Saturday Six #490

Happy Saturday!  Want to know how to get ThirtyWhat to wake up at seven a.m. on a Saturday?  Let her fall asleep at 8:30 on Friday night.  I know ... I am so hip and cool, right?  I was laying across the end of the bed watching Shaun of the Dead ... and I dozed off.  I woke up about one o'clock to the sounds of people fighting and dishes breaking.  I have no idea what movie was on ... but, at some point, I had kicked the remote off the bed.  I spent the next five minutes desperately feeling around on the floor for it ... just trying to make the noise stop.

I'm not sure what is in store for this glorious Saturday.  I need to run to the bank and pay the mortgage and straighten up a few things around here.  Since it's going to be 91 degrees today, I suspect whatever I do is going to involve central air.  But thanks to the fact I slept my Friday night away ... I'm up and dressed and the bed is made.  What can't I accomplish today??

Saturday Six

1. How many hours of sleep do you get in a typical night? - On weekdays I typically fall asleep about 10:30 and my alarm is set for 6:30.  That's a straight eight hours.  Occasionally it's more ... often it's less.  But weekends ... oh sweet sweet weekends ... I live to sleep in on the weekends.

2. Do you feel this average is too few, too many or just right in terms of what you actually need? - My nephrologist assures me that eight hours is the minimum that I need to sleep given my kidney function.  I think she's full of shit.  When I get seven hours, I notice it's easier to get up ... easier to wake up and get moving.  Still ... I listen to her ... and each morning is a struggle.

3. You can’t get to sleep: what food or beverage most often helps you get to sleep? - Hot chocolate ... made with warm milk.  Want to know the problem with that?  In order to have hot chocolate made with warm milk, you have to go downstairs, heat up the milk, get out the cocoa, carry it back upstairs ... by that point?  I'm even more awake.  Really, it's better to pop a Tylenol PM and call it good.  Better living through chemicals, I always say.

4. Does a big meal later in the evening make you more likely to sleep or less likely to sleep? - Unfortunately, much more likely ... we used to joke that my Dad's side of the family couldn't eat anything without needing a nap.  After Thanksgiving dinner, our living room looked like Jonestown.  Someone on the floor ... someone on the couch ... Dad stretched out in his recliner.  Dad's family was all about the itis ...

5. Have you ever taken an over-the-counter or prescription sleep aid? If so, did it get you results? - How odd you should ask.  One night this week I was having trouble sleeping, so I took some Melatonin.  Idiots Anonymous gave me a bottle awhile back to try.  And it does help.  In fact it gives me a very nice drowsy feeling.  The problem?  The next morning ... hell the whole next day ... it's like I'm walking through jello.  Melatonin hangover is a bitch.  That's why I don't take it unless I really have to.

6. Have you ever tried setting an earlier bedtime for yourself? If so, how long did it take you to adjust to it? - I've never tried to make a big adjustment as far as sleeping goes.  I've worked a typical eight hour day ever since I graduated high school ... so I've typically fallen asleep and woke up about the same time ever since.   Heck, I've had the same job for 23 years ... so ... I guess we'll see how my habits change in two weeks!

Okay ... that's a wrap!  I'm gonna act like a responsible adult and go pay the mortgage!  Allons-y!

Sun is shinin' in the sky
There ain't a cloud in sight
It's stopped rainin'
Ev'rybody's in a play
And don't you know
It's a beautiful new day hey,hey

ELO - Mr. Blue Sky