I'm a light sleeper. I always have been for as long as I can remember. Nearly any noise, movement or brightness stirs me awake from my not so peaceful slumber. (Where my fellow insomniacs at?)
One time I did sleep through a small earthquake, but that occurs just as often as a solar eclipse.
If you're a light sleeper too, you've likely been awoken by the sounds, noises and lights in this list too.
1. Snoring
If I hear snoring, I am not able to fall back asleep. The grinding and irritating noise will keep me up as I lie in bed staring at the ceiling while I stew in rage. (Also see misophonia)
2. Footsteps
Someone gets up to go to the bathroom? Guess I'll lie here awake for the next hour or more.
3. Any movement in the bed
If my partner rolls over or adjusts in his sleep, I'm awake and doing the same thing, just at least ten more times.
4. The hallway light
I see the light peeking through the door and now I'm awake.
5. Sunlight
It's nice to see the sun in a state where it barely shines a majority of the year, but not at 7 a.m. on a Saturday morning.
6. Pets
I love my pets, but I don't love how they disturb my sleep. I feel guilty for banishing them to the living room at night, but I'll be a raging monster the next day if I'm awake most of the night from them jumping on and off the bed or trying to wake me up at 3 a.m. for no reason.
7. Any noise outside
A car driving By? Awake. People talking outside? Awake. Thunderstorm? Awake. You get it. I also live across the street from a factory with an obnoxious press that sounds like a mini earthquake or an elephant stomping its foot. I can't wait to move.
8. Just moving in general
Sometimes I wake myself up by switching positions in the middle of the night.
9. Any light ever
If it's shining and it's bright early in the morning or middle of the night, shut that shit off.
10. Any noise ever
Except small earthquakes I guess.
If you have just as hard of a time as I do falling asleep and staying asleep, I recommend getting an eye mask and ear plugs. I use both and they truly do make a difference in helping me fall asleep and stay asleep - most nights. White noise can be soothing too; investing in a box fan or downloading a white noise machine app on your phone may help too.
Now I should try to get back to sleep.
