Feeling tired and sleepy in mid afternoon? Do what the experts say, take a nap.

By Olivene Godfrey

Son Barry and I were discussing the period of time in the afternoon when we experience transient sleepiness. He did some research on the web and came up with some interesting data.
Lyndon Baines Johnson, 36th president of the United States and leader of the free world, routinely closed the door to his office in mid afternoon and put on his pajamas. He then proceeded to take a 30 minute nap. Rising refreshed, he would tell aides that such a nap gave him the stamina to work the long hours required of the U.S. commander-in-chief during the Cold War.

Sleep researchers William Dement says that it was LBS who was acting normally, the rest of us, who refuse to bring pajamas to work, are the abnormal ones. LBJ was responding to something experienced by nearly everyone on the planet and it can be nearly impossible to get anything done during this period. If you attempt to push through, which is what most people do, you can spend most of your afternoon fighting a gnawing tiredness. It's a fight because the brain wants you to take a nap and doesn't care what the owner is doing. The concept of "siesta"institutionalized in many cultures, may have become as an explicit reaction to the nap zone. Some scientists think that a long sleep at night and a short nap in the midday represent human sleep behavior as its most natural.

Regardless, the nap zone matters, because our brains don't work as well during it. The nap zone also is literally fatal: More traffic accidents occur during it than at any other time of the day.

But, the NASA study showed that a 26-minute nap improved a pilot's performance by more than 34 percent. Another study showed that a 45 minute nap produced a similar boost in cognitive performance, lasting more than six hours.

Since I'm retired, it's easier to take a nap in the afternoon. But, when I worked at a job, I often wished our culture had a "siesta zone."

See you next time.

Are all writers crazy? and My gut is my enemy.

By Olivene Godfrey

Psychiatrists have found that creative activity in the artist is similar to that in early phase of the schizophrenic. And some people believe Van Gogh and Edgar Alan Poe produced some of their most brilliant works during schizophrenic euphoria periods. But, I don't like to generalize, to say all compulsive writers are crazy. Everyone is a bit neurotic some way and perhaps the writer's hang-up is that he is driven to put his thoughts onto paper.

Perhaps it is the neurotic who while he may never receive anything but rejection slips for his efforts has moments when he feels as one with the universe, newly awakened and he makes connections, reads fresh meanings into everyday things, and is compelled to get his emotions onto paper even if he hates every minute of the actual work.

While on this subject-- a group of writers asked a famous novelist's ideas about what to write about. The novelist suggested the writers should write from the viewpoint of a person whom he intensely disliked. I've been intrigued with that idea. But, the trouble is my dislike or hatred of persons is short lived. Most of the time I don't have anyone I really dislike. And usually the person I dislike--temporarily--is someone I don't understand enough to write about. Still, I think think if one could write about a person one dislikes, it might bring about better understanding, and prove interesting, too

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I made plans for a Sunday outing last week and even selected a spring and summer pantsuit to wear along with the pretty shoes son Barry surprised me with on Mother's day last year. Barry and I planned to dine at a restaurant and then shop a little. Also, we had been having such gorgeous weather to venture outside the house. Now my doctors have told me that my gut has a mind of its own. And my gut seems to be my worst enemy.
Early Sunday morning, my gut pulled out all its shots and I was in the bathroom several hours. It was a white knuckle, cold sweat and woozy feeling IBS attack. I finally had to admit I wasn't going to be able to go anywhere on Sunday. Barry told me that in the future, he would tell me we were going out a short time before we needed to leave and not give me time to worry about it. It would be fun to outsmart my gut!

See you next time.

By Olivene Godfrey

Comments on daylight savings time & spring and allergies & a sty on my left eye, my first one ever.

Once again, Daylight Savings Time has played havoc with my system and upset my usual routine. My late sister, Joan, used to say she didn't care which time we were on if we would just stay on one permanent time and Barry and I agree.

And when we get up in the mornings for a couple of weeks we think, "it's really 4:30 a.m. instead of our usual 5:30 a.m. awakening.

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Spring is officially almost here and the many beautiful flowering trees and bushes have the pollen count sky high. All of the rain we've been having has brought some relief to we allergy sufferers here in Northwest Georgia. But, last week, I had a bad attack of sinus pain due to an allergy on my left eye and the edge of my eyelid was swollen and inflamed and affecting my vision.

Last Friday, I was able to see my family doctor on short notice and she confirmed my allergy and surprised me when she added that I also had a sty on my left eye. I know it sounds incredible but this was the first sty in my 83 years of living and I don't like it a bit. Barry described a sty as an "acne pimple on the eyelid," which sums it aptly.

Barry says he's had a couple of styes in the past but I don't remember it. The doctor told me to use an eye wash on the eyelid and she prescribed eye drops and a nasal spray which seems to be relieving my allergy symptoms. I still have some swelling in my eyelid and the sty is still there. Maybe it will heal soon. As Barry and I prepared to leave the doctor's office, her receptionist told me that, "if you rub your gold wedding band on the sty, it will heal quickly." I may wind up trying her advice.

See you next time.

By Olivene Godfrey

Are booster shots only for the wealthy now? And, do our rich politicians want old poor people to just roll over and die so they can get their greedy hands on Social Security? I think so. Read on for my own personal experience about how the new Medicare guidelines are affecting the quality of my life.

Normally, I'm a good natured person but an injustice either to me or to others gets my dander up. I'm an 83 year-old widow with several serious health problems But, with a good family doctor who monitors my health, I'm able to live a normal life.
But, despite my efforts to live a healthy lifestyle, I was diagnosed about a year ago with anemia of inflammation and was so weak I could barely walk.

My family doctor scheduled an appointment for me with a blood specialist. Following an exam and conference and extensive lab work, the specialist said I was eligible for a booster shot that gave me the energy to have a good life.

And then without warning, I was told that according to Medicare's new guidelines, I was no longer eligible for the booster shots.
I continued to have monthly lab work and was still not eligible for the shots. Finally, I became too weak to do the light housework I did to help my son, Barry, who does the heavy work. I had my monthly lab work this week and was finally eligible for the booster shot. Meanwhile, I hope and pray that I'll feel stronger soon.

We seniors need to be like the "sleeping giant who was awakened" and strongly protest the efforts of some of our government officials to get rid of Social Security and Medicare while they live a life of luxury.

See you next time.

HODGE-PODGE

By Olivene Godfrey

The weather here in Northwest Georgia is still spring-like with new growth and some jonquils and forsythia bushes blooming. As a result, the pollen count is soaring up to over a thousand several days and still incredibly high, causing discomfort to we allergy sufferers. It just seems to sap my energy. This past Sunday, son Barry and I made a quick trip to the mall in
Dalton so I could get a much needed haircut. Following a shampoo and very good haircut which I am enjoying, we left the mall and a cold wind was blowing . I had neglected bringing a scarf or hat to cover my head. And by the time we arrived back at home, I was already suffering from my allergy and was miserable the rest of the day.

Early the next morning, I woke up with a frightening pain in my throat. It felt as if a knife was stuck in my throat. When I heard Barry moving around in the house, I called him and told him about my throat pain. He went to his room and returned with his super flash light and looked in my throat. He said my throat wasn't red or unusual looking. He then reminded me that the previous year I had the same thing and doctor prescribed medicine which we still had in a drawer. The pills are very large but I managed to swallow it. Then I settled down in my recliner in the den. In about an hour, I noticed the pain had vanished. I don't know what I'd without Barry to remind me of things I forget so easily now that I'm old. Maybe he'll remind me to cover my head next time I have a shampoo and haircut.

Barry and I discussed yesterday how our taste buds have changed now that we are older. Foods we used to love no longer appeal to us. We have become accustomed to our more healthy diet now and we no longer have a craving for the heavy, greasy foods we once loved.

My inflammation anemia is causing me to feel weak all the time now. I have an appointment next week with the blood doctor and will have blood work and hope I will be eligible for a booster shot. I haven't had a shot in several months and feel really run down. There are things I need to do here in the house but I just can't do them now.

Last fall our huge Thanksgiving cactus was beautiful with its red blossoms. Now to our amazement, the plant has a few new pretty blooms. I have never had this happen in past and am curious to see if it blooms all over again. Our Incredible Poinsettia plant also has some red leaves on it but it has always been unpredictable.

See you next time.