Sleep Deprivation

I remember the days as a hung-over college student when I could sleep until 1:00pm or take 2 days to lay in my bed only getting up to use the bathroom, have sex, and eat.  Those were officially my golden years and I realize that my ability to function coherently on 5 or less hours of sleep has departed. The staple of college is pulling all-nighters, staying up to hand in one of those 15 page papers you cranked out in 2 hours after coming home from a Thursday Quarter Drink Night! Then smudging through classes and finding an extra boost of energy to go out Friday night and party like a drunken rock star. 

My favorite was partying all night and when they finally decided to close the club at 2am you and your friends in a drunken state decided it would be a great idea to road trip from GA to NC right then to visit your roommates’ boyfriend at another college.  Oh and then drive back in the wee hours of the next morning so you could make it to work on time (only stopping so people could throw-up and then to grab McDonalds griddle cakes for fuel).  Did anybody else do that or was that just my crazy crew?

Either way I miss not needing much to get by, it made life easier when I was the busy 19 year old me. School, working 2 jobs, and drinking require a lot of your time and sleep just got in the way of that.  Who needed sleep when you had 24-hour diners and fast food to keep your body going? 

Fast forward 10 years and I’m at the point in my life where I would sell a kidney for a decent night sleep and I don’t even have kids yet.  I know parents of infants are going through it right now trying to manage life and a newborn’s “lack of sleep” schedule. I feel your pain in a very very distant way. Between work, hobbies, family, relationships, and general mind warping sleep is sacrificed for the greater good right now.  But unlike in my college years, now without sleep, I’m useless.   I don’t have fast food to fuel my body mainly because it destroys my body so I had to give it up a few years back. And unlike many of you I do not drink coffee or tea so my caffeine fix comes from red bull or soda (both of which I’m trying to give up like a responsible adult).  So I’m a truly just a tired soul meandering through my work day running on about 4.75 hours of sleep!!!  Which means I am not reading emails accurately, I am not responding to conversation appropriately, I am not going to remember what floor I parked on come 4:30pm. I probably won’t even remember this day.  There will be no remembering important details or smiling when people ask stupid questions. I am having waking daydreams and altered perception at this point. My only focus is the warm feeling I get when I lay in my bed, pull the covers over my head and drift into a heavenly state of being where my eyes close and my dreams come true. I wish my office came equipped with a pull out cot so I could just rest my eyes.  I’m debating on weather I want to take my lunch break in the car and catch a quick 30 minute snooze. 

I know all the science tells you the importance of sleep and how lack of sleep negatively affects your health. Sleep guidelines say we should get about 7 -9 hours of it a night; tell that to my active life. Dating alone puts a cramp in that! Late night get to know you phone calls, evening rendezvous, sleep overs and 2am hanging outs.  Sure that’s fun but sleep was nowhere in that equation.  Combine those activities with early morning workdays, afternoon workouts, dinner parties, birthday gatherings, work functions, and general daily routines and what time is left for sleeping.  I’m thankful I have time to shower and eat. I can only imagine when I have kids the horrors I will see and the lack of sleep I will experience.  Sweet dreams to you smart people that go to bed at a decent hour one day I will be on your team. For now I am just going to drink my energy V8 Fusion, hope my logical thoughts return,  and pray for reprieve.