In the past months, six or so, my energy levels are significantly down. I need to make sure I have enough down time and time to stay home and do nothing. I can tire myself out quite easily and then pay the price for days.
I had a three day work week this week but am exhausted. I tried to sleep late this morning but the cat sat on me because he wants food and the sun was streaming in from the room across the hall. Note to self evict the cat and close the other shades. I will try again tomorrow.
Emotionally and physically it was a tough week. I came back home after a 380 mile to visit my brother on Monday. Tuesday was another 2" (which turned into 10") snow storm that kept my husband and I home for the day. We reassembled the (damn) dryer after my husband's minor repair. I got a fair amount of work done as well. I even snuck out to the gym in a lull in the storm.
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday I went to work for six hours each. Wednesday I hit the grocery store on the way home, Thursday I met a friend for a walk, and Friday I went to the gym. Thursday night I was so tired and in so much pain in my feet and hips, I got in bed at 430, PJs by 6 and my husband cooked dinner which I ate in bed. I was exhausted on Friday morning.
Today I have a lunch to go to and am organizing a volunteer event that I won't attend. I am not attending because of pain and fatigue. Well guilt might get me to stop by for a few minutes.
That's just the physical side.
I also found out this week a breast cancer friend is facing a recurrence. We do not know details yet but the words chemo, radiation, and hospitalization have been bandied about. I will try to call her today. One friend talked to her and said she was really out of it but is still perky.
Another online friend passed away after a long fight with cancer. I have never met her but she was one of those people who was incredibly supportive to others in their copings with cancer. Dying way to young, younger than me.
Finally an old friend's husband with stage IV colon cancer has progression in his disease despite treatment.
I hope next week is better. My goal is to get a lot of sleep tonight and rest tomorrow. I also am home on Monday where I can take it easy then as well. The cat will have to learn to let me sleep in.
Showing posts with label sleep. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sleep. Show all posts
Sleep
"Never underestimate the power of a good night's sleep."
I don't know who said that but it is true. Maybe its just a mattress commercial but I still like it.
I have never been the late night partier (well except college but who wasn't then and maybe a few other times but the statute of limitations is now well past on all my 20 something activities).
I believe, and have for decades, that 9 pm is a good time to go to bed for adults. A friend once accused me of living like a little kid by going to bed so early. My husband believes the same thing - I think mostly due to his military years and maybe because 21:00 looks much later than 9pm.
I have always been an early morning person. Even as a teenager I never slept until noon. Sleeping late would mean getting up at 8. The cat loves this because he likes a 5am breakfast. During the week we have an alarm clock with a back up cat alarm. Sleeping late and getting to work late was never a problem.
Usually I have slept pretty well with growing problems of insomnia over the years. Chemo treatment and stress are definitely insomnia problems. Back pain can make it had to get comfortable and sleep.
But now I no longer have any sleep problem - other than not getting enough. Both rheumatoid and fibromyalgia cause fatigue. In the past few months I have been able to take naps daily if I want, sleep ten hours a night. In the past few weeks I need both hands to count the number of times I have slept in past 8 am. I have also gotten more than 10 hours of sleep on many nights. Yesterday I woke up at 930 am.
Each week I find that by Friday I am exhausted from getting up to go to work three mornings. I can't get enough sleep during the week. By Friday night I need at least 12 hours.
I don't have enough time in my life to sleep so much. I'll have to give something up - like going to doctor appointments. That would give me more time for sleep. Ha. As if.
I don't know who said that but it is true. Maybe its just a mattress commercial but I still like it.
I have never been the late night partier (well except college but who wasn't then and maybe a few other times but the statute of limitations is now well past on all my 20 something activities).
I believe, and have for decades, that 9 pm is a good time to go to bed for adults. A friend once accused me of living like a little kid by going to bed so early. My husband believes the same thing - I think mostly due to his military years and maybe because 21:00 looks much later than 9pm.
I have always been an early morning person. Even as a teenager I never slept until noon. Sleeping late would mean getting up at 8. The cat loves this because he likes a 5am breakfast. During the week we have an alarm clock with a back up cat alarm. Sleeping late and getting to work late was never a problem.
Usually I have slept pretty well with growing problems of insomnia over the years. Chemo treatment and stress are definitely insomnia problems. Back pain can make it had to get comfortable and sleep.
But now I no longer have any sleep problem - other than not getting enough. Both rheumatoid and fibromyalgia cause fatigue. In the past few months I have been able to take naps daily if I want, sleep ten hours a night. In the past few weeks I need both hands to count the number of times I have slept in past 8 am. I have also gotten more than 10 hours of sleep on many nights. Yesterday I woke up at 930 am.
Each week I find that by Friday I am exhausted from getting up to go to work three mornings. I can't get enough sleep during the week. By Friday night I need at least 12 hours.
I don't have enough time in my life to sleep so much. I'll have to give something up - like going to doctor appointments. That would give me more time for sleep. Ha. As if.
My daily nap
I have never been one for taking naps. I mean probably since I turned 3 I haven't been much of a napper. There was one semester in college where I found a daily nap meant I could stay out late at the campus bar, make it to my early classes at the same time, and keep my grades up. But I was also young then. During chemo, I did become a fan of napping for a while but then I got past that. And those naps were chemically induced shall we say.
Now I have again learned about the benefits of my daily nap. When possible I seem to fit in a daily nap of 2 hours or so if I can. Even if I go to bed early I still need my daily nap.
This is a side benefit of rheumatoid and fibromyalgia. I call it a benefit because my cat appreciates the daily nap as well.
There are people who do not understand my need for sleep and rest these days. Its not going to change anytime soon. Nor is it possible to work up to staying up and not requiring sleep. Evening events are tough for me, not that I have ever been much of a night owl but now you can pretend I'm either 2 and need a daily nap or 90 and need a daily nap.
For now, I need my sleep. There is hope I will get past this at some point but I'm not so sure.
Now I have again learned about the benefits of my daily nap. When possible I seem to fit in a daily nap of 2 hours or so if I can. Even if I go to bed early I still need my daily nap.
This is a side benefit of rheumatoid and fibromyalgia. I call it a benefit because my cat appreciates the daily nap as well.
There are people who do not understand my need for sleep and rest these days. Its not going to change anytime soon. Nor is it possible to work up to staying up and not requiring sleep. Evening events are tough for me, not that I have ever been much of a night owl but now you can pretend I'm either 2 and need a daily nap or 90 and need a daily nap.
For now, I need my sleep. There is hope I will get past this at some point but I'm not so sure.
Things that go bump in the night
The cat and my husband didn't move a muscle. I think it was a bird or large bat (biggish thud) with a poor sense of radar and/or vision. Yes it was the middle of the night but the house is light green so you think it would stand out to flying things. It was probably only a foot or two from the corner of the house... (Why am I thinking of 'George of the Jungle' who couldn't swing from tree to tree, but went into the tree instead?)
This is me in avoidance mode this morning. I have a doctor appointment today I am not ready to discuss. So I will worry about things that go bump in the night instead. And hope there isn't a little suprise waiting outside on the patio for me...
Sleepy, sleepy, sleepy
I have never been a late night person. 10pm is late for me. I was always the child who willingly went to bed early. Maybe because I used to ice skate for a couple of hours before school that helped me with going to bed. But I have never lost the habit. When I met my husband I was pleasantly surprised that he is on the same schedule.
Our cat is the 5am kitty. For some reason he has decided its his breakfast time. We do not really appreciate that part. He has a little internal alarm clock that is consistent every day, including weekends. (When he visits my parents when we are away, they say he doesn't bother them until much later.)
I am a morning person as well. I have also had the problem of waking up at 3 am regularly and usually get back to sleep with in a reasonable amount of time. Sometimes I am up for a few hours. Then I would get up in the morning a little cranky but okay.
But last spring I changed some of my prescriptions and one of them makes me tired. I'm not sure which one for sure but I think I can narrow it down. Anyway, I don't feel as tired in the evening and go to bed at my normal time. But I can't wake up in the morning.
Today was no different. I went to bed at my normal time last night. Woke up at 230 and was up for a bit. Then I slept through the alarm and three snooze alarms. Finally I woke up and realized 'crap, now I'm late'. But at least I got my 8 hours in.
Our cat is the 5am kitty. For some reason he has decided its his breakfast time. We do not really appreciate that part. He has a little internal alarm clock that is consistent every day, including weekends. (When he visits my parents when we are away, they say he doesn't bother them until much later.)
I am a morning person as well. I have also had the problem of waking up at 3 am regularly and usually get back to sleep with in a reasonable amount of time. Sometimes I am up for a few hours. Then I would get up in the morning a little cranky but okay.
But last spring I changed some of my prescriptions and one of them makes me tired. I'm not sure which one for sure but I think I can narrow it down. Anyway, I don't feel as tired in the evening and go to bed at my normal time. But I can't wake up in the morning.
Today was no different. I went to bed at my normal time last night. Woke up at 230 and was up for a bit. Then I slept through the alarm and three snooze alarms. Finally I woke up and realized 'crap, now I'm late'. But at least I got my 8 hours in.
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