Sleep

Sleep generally the most look forward to task of my day.  The magic time when anything can happen, within the confines of my mind of course.  The questions of what will I dream about tonight?  Will I remember my dreams? What wonderful adventure will I go on?  What crime mystery might I solve?  Will I be me or perhaps don the part of some mythical hero?  With prospects like this how can anyone pass up the opportunity to embark on sleep.

I remember a time when I could sleep anywhere, anytime, through anything - sleep was my superpower.  Over the last 2 years I seem to have found my kryptonite.  Something that has drained me of my super sleep powers - but what could it be?

I recognise that change in sleep habits (especially now since returning from the USA on Monday) might be part of the problem.  A list of reasons why one might not be sleeping...

1) Jet lag
2) New environment (different bed, loss or addition of sleep partner, animals in room. snoring of partner/animals/roommate)
3) Too much light in the room
4) Mood disorder (depression, anxiety, stress)
5) Being on the computer late

Currently I'm pinning my lack of sleep on jet lag and the fact that I have been sleeping 13 hour days - eeek*

A few things that might help me sleep...

1)














Great idea, seeing as I lost my favourite pink eye mask on the airplan, however my room is pretty dark.


2)















or















Will the book put me to sleep because its boring or will it offer good tips on sleeping?

3)













a noise machine will that aid, maybe I need the sound of the ocean, or a heartbeat or the rain?


4)















Cuddly and plush, if it works for baby maybe it can work for me?

5)















and finally the magic pill, mine is a little blue one Advil PM, however having taken it an over 2 hours ago, it still has not helped lull me to sleep, sigh*

Hopefully I can get on a normal sleep routine, and kick the jet lag, I should probably get up by 8am tomorrow instead of sleeping in until noon.  If its any consolation it is 5am in DC when I wake up at noon.

19 October 2010 Sacramento

Task:  6h00 flight to Sacramento out of Washington’s Reagan airport, the metro opens at 5am, the train trip should be about 8 minutes.  It’s doable, if I’m on the first train out of the Gallery Place Chinatown metro station I’ll get there with time to spare.

I wake up at 4h30, bags packed the night before waiting at the door for me to pick them up and be on my way, clothes laid out and on a hanger in the bathroom, so that I can get dressed without having to think about it.

I set my alarm, and due to past experiences of my alarm clock not going off at the time I set it for, or as a result of me setting it for pm instead of am, I wake up every half-hour from midnight to 4h30.  Which is was to my benefit as my alarm clock did not go off, I don’t know why, although I want to blame the most un-user friendly phone Nokia has ever made.

I’m out of the door at 4h45 and at the station waiting for the metro man to open the gates at 4h50.  Standing at the bottom of the escalators with an interesting black man who without any shame loudly states “I don’t like white people.” 

Five o’clock rolls round, no metro man – okay thats fine, maybe my watch is fast.

Five ten, still no metro man – hmmm, I know metro opens at 5 am, where is this guy?

Five fifteen, Mr Metro where are you please hurry up!  This is clearly not running like clockwork.

Five twenty, loud round of applause the metro man is here!  Woohoo,

Down to the platform, the train arrives at 5h25, I’m not going to make my flight.  I arrive at Reagan and get bumped to the next flight 7h15 – clear security, show photo i.d. and boarding pass, shoes off, jackets off, scarf off, lap top out, liquids out, x-ray everything, brace yourself for the possibility of being felt up, I mean frisked, then take on the task of re-packing and dressing as quickly as possible like the pit crew of a formula one race.  Clearing airport security could be an Olympic sport.

First class to Dallas, the Captains golden moment “We’re on time just a little bit ahead of schedule.”  Sorry captain but the fact that we’re ahead of schedule denotes that we’re not on time but ahead of it... hmmm*

First class from Dallas to Sacramento at by the seat of my pants, thank you first class passenger for not checking in and allowing me to take your seat.  Finally enroute to Sacramenton, this flight arrived 45 minutes ahead of schedule, in the pilots words “Good news for you we’re ahead of schedule we’ll be landing 45 minutes early.”  Good news for who?  I still need to wait an hour to be picked up.