The Stomach Sleeper

My mom always said that I "could fall asleep on a picket fence", and she would be right. Put me in the back seat of a car on a long ride and soon enough I will be out cold. When I board an airplane-no matter how long the ride-I always drift off to dream land shortly after take off. So it was much to my surprise that just as this summer had turned into fall, I found myself awake at some strange hours of the night. I go to bed anywhere between 10:00 and 11:00 PM, usually not waking up until 5 or 6 AM. Lately? I'm awake at 12:30 AM, 2:30 AM and 4:45 AM and so forth. I can always fall back to sleep, but the waking up in the middle of the night is becoming more and more frequent.

I did a bit of research and learned a few valuable things:

• I am a stomach sleeper, which could be part of my problem.Sleeping on your stomach is BAD for several reasons, but the one that really stopped me dead in my tracks is this: Stomach sleeping causes WRINKLES!!! OMG! I tell people all day long how to prevent the forming of new fine lines and wrinkles and I just realized that I am putting my face in jeopardy almost every night! I never really thought about it, but I have been seeing those "pillow marks" or vertical lines on my face and cheeks that just don't fade as quickly as they used to.  I also sleep on my side-another wrinkle producer-and the tell tale signs show more on the side you sleep on. Oh the horror!

• Stomach sleeping is also bad for your back and neck. I am always looking for a neck and shoulder massage, now it totally makes sense. This form of sleeping also puts an enormous strain on you spine and spinal strain can cause numbness and tingling. No wonder I sometimes wake up with "dead arm", like my arm has fallen asleep-but I am wide awake. And forget about what it does to your neck? turning your head to the side on your pillow causes your head and spine to be out of alignment, a recipe for more pain. 

• Here's the kicker- AGE and STRESS can be a large contributor to "middle insomnia". Great-I've got both of those in spades and I wonder why I'm waking periodically through the night? Alcohol consumption and an underlying condition could also be the answer to waking in the middle of the night. Let's hope there is no underlying condition because I'm not giving up a glass of wine at dinner. Or two. 

Bottom line is doctors say that waking in the middle of the night is a normal occurrence but that you should be able to fall back to sleep easily. So far I have been lucky to drift back off to sleep, but I have been more conscious of the position I sleep in. While I am sleeping on my back more frequently, I wonder if this position change may have something to do with the middle of the night waking? Back sleeping is not my sleeping position of choice, but if it means a better night sleep, I will continue to try it.

At most, my face will someday thank me for it, of that I can be sure. 

I've Got A Bone To Pick

So I went to the dentist yesterday for my routine cleaning. I never used to worry about a trip to the dentist, but after a certain age a routine trip to the dentist is no longer so routine. That sensitive area or slight twang of pain somewhere turns out to be more than you bargained for-or budgeted for. A simple cleaning can suddenly turn into a "deep scaling", which causes discussion of gum disease and a lengthy lecture about the virtues of flossing. Cue the anxiety! I suddenly understand why people have fears about seeing the dentist. I made it out of there alive yesterday and with a glowing review which means I do not have to return for another six months. Thank God!

While I was there, I noticed things were different. What happened to the spit bowl? The dentist's scraping tool is now equipped with water, so scraping is accompanied with a rinse option. While your teeth are scraped and cleansed of tartar, your mouth fills with water. The suction tool that hangs on the side of your mouth becomes the only thing saving you from chocking and gagging your way through the whole procedure and it robs you of actually seeing if your gums are bleeding or not. 

I still HATE the tooth polishing. It's like the hygienist puts Lava hand soap on the small rubber tool and spins it all over your pristine, vulnerable teeth. It's the equivalent to scraping nails on a chalk board and let's not even mention the gritty grit that you are left with to crunch and grind on for the rest of the day. The residue is most certainly a constant reminder of the whole torturous process. 

The good news for me that a simple fix put my mouth back in healthy graces. The daily addition of G.U.M. Soft Picks have literally saved me anxiety and time at my dental check ups! These flexible and jagged little picks with bristles, used in the same manner as dental floss but at the base of the gum, do wonders to remove plaque and stimulate the gums. As soon as I added these to my daily brushing routine, my trips to the dentist have been a quick, efficient trip with a positive check up and no talk of gum disease. 

Dentists are people too, with feelings like everyone else. A dentist has to endure the occasional, "Sorry doc, it's nothing personal. I just don't like dentists." After all, they are just doing their job, right? Unfortunately for them, their job happens to remind people that a trip to the dentist is nothing more than a necessary pain. 

Oh The Nerve!

Holy mother....

I have a pinched nerve in my shoulder and DANG! if it isn't killing me!!! The pain is effecting every little movement I make, too. I can't sleep, I can't sit comfortably and when I walk the weight of my arm puts pain and pressure on the nerve! 

I have no idea how this happened either. It's not like I was working out, cuz I was just on vacation and I can tell you that working out was not a priority on this vacation. It started on the last day of my Florida get away at the base of my neck. I thought I had tied my bathing suit top too tight for my neck, so I loosened the knot. Nothing happened. In fact the pain then traveled down my neck to my shoulder blade and has resided there ever since. 

The kicker? I can't put my shoulder bag (my most prized personal accessory) on my shoulder or carry it on that arm. So I may have to resort to a more sensible bag, which is a fate worse than designer death. I've even begun to sound like an old woman, grunting and wincing with the pain. Even my dog has shot me a look or two when I whimper like a kitten trying to roll over on the sofa. It's been a steady diet of Advil since Sunday, which can't be good either. 

Is this what getting old is like? 

Someone just recommended a Lidocaine patch for the back area where the nerve is. At this point I'll try anything because the hot tub and the heating pad just ain't cutting it. I'm not sure how long I should wait to see a doctor as this is day 5 and it doesn't seem to be getting better. And I'm telling you right now, I ain't got no time for this!

One thing I know for sure? This injury is definitely getting on my last nerve....