Reading in bed

[idun]

I have noticed recently that a new kindle type thing has a light in it, to make reading in bed easier. And it got me thinking.

Now if I slept alone, I could put the light on and sleep when I was ready. But what if one isn't sleeping alone?

I know that I have read a little in bed, and that was many years ago, and stopped, because it felt just plain wrong to have a light on when someone  else is trying to sleep. Now maybe the other person doesn't mind as they like having a body, otherwise occupied, next to them as they doze off?

But I wouldn't like it.

We don't live in a bed sit and have perfectly good sofas and lights in other parts of the house, so why would I inflict 'light' on my OH, when they are trying to sleep? Why not get ready for bed and read in another room and then just get into bed when ready? That is what I do.

Both reading, ofcourse would be a good balance.

Is it just me who thinks it unreasonable?

[Rabbie]

We both like to read for a little when we go to bed.  We do tend to stop at the same time when we both turn off our bedside lamps. Even if Mrs Rabbie keeps on reading after I have snuggled down I find it less disturbing than her coming to bed later.

[YCCMB]

Audiobooks. I can read for hours after "lights out" and Mr Betty can be in the land of nod. Win-win.

[Gardengirl]

I don't like audiobooks, and can't bear those ear phone plug things.

I go to bed and read a book, my Kindle or do Soduko until I'm almost asleep. OH usually comes to bed quite a bit after me, reads for a while, but his bedside light is always left on for him. When I wake in the night, I might visit the bathroom in the dark, and if OH is in snoring mode, I'll have my light on and read - sometimes till morning, depending on how much snoring he's doing. Last night was a read till morning session - I'm exhausted now - just after 6pm! If OH notices the light on, he goes under the bedclothes, but as his light is on when I go to sleep, there's no problem for either of us with lights.

[mint]

OH and I have no problems with sounds or lights.

We used to have BBC World Service on all night and, if we were awake, we'd listen till we drop off again.  Now, in France, we can only get radio via the TV, so no longer have the radio on.

One or both of us could read for any number of hours because the one who's not reading will go off to sleep regardless of whether the other's light is on or off.

Recently, however, I have had breathing exercises to do and, as part of my new regime, I have to practise "sleep hygiene" (yup, American expression, sorreeee) and so no reading and no charging up of the computer in the bedroom, etc.

Strangely enough and I don't know if it's anything to do with sleep or any other type of hygiene, I have been sleeping really well and OH says I've even stopped snoring.  Now, that's got to be some sort of a first![:D]

[idun]

How interesting. I cannot bear the lights being put on during the night and if either of us need to get up, it has to be in the dark. I'm the one who usually goes to bed later, but that also is in the dark.

In France with heavy lined curtains and shutters, I suppose that we got used to our room being completely dark.

Most of my french friends, since they reached their mid fifties don't actually sleep with their other half. They have their own rooms, a notion I find most strange. Still, no problem about reading in bed either![Www]

[Pommier]

Sweet, what you need is either an Internet radio or a Sky Gnome http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksid=p5197.m570.l1311&_nkw=sky+gnome&_sacat=0&_from=R40

[Chancer]

Try a small head torch, thats what I use when I am in a dorm or internat, with a towel hanging from the top bunk to contain the glare.

I sleep much better since I have lost weight, become athletic and eat correctly; most of the time but not always, I have a stress free life but problems can still occasionally keep me awake.

I sleep very soundly after sports or if I have been saturation diving but thats a known phenomenon, what surprised me is to find that after apnée diving sessions in the pool or fosse (free diving holding your breath) I sleep even deeper so I can well imagine breathing exercises have a good effect.

[idun]

I would use a torch if in a dorm, but any light would wake me, probably because I'm not used to it, and don't want to get used to it. 

I usually sleep very soundly,any problems are for waking hours, not bed time. It is rare when I cannot turn the motor off and dwell on anything at all that I cannot do anything about at all, in the middle of the night.

[mint]

My goodness, Pommier, what strange gadgets there are out there!  Sky gnome.......[:-))]  I can think of a good sketch for a programme like Allo, Allo and the old lady gets one of these Sky gnomes and tells the Germans it's a garden gnome, having suitably disguised the Sky gnome as a garden gnome, see? [:D]

Chance, I am very interested in what you say about the diving activities and sleep.  My breathing exercises require me to build up carbon dioxide in my lungs by restricting both the speed and depth of my breathing.  Hey, maybe there is something in these exercises (called Buteyko) after all!

I didn't know if they'd do anything but I was so ill a couple of months ago, I was willing to try even the most harebrained schemes.

[Frecossais]

I'm glad it's making a difference, Sweet.

OH and I always read in bed and there's no problem if one wants to read longer than the other, but noise in the bedroom is a no-no. I can't sleep when radio or TV are on. I would grumble a lot.

[Mr Ceour de Lion II]

I  have to get up if I can't sleep at night (bit like now). I could turn the tv on in bed, it wouldn't bother my other half (in fact she normally does it herself if she can't sleep). But I tend to get fidgety, especially if I'm trying my hardest not to disturb. So I'll start out with a couple of games of solitaire on my tablet, if that doesn't send me back off, I'll get up, have a pee and a drink and surf the net til tired again.

[Chancer]

[quote user="sweet 17"]

Chance, I am very interested in what you say about the diving activities and sleep.  My breathing exercises require me to build up carbon dioxide in my lungs by restricting both the speed and depth of my breathing.  Hey, maybe there is something in these exercises (called Buteyko) after all!

[/quote]

I have a real hunger to learn more of the science behind breathing as I can see for myself the practical results the differences in my aerobic performance and during apnée is amazing. You will know that I had some time at a training camp, a lot of emphasis was placed on correct breathing and this was reinforced by the hypnotherapy, I know this as during conditions of stress I find myself automatically deep breathing and sometimes even entering a trance condition, its not as if i didnt know that this was the thing to do, I learnt it years ago during a sort of grown up outward bound course but being able to do it when you need to is another thing, now it just happens withouit any conscious effort.

I was asthmatic as a child and also terrified of heights, most things really, pretty much scared of my own shadow and would become rigid with terror if I tried swimming, ice skating etc which in turn would provoke an asthma attack, a real vicious circle, even now I cannot maitrise my breathing properly when swimming which is why I like the apnée sessions, I can actually physically and mentally prepare myself better than most others and hence outperform them.

I am working at a great height and in very dodgy conditions at the moment, in truth its scaring me a lot but instead of being rigid with fear I find myself automatically breathing very deep and very slow whenever things take a dodgy turn. I have also evolved a strategy to deal with when some French people wont let me speak, they forever interrupt, try to finish my sentences etc, basically the type that transmit en permanance but never recieve.

I close my eyes and start doing the deep breathing which I actually need to do to stop me from swinging for them before opening them and trying to resume what I was saying, it calms me down and sends out a very visual signal to them (they dont recieve aural ones!) that things are not right. There are also people like this in the UK, my neighbour whilst being the nicest guy in the world just cannot listen, the problem in France is its already hard to communicate without becoming wound up by someone who can only communicate in one direction, its mainly a man thing and usually their wives are the ones that cover for them.

I have an apnée session tonight, i will ask him to explain the physiology if he knows it.

[mint]

No time to talk now, Chance, but I want to let you know that my breathing exercises do NOT require me to breathe deeply.  Instead, I have to breathe very shallowly, in fact, take in as little  air as possible.

Will send you a PM later, if I can.

[mogs]

Sleep???   What's that could someone remind me please [8-|]

[idun]

I had trouble sleeping a few years ago. I went and saw a hypnotherapist, so I could turn the motor off, relax and sleep. And most nights of the year that is just what I do, I still have the odd night when say, I have to be up really really early and cannot relax. But life's problems are put in their place and unthoughtof until morning, as they were what was keeping me 'awake'.

Sleep???, sleep is good and essential and I wouldn't be without it.[8-|]