Search for:

Still Sleep Deprived

I went to bed a little after 8 p.m.  The thermostat started acting up again about 10 p.m.  I turned it down a little more.  It didn’t matter.  I was awake and my mind started working overtime.  I couldn’t get it to stop.  I think that about 1 a.m. I must have gone to sleep.  I woke from a very strange and disturbing dream to the sound of the furnace running.  I rolled over and hit the wall.  The rest of the night continued in like manner.  Bits of sleep with bits of strange dreams, and my mind worrying the same problem over and over ad nauseam.

Finally about 3:30 a.m. I went to sleep.  Real sleep.  Relaxed, no dreams.  Unfortunately I woke at 4:30 a.m., just like I normally do.  I stayed in bed for another half hour to no avail.  I finally got up.

The effects of sleep deprivation on the body are interesting.  My brain seems to be functioning just fine, but I am cold.  Freezing from the inside out.  My skin is perfectly warm to the touch, but I am shivering.  My leg muscles feel like jello, all wobbly.  The nausea is the worst of all.  My stomach is upset, yet I am hungry.

The Doc explained the hunger to me.  Sleep is energy.  If a body is short on sleep, it will demand more food for energy — even though food energy and sleep energy are not interchangeable.

So, here I am at work today until 3:30 p.m., then I’m going home to bed no matter what time it is — and I may as well leave the heat off since I am frozen anyway!

Quilly is the pseudonym of Charlene L. Amsden, who lives on The Big Island in Hawaii. When she is not hanging out with Amoeba, she is likely teaching or sewing. Or she could be cooking, taking photographs, or even writing. But if she's not doing any of that, she's probably on Facebook or tinkering with her blog.

19 Comments

  2. I think, today, I will mainline coffee. I have reading and math to teach this morning, then the kids are dismissed early. This afternoon I have seven parent-teacher conferences scheduled. Between 1:00 and 2:00 p.m., I have a break. Maybe I’ll nap in my desk drawer.

  3. I bestow upon you many hours of deep restlful sleep…..Zzzzzzz

    Thanks for the comments regarding my family….sometimes I wonder if I did the right thing staying home all the time.

  4. Lori — oh how I wish. I told the kids that if I fell asleep they were not to shoot spit-wads at me. And I think we’d have less need for school psychologists and councelors if more couples could afford to have one non-working parent. Alas, this is a two (plus) job economy. (I am single so I have three!)

  5. That nausea is horrible. I’ve had it many times before. Please get some sleep my friend. Have you tried running a fan at night? For white noise?

    Three jobs???

  6. Yuk, doesn’t sound like any fun there. Try to nap anywhere and anytime you can, until you ‘catch up’. Of course, with that coffee, I don’t know. 🙂

  7. Brian — I run the CPAP for white noise. The furnace is louder. Not only that, the constant running is co$tly!

    Jackie! Why don’t you and Terry come visit? I’ll fix a lovely dinner (provided I don’t fall asleep in the salad) and Terry can fix my thermostat! Doesn’t that sound fun?

  10. Polona — well, sooner or later my body will insist on sleeping. I am hoping for later — as in after I get home– and sooner, as in tonight!

    Silver — sorry to hear that. I have to tell you, too little sleep and too much coffee makes for one silly teacher!

  12. Okay Quilly — my hubby says I’m DUMB! WD-40 don’t fix EVERYTHING! (only duct tape fixes everything woman!) But duct tape don’t fix thermostats either. BUT he says your friend that recommended the replacement thermostat is right on the money! If you can find the SAME one it will be a piece of cake for your to replace yourself. If it’s another brand or a different model, you’ll probly need help.

  13. Silver — I’ve almost made it to quitting time! Yay!

    Melli — you are not dumb! Did your husband say the WD-40 would kill me if I tried it? What are the chances I’ll find a circa 1970’s Honeywell spring coil thermostat? And should I take out extra fire insurance before installing it myself?

    Hmmm, that consequence would make packing to move much easier, wouldn’t it? Providing I was still alive to pack!

  15. Hubby says if that’s the little round tan one, they made about 6 billion of them and you can probably still find one! (look on ebay!) LOL!

  16. WOOT! I like being right. It doesn’t happen very often. lol

    Quills, you can find a replacement thermostat, although you will probably have better luck finding that exact type in a small hardware store, rather than a large chain store. If they only have the newer ones, don’t panic. Really, the instructions make it easy.

    I don’t know what your home improvement experience is, but I think this is even easier than painting. Come on! We’ve got faith in you!

  17. Tan, but not round. Emerson, not Honeywell. And the coil is very rusty. I just rubbed much of the corrosion off with a Q-Tip. I am testing my effort right now. Don’t know why — tomorrow I’ll see the landlord and ask them to install a new thermostat.

    Brig — my home improvement skills are fair, my knowledge of tools is “pretty good for a girl.” Of course I can do this. I may just elect not to try. 😉

  18. At the risk of sounding like a spammer there is an alternative for sleeping that can improve sleep quality. I invented the SquidFace and ComfyRest pillows to relieve pain from my herniated disk. Additional benefits give be better sound sleep on your back and side. It works well on a desk for a quick power nap. The many additional pain relief benefits are on my website. Hopefully it may help you. http://www.SquidFace.com

Comments are closed.