Les - Interview 27

Age at interview: 80

Brief Outline: Les has had several very interesting and different jobs in his lifetime, ranging from being in the army, to being a theatre manager, working in the Sudan, and being a driver. He only retired finally when he was 80. Les has several health problems which contribute to making his sleep very disturbed, but he won't let his poor sleep affect what he does during the day.

Background: Married, one child, retired Driver

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Les has noticed that his sleep started to deteriorate when he had a hip replacement about 14 years ago. From that point on he noticed a gradual decline in the quality of his sleep. Although he finds he can fall asleep quite quickly, Les will then often wake up several times in the night. He believes this is for several reasons; he has carpal tunnel syndrome, which causes a lot of pain in his arm and hand; he also worries about lots of different things, but mostly he believes his mind is so active he finds it difficult to switch off once he has woken up.

 

On a bad night Les cannot get back to sleep so he will get up, make a cup of tea and sit in the front room where he will do crosswords, or read a book until he feels dozy again. This can happen several times a week, but Les doesn’t find that he feels any worse in the morning. In fact, he is always bright and wide awake in the morning and will not waste time in bed.

 

Les will not doze or nap during the day as he is concerned this may interfere with his night time sleep, although he may drop off for a minute or too if he is watching football on the television in the evening.

 

Les very much values his independence and loves to drive, usually going out at least once every day. He has always loved driving and finds it very relaxing.

Les often wakes in the night worrying about his many health problems, and how his wife will manage if he has to go into hospital.

You were saying you worry, panic?

 

Yes, I do.

 

I think you mentioned that on your questionnaire?

 

I probably did because it’s a fact I do worry over everything. We have got a lovely GP. He’s very honest, very forthright, tells you exactly what is wrong, he doesn’t beat around the bush. He tells you and I would rather have it that way, but, when he does tell me I then think, God what else can go wrong, you know. I was having a pretty bad spell a few months ago and I got whipped into hospital. They had to come on Saturday night and taken me off in an ambulance and they diagnosed me as being okay. But a week later I felt rough again, so this time I went to see and he had tests done and he says I have got myocardial heart failure or something which you know, it is not pleasant, but it’s not life threatening.

 

Right.

 

But…

 

So has he given you any medicine for it?

 

Nine tablets a day.

 

Goodness, but is that controlling it?

 

Yes. I hope so anyway. Yes. So it’s just those three factors, the carpal tunnel thing, which does keep you awake, you can’t help it. The overactive mind and being a worrier. And really and truly that about sums it up doesn’t it.

 

How many times would you say you wake up in the night?

 

It’s a minimum of four times. A minimum. It’s been a lot more than that on occasions. A lot more than that.

 

So last night when you said you had a really bad night?

 

Oh that was a bad night. I literally didn’t sleep at all.

 

Right.

 

I was asleep very quickly. I am always first in, you follow me in don’t you? And I get to sleep very, very quickly. Once I know she’s settled and that it’s okay. But, it was about between half eleven, somewhere round about half eleven, up I came and that was it, and I literally didn’t sleep for the rest of the night until half past five this morning. I slept for an hour and thought oh that’s a waste of time. I’ll get up. 

 

Les divided his bedroom into two, one area just for sleeping, and the other with his computer and music equipment for entertainment.

The other thing I like to ask people is about the layout of their bedroom, and how the layout of the bedroom affects how they sleep. You have got a television and a computer, all that stuff in there, but it seems to me, and correct me if I am wrong now. But I have got this perception that for your bedroom is about getting your sleep, and though you don’t necessarily get it, the fact that you are turning everything off and consciously not taking distractions in there?

 

I suppose so. At the back of my brain yes, the bedroom is a place to rest and sleep. But I have got used to the fact that it’s also my cubby hole for my entertainment and sleep, but the two don’t clash. There I sleep. There I play. And the two don’t really. I mean if [my wife] comes in and I am watching a programme usually it is on tape, isn’t it, so I switch it off immediately she comes in, if by chance I have been watching something.

 

Right. So the two wouldn’t clash?

 

They wouldn’t.

 

Les believes sleep is as important as food, because not having sufficient sleep or food affects your health.

So I get an impression that you obviously value healthy eating and then are conscious of those links to diet and health?

 

I hate the word junk food. And I hate junk food. Won’t have it in the house. The only take away meal I will have is, I love fish and about, well, once every seven or eight weeks I will have fish and chips. Now she doesn’t like fish, so I have to get something different for her. But, no, I love fish so therefore I do have a take away I suppose you’d call it.

 

Yes, so food’s important. How do you feel sleep fits into health? Do you feel sleep is important?

 

I think it’s very important.

 

You do?

 

Hm.

 

In what way?

 

I put it on a par, sleep with food, because without food, without a proper type of food, you can still get, you soon get physically run down.

 

Yes.

 

The same thing happens if you don’t have the right amount of sleep, you could get physically run down. I am lucky it hasn’t happened that way to me. I get tired, yes. But … 

 

Les believes getting enough sleep and eating the right kind of foods are equally important in terms of health.

So I get an impression that you obviously value healthy eating and then are conscious of those links to diet and health?

 

I hate the word junk food. And I hate junk food. Won’t have it in the house. The only take away meal I will have is, I love fish and about, well, once every seven or eight weeks I will have fish and chips. Now she doesn’t like fish, so I have to get something different for her. But, no, I love fish so therefore I do have a take away I suppose you’d call it.

 

Yes, so food’s important. How do you feel sleep fits into health. Do you feel sleep is important?

 

I think it’s very important.

 

You do.

 

Hm.

 

In what way?

 

I put it on a par, sleep with food, because without food, without a proper type of food, you can still get, you soon get physically run down.