My wife. Here, I can be vulnerable without looking weak.

You already know, I write for Men over 50. I am one of them.

Damn. I woke up in the middle of the night. Restless, having heavy thoughts. Again!

I used to sleep like a baby. Now, somewhat over 50 I carry my thoughts into bed.

“Just a man and his thoughts sharing the same pillow”.

Waking up at night might be caused by a change in the sleep architecture, writes the Sleep Foundation: “Older adults spend more time in the earlier, lighter stages of sleep and less time in the later, deeper stages. These shifts may contribute to older people waking up more often during the night and having more fragmented, less restful sleep.”

And now the way is cleared for anxiety creeping in. Thoughts we 50+ men seem to cultivate. There is no work-related duties at night that might occupy my mind. No football to watch. No Netflix. No wine to enjoy and stories to tell.

My latest anxiety “attack” at 4 a.m. was something I did not experience before. I started to worry about money and job, contracts, and the future with an economy rock bottom. My mind was spinning like a hamster in a wheel, refusing to relent.

Of course, you can try soothing lavender oils, meditation, medication, cannabis, walks, healthy eating, living, sex … whatever tickles your fancy.