2/5/15

Slow Start

For the second time this week, I've had a sleepless night. 



Usually I sleep well, and so it makes me wonder what's going on. I'm just about to quote something I wrote on my blog the last time this happened, to-wit:

I'm suspicious that it had to do with the darkness of the day yesterday. This is a problem in the Pacific Northwest and other areas where daytime darkness occurs frequently. Here's a quote from a factsheet on Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine:
Circadian rhythm sleep disorders all involve a problem in the timing of when a person sleeps and is awake. The human body has a master circadian clock in a control center of the brain known as the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). This internal clock regulates the timing of such body rhythms as temperature and hormone levels. The primary circadian rhythm that this body clock controls is the sleep-wake cycle. The circadian clock functions in a cycle that lasts a little longer than 24 hours. The circadian clock is “set” primarily by visual cues of light and darkness that are communicated along a pathway from the eyes to the SCN. This keeps the clock synchronized to the 24-hour day. 
I haven't had a sleepless night in a while, although it used to happen frequently. I don't really have any other explanation for it. Since I spent the entire day inside yesterday, and a good portion of it in my basement sewing room, it serves as a wake-up call (pun intended) to me that I need to get outside a little bit each day, even if it is only to sit in the dry breezeway watching the rain. Natural light matters.

I had a little chuckle about this because it's exactly what's going on now. Our weather is sucking, and so indeed, I spent the entire day inside yesterday, a good portion of it in my basement sewing room. It makes sense, doesn't it? I had a good mind to get out for a walk this morning, but now it's raining cats and dogs, and there's no way I'm going out. For these occasions, however, I have a light box. Not the kind you use for transferring embroidery designs, but the kind you use if you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder. This morning, I got it out of the closet and used it. Hopefully, it will help.

So all of that to say that I'm dragging today. While I was awake last night, I stitched the 2nd block for Lisa's retirement quilt. Here's the original block:


Here it is rendered in fabric and floss. The color choices were Lisa's Mom's:


So, I still have some hope of getting some sewing done today, but I need to get going on it. I chose the fabrics for my January and February blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, and that's next on the list.

Nothing intelligent is coming out of this brain today, and so I'll go try not to sew through my finger. That would be intelligent, wouldn't it?

12 comments:

gpc said...

I had a restless night, too, and I was in the natural light quite a bit. So I think it must be a wrinkle in the cosmos. The retirement quilt is coming along nicely!

Vroomans' Quilts said...

I try to at least get out even if only on my porch for a bit. Although sunny, it was brutal cold with wind chills dipping it into double digits (minus). I even braved a trip to the post office - so regret that move as still chilled to the bone 8 hrs later!

Kaisievic said...

The block looks great and a good idea to try to get some sunlight.

quiltzyx said...

I hope your SAD light helps out. I think I've just given up on sleeping more than 5 hours. I'm sure if I moved around more it would help, but haven't been able to motivate myself.
The clock block finished up nicely! Moving right along...

Quilting Babcia said...

I hear ya! Been up since 3 a.m. here, two days in a row now, and I've been outside some most days. DH has been up since 11 p.m.! He's thinking about going back to bed again now that it's almost 4 a.m. The world is turning upside down! That retirement quilt is going to be fabulous, btw.

Ann said...

Hope you get back in your sleep schedule. I always blame my disturbed sleep on the full moon.

Debra said...

You certainly are not alone! I have been having trouble sleeping over the past few weeks. I know some of it is work-stress related (and we won't even talk about post-menopause sleep!) Again, awake at 3AM this morning... only to fall asleep shortly before the alarm at 5AM -UGH! Hope you get some rest soon. Never thought about the sunlight. That is a good point.

Lyndsey said...

The last couple of nights I've woken up two or three times. Last night I got back to sleep eventually but on Wednesday I got up at 3.30 and pottered around doing little jobs before going to work at 6.30. I'm not sure why my sleep is poor as I usually sleep well regardless of what is going on. Hope you get a good night's sleep soon.

Diane Wild said...

Since everyone wakes up around 3am (me included) why don't we just party?

Dar said...

Hope your light helps you sleep better. I stay up very late each night, so when I go to bed, I'm out like a rock! Stress and worrying or being sick is the only things that bother my sleeping habits most times. I try to get lots of light and exercise each day to wear myself out! lol

Kate said...

I hate those times when my sleep cycle is upside down. Hope the light box helped.

I like your clock stitchery. It's going to be a very fun quilt.

Brown Family said...

I have noticed that on gray days, I do not sleep well either!. We have had two beautiful days and looking forward to another!