The Effects of Lack of Sleep

Last night was one of those nights where I just couldn't sleep.  I was awake off and on, finally looking at my phone and completing a couple of paint by number puzzles to get my mind to shut off.  It didn't work very well, so this morning was a struggle for me.

I had an early hair appointment in Francesville.  In the past I have struggled with driving when I am sleepy.  I didn't really yawn too much on the drive there and back, but I noticed that my reactions were not as sharp as they should have been and I was not focusing on the lanes as I usually do.  I was very glad to arrive home after two hours on the road.  It was also the first time I drove to Francesville and back without any side trips of any kind.  I turned at the gas plant, drove to the church and dropped off two blackberry pie bars for Tina, then drove on down the street to NV Salon.  After my haircut I drove to the stop sign in the center of town, turned right and drove to 421, turned left and headed home.  Just a different trip for me.  I was there less time than it took to drive there and back.

After I arrived home, we left again so Gary could go to his appointment with Dr. Hart.  That is where the tiredness really set in.  As I sat in the very quiet waiting room, trying to read my book, the yawning began, my eyes grew heavy, and I was struggling to stay awake.  In fact my eyes did close a couple of times and I had to force them to remain open because I knew I was in danger of nodding off right there in the waiting room.  While it was empty except for one or two other people, it was also the pathway from the rest of the clinic to the doors to the parking lot so many people, mostly young families with children, walked through.

Lunch out was at Longhorn.  I ordered a sirloin steak, broccoli, and a salad with a glass of water.  Much as I enjoy iced tea I am switching to water with lemon since I am trying not to drink much at meals.  Paying for an iced tea and leaving much of it in the glass seems like a waste of money to me.  Water is free and much more filling anyway.  Once again I was struggling during the meal to stay awake and I could feel my patience with everything diminishing.  It was a treat for us to be able to enjoy lunch out in a place other than take out from a drive thru, and I felt like I was ruining it.

Since I was tired, we nixed the plan to drive by the place on 26 outside of Rossville which sells mums.  I wanted to pick up a few pots for decorations for the party on Saturday.  However I was quickly becoming exhausted and decided to push that back to a task for tomorrow.

Instead we returned home.  We had pulled the sheets off the bed to wash, and since they were dry, took some time to re-make the bed.  I changed into shorts and a top and crawled under the quilt.  I think I was out within five minutes. 

When I awoke, it was nearly three hours later.  Both of the shades were drawn.  The television was on.  And once Gary heard the toilet in the master bathroom flush and he knew I was awake, he came upstairs to check on me again.  I had missed a couple of phone calls and a couple of text messages (none of which awakened me), and the thunder of a coming storm was beginning to rumble.

Later I came downstairs for a dinner of leftovers, to wrap Owen's birthday gifts for tomorrow, and to work on my new OBS.  But I feel funny.  I feel like I am just going through the motions of the evening.  I have no energy.  I am still tired.  I remember feeling this same way when I would take a nap on Sunday afternoons when I was teaching.  Groggy.  Out of sorts.  Just listless and grumpy.

So the plan is to head back to bed soon.  Reading some of my book should allow me to rest.  Taking a Tylenol PM will aid also.  I plan to go to the Fitness Center in the morning, then there are lots of things to do, including going for lunch to celebrate Owen's 4th birthday.

Naps are good, but that lack of good sleep at night seems to do me in every time.  I never seem to catch up.

Grumpy me is going to bed, and I am hoping for a better tomorrow!