What is it about the threes, anyway?
At 3 pm we are all overcome with a tiredness so crazily powerful that we are immediately catatonic. We become mini-Rip-Van-Winkles every afternoon at 3 precisely. And when we awake we are grumpy and angry. The naps are very bad. The naps are unavoidable. The naps are strangling us.
At 3 am we are wide awake. We stare at the ceiling and think sleepy thoughts to no avail. The sheep roam about the house randomly, txting each other and drinking tea. We roll around in the bed ignoring every single tenant of sleep hygiene. We long for sleep. But we do not sleep.
Until 3 pm.
Things still suck.
Posted by grrlTravels at February 26, 2008 10:14 PMack! Just Ack!!!!
Posted by: Debberoo at February 26, 2008 10:34 PMHope things get better!
Posted by: Amy at February 26, 2008 11:02 PMGive it two weeks. I remember those first few weeks home, and how we just wandered around in a jet-lagged haze of sleep-deprivation.
Posted by: OmegaMom at February 26, 2008 11:05 PMAck. Sleep deprivation sucks. I am so sorry. I remember those first days home. Everything is so hard and fuzzy. It will get better. Just go easy on yourself. If it is any consolation the change of season has me up at 4 am these days and I can't go back to sleep--until just moments before my kids wake up. Sleep--or the lack of it. Oy.
Posted by: Tracie at February 26, 2008 11:52 PMOh my, that sounds pretty horrible. I'm sorry you're having to deal with that, I'm sure that you're anxious to start getting settled into a new routine.
Posted by: Jeanne at February 27, 2008 9:48 AMI feel for you. It took me over two weeks to recover from our last China trip...but recover I did. Hang in there and take it slowly.
Posted by: Regina at February 27, 2008 10:25 AMOh, the grand carousel that is jetlag and new child and siblings and new old food and new old beds and oh doesn't it just get old?! Wishing you speedy recalculation of your body clocks.
Posted by: mama d at February 27, 2008 4:57 PMI remember well the hazy days of re-entry from all three trips back from China. The first time my husband got the munchies in the middle of the night and since no one was sleeping anyway he packed us off to Denny's for a meal. When it was re-entry #2 we revisited that little scenario and thus a TRADITION was born. After returning home with shellshocked toddler #3 the older 2 couldn't wait for the night that Dad would throw in the towel on playing musical beds and head us off to, you guessed it, Denny's! After the big meal where she acquired her now imfamous addiction to french fries we were seen playing at the park in the semi haze of near dawn. Those are the only bright spots of re-entry worth remembering for us.
Posted by: super click at February 28, 2008 12:18 AMMy advice is along the same lines at super click above- just try to go with your natural rhythms (and enjoy a visit to Denny's in the wee hours!). If you need to settle down for the night at 3PM so be it. Think of what 3PM is China time- 4AM, right? Thats pretty good for just a few days home! You'll gradually adjust, but it may take a couple weeks. Hang in there.
Posted by: Jess at March 2, 2008 8:52 AM