Thursday, October 4, 2012

Sleep...

Part of my health and fitness routine has been sleep. I get 8 hours (between 8 and 9 usually) a night. Or, I used to.

I used to wake up ready for the day, mind working, eyes focused.

Not sleeping 8 hours anymore. Having a dog really is good training for kids, damn. Also, just so busy, no down time, no relaxing, stressed, grieving.... sleep would cure so much for me right now :(

I read a lot of blogs, a lot of women have children or other very busy lives, and don't seem to sleep much. Guess I am asking: how do you handle it???

My brain feels like mush. I look tired, my eyes are kind of puffy and red. Ugh. Not great.

Do I have to become a coffee addict? I get to bed as soon as I can at night, but not hitting the 8 hour mark by a lot. 6, maybe.

I heard on an old Jillian Michaels podcast today that there was a study about how reducing your sleep by 80 minutes causes people to (on average) consume 500 more calories per day. I am going to religiously track to make sure that doesn't happen!!

I did have a piece of pizza at work yesterday afternoon :( I wanted it so much, it was a present from the boss, I was exhausted and hungry, I wanted a break from working, I wanted to chat with everyone else who was eating.

Sigh.

That's a rarity, though. Don't usually get miracle pizza at work. Was paleo for the rest of the day and continue to be today. Homemade chicken soup was an amazing lunch.

Still tired, though, eager for the end of the day.

2 comments:

  1. Jeanette, I'm going to guess that your disrupted sleep pattern is due to all the upheaval and shock and stress in your life as of late and will straighten itself out as things settle down and you get a new routine. You have had major changes in your family structure and living situation. Making sure you get in some regular exercise to burn off the energy helps with better sleep, as does setting aside planned, non-negotiable downtime at night before bed, and controlling as much of your environment as you can (easier said than done with a dog, as I know!). I have found melatonin to be helpful; it's not magic but it can be of assistance, as can 25mg of benadryl in a pinch. I am loathe to ever use a Rx sleeping pill or tranquilizer, but it's not at all uncommon for someone who's been through what you have to ask their MD for a short term (two weeks' worth or less) supply when they feel they can't sleep because they can't stop thinking about it. I think for you this is just part of the physical grieving process and you'll find it'll get better in time. Take care of yourself.

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  2. I think as you settle into your new routine, sleep will become better. Have you considered a sleep aid to help in the meantime?

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