2. Cycles of insomnia
He had never slept well. When he was still a baby, his father had rocked him for hours, doing Indian dances: ‘hahi héhéhé, héhéhé’, all night until his parents were exhausted, but at least he was not screaming. Later, when he was older, from the age of four, sleep became a major reason for arriving late to class, a major reason for being poorly regarded at school: ‘the teachers were not happy at all’, they did not understand. No excuse accepted, no pleasant reaction from the teachers. To remain on good terms, his parents had to invent all sorts of excuses, which helped a great deal: ‘the pupil was brilliant’.
The insomnia persisted and became one of the main causes of a real disability. Melatonin helped him, at times ‘a lot’, but at other times stress, the excitement of video games and anxiety won, and sleep would not come. After three days of monitoring in hospital by specialists, they concluded: everything is normal, there is no problem with going home! Thank you! ‘This could happen to you too; stay strong.’ There are methods that work and, after all, things improve from the age of 18; and if not: ‘hahi héhé, hahi héhé’.
Some ideas for better sleep:
Intensive sport, an adapted diet, eating within a shorter time window, not eating after 6 p.m., filtering light from LED screens after 7 p.m., gentler lamps without UV, sounds of nature in the bedroom at night: flowing water, wind in the leaves, etc. Creating a clear day/night difference with light.
A duvet weighted with glass beads, a psychiatric solution that holds the body, was developed by Temple Grandin, an autistic American scientist.
Natural products: melatonin (dosage is very important).