I’m sick, but that is not interesting to talk about. Too bad too because I have a whole lot of ideas about sickness.
I mostly think that I am a fairly hardy person. I believe in moderation and my body forces me to stay moderate. That being said, I am often sick after visiting my in-laws. It isn’t them. They are wonderful people. It is me. I don’t have it in me to stay up late, and that is what they do. I want to be with them, but time and time again I find that after a few days of going to bed at some hour that would be fine for other people (like 11pm), I get sick.
I think some of it is the way that I burn through energy. I am a natural morning person and sort of an extender. I don’t save much energy during the day. I don’t know how to conserve. Even with taking a nap, I am really usually very tired by about 8pm or so. The kids also don’t permit any sleeping in. Sleeping in is about 7:30am (which is awesome!). If only I had the discipline that I enforce on them! They have a bed time of about 7:30pm. If I were smart, I would follow at 9:30pm at the latest.
I feel like a big loser; the kid who can’t stay up late at the slumber party. That is me. Sicky.
Are you a toughy or a sicky? What pushes you over the edge?
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In terms of viruses I am a toughy. I am also a natural night owl. So, if you were to force me to get up early in the morning, I would be a grumpy bear! I don’t know what pushes me off the edge except stress, or maybe the time coming off of stress. As you know I have suffered from migraine headaches for all my life. In my late 20′s, I took a private course in biofeedback to try to control my headaches without drugs. I learned something very interesting. For years I swore that my headaches weren’t caused by stress since I didn’t feel stress when I got them. My biofeedback teacher told me that it doesn’t work that way. My migraines could be caused by stress, and don’t appear until I relax. It was so true! One example was when I drove through the Gorge at night in heavy rain. The trucks were splashing the water up so that I couldn’t see, and there were a lot of trucks that night. I was so stressed and scared, not for me, but for my three kids in the car. The next day, when everything was safe and calm, I had a HUGE headache. It’s kind of the fight or flight thing. As soon as the fight is over and everything is safe, I get sick. So, I just realized as I type, that if I am a toughy and get sick when I calm down, I must be stressed most of the time! Hmmm. I also see a trend with hormones and the monthly cycle. When I do get sick, it seems it is often during or right before “the time”.
December 5th, 2009
I am NOT a morning person. I suppose if I ever have three kids (or any kids, but three seems like a slightly overwhelming number without being totally unrealistic for me) who wake up before 7 a.m. then I will be so exhausted that I’ll want to go to sleep by 9:30. But as it is, I can be tired tired tired all afternoon, and 8 p.m. rolls around and my creativity kicks into high gear and I can stay up until 3 a.m.! The same does not go for staying up that late socializing, though… my intervertedness makes me exhausted long before 3 a.m. would roll around!
So I think that I am a toughy when it comes to getting sick, but the downside is that instead of getting sick I just become cranky and horrible. I love our entire mutual in-laws crowd, but that many people in one house for hours and hours and days and games and hours and games and debates and hours just drains my batteries… and when I get very exhausted, I have little to no patience. I’m getting better about knowing my limits and how to take breaks and trying to communicate more effectively with Jason, but it’s still a challenge!
December 5th, 2009
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree….. how true! I am neither a morning nor an evening person although I have always had to carefully monitor my energy. I’ve taken thyroid medication since I was fourteen and find that by keeping fairly regular hours, exercise, and basically trying to practice fairly consistent healthy habits, I am able to do what I need to do. My friends who are in my age group are generally impressed with my level of activity and energy but most of them have come to the same conclusion that I have…… SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE.
You might get checked on thyroid function sometime although even medicated, I need to keep reasonable hours and take care of myself.
December 5th, 2009
I am so much more of a morning person. I wish that dance clubs were open in the morning, because then I could go! But as it is, I don’t do much at night.
I haven’t been sick in like 6 months, which is really weird for me. I’m trying to figure out what I’ve been doing right, and I have no idea. I’ve been running more and eating more fruit. Not sure if there is any relationship, but I’m going to continue it just in case.
December 5th, 2009
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