am not going to mention doses since we are all different.

Vitamin D
Fish Oil
Vitamin B6
B complex (right now, I’m out so I am using brewer’s yeast)
Spirulina (great for runners)
Magnesium (not with calcium), my best results with gluconate so far
Curcuma (Turmeric)

I have had to cut out all sugar. I finally figured out what was happening with the cramping. This indeed happens from eating sugar. I had to do lots of web searches and reading to figure this one out. A person gets cramps from sugar because upon eating sugar, the body produces insulin which reacts with the magnesium and potassium, and probably Vitamin D as well. If I recall correctly, potassium controls whether your muscles contract or relax. These cramps were happening because the muscles tightened but due to lack of potassium in the muscle (since the electrolytes were pulled out from the muscle into the bloodstream), the muscle didn’t relax. It stayed tight. Believe me, this can be incredibly painful, and it happens while in a reclined position or even upon sitting down if they are really bad.  Apparently my faulty kidneys filter improperly. At times I get mineral buildup and sometimes I am too depleted. It’s rather hard to manage. Also, once a muscle cramps up, there is another chemical reaction as the body attempts to calm the muscle. You end up feeling worse.

I don’t think the cramps woke me up, not recently anyway. I’d wake up and then get the cramps. These were often in my toes or ankles or even my shins. Or I had an entire hand look like a claw.

This is not from “anxiety.” If you cramp up while driving, it’s not from “tense driving.” Most people need water if they cramp, or a banana. For many people, it happens following exercise since you lose electrolytes in sweat. I read that exercise cramps are the most common form of this cramping.

I also have been keeping track of what appeared like “hot flashes.” There is most likely a hormonal factor, but I think mostly they come when my digestion is overworked. I have noticed that certain starches are too hard for me to digest and if I eat them, I get hot and sweaty. Others I am fine with, in fact, there are a number of starches I can eat just fine. I don’t like cutting things out of my diet but at this point I don’t want to be in pain.

So I will not forget my vitamins nor be too lazy to take them. I took cough syrup as well occasionally, which has Benadyl in it, but I doubt it was doing anything. I’m very happy because it was expensive anyway.

BTW, according to the book I read, you might need to start some of these very slowly and then build up. He also said that taking more isn’t necessarily better. You can seriously do overkill with vitamins. My guess is that you could get either toxic or deplete something else.

According to many sources, as far as coffee goes, it’s very bad for some people, okay for others, and for a few, the benefits far outweigh the negative drawbacks. I’m in that third category, and I have no clue why. One of my sibs can’t have coffee at all, and the other one, as far as I know, drinks quite a bit of it. I often forget to make it though. Or I make it and then totally forget it’s there. I drink yerba mate sometimes. People here swear by it. We have entire aisles in stores devoted to shelves packed with large bags of mate. I see signs in storefronts reminding customers to please do not bring in their open cups of mate. However, I don’t think that’s necessarily enforced. I also discovered té roja. That means red tea. It’s the same tea as black tea or green tea, but it’s fermented. I don’t know why but I find that black tea gives me a stomach ache. I can’t seem to like green tea no matter how hard I try. But the red tea goes down just fine. I hope to find a place that sells it in bulk.

If I totally forget my cup of coffee, it’ll be maybe five or six o’clock (17.00 hr or 18.00 hr) by the time I remember. Then, I know why I had such a fucked up day. I sleep better on days I remember to drink it.

On that note, I’m going to get ready for bed. I no longer dread bedtime since nights are definitely improving. I feel stronger and happier now. It’s terrific not being so dragged out, and I am so much more productive now that I don’t have to struggle to stay awake. That means the world better make a run for cover. I’m coming back to life.

¡Ciao!

 

Hair

My hair has been much healthier since I got off those psych drugs. It is thicker, not dry at all, shinier, and much easier to manage. Also, I notice fewer “flyaways.” My hairline moved a few notches toward “more hair.” It used to be further back.  I eat better now, too. I am 57 and still have not one gray hair on my head. Too bad, I like the color gray. I’d look more my age if it were gray. Could it be because I am not a grandma? Or maybe because I don’t bake cookies and apple pie. In fact, I think brown is my favorite color of all. So there.

Pork Roast for Puzzle, on my Electric Hotplate

Puzzle is going nuts!  Yummy!