Friday, July 22, 2011

All Hours

My sleep has been really, really messed up this week.

One of the consequences of this was the fact that my alarm went off for AN HOUR this morning, while I had a very complicated Bourne-Identity-dream in which I could not get the beeping to stop. At one point, in the dream, I had something in my hand that wouldn't stop beeping (like Phoebe with the fire alarm) and I covertly deposited it in a coat pocket in a women's department store. Then I went out to the parking lot and stole a car with Matt Damon, but then something in the car started beeping. It was torture. I was really grateful when Matt (my husband, not Damon) came along and asked if I was ever getting up; that's when I realized I truly could make the beeping stop.

My sleeping is generally a little messed up anyway. I'm a night owl in a family of early risers and I find it nearly impossible to go to sleep before eleven. Usually it is closer to midnight and occasionally later than that. Which, as you can imagine, makes me a real peach when the kids get up at 6 or 6:30. Here's one of our dirty little family secrets - I don't always get up when the kids get up, especially in the summer. Often Matt will get them breakfast before he leaves for work and then they play or watch television until I manage to get out of bed - we live in a ranch and my door is open, so I can hear them, especially if there is a problem. All of this will shift a little when school starts again - I haven't driven through the car line in my pajamas, yet. Also, Harper is old enough to procure some types of breakfast for both of them and will often just do that if Matt is gone when they wake up - she often does this without even coming to see if I'm awake. Sad or awesome?

This year my "seasonal" (which are really year round) allergies have been worse than ever. I had been taking generic Zyrtec and it wasn't working as well as it used to. So this week I switched to generic Allegra. And it's sort of wonderful - my nose isn't running, I don't want to claw my eyes out! But there's one teeny, tiny side affect that I hadn't counted on... I can't sleep.

It isn't that I'm tired and I can't fall asleep, I don't even feel particularly tired. My eyes won't get droopy. Monday night/Tuesday morning I finally gave up and came out to the living room to watch a movie. On one hand, if I only slept two or three hours a night I could finally catch up on all your blogs and answer some email and label all those photos I've been meaning to get to... On the other hand, I'm pretty sure there would eventually be some less-than-ideal physiological consequences of not sleeping.

Do any of you have experience with this? I've not even been taking the Allegra for a week - maybe my body will adjust? Let's hope so, because being wide awake at 1:45 a.m. is really, really strange.

6 comments:

Erin said...

Oh hon. I sincerely sympathize on the insomnia. I'm so sorry, it's such a drag (understatement!). That dream is simultaneously funny and dreadful.

I'm sure you've thought of this, but could it be the time of day you're taking the Allegra? Also, I wouldn't hesitate to take some sleeping aid for a while, just to get you back on track. But, that's what tends to work for me...

I miss you. I'm gonna call soon.

Jill said...

I've got pregnancy insomnia, and soon, I'll have new mom zombie coma. Fun. I had real issues last night, so I can really feel your pain. Keeley was up at 6, I had barely gotten up and my eyes open when she started yelling. My husband decided to try working from home today. Should be interesting. Blues Clues is already on. Pathetic, but at least he's not bothered.

Emily said...

I've probably told you this, but my first memory of hearing your name was when I visited Cindy in your freshman dorm, and she told me about this girl whose alarm would go off for a really long time until her roommate would yell, "Kelsey [Maiden Name]!! I'm gonna KEEL you!"

But I can relate. I'm a night owl, my husband is the opposite. I would love to stay up until 12 or 1 and sleep until 8 or 9, in an ideal world. And I can let my (radio) alarm go off, snoozing away, for longer than my husband can tolerate. I even won a radio contest when I was still single called "Worst Morning Person in [My City]" in which I got a $375 gift card to Caribou Coffee. So hitting snooze had its privileges.

So sorry about the Allegra issue. I'm wondering if it's withdrawal from Zyrtec, which makes you sleepy? (I take generic Z) If that were the case, I'd expect it to get better in a week or so. Over the counter Unisom is a good mild sleep aid if you needed something in the meantime.

bluedaisy said...

I am also a night owl but it's one thing to be up voluntarily and quite another to be unable to fall asleep. I've suffered insomnia most of my life and now it is thankfully rare.
And my allergies have been worse this year as well. Was taking name-brand Zyrtec, tried generic Z and it felt like nothing. Back on name-brand and sadly, it IS worth the extra $.
I agree with the time of day thoughts. Also, are you taking Allegra or Allegra-D? The "D" versions of any allergy med tend to give me sleep issues. I take the "none-D" version and take it in the morning--no sleep effects.
I am also a snooze button champ...maybe you, Emily and I can have a contest some day--LOL!

tracy said...

Have you ever tried melatonin? I've never used it, but it seems to help Seth fall asleep.

Oh, and your morning set-up, where you stay asleep as long as possible? I definitely vote AWESOME.

ps: Took the big girls to see Winnie the Pooh this morning and thought of you a lot! Will you guys go?

CARRIE said...

I have had sleep issues since becoming a mom, but I find that if my children would just STOP WAKING ME UP ALL HOURS OF THE NIGHT, it would help tremendously.

I take Alavert-D 12-hour because if I take 24-hour my sleep gets screwed up. And I switched to only decaf tea, which I drink for supper.

Insomnia is awful....no doubt about it. I often take a half Unisom just to ensure that I can go back to sleep quickly when the kids wake me...rather than being completely awake thinking about all sorts of things over which I have no control.