Seriously, I need some sleep
My sleeping patterns are way off. So far off that now I'm splitting sleep between a few hours at night and a few during the day. I'll explain and if you have any advice, I'm all for it.
You might know that I work a sort of second shift 3 to 4 nights a week. These nights are usually Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday with the occasional Monday thrown in the mix. The shift is from 4 to midnight (this can vary by 30 minutes either way) plus a commute of 35 minutes both ways.
When I get home, I can't sleep right away. I have to wander around the house, check my email and, if I've had time to tweet from work, let those who are still on know that I made it home okay. As a side note, it's lovely to know that people are still up and waiting to hear from me. They don't have to do this, of course.
So, with these nocturnal wandererings, I find I don't get to bed until at least 3 ack emma. I've tried to go to bed much earlier, but I toss and turn and can't settle down. Then I have to be up to teach the kids, about 8 a.m. If I can get at least 5 hours, I do all right, but this week I've found I can't get to sleep before 4 or even 5 ack emma. Then of course I have to get up and then try to find an hour or two during the day.
My lack of energy is beyond frustrating. The house is a wreck, I haven't gone for a walk in a month and the spouse is getting worried. Well, he sleeps for 9 or 10 hours, and he thinks my vampiric habits are very weird.
The nights I don't have to work I do a little better. I can get to bed by 2:30 or so. I find if I go to bed before midnight I'm up again by 4 or 5 with no hope of going back to sleep. Just last night I was so tired I fell asleep on the love seat (a bit cramped, that) at 9:30 p.m. and woke up at 1:30 a.m. all raring to go. I finally went to bed around 5, tossed for an hour (kept checking the clock) and then woke up just after 10.
What the hell is going on? Though I'm tired I can't settle my mind one bit. A million scenarios for fics, my book, Christmas presents, you name it, all run through my mind at warp speed. A lot of my friends complain about the same thing.
Why is it so different for men? I don't know any men who have trouble sleeping. My spouse can fall asleep 45 seconds after hitting the pillow. I have timed him. I ask what goes through his mind at bedtime and he says aside from thinking about sex, nothing. Why isn't he wondering about which cat will puke on the kitchen floor, or whether or not we should splurge and go to the movies at the weekend or about the state of Michigan's economy? Are men and women really so different?
I am a coffee drinker from way back. On many days I have as many as 5 or 6 cups, sometimes more. I've tried cutting back on caffeine, but that seems to make no difference. In fact, I had a cup of coffee at 9 last night, right before I fell asleep at 9:30. A friend has suggested melatonin, but I'm not sure about taking medicine, herbal or otherwise.
If you have any advice at all, I'd be more than grateful. I have to get some regular sleep.
You might know that I work a sort of second shift 3 to 4 nights a week. These nights are usually Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday with the occasional Monday thrown in the mix. The shift is from 4 to midnight (this can vary by 30 minutes either way) plus a commute of 35 minutes both ways.
When I get home, I can't sleep right away. I have to wander around the house, check my email and, if I've had time to tweet from work, let those who are still on know that I made it home okay. As a side note, it's lovely to know that people are still up and waiting to hear from me. They don't have to do this, of course.
So, with these nocturnal wandererings, I find I don't get to bed until at least 3 ack emma. I've tried to go to bed much earlier, but I toss and turn and can't settle down. Then I have to be up to teach the kids, about 8 a.m. If I can get at least 5 hours, I do all right, but this week I've found I can't get to sleep before 4 or even 5 ack emma. Then of course I have to get up and then try to find an hour or two during the day.
My lack of energy is beyond frustrating. The house is a wreck, I haven't gone for a walk in a month and the spouse is getting worried. Well, he sleeps for 9 or 10 hours, and he thinks my vampiric habits are very weird.
The nights I don't have to work I do a little better. I can get to bed by 2:30 or so. I find if I go to bed before midnight I'm up again by 4 or 5 with no hope of going back to sleep. Just last night I was so tired I fell asleep on the love seat (a bit cramped, that) at 9:30 p.m. and woke up at 1:30 a.m. all raring to go. I finally went to bed around 5, tossed for an hour (kept checking the clock) and then woke up just after 10.
What the hell is going on? Though I'm tired I can't settle my mind one bit. A million scenarios for fics, my book, Christmas presents, you name it, all run through my mind at warp speed. A lot of my friends complain about the same thing.
Why is it so different for men? I don't know any men who have trouble sleeping. My spouse can fall asleep 45 seconds after hitting the pillow. I have timed him. I ask what goes through his mind at bedtime and he says aside from thinking about sex, nothing. Why isn't he wondering about which cat will puke on the kitchen floor, or whether or not we should splurge and go to the movies at the weekend or about the state of Michigan's economy? Are men and women really so different?
I am a coffee drinker from way back. On many days I have as many as 5 or 6 cups, sometimes more. I've tried cutting back on caffeine, but that seems to make no difference. In fact, I had a cup of coffee at 9 last night, right before I fell asleep at 9:30. A friend has suggested melatonin, but I'm not sure about taking medicine, herbal or otherwise.
If you have any advice at all, I'd be more than grateful. I have to get some regular sleep.