Bedtime Et Al

 We spend more time in bed than we do walking around on two legs. This is not to say, sleeping in bed. I love the moment I slip between cool sheets and put my head down on the two feather pillows and pull up the goose down. That first moment feels like I have, at last, arrived in a perfect, peaceful place. From then on it can be a pillow boxing match, a sheet war, a body spin exercise not on a bike or perhaps even the odd steady deep sleep. I don't think I am alone on this score. What happens is that thoughts of the day, come flooding in because during the day, there are too many real things going on to be able to put it all together and in bed, there is nothing else but opportunity for it. Well, unless  the upper floor folk aren't clomping about getting their pjs on, too. Bed is one thing, sleep is another. The helpful hints by psychologists, both professional and amateur, don't always work. First, I have to say, I am not tired, it's just that it is sleep time and here I am wanting to do it out of obedience. I try reading my Kindle, silently singing those idiot songs, reciting  poetry, counting breaths in and out and even after consuming milk with its melatonin sleep avoids  me. Sometimes, I just give up and get up. I don't work a job. Maybe that's the problem but not worth the solution to sleep. I am retired from that. Part of the situation is about the linens. I am not a fan of flannel (ick) or satin sheets but use cotton ones. I don't have a load of shaped pillows that are supposed to do miracles for my neck or back and I don't have to sleep with someone else and that hassle.  All I want to do it sleep. Please. Sometimes during the night, I wake up surprised: "hey, I slept!" but other times, it's a problem getting back to sleep. My usual nights are full of pounding or flipping pillows to the cool side, puffing up the quilt to settle in just the right places, accommodating feet that don't want to be inside or finding the perfect position for the limbs and all the rest to find their perfect angles for sleep. To those who sleepllikealog, this might sound silly, but for those of us who are grateful when morning finally comes and we can give up the bed battles, it's a daily grind.