Jet lag is behind us. They say it takes the same number of days to recover as there are difference in hours. That would be 5 hours difference between Richmond and Dornoch. We're coming up on day #14 in Scotland.
So why are we still tired?
We don't have any trouble falling asleep, and that's pretty remarkable for me, it usually takes me at least half an hour. Not lately. But we wake up so exhausted, not wanting to get out of bed. The bed is pretty comfortable, and even though they don't like to use heat here at night, we stay pretty warm. I don't think it's exhaustion from uncomfortable or cold sleeping conditions.
I have a couple of theories, and so do some Scottish friends of ours.
We're on a totally different schedule. I'm used to working the hours of a regular day job, having a defined schedule that doesn't change too much. Now, we start the day at different times everyday, have varying things to do at different times each day, and have full days or full nights depending on the day. I think this may have something to do with the chronic fatigue (it's not quite that bad, but it's the easiest way to describe it).
Theory number two is, it's much colder here. You know how much you want to pull the covers over your head and hit snooze for an hour when suddenly it's 30 degrees colder outside? That's our life.
Now, some friends here have other ideas. They say it's the air. We've had two people tell us, independently of each other, that the air is so different that it takes a while to get used to it. One person said it's so much cleaner, your lungs don't have to work as hard, so you get tired quicker. mmmmhh, not so sure about that one. Another person said it's just the air of the Highlands in Scotland; to go to the western coast of the country, would make you even sleepier. Could it be the change in latitude (about the same as Juneau, Alaska)?
Another man says that when he moved up here from London years ago, it took him 6 months before he could wake up feeling rested. 6 months?!?
Whatever it is, I hope it hurries up and goes away, I'm tired of being tired!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Hey Jennifer,
My vote is that it is culture shock. You are still getting used to how things are done and figuring out how to interact with people, what the norms are and what to say. That is tiring. It takes a while to get used to the new "normal." You will get there, hopefully before 6 months :)
Jamie (MTW)
maybe you're pregnant.
haha jk - that's just what everyone says to me whenever I talk about being tired. And that wouldn't explain why James is tired...unless *he* has some good news for us.
I agree with Jamie. It's quite possible that you don't realize how much adjusting you do every day. Or maybe it's being latitudinally equal to Juneau. Crazy northerners...
i vote for jaime's theory! val, maybe james does have some interesting news for us, b/c I certainly don't!!! always a possiblility though! yeah allison, those crazy alaskanites. what do you call yourself anyway?
I expect that one of the reasons that you are tired is because you spent a lot of energy to get where you are. Now that you are there, you've relaxed a bit! Also, adjustments are tiring. Last night I slept for 10 hours without getting up to go to the bathroom. That doesn't happen very often at my age!!! I am also in major adjustment mode!
Lots of love,
gindy
Post a Comment