Sleep isn’t optional when you’re recovering from Central Serous Retinopathy.
You’ll hear it from doctors. You’ll feel it in your own body.
But knowing you need sleep doesn’t mean you’ll get it.
Because when your vision’s off…
When you’re worried about another flare…
When your whole nervous system is stuck in overdrive…
Your brain won’t shut up at 10 PM.
I’ve been there—eyes closed, mind racing, cortisol humming.
Here’s what I did that actually worked.
1. I Stopped Earning My Sleep
This was the biggest shift.
I used to think I had to “finish the day strong” before I could rest.
Workout, work late, optimize everything.
CSR forced me to flip that.
Now I protect sleep like it’s the foundation, not the reward.
Everything else bends around it.
2. I Cut the Nighttime Cortisol Spikes
No one talks about this, but it’s real:
You can be physically tired…
…but your brain is wired because you’re still flooding your system with stress chemistry.
What helped:
- No emails/texts after 8 PM
- Low light (actual red bulbs or candles—not just phone dimming)
- Zero caffeine after 1 PM
- No “one last scroll” in bed
- High-magnesium dinner or supplement (glycinate form)
3. I Replaced Overthinking With a Shutdown Routine
I used to just… lie there.
Eyes closed. Brain still solving things.
Now? I actually wind down like it’s part of the workday.
- Journal dump (1 page: what went well, what I’m letting go of)
- 4-7-8 breathing
- 10 minutes of a low-stimulation audiobook or soundscape
- Earplugs and eye mask if needed
Simple. Repeatable. Boring. And that’s the point.
4. I Gave My Brain a Parking Lot
This is tactical and it works:
Keep a notepad by your bed.
Not for reflection—just parking.
If something loops in your head—“remember to email back,” “don’t forget that deadline”—you write it down.
You’re telling your brain:
“I got it. You can stop now.”
It sounds dumb. It’s not.
This one tool helped me fall asleep faster than almost anything else.
5. I Respected My Chronotype
Some guys wind down early. Others later.
I stopped fighting it.
I stopped trying to be a “morning person” during a flare.
I focused on consistency over idealism.
Bed at the same time. Wake up at the same time.
Even if it wasn’t perfect, the rhythm helped.
Bottom Line
If you’ve got CSR, sleep isn’t just rest.
It’s treatment. It’s recovery. It’s your nervous system’s reset button.
Don’t leave it to chance.
Build for it. Defend it.
And don’t wait until your vision fades to realize sleep was always the real work.
