Tuesday, May 20, 2008

New Sleep Patterns

A final few days before the internship begins, 2:00am Monday morning (Memorial Day). I decided to use this week to change my sleep patterns in anticipation.

It's not an easy thing.

I'm a night owl by nature, but staying up all night and trying to sleep during the day is not easy. My bedroom has a very nice set of thick "black-out" curtains but my natural rhythm is to not sleep past about 10:30 or 11:00am.

Last night, I stayed up until about 4:15 am, then went to bed. Unfortunately, like clockwork I was awake at just before 10:00am. I did get up, but only for a couple hours before going back to lay down for about 90mins during the afternoon. I felt sorta...sick...all day, at times like my body was running on nervous energy and I kinda staggered around the house and at times, I think, somewhat incoherant when talking to my dad. It was as if my body knew things were out of whack (I should be awake and doing something!) and didn't know how to respond (I will use all available energy resources to ensure that the work is done!). Even when I did lay down, I could feel the blood and adrenaline coursing through my body. It was not a pleasant feeling. I lay down this evening about 8:30 and had the same feeling coursing through my body.

I'm writing this at about midnight and my plan is stay up until about 7:00 am, take a sleeping pill (over the counter variety) and try to sleep as much on Wednesday as I can. Hopefully by Sunday, my body will recognize the new pattern and things will be ok. I know on Monday I will be running on adrenaline anyway, because I'll actually be there at the station starting the internship and the pattern of sleeping during daytime and being awake all night will quickly become apparent to my body's internal clock.

2 comments:

choral_composer said...

Hopefully the better living through chemistry will kick in soon!

choral_composer said...

Im thinking of you as you begin your internship Memorial Day...I'm sure you will be great.

Can't wait till you are back in Houston and can come see the new house :)