Uhtceare often hits me just before dawn, particularly on the mornings I have to catch a flight, and I'm sure I'm not the only one...
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An Old English noun from the 10th century (according to The Little Book of Lost Words by Joe Gillard), uhtceare is defined as "lying awake in bed feeling anxious." Hoo-boy. I can relate. And I find it interesting that folks waaaay back in the 10th century suffered from the same condition as I do (although clearly their anxiety had nothing to do with possible traffic jams interfering with flight plans).
According to the BBC (which should know), when literally translated from the Old English, uhtceare means dawn-care. BBC adds that uhtceare is "similar to insomnia (though more time-specific) in that it is a name (or noun) given to the state of being sleepless."
What a very useful word! And if you're wondering how to pronounce it, simply click here to find out...
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| Sleep eludes me as daylight approaches Image by Stephanie Ghesquier from Pixabay |
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