I don’t know how it’s mid-February already—2018 is flying and it’s also kicking my ass. I woke up sick today and have to travel to Texas. This is Mexico 2.0. I can’t even.
The last few weeks have me off my game since my upstairs neighbors decided to kick it like it’s 2014 and are back to their old ways of staying up all night, banging around, vacuuming at 3 am, screaming at each other from midnight to 2 am, and letting the kids run back and forth through the place from 7 am until 11 pm. I’m so sleep deprived I have no idea how I even dress myself in the morning.
As I’ve been lying awake at night fuming, I’ve thought back to when I was a terrible sleeper. Now I’m just a light sleeper, but back then, I always had trouble falling asleep and would lay in bed at least an hour usually rehashing my day or going through tomorrows to-do list. Constantly thinking and worrying. It was terrible. And it didn’t help that my sleep patterns were off because I would stay out late 2-3 nights a week and then sleep in until noon on the weekends. Sleep needs to be consistent in order to be effective and that was not.
A couple years ago I got into some good habits and created a bed routine and for once I wasn’t worrying about life and if I started to, I would remind myself that I can’t do anything while laying in bed so I can think about it in the AM. It worked out well. Then I got a new job which had me getting up at 5 am with an hour commute and neighbors who kept me awake at night. I also gained weight around that time ( some of that was new relationship= eating and drinking more) and always felt tired by 3 pm. Then once I changed jobs and could sleep until 6:30 am, a lot of things go better like my mood, energy, health and that’s when I realized that I NEEDED SLEEP! 7 hours were perfect, I would love 8 but that’s asking for a lot. I’m not gonna push it.
Since I was able to sleep more and had a shorter commute to work I would get home the same time as the job before but I wasn’t exhausted. I was able to work out and meal prep and still have some time to do other things and I wasn’t tired and hungry at 4pm. But this neighbor nonsense has me reliving the old days and I hate it. I liked my new sleep routine and I want it back.
My skin has looked atrocious since I’ve only been getting 2-6 hours of interrupted sleep most of the nights since New Years. 3 weeks into this Chinese Torture I lay on the couch at 4 am and just cried until it was time to get up for work (But I figured out if I was a POW I would last about 20 days before I broke so that’s a silver lining!). I can’t believe I pay $1300 to be tortured. What a waste of money. I’m too tired to work out, my mind doesn’t work as fast, I’m forgetting things, and my body just feels bleh. I feel stressed out because I’m angry they’re not letting me sleep but I also feel my immunity going down (case in point: woke up sick today). I’m drinking the same amount of water (that is also the key to health!) eating about the same as before but I don’t feel as tight and fit and I can only do 2 out of 4 workouts for the week.
And now I really see: SLEEP Literally cures ALL!
There are countless articles about the benefits of sleep and here are the top reasons why you should get some more zzz’s:
Better mood
Better health–healthy heart and reduces chance of diabetes!
Better weight control
Clearer thinking
Better memory
Stronger immunity
Less stress
That all equals a better life, and for the last 2 years I was living my best life. So, now I have to find a new apartment so I can sleep. I’m hoping we can do that by April 1st so I can live in a happy home because I’m not sure how much more I can take of this.
Tonight we are traveling to Texas to visit Austin, Waco and Dallas but I’m most excited for hotel sleep. I can’t wait.
Life With Purpose (And Other Things) 