...... taking melatonin to get sleep....

..... in order to keep my energy up during the day.  There are a number of issues about sleeping in my bedroom that wake me up......

Pets 

As much as I love my cat and two dogs, there is nothing worse than being woken up by a wet nose nuzzling you to see how you are doing numerous times in the night.  Since just before my second diagnosis in July, the dogs follow me everywhere and want to be with me non-stop.... only this is now becoming a claustrophobic experience!!!  We are often awoken by the cat scratching at the door to either come in or to go out.  He will meow if we don't respond quick enough.  I ignore it but Max will always get up to let him in or out.  I will often trip over the dog when trying to get to the bathroom at 2 in the morning.

Light 

No matter how many times I close the curtains...the dog will find a way to push them aside to check out what is going on outside just before nuzzling me with her now very cold nose.  The streetlight across the street is strategically in line with the small partition made by the dog.  Our modern clock radio has enough light to read by on the lowest setting.  We have filters over it but it still reflects up into the lamp shade next to my husband and we both get a glow.... note: must fix that issue.  

Electricity

Our bed is located above the garage and the beer fridge that kicks on and off throughout the night.  The last one used to rattle when it came on and shudder when it shut off.  Thankfully that one died.  The fan in our furnace sings.... glad it doesn't hum like it's predecessor before it died last year.  I am learning to unplug the items under our headboard and charging them up in other locations.

External 

There are lots of unknown factors that will awaken me in the middle of the night.... from passing plows, garbage trucks, teenagers arriving after I have fallen asleep... the neighbor's muffler, music from open windows in the summer, the gas powered sump pump in the neighborhood, dogs barking etc and of course Max removing the covers by trying to cover himself up....he denies this of course until he realizes his side is anchored down on the floor by his best friend Thelma.

Internal

The non-stop thinking as the wheels in my brain refuse to slow down.  This above all else happens with regularity in our busy modern world.  

So with all this going on.... what is the answer??

Short of moving to the country.... there are a few things that can be altered to suit our sleeping needs.  1.  move the refrigerator in the garage to a spot that does not have anyone's bed near it.  Note to self: Get a pony panel installed in the far wall of the garage to service the garage properly.

2.  Purchase Black-out curtain material or blinds under the curtains.

3.  Move all light producing items and charging stations to the far corner of the bedroom.

4.  Have a proper bedtime ritual that includes gentle stretching and no mental stimulants such as iPad and TV at least an hour before bedtime.  Read from a book.

5.  Go to bed at the same time every night.

6.  Purchase separate blankets and a good mattress.

7.  Run the pets around outside and get them worn out so they sleep during the same time frame and make sure you keep them out of the bedroom.  A baby gate at the bottom of the stairs outa work.

8.  Finally, if all else fails and your brain cannot shut down.... take a few sublingual melatonin tablets under the tongue and read from a book until you cannot keep the peepers awake.