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I'm feeling out-of-sorts. And grouchy with it.
I've always classified myself as a "night-owl" type. Left to my own devices, my body clock seems to set itself quite happily to the hours of darkness.
At least, this is what I tell myself. Psychology, see! Larks and night-owls and body clocks...
Unfortunately, my spiritual director has also studied Psychology... and has pointed out one or two home truths. Humans being able to train and adjust their body clocks being one of them. And the necessity of allowing enough time for sleep so as not to induce a state of sleep deprivation being another.
"Oh, but I can
never get to sleep before midnight!" I countered, the last time we discussed this aspect of my life. "...Even if I'm in bed earlier, I just lie there..."
A few days later, my SD observed me ordering another after-dinner coffee. "You might want to consider your caffeine intake," he suggested, ever so gently.
My gut response (as always) was one of definitive denial. Two cups of coffee in the evening was nothing to be concerned about... I always drank coffee... that's hardly
anything...
...and then he pointed out that I had also consumed two pints of Coca Cola, my usual beverage when I'm driving. And that made my caffeine intake rather high for an evening.
As is the usual way for me, I initially refused to acknowledge that there could be any foundation in fact for this idea. After all, I run on coffee all day at school. I even have my own coffee machine. And I don't have trouble sleeping... I just don't
feel sleepy until midnight... and at weekends I don't normally drink coffee, unless I go out for a meal... though I do drink plenty of coke... and tea...
The more I thought about it, the more I began to acknowledge that there might be something in it. So I decided to put it to the test. My caffeine intake at school has been seriously reduced (I don't think I could ever survive without
any coffee) and I have resolved not to drink any caffeinated drinks until I've sorted out my sleeping pattern.
The result? I have been tired and lacking in energy for the past two days. By the end of Monday I had a splitting headache, and went to bed at 9:30pm. I then couldn't sleep until 10:45pm, woke up at about 11:30pm, then 2am, 3:30am, 4:30am, 5am and finally 7am (which is cutting things a bit fine for school.) I've also been grouchy and irritable.
I shall give it until Half Term. Until then, don't mess with me. Or my blog.