Heightened sense of awareness

[NDguido]

My wife has noticed that I sleep with a much higher sense of awareness now than in years past. She attributes this phenomena to my recent liberal spending on firearms. I think, probably, she is partly right.

Certainly, the world doesn't seem to be getting any less dangerous. As I have aged, and my physical abilities have declined to some extent, I have come to depend on my firearms more. I clean them more, I rotate my ammo more often, and train more often with them.

Having already acknowledged a decline in my physical ability, I have also committed to optimizing my physique. I've taken 70 pounds off since New Years, and have been trying to hone my former martial arts skills.

All of this combined seems to have given me an ability to sleep well, yet stay alert to noises that don't "fit". It's a good feeling, and the wife has told me she feels even safer than she used to.

I'm curious if anybody else has experienced this sense of awareness. I am not military, but I can only think the experience might be similar.

 

[remauto1187]

You sure she just isnt waking you up when she farts? Maybe you were awoken by the aroma...and it wasnt your jedi skills?

 

[Aaron1776]

Training does change you somewhat. Have you taken any professional instruction or stress innoculation? Those things coupled with a change in mindset, (and it sounds like you've had the later) definitely does it to you.

Having criminal encounters also does it to the nth degree. As I've found out to my chagrin.

 

[NDguido]

You sure she just isnt waking you up when she farts? Maybe you were awoken by the aroma...and it wasnt your jedi skills?

Cripes, I hadn't considered this. Come to think of it, she was down in Muncie last night with my daughter for orientation and I didn't wake up one time,

 

[the1kidd03]

Growing up I was a deep sleeper. Nothing could wake me up. Now-a-days I'm a very light sleeper. If my dog licks his chops more than a couple times in a row it wakes me up enough to discern what it is that is waking me up.

I can't say that my military training/experience "caused" this change because I was somewhat there already prior. However, it was indeed intensified afterward and I became much more accustomed to the interrupted sleep and grabbing some Zs wherever possible.

 

[kickbacked]

Its odd, my phone can go off and i wont wake up. but if someone walks into my room i wake up instantly.

 

[looney2ns]

Sounds like more of a case of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. More people have it than they realize.

Sleep apnea - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[SERparacord]

Sounds like civilian PTSD.

 

[herby31]

I doubt its sleep apnea since the OP says he's lost 70 pounds in the last 6 months. Just my layman's opinion.

 

[looney2ns]

I doubt its sleep apnea since the OP says he's lost 70 pounds in the last 6 months. Just my layman's opinion.

I know several folks that have sleep apnea and are not over weight.

 

[CMac]

Many studies have found that people physically need less sleep as they get older. Sleep is a controversial topic in science because it's not fully understood, but this might partly explain what you are experiencing.

Or you may simply be turning into a ninja!

 

[smokingman]

Have you moved?

My sleep pattern has greatly changed since we moved from a suburb to the country.A year ago a train could have rolled through my bedroom and I would not have woken up.Now any out of place noise wakes me.All of my senses are better as well.It is amazing what living in a true wilderness area does to your sense of hearing,sight,and smell.

We now live in Lake County Minnesota in the Superior National Forest,vs a subdivision in Johnson County Indiana.