I mean, no narcotics aren't a cure, but it's not like there is a cure you're just not taking so you can have narcotics.

This is what I was thinking, but with fewer curse words.

When I was using GABA, and I don't remember why I stopped, I think I just ran out and forgot to get another because that's how my brain works, I was using the Source Naturals sublingual dissolving tablets. Of course it's not the same as having an FDA-approved drug, but there isn't one yet. I took it usually in the mornings, to help me be less stressed-out at work. The couple times I took it close to bedtime, I got very vivid dreams, so, maybe don't take it right before sleepytime.

Well, that was exciting. I just left my office to see why it was cold, and the back door had blown wide open and Seabiscuit had gone walkabout. I went out on the deck and whistled for him. Nothing happened, so I hopped in the van in my sheepskin booties, and went out looking for him. Met some nice neighbors grilling out who promised to send him our way if he came by. Had a funny feeling and drove back to the house.

As the van pulled up, he was rounding the house, looking at me all, "Where did you go? How come you went for a ride when you called me?" I think he did come to the whistle, I just was too impatient. So I gave him a treat for coming back. It's not his fault the door was open!

Thanks Steph for posting about GABA. I'm intrigued because I've had issues with insomnia and racing thoughts all my life, depression too when I was younger. And I notice that it makes a huge difference for me when I'm really relaxed before bed. My hope is that the tablets might work to relax the body and muscles, and that might help me relax my head.

But this article on GABA also mentioned that right now it's popular among bodybuilders, who take it before working out because it is thought to increase HGH. Which kinda freaks me out and makes me pause. It sounds like bodybuilders are taking very high doses however.

Now I'm intrigued by the GABA too, since insomnia is an increasingly frequent issue for me.

Well, my plan was to just take GABA on the nights when I'm having a hard time winding down. Melatonin is still my mainstay for insomnia, but it doesn't always work.

I think I can start thinking of Spring as something nearby. The sun is still mostly up when I get off work, and it's quite bright when I get up to go to work. Ah, light.

I need to read the GABA article, although racing thoughts is explicitly not an issue for me. I get a visceral muscle-lockup sort of anxiety, but I'm pretty good at smoothing out what's going/ on in my noggin.

Speaking of insomnia, there was an article the other day about how some historians have discovered evidence that in earlier times people would sleep two distinct sleep-cycles per night, with a one-to-two-hour break in the middle. During which they would... I dunno. Hang out, eat, have sex?

I don't recall where I saw it, but it might help me deal with the occasional night where I wake up at 2 am and end up listening to podcasts until 3:30 or so...

On-guard shifts? It would make sense from certain historical perspectives.

I've heard about that from a number of sources: the idea of first sleep and second sleep. Apparently, the time between was very productive (meant non-euphemistically) for a lot of people. ISTR Jefferson being cited on that.