- #1
UsableThought
- 381
- 250
Just curious if anyone else has sleep problems or other issues that particularly interfere with learning; and if so, what are your ways of coping with or minimizing these issues? Or if you like, on the positive side, of really helping your brain out w/ healthy habits?
Some background on me: I am an older adult (59) who spent his career as a writer/editor, no problem with verbal stuff. Always have enjoyed reading about physics, once thought even about minoring in it back in college days; but various things interfered, including poor math skills. Lately I've embarked on self study of high school math, so as to be able to self study the equivalent of high school physics; I hope also to do some independent lab work, especially in the area of electromagnetism as I have a decent quality home electronics workshop.
BUT . . . a big PIA is my problems with sleep, or rather lack of sleep. I have severe sleep deprivation issues due to chronic pain, a few other health issues (e.g. RLS), & most recently an acquired circadian rhythm disorder known as Advanced Sleep Phase Disorder. I'm working with a cognitive behavioral psychologist on slowly getting my sleep cycle more towards normal (remark from last appointment: "Your sleep logs show improvement, but you are still on European time"). However it's a long slog; and in the meantime I have many days where I get up, have my ration of coffee, get out the math books, & press the "Think" key on my brain keyboard . . . and get the equivalent of a blue screen.
Today seems to be another of those non-responder days. I had been hoping to get back to working on a problem in Gelfand's Algebra that some people have given me tips on over on the homework forum, but it seems I will need to wait a few days until my brain can be uploaded to the network again. I can type strings of seemingly sensible words as easily as I pee, given my long history of writing/editing; so posting like this is easy. But my math skills are underdeveloped and need a really fresh, eager brain for me to make any headway.
Some background on me: I am an older adult (59) who spent his career as a writer/editor, no problem with verbal stuff. Always have enjoyed reading about physics, once thought even about minoring in it back in college days; but various things interfered, including poor math skills. Lately I've embarked on self study of high school math, so as to be able to self study the equivalent of high school physics; I hope also to do some independent lab work, especially in the area of electromagnetism as I have a decent quality home electronics workshop.
BUT . . . a big PIA is my problems with sleep, or rather lack of sleep. I have severe sleep deprivation issues due to chronic pain, a few other health issues (e.g. RLS), & most recently an acquired circadian rhythm disorder known as Advanced Sleep Phase Disorder. I'm working with a cognitive behavioral psychologist on slowly getting my sleep cycle more towards normal (remark from last appointment: "Your sleep logs show improvement, but you are still on European time"). However it's a long slog; and in the meantime I have many days where I get up, have my ration of coffee, get out the math books, & press the "Think" key on my brain keyboard . . . and get the equivalent of a blue screen.
Today seems to be another of those non-responder days. I had been hoping to get back to working on a problem in Gelfand's Algebra that some people have given me tips on over on the homework forum, but it seems I will need to wait a few days until my brain can be uploaded to the network again. I can type strings of seemingly sensible words as easily as I pee, given my long history of writing/editing; so posting like this is easy. But my math skills are underdeveloped and need a really fresh, eager brain for me to make any headway.