Combatting Insomnia Round 3---a new tool in the toolbox

 So, after a respite in the summer (here, its so hot nothing is really growing) my allergies revved up for their Oct-Nov run (as opposed to their March-April-May run). In the Arizona desert, that = when its beautiful outside. Allergies to me are worse at night, and the post nasal drip wakes me up and keeps me from falling back asleep.

I want to LIVE in these beautiful outside times, not just survive.

So, back to things that are helping me sleep (and my allergies).

1. CONSISTENT LIGHT FADING WIND DOWN
1. Consistent bedtime (wind down by 10/10:30, asleep by 11, never "push through" to the second wind)
2. Consistent light-dimming. No bright lights, or even cooler white lights, after prayertime ends (9pm).  I will literally shut my eyes and grope for a lightswitch to turn it off. Salt-lamps and dim incandescent lights in my room. (or super warm LED's that are supposed to feel like 2700 K incandescent) My Brother in law deals with his insomnia by going all the way to orange lights in the 3 hours before bed. It works for him. I might, but right now, these seem to be working for me to fall asleep.
3. Warm light (see above), also set my computer and phone all to turn orange ("blue light filter") after 8pm
2. LOW BLOOD SUGAR IN THE EVENING
1. Low-carb or no carb early dinner (see previous post on how this works)
3. CLEAN
1. Washing pillowcases & sheets every 3 days (change pillowcases every day)
4. Earplugs (sometimes)
5. Socks. Must have.
6. Sardines (see previous post on how this works)

AND THE THING THAT'S cut my respiratory symptoms by 70%

#7 DRUMROLL......I need to gluten free these months. I know, I know. I love gluten. I was never going to give it up. But I'm only giving it up 5 months of the year. It will make me cherish my french bread and triscuits so much more the other 7 months.

I don't know why. I've heard various theories. I only did it as a last resort. But it really seems to make a difference, more than allergy meds do (though I did find one that sorta works for me fenofexadine, I think its Allegra. But it messes up my sleep. So I only take it for one day if I'm going to be cutting Bermudagrass, or visiting cats...)

SO.....  I will eat gluten-free October, November and March April and May.

Good Gluten-free meals and switch outs.

1. Lots of Korean food (soup, rice, pinta-duck [bean veg pancakes], bibimbap, fish etc)
2. Lots of Mexican food (tacos, corn burritos, chips n salsa)
3. Bagel replacement--->3 eggs microwaved with butter in a mug. Sprinkle with everythying seasoning and a dollop of cream cheese. I actually always do this year round.
4. TURN mac n cheese--->Cheesy Potatoes baked in a 9x13
5. TURN pizza---> crustless pizza or fathead pizza dough (more protein!)
6. TURN grilled cheese sandwiches----> butter fried corn tortilla quesidillas
7. Corn tortillas fried in butter are pretty good for a lot of things.
8. Lentil Cheese crackers (easy to make) are a very good crunchy triscuit replacement
9. All the holiday treats & cookies---> meringue cookies, macaroons, coconut macaroons, cheesecake with oat-crust, pumpkin pie with oat-crust, rice-crispies, caramel popcorn. Lots of sweet potatoes with butter....
10. Keto Pumpkin bread!
11. POPCORN and cornchips

I'm hoping to get more probiotics into my life (more kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha) and see if that helps too, or enables me to eat gluten again.

 I have heard that perhaps grinding my own wheat, and making sourdough bread will enable me to have gluten year round. Maybe I'll try that in the spring. Right now I just want to sleep and survive.