Tag Archives: wellness

The Mysteries of Sleep

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After decades of living, I’ve gained profound insights into the art of slumber. Throughout my nearly eight decades of life, I’ve dedicated approximately 26 years to the restorative realm of sleep, transforming my experience into a nuanced understanding of this essential human function.

In my earlier years, the necessity of sleep often felt like an unwelcome interruption, consuming precious hours that could have been dedicated to more pressing matters and personal pursuits.

Shelter is a fundamental human need, often overlooked by those who have never experienced its absence. A secure, comfortable sleeping environment—warm, dry, and protected from external threats—is essential for physical and mental well-being. Many individuals, particularly in developed countries, rarely contemplate the luxury of having a reliable place to rest, especially during their formative years when parental support provides a safety net.

My Marine Corps experience revealed the adaptability of human endurance, particularly in sleep. While a plush lawn offered comfort, I learned to embrace challenging terrains, readily settling onto hard, sun-baked ground when necessary. On cold, damp evenings, a strategically positioned poncho transformed a simple foxhole into a surprisingly adequate shelter, demonstrating that resilience often trumps physical convenience.

Aging has taught me that sleep is a remarkable healer, revealing unexpected insights into its restorative power. One of the most intriguing discoveries is its ability to alleviate pain. While pharmaceutical interventions like Tylenol 3 offer relief, nothing compares to the profound comfort of deep slumber. During my wisdom teeth extraction recovery, I found solace in drifting off to sleep, experiencing a blissful respite from discomfort. The moment I awoke, however, the reality of the procedure returned, reminding me of the temporary nature of sleep’s analgesic embrace.

Sleep is a transformative process that transcends physical restoration, delving deep into mental and emotional healing. Its restorative qualities offer a sanctuary for the mind, providing relief from psychological challenges and emotional burdens. However, one must be cautious not to use sleep as an escape, potentially missing out on life’s vibrant experiences and opportunities for personal growth.

As I contemplate the nature of existence in Heaven, I find myself pondering the necessity of sleep. Various theological discussions suggest that rest might be unnecessary in an eternal realm of continuous light. The prospect of being free from physical limitations is particularly enticing. My chronic ankle pain and persistent limp will vanish, transforming the celestial experience into an unimaginable relief. The idea of perpetual wakefulness resonates with childhood fantasies of boundless energy and endless exploration. In this divine landscape, the constraints of mortal fatigue will dissolve, replaced by a state of pure, uninterrupted consciousness and joy.

Some individuals who choose to deny Christ might find themselves longing for respite from the intense suffering of eternal separation, wishing for even momentary unconsciousness to escape the profound consequences of their spiritual choices.

Prepare Yourself for the Attack

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It is on the way, you know!

On a routine Friday, I stopped by my doctor’s office for a standard checkup. While discussing general health, I casually remarked about the impending pollen season’s potential severity. His knowing glance and subtle nod confirmed my suspicion before he even spoke,

Based on the expert’s assessment, I’ll need to maintain a robust inventory of antihistamines and related medications. Although unverified, a top local allergist confidently declared me the most allergic individual in the Mid-south region, necessitating constant preparedness for potential allergic reactions.

As the seasons change, I’ve developed a strategic approach to combat the relentless onslaught of allergies that plague my body during spring and fall. Drawing from years of personal experience, I’ve crafted effective methods to defend against these microscopic invaders that threaten my well-being.

Seeking shelter from seasonal allergies often means staying indoors with high-quality air filtration. However, daily life inevitably requires venturing outside. Protective masks can offer some relief, though finding an effective solution remains challenging. During peak pollen periods, I rely on frequent saline nasal rinses, which provide both physical and psychological comfort, helping me manage allergy symptoms and maintain a sense of control.

Another method almost as good is to move to a high-rise. As far as I’m concerned, as they say the sky’s the limit. The wind spreads the stuff so I suspect you just might find it on the tenth or even fifteenth floor. Unfortunately, as I referred to before, you will be faced with the need to venture into lower elevations from time to time.

Many experts agree that desert climates can offer relief for allergy sufferers. However, these environments present significant challenges. The extreme heat can be unbearably oppressive, making daily life uncomfortable for humans and wildlife alike. Ironically, residents often introduce non-native vegetation like grass and ornamental bushes, which reintroduce pollen sources and potentially counteract the region’s natural allergy-friendly conditions. Cities like Los Angeles demonstrate this phenomenon, where meticulously maintained lawns transform the natural landscape and potentially trigger allergic reactions. Despite the initial promise of an allergen-free environment, careful consideration of landscaping choices is crucial for those seeking genuine relief.

For individuals with the financial means, spending extended periods at sea offers an effective strategy to escape seasonal allergies. Some enthusiasts even embrace a nomadic cruise lifestyle, seamlessly transitioning from one voyage to another. While the exact expenses remain uncertain, cruising provides a unique opportunity to distance oneself from pollen-laden environments. Travelers should note that most cruise ships typically dock at ports two or three times daily, which may briefly interrupt the allergen-free experience.

Constantly traversing the seas to escape seasonal allergies offers an unexpected social advantage: the opportunity to connect with a diverse array of fellow travelers. Most cruise companions prove to be welcoming and engaging, transforming the journey into a vibrant social experience beyond mere pollen avoidance.

Well there is one more big, big advantage. You never need to do dishes.

Fifty Times a Day

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The man said, “Giving up cigarettes is one of the easiest things I ever did. I did it fifty times a day.” I have often said that food addiction is probably one of the most difficult of all. It is ultimately impossible because none of us is able to go cold turkey and just stop eating. I mean, at some point, giving it up is worse than getting fat. As one who fights the battle of the bulge, I am all too aware of the temptations. One minute I am saying outlaw chocolate; the next, I am scarfing it up by the pound. Thank goodness for diet drinks, or I’d have been pushing up the proverbial daisies years ago.

Many problem drinkers adamantly claim, “I’m not an alcoholic. I can stop drinking whenever I want.” Yet, the irony lies in the fact that they never actually want to quit. A preacher once colorfully described this phenomenon, suggesting such individuals have a “broken wanter” – a metaphorical term implying a deep-seated inability to truly desire change, despite outward assertions of control over their drinking habits.

Please forgive me for zeroing in on the problem drinker. Though he would seem to be one of the biggest problems in society, he is far from being the only one. My doctor says I should not eat so many hamburgers. And, by the way, I can give up hamburgers any time I want. However, habits, really deadly bad habits, extend throughout the US. Indeed, it would seem to be most problematic in societies with the greatest wealth.

Perhaps I should not say that. Someone might suggest that my Social Security be halved as a treatment for my clogged arteries.

I suppose, ideally, the easiest way to resolve the problem is to repair those little wanters that the preacher mentioned. However, before we could hope to do that, we would need to find the little things.

Some might go so far as to outlaw certain foods. Some substances are already illegal. Yet, each year the problem only seems to get worse. I think that close to half of our law enforcement efforts are spent eradicating harmful substances now.

Ah, the classic dilemma: solve chaos with total control or embrace the beautiful mess of human imperfection. I’d rather dance with disorder than waltz into a surveillance state—some cures are deadlier than the disease.

An Alternate Universe

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I wish I had a ten dollar bill for every time time I’ve been told how prohibition failed…very badly. Regretfully, I must agree. Partly, this was because those in charge of enforcement of the law were some of the worst violators of the law.

I guess we have learned our lesson. When it came to tobacco, they realized they needed a different approach. They didn’t even consider outlawing it.

Instead, they used a multi-pronged approach. They virtually stopped smoking in this country. All advertising, drastically decreased, it was gradually disallowed in various places and now it is banned just almost entirely.

Very few smoke today. Another decade or two and it will virtually disappear from our nation, to which I say, GOOD RIDDANCE! Who knows? It might stop climate change.

How-some-ever, it has prompted me to think, what if we had used the same method on alcoholic beverages? If, and again I say if we had used the other other method as with tobacco, would we today be living in an alternate universe?

Perhaps, today many people would have their loved ones they lost in a car accident caused by someone under the influence. Maybe there would be thousands less divorces and no one could figure the children would who would have been saved from broken homes. I can’t even imagine a guess at all the health problems that wouldn’t have been suffered. Alcoholic beverages cause more severe health problems than tobacco. If you doubt what I’m saying, ask Mickey Mantle. Oops. Can’t do that. He died from liver disease brought by alcoholic beverages.

Many times I have been told that alcoholism is the number one drug problem in this country. And yet alcoholic beverages are some of the biggest advertisers in the US. When you include the subtle ads hidden in plain sight In movies and TV shows. And, of course, they always put good light on it. And, of course, they make it appear as if it is far more common than in the real world.

For me, I would much prefer that alternate universe. The problem is I must live in the one I’m in. So does everyone else.