Rant #2,199: Sleep Walk

Yes, I overslept today, and I overslept pretty badly.

I woke up 45 minutes later than I normally do, and yes, you can call me the following adjectives:

Tired ... burnt out ... worn away ... and I am sure there are plenty more terms that you could use (be nice!) to describe me today.

It is very difficult to work through the summer without a vacation and without much of a break, but that is what I have been doing, not agreeably, but begrudgingly.

I have to wait about five weeks for my vacation, and at this point, I am counting the weeks, the minutes, the seconds and the milliseconds until that time comes.

We are in the dog days of August, you know, and it seems that I haven't had a real break in months.

I have taken a day off here and there, left work early a few times, but it is always for a reason, a purpose, and I have not really taken off to relax at all.

Yes, it is difficult to work pretty much all the way through the summer without a break, and yes, I feel like I have been hit by the proverbial truck at this point.

My only salvation is that if I can just get through today, I have two days awaiting me where I am not at work.

I can't sit on my hands during Saturday and Sunday either. My family and I have things that we have to do, so it will be a busy weekend, but at least my base will be at home, so I might be able to while away a few hours over the weekend to just chill out.

Last weekend, I was so tired on Saturday that I actually passed out in the late morning and early afternoon, taking a nap for four hours--and that was after sleeping nine hours during the evening, so all told, I slept 13 hours last Saturday.

I never do that, and I mean never.

My son, well, my son can sleep and sleep and sleep. He has always been a good sleeper, able to pack way literally 14 hours at a time if we let him or if he has no work that day.

Me, if I sleep three hours straight without getting up, I am lucky.

There are two different ways of thought about sleeping as you get older.

Some studies suggest that your sleep patterns change as you get older, and actually that you don't need as much sleep when older as you did as a younger person.

Other studies claim that no matter what your age, you should get at least eight hours of sleep each night.

I have never been the greatest sleeper--I have heard some stories about me as a toddler, not sleeping in my crib, but loving to doze off in my carriage, probably keeping my parents up all night in doing so--and it continued into childhood, teenagedom, through my early adult years, and into the current time.

No, I don't have sleep apnea--I have actually been tested for that--I am simply a lousy sleeper, open to wake up due to a sudden noise or simply because I have had enough sleep for that particular day.

Last night, I just woke up at about 12:30--after falling asleep at about 8:30--and I just could not fall back asleep. I even changed my sleep venue--we have a chair in the living room that is conducive to comfort and good sleep--and I think I probably fell asleep there for maybe 10 or 20 minutes, but it was too warm for continued sleep, so I went back into the air conditioned bedroom, where I tossed and turned some more, but evidently, I did get back to sleep at some point.

I then slept way past the time I usually get up, and here I am now--it is past 5 a.m.--and I am still writing this entry.

Between being burnt out and having a poor sleep, keep me in your thoughts today. I am sure I will make it through the day, but it will be a real grind.

Speak to you again on Monday, and have a real restful and good weekend.