Stay awake

What a night. I’m staying in a hotel this week, to attend a consortium meeting. I figured it would be great to sleep in a hotel. Alone. It would probably be the best way to catch up on some much needed sleep.

I already felt yesterday evening that it wasn’t going to happen. My body was buzzing. Maybe not literally, but at least that’s how it felt to me. It felt a bit like I was holding some low-level electricity wires. My skin was very sensitive, too. The classical symptoms of overwhelm for me as a highly sensitive person. I did get some deserved and needed shut-eye, right after going to bed and quickly writing up yesterday’s post. I was tired enough for it… Project sleep was ruined violently at midnight when the hotel’s alarm radio – which was on the night stand next to my head – went off. Someone had set the alarm at midnight, and my beautiful sleep was interrupted by some very loud white noise. I’m not sure how to describe it best, but it felt to me like someone shouting very loudly in my ear unexpectedly. After this ‘jump scare’ my already buzzing body was pumping with adrenaline. Well, that’s a guess on my part, but I was ready to beat someone up. Fight or flight mode was firmly activated. Don’t worry. I did not. But I probably should have gone for a run. The fight or flight response is probably the reason why I still feel like I have just finished last night’s vegan Vietnamese meal. Vietnamese meals are usually light, and vegan is probably not going to make it much heavier. Why is it still here to make me suffer? It should have been gone a long time.

After the alarm clock, I struggled getting back to sleep. Restless legs flaring up. I must have at the very least gotten some sleep because in my dreams I was fired several times, because of something I said at this meeting. Different versions played in my head, so it must have been a couple of hours at least. Real quality napping there.

At 5am I was more awake than my kids could ever get me. I think this is more or less the feeling you get after walking a marathon. So much for my sleeping and relaxation program. Time to take a shower.

The good news is: today there’s a full day program. Stay awake!