Sleepless Everywhere

I recognize many benefits and advantages to getting older. I have few responsibilities for anyone else. I don't have to work anymore. I don't have to clean up after other people. I am my own person. Of course, there are some negatives here, too. I am alone. I don't drive anymore, so I am also stranded. All of these have both negative and positive aspects. The feature that seems to attend aging that bugs me most is sleeplessness.

I can't go to sleep easily anymore. I have decided this may be due to my level of activity. I don't do anything to make me tired anymore. House work, shopping, cleaning, cooking, all those chores that seem so boring provided the energy out-lay that made me value going to bed at night. Knowing that makes it sound like it would be an easy fix: Just work or walk or do something.

It's not that easy. Even walking when there is no where to go is pointless. I have a small apartment. Working in it gets even the vacuuming done quickly. I don't have anyone to cook for so that one is done too easily, too.

I have resorted to the over the counter meds for sleep. Bad news guys. If I take the pills and go to bed at a reasonable time, say 11:00p.m. I'll probable sleep 2 or 2 1/2 hours, Then I wake up and can't go back to sleep till the sun comes up.

The final result of this frustrating regime is constant sleepiness. I could beg the doctor for the Valium or other medication that would really knock me out, but I don't really want to become a drug addict.
I have spoken with other people who are my age, and I find this is rather common. Maybe we could form a support group. We might save all our telephoning for after midnight. At least we could make could use of our time. I have started writing letters when I can't sleep. Makes sense to me. If I can't sleep, at least I have company.

How To Prevent Loneliness and Depression

Strategy # 1

When I get really bored, I read articles from scientific journals. These guys work hard and they face a lot of problems. Give them your support. The one I read this morning was a study on loneliness, isolation and depression in elderly people conducted in Delhi.

I'm not quite sure there are enough common factors to assume the study is applicable to an old woman living in McAllen, Texas, but. what the heck, I'll go with it. The outcome of the study indicated that loneliness and depression increased the likelihood of mortality in the elderly.

Surprise!

Strategy # 2

The study did not give many remedies for this situation. I'll suggest a few. Learn to enjoy the Baseball box scores. Read more comic books. Take up ballroom dancing. You'll always have a partner. Learn doubles tennis: You'll have a partner and someone to play against. So far, I've only offered strategies to prevent reading scientific journals. Of course, some of them will also prevent you from being lonely, but only in select situations.

The bottom line is learn to entertain yourself. Find the books that thrill you even if you've read them before. Play games that are still fun when you loose. Do things it's more fun to do alone, like fly a kite. Read the deeply engrossing things like The Song of Solomon that hold truths you can't explain to anybody else, but you get to turn over and over in your mind to enjoy the different facets.

Strategy # 3

You can also learn to anticipate Heaven. Learn the language of Heaven. Learn to love. Heaven will be populated with love. Revelations is a good start. First, love the people you love; next, love the people you don't love. It takes some effort; work at it. Finally, you have to love the people you don't know, but you love them anyway.

The loving part is the most fun and the most productive.  And you'll never be lonely.