Monday, March 1, 2010

Resolution and Lent

This is the year of Control. It is so easy for life to get out of control and for chaos to take over. I've found a few places in my life that I can have power over with the hope of increasing my quality of life. So, I made a New Year's resolution as well as a commitment for the 40 days of Lent that I think I can actually achieve!

1) New Year (and hopefully every year thereafter): Don't chase the pain. Manage my pain level so it doesn't interfere with my marriage, my friendships, my hobbies, and general quality of life.

Lent: Get up at 5:30am EVERY day. 
Self denial - pushing myself out of bed instead of hitting snooze for another 90 minutes. Getting up early when I am NOT a morning person. Fasting from self-indulgence regarding morning snoozing. 

If I make myself get out of bed as soon as the alarm rings, and I do so between 5-6am, I can stay awake (mostly - still require 2-3 cups of black tea and some rest time, but noooo sleeping). I can be a responsible adult and get to work on time and perhaps get some more hours in the day, including nice ones with my husband who IS a morning person. 40 days of 5:30am might actually reset my internal clock for the better - including more restful sleep (more hours does not always equal more restful sleep for me). On the weekends, I can take naps; my hubby does anyway. Might as well join him and the cats.

Issues 1 and 2 are closely tied together. If I wait to wake up until a more reasonable hour during the work week, it is much harder to get up due to pain (snooze button to the rescue) and/or not hearing the alarm AT ALL(!). I am not sure what it is about those extra couple of hours that makes a difference?  Mind you, the pain is there even when I wake up at 5:30, but it is easier to have more power over it at that time. No clue why. But I do have to take my pain meds when I get up regardless of the time. Hmm, I hope that makes sense. When I let myself sleep on a day off, I will naturally wake up at ~8:30am, though it is soooo easy for me to sleep until noon or later! Ha ha!

2 comments:

  1. How are your 5:30 mornings going?
    Apparently I missed this post altogether. Don't know what happened there. I've been getting some e-mail notifications twice, and apparently not getting others at all.

    I know the feeling with the non-restful sleep, especially on the medication I'm taking. I can (and have) slept for 18 hours in a day, waking up enough to take my meds, have a snack, and go back to bed. I have to keep busy, or I'll just fall asleep again.

    I hope you're doing well.

    I need to get my passport so I can come visit you! And we can go out for coffee and scare the pants off the locals with our dislocating joints and bendy bits!

    We shall bring yarn, and pretty hats, and end up in padded rooms by the end of the outing!

    Sorry... My meds also make me hallucinate, just a bit.

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  2. Hi K,
    Well...sleeping seems to be something I am very good at. I am notorious for sleeping like you described. Forget it if I am sick! But, I also like to sleep. My dreams are sometimes more interesting than being awake, especially if I have a lot of chores to avoid. Slight digression but I wish I was a writer because I'd have a major motion picture by now - that's how vivid and detailed my dreams can be.

    Anyway, things are pretty good here. I have to write a new updated blog about my journey since the last post. It's been challenging.

    Yes, come down here for a warm vacation! Actually, now is the best time of year to be here, but that is unrealistic. Where I live in California is not very pretty and it is horribly hot during the summer, but the rest of the year can be nice, especially when you don't have to deal with snow unless you want to! Lake Tahoe and all its ski resorts are 2 hours away.

    I like your hallucinations! :)

    You've been on my mind a lot and I do hope you find some answers soon. Some peace in your heart would be good too.

    I'm heading to bed but I'll catch up again soon.
    hugs, me

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