Why so sleepy?

So, after all the sleep I got this week, I had one day of running around.  The next day, I was exhausted!  I slept most of the day away - and I had taken the meds, so that makes it really weird.  These days I like to try to figure out the reasons for any unexpected sleepiness.  It helps to make it all make sense.

My best guess today is that I'm on an anti-depressant and I am not taking it as regularly as I should.  It is the type of medicine that makes you drowsy, but you get used to it.  I wonder if taking it will less regularity makes me more tired.  I suspect that may be the case.  So, every time I realize this is happening, I redouble my efforts to take it more regularly.  Only trouble is my constantly fluctuating schedule, and need to take it with food.  I guess that's a first world problem, so I am not complaining.  Just noticing.

Sleepcation!

As you may know, I am a teacher in a high school.  In the beginning of the summer, there was a chance that I might lose my job for next year because of layoffs.  So, I made sure I had work through the summer at summer school and my second job, the post office.  For the past 2.5 weeks, I have been working more than full time hours at the post office, because the boss was on vacation.  Between that and being in a new relationship, I was exhausted!

This week, I am finally getting to enjoy my summer - now that it's almost over!  My boss is back from vacation, and summer school is a faint memory.  I have to work Wednesday & Saturday, but that's it for about a week or so.  Plus, my new love is also on vacation (he is also a teacher) but he is in Florida (I miss him terribly!).

So, What am I to do with myself?

Answer:  Sleepcation!!!

The first night I got home from the post office, I took a nap from 6 to 10, then I went to bed around 12 or so.  I slept until 11 the next morning!  Woot!  I haven't slept like that in months!  I feel so much better!  I have been taking a nap pretty much every day since, and I'm loving it!

The only drawback is that I'm an extrovert, and after 2 days of this I was lonely and bored out of my mind.  Turns out this is the week all of my friends are too busy for anything.  One is getting married in 2 weeks, one is beginning his 2nd year in the seminary, one is about to start her first year teaching...  I'm ready for my love to come home.  I dream of napping in his arms!  :)

Thanks for the comment!

When I posted about feeling drunk when I am too tired, I received a wonderful comment with a suggestion.  The suggestion was to take a brief nap, and I might feel better.

Today, I was working and I totally felt drunk/completely out of it.  I was certain I would not be safe driving home in that condition.  So, I took the advice!

I put my head down on my desk after work, and took a 15 or so minute nap.  When I woke up, I was very sleepy and a little groggy, but I did not feel so disoriented anymore!

It worked!  Thank you so much!  And keep the suggestions coming!

It's things like this that make me think I should go to the Narcolepsy Network conference in October in Ohio this year.  I didn't even know that I was unaware.

It's been a while...

I've been away from blogging for a while. So much has happened this summer!

I found out that in the fall I will continue my teaching job! This is wonderful news! Especially because I need health insurance - Nuvigil can be very expensive. No health insurance = no Nuvigil. No Nuvigil = excessive daytime sleepiness. Excessive daytime sleepiness = difficulty finding a job. Not a cycle I want to swirl down for a second time.

In July, I finally finished my Master's degree in Theology. If I can do that, I can do anything! That took lots of hours studying, and lots of time sleeping. Sometimes your brain learns things more deeply during sleep. Maybe we people with sleep disorders have an advantage over others mentally because of this? I'd like to see a research study dome on that!!!

And possibly most significantly, I fell in love. This is one of the most exhausting things I have done in recent memory! From the time when we had our first date and I couldn't sleep (Narcolepsy coupled with insomnia is brutal!), through our super late-night talks, to our sustained pleasurable emotions, I am tired! But the good news is that he is a wonderful man who will take good care of me when I need it.

This is the main reason that I have been away from my laptop the last few weeks. When I am done spending time with him, I'm exhausted and drained. If I am at his house, he lets me stay because it's a long drive home, and I tend to have trouble driving while sleepy.

Here's hoping that I'll get back to a good routine when the school year starts, and start back up again. Until then, happy napping!

Sleepiness Feeling like Drunkenness

Sometimes I get so sleepy that I feel like I'm drunk.  I used to drink when I was in college, so I know what drunk feels like.  But I haven't had a drink in around 5 years (alcoholism runs in my family, I decided to preemptively strike against it).  It's a scary feeling when I'm away from my house and I start to feel like this.  I usually try to sleep where I am, but that can't always work.

So, I invented a new idea!  The nap store! (I realize the logistics would make this pretty much impossible.)  I think that in every mall they should have a store set up like a mattress store and they should rent out nap time on the beds in 30 minute increments.  They could even charge a reasonably high fee so as to avoid problem customers.  I think this could make the world a safer place.

Ok, that's all I've got!