I am tired. After one week back at work, I am tired. I used to have to get up around 6am. Which meant I actually dragged my body out of bed around 6.30/6.45am. But in my current job, I often have to be at work before six. Meaning I have to get out of bed a lot earlier!
During my two weeks holiday I was able to sleep until I woke up. Which, depending on what time I went to bed, usually was round 8am. Sometimes a bit earlier, sometimes a bit later. But then reality hit again and instead of waking up just like that, I have to use an alarm clock. In my case three! And I still have difficulties getting up.
People keep telling me to get up the minute I hear the alarm. Well, I set my first one at 4.15am and never hear it. I just turn it off in my sleep. Then five minutes later, the other alarm goes off. I might hear it somewhere in the distance, but more often than not, I will turn it off in my sleep. At 4.30am the third alarm goes off. And it will keep going off with ten minute intervals. Sometimes I hear them, sometimes I don't. I am still amazed at how I have not been late for work more often!
You could of course say that I need to hit the pillow earlier. And you would be right. But how much earlier? During the past week there were two days where I went to bed at 8.30pm. Which would give me a full 8 hours sleep. And still: trouble in the morning. Whenever I don't have to live by the alarm, I will sleep 7 to 7,5 hours and wake up fully refreshed. Yet, when I am working I seem to need more than 8!
*Yawn*
Hari OM
ReplyDeleteIt is a very peculiar thing, which is why so much research is done on it... and still it is not properly known. There can actually be no generalising about how to moderate one's sleep. We have to learn our own patterns and what works for us works for us. That said, it can sometimes be worth trying something completely different, like occasionally pulling an 'all-nighter' (on a non-work day of course!) and can act like a reset on the inner timer.
It is not uncommon to experience different patterns during work times as opposed to being on leave/off shift... it's as simple as the fact that on some level during work times there is an 'alert' button which doesn't allow us to go into full deep sleep and that is the place where we get the proper refreshment. On holidays, that alert button is off and proper deep sleep takes place. Usually. But again, it's individual.
I am one of those funny folks who can set an alarm because I have to be somewhere the next morning - and wake up at least fifteen minutes before it does, no matter when that is! YAM xx
Research or not: I will have to go to bed very early in order to not fall asleep behind the wheel. As for an all-nighter, that is virtually impossible. I fall asleep on the couch very often!
DeleteOur mom said that when she worked waking up was a problem too. Adequate sleep is such a blessing!!
ReplyDeleteYour Pals,
Murphy & Stanley
I agree. And I don't understand how some colleagues can go to bed past midnight and still be at work at 5.45! I would collapse after two days.
DeleteYou know Mara I had hopes of sleeping past 6 am when I retired...but for some UNKNOWN reason, not Madi, I wake up every morning often 5:30 or earlier. WHY WHY I ask. I'm told as we age we need less sleep. I really don't think I am 'aged' enough to get up at 5 or 5:30
ReplyDeleteI hope next week is better
Hugs Cecilia
Work is enough of a reason to not want to get out of bed....
ReplyDeleteTotally! Plus, perhaps my body gets more tired from being at work all day as opposed to say do not much at home...
DeleteI understand that you should keep to the same rhythm even you're not working rather than stay up and sleep later. People being what we are, this is easier said than done.
ReplyDeleteOne thing you could do is to put your alarms just far enough away so that you can't reach them to turn them off.
Most days I don't need an alarm and when I do need to use one I always wake up right before it goes off. I never use a snooze button. However that doesn't mean that I'm getting enough sleep. I was eating ice cream at 2 am last night!
ReplyDelete