The Fatigue Factor
I’ve succumbed to the fact that I’m not getting any younger, and I just don’t have the same type of energy that I used to, especially my penchant for late nighters.
Like many teens, it started in senior high school, pulling off all-nighters and close-to all-nighters. I could never figure out which way I was more effective: with no sleep or with 2 or 3 hours sleep. Even if I laid down by 4am or so to get a few hours, I never really rested as I was worried that I would sleep through my alarm and miss the exam completely…rendering the previous cramming moot!
This trend of late nights continued through university and even after I married Gail and we had Sean and Jake. The routine was a predictable one: I would help put the boys to bed by 9pm, spend time with Gail (who fell asleep by 10pm) and then I would do what I had to do. Sometimes it was catching up on tv, doing some reading, or some late night exercise. Most often it was on the computer, either doing some work or sending out both individual and/or group emails. People would often reply to me asking me what I was doing sending out emails at 2am and 3am. I told them that I was an admitted night owl: I was most effective and got the most done in those late night hours…although the next morning was always a different story.
This Fatigue Factor has always been present in my life. My weekly visits with Jesus in the St. Paul’s Adoration Chapel are times of deep (and I mean deeeeeeeeeeeeep) meditation. I just tell people I’m resting with the Spirit…haha. And if I’m in a vehicle but not driving, then I’m not awake. Makes me poor company on long drives to be sure!
But something happened recently. Ever since our last big youth ministry event, Youth Day in early May, I haven’t been close to the night owl I used to be. More often than not, I’m falling asleep with the boys when putting them to bed, then waking up at around 2am. Occasionally, I’ll be so tired that I’ll fall back asleep immediately. More than occasionally, I’ll wake up at 2am the only one in bed, with Sean or Jake having made their way their way to MY bed to sleep with Gail.
Other times, I’ll be completely rested and/or feel the need to do the work I would have done had I not fallen asleep so early. Taking my 5 hours of rest, I will go downstairs to catch up on some tv, do some reading, go on the computer, or partake in my latest favourite activity: Wii Bowling. It’s priceless to see my lovely wife Gail come down from the bedroom at 4am to find me figuring out how I’m going to complete the 7-10 split. Then, after some polite coercing, I’m back to bed for another couple of hours. Needless to say, when it’s time to get up a few hours later, I wish that I had never woken up at 2am!
(As an aside, the Fatigue Factor is evident even in my Wii Bowling. See my Wii page here).
The Fatigue Factor is spreading to the rest of the family too. For the first time in as long as I can remember, this weekend we actually had family naps, with all 4 of us zonked out on our bed. Friday, it was after Sean’s Fun Day at St. Paul’s School. Saturday was even more surprising…a full 3-hour nap for the 4 of us…that’s a total of 12 hours for the family! In fact, when we woke up, both Sean and Jake thought it was Sunday morning!
Gail has a legit reason: she’s pregnant and needs her rest. The boys are hit-and-miss when it comes to naps…depending on how tiring their days are.
As for me…it’s just miss: I miss the days when I could make it through an entire day without falling asleep!
Like many teens, it started in senior high school, pulling off all-nighters and close-to all-nighters. I could never figure out which way I was more effective: with no sleep or with 2 or 3 hours sleep. Even if I laid down by 4am or so to get a few hours, I never really rested as I was worried that I would sleep through my alarm and miss the exam completely…rendering the previous cramming moot!
This trend of late nights continued through university and even after I married Gail and we had Sean and Jake. The routine was a predictable one: I would help put the boys to bed by 9pm, spend time with Gail (who fell asleep by 10pm) and then I would do what I had to do. Sometimes it was catching up on tv, doing some reading, or some late night exercise. Most often it was on the computer, either doing some work or sending out both individual and/or group emails. People would often reply to me asking me what I was doing sending out emails at 2am and 3am. I told them that I was an admitted night owl: I was most effective and got the most done in those late night hours…although the next morning was always a different story.
This Fatigue Factor has always been present in my life. My weekly visits with Jesus in the St. Paul’s Adoration Chapel are times of deep (and I mean deeeeeeeeeeeeep) meditation. I just tell people I’m resting with the Spirit…haha. And if I’m in a vehicle but not driving, then I’m not awake. Makes me poor company on long drives to be sure!
But something happened recently. Ever since our last big youth ministry event, Youth Day in early May, I haven’t been close to the night owl I used to be. More often than not, I’m falling asleep with the boys when putting them to bed, then waking up at around 2am. Occasionally, I’ll be so tired that I’ll fall back asleep immediately. More than occasionally, I’ll wake up at 2am the only one in bed, with Sean or Jake having made their way their way to MY bed to sleep with Gail.
Other times, I’ll be completely rested and/or feel the need to do the work I would have done had I not fallen asleep so early. Taking my 5 hours of rest, I will go downstairs to catch up on some tv, do some reading, go on the computer, or partake in my latest favourite activity: Wii Bowling. It’s priceless to see my lovely wife Gail come down from the bedroom at 4am to find me figuring out how I’m going to complete the 7-10 split. Then, after some polite coercing, I’m back to bed for another couple of hours. Needless to say, when it’s time to get up a few hours later, I wish that I had never woken up at 2am!
(As an aside, the Fatigue Factor is evident even in my Wii Bowling. See my Wii page here).
The Fatigue Factor is spreading to the rest of the family too. For the first time in as long as I can remember, this weekend we actually had family naps, with all 4 of us zonked out on our bed. Friday, it was after Sean’s Fun Day at St. Paul’s School. Saturday was even more surprising…a full 3-hour nap for the 4 of us…that’s a total of 12 hours for the family! In fact, when we woke up, both Sean and Jake thought it was Sunday morning!
Gail has a legit reason: she’s pregnant and needs her rest. The boys are hit-and-miss when it comes to naps…depending on how tiring their days are.
As for me…it’s just miss: I miss the days when I could make it through an entire day without falling asleep!
posted by Clay at 12:32 AM
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