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Everyone's tired. In our culture, it's practically a badge of honor to brag about how little sleep you get on a routine basis, as if admitting you need sleep makes you somehow weaker than those who put that 'wasted' time to better use. I never felt rested, but I just thought that was normal. I was really, really wrong.
The Sleep Study
My wife had grown tired of trying to moderate my snoring by kicking me until I turned to my side. When even that no longer worked, she insisted I mention it to my doctor the next time I saw him. So I did. My doctor frowned, then asked if I was tired, daydreamed a lot, had trouble concentrating. Yes, yes, and yes. I expected him to tell me to go to bed earlier. He said I should have a sleep study.
The room for the sleep study was very comfortable, more like a hotel room than a hospital. I was able to watch television until they began hooking me up to the wires. This was no small thing, as the photo here illustrates and it took forever to get me all hooked up. How would I ever sleep in this gear?
Somehow, I did sleep... sort of. I felt like I had a good night's sleep and expected to hear that all was well. Instead, I heard that I had some pretty significant sleep apnea problems and I'd be coming back to be fitted for a CPAP machine.
A New Life!
Once I received my CPAP machine, it only took one night to notice a profound difference. It was as if I had been walking in a fog which had suddenly dissipated. I was able to think more clearly and to stay focused. I had so much more energy and felt truly awake for the first time in months, maybe even years. I couldn't imagine a night of sleep could make such a huge difference in the way I felt and interacted with others.
Now I tell everyone: If you're not feeling rested, be sure you are getting enough sleep. If you are getting 8 hours or so and still don't feel refreshed, talk to your doctor. Lack of proper sleep has been linked to gains in abdominal fat and depression, among other health problems.
The good news is nearly all sleep problems can now be addressed with the help of medical professionals. Don't let a lack of sleep prevent you from being fully present in your life. Denying yourself a good night's sleep is probably hurting you more than you'll ever know.
Resources:
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders
http://www.sleepfoundation.org/
Matthew Ellis serves as executive director of National Episcopal Health Ministries (NEHM).
I love Roger Ebert. He has had a profound influence on the way I consume and interact with media. He is almost solely responsible for my love of film, introducing me to the great films and directors of all time through both his written reviews and his television work. He not only created an awareness about these great movies, but taught me why they are important and how to watch them. As he's often said, "A movie is not about what it is about. It is about how it is about it."
Visible Illness
In our previous blog post, John Miers talked about the difference between visible and invisible disabilities. Roger Ebert refuses to spend his final days hiding from the world, ashamed that he no longer looks as 'normal' as he once did: "When I turned to it in the magazine, I got a jolt from the full-page photograph of my jaw drooping. Not a lovely sight. But then I am not a lovely sight, and in a moment I thought, well, what the hell. It's just as well it's out there. That's how I look, after all."
It is rare to find such honesty and acceptance from anyone in today's world, let alone a celebrity. Visible illness or disability is often hidden in our society. What will people think? Will we make others uncomfortable? Will we be uncomfortable? Ebert has considered these questions and decided it doesn't matter. He still has his life and he's going to live it.
Nil By Mouth
For nights I would wake up already focused on that small but heavy glass mug with the ice sliding from it, and the first sip of root beer. I took that sip over and over. The ice slid down across my fingers again and again. But never again.
If you're not reading Roger Ebert's Journal, I cannot recommend it highly enough. He is thoughtful, insightful, and witty on a wide variety of topics, many of which have nothing to do with the world of film. His essays arguing for health care reform here, here, and here are some of the most cogent arguments I have read about the moral imperative to take care of each other. His recent reflection entitled 'Nil By Mouth' on the consequences of no longer being able to eat, drink, or talk is heartbreaking and inspiring. I can't remember anything I've read recently that's affected me more.
Ebert on Oprah
Today, Ebert will appear on Oprah to discuss his Oscar picks. He will use a computer-generated voice. There will be nowhere to hide and everyone will see the toll his recent illness has taken on his body. His appearance will be jarring to many and some may even privately think he shouldn't be out there like that (though they wouldn't dare say this aloud). Ebert, for his part, will enjoy the visit with his old friend immensely.
Matthew Ellis serves as executive director of National Episcopal Health Ministries (NEHM).
If someone asks you “what are the major types of disabilities?” there may be quite a discussion, with answers like “intellectual, psychiatric, physical, and sensory,” but I contend that there are only two major types of disabilities: visible and invisible. All of the major disabilities will fall into one or other of these two.
I have had an invisible disability for over 50 years that has had major effects on my life. I don’t drive, so I need to obtain transportation to go to most meetings, etc. I don’t drink, but not for the reasons people may assume. Early in my career, I had problems with public speaking, but changes in my medications have helped.
A Visible Disability
Five years ago, I acquired a visible disability as well. It has been fascinating, interesting, and telling to see the change in how others have treated me since this has occurred. Of course, I also need to keep check on how I may be responding to others since this has occurred….how we react to each other is a two-way street.
The visible disability deals with my eyesight. Since my eyes don’t work together any more, I use a frosted lens over one eye to avoid seeing two of everything. I don’t need the often-thought-of accessibility aids, such as a wheelchair, a ramp, a large print bulletin, an interpreter, or even an assistant. I can still sing in the choir, read the lessons, serve on committees and attend worship services.
It is fascinating – and sometimes embarrassing - to see how people “flutter” to ask what I need, to assure me that they will help, to ensure that I have a good experience in the church, or sometimes even pretend that they don’t see anything “different.”
I wonder what they were thinking five years ago, when I was simply “there.”
Why the different reactions?
What is the key to this? Why does this happen? The answer is found in our attitudes towards each other. These are the ongoing, constant automatic sensitivities of persons towards others. A person’s attitude towards other people is directly related to their knowledge about the situations of others, and their own comfort level concerning uncertainty.
What do we need to deal with this? Education – for all, right from the very beginning. Sure, some accommodations may also be needed, and they may take some planning and perhaps may cost something. But of all the types of accommodations, changing attitudes is the least expensive, yet the most difficult, to deal with.
The goal is to allow someone to be “simply there.” Everyone should be “fluttered over” – or no one should need to be. Each church should be ready to ensure that every person has a good experience at their services and other activities.
I remember being told that “this church doesn’t need ramps; we don’t have anyone who uses a wheelchair.” Ouch!
“Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.”
For a listing of Educational Leaflets on disability concerns, click here. You can also visit the Episcopal Disability Network here for additional resources.
John Miers is from Bethesda, Maryland, where he was employed at the National Institutes of Health from 1968 to 2005. He served on the board of St. Luke’s House, a halfway house for persons recovering from mental illness and also serves as both the Jubilee Officer and a member of the Diocesan Council for the Diocese of Washington. He was a member of National Commission on Science, Technology and Faith for the Episcopal Church and is active in his local church, where he is in the choir, worship committee, pastoral care committee, and the prayer team, and he also visits patients in a local hospital on behalf of the Chaplain.
Health care reform has not been easy. It's a complicated area of policy that impacts billions (if not trillions) of dollars. Certainly, there are legitimate arguments for and against nearly every aspect of each proposal that stem from basic philosophical differences on the role of government in our society. In addition to these legitimate arguments, the process has been further complicated by the mudslinging that is perhaps inevitable with so much money at stake.
Accessing Relevant Information
How to wade through all the information out there? Some of it is well-intentioned, while some of it intends to deliberately distort the facts. We've linked to the Kaiser Family Foundation's analysis in our Resources section for some time now, but with the televised summit drawing near, it seems appropriate to highlight this comparison of the current proposals.
You can access the side-by-side comparison of the House bill, Senate bill, and President Obama's recent proposal here.
See more information at http://healthreform.kff.org/, which also includes all the Foundation’s research, analysis and polling on health reform issues; columns by Kaiser President and CEO Drew Altman; and news summaries from Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent news service established by the Foundation.
Thursday's summit will be carried live in its entirety at WhiteHouse.gov/live.
See the Presiding Bishop's letter about the National Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS here.
The National Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS is a call to prayer for the eradication of HIV/AIDS through prayer, education, advocacy and service. It is the coming together of all people of faith to unite with purpose, compassion and hope to do the following:
- Educate every American about AIDS facts;
- Encourage and support HIV Testing;
- Advocate for the availability of compassionate care and treatment for all those living with the disease in every community in America and
- Love, unconditionally, every person living with and affected by HIV/AIDS.
Here are just some of the resources at the National Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS toolkit website:
- Campaign Planning Guide
- Liturgical Resources
- Campaign Media Resources Guide
- AIDS Facts
How will you participate in this important week of prayer?
The National Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS is March 7-13, 2010 and is coordinated by the Balm in Gilead, Inc.