Passionate about sleep, I faced challenges resting at night. As a child, I’d lie awake, consumed by profound thoughts—be it the physics of drilling through Earth or paralleling Saint Thomas Aquinas’ philosophical proofs, despite never reading his works. My nighttime ponderings might be attributed to ADHD or early exposure to mature challenges, like my parents’ divorce. When I’d share my insomnia with my mother, her reactions varied. Once she snapped, “You haven’t even tried yet!” leaving me baffled. How does one ‘try’ to sleep? From that point, I mostly battled my sleep demons silently.
My sleep hygiene wasn’t impeccable either. The book “Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams” was transformative. After adopting healthier practices, I hit another setback. My persistent fatigue was affecting my coaching. A sleep study revealed sleep apnea. With a CPAP machine, I now enjoy sounder sleep, underscoring the complex journey of understanding and addressing sleep issues.
Alex Hey