My Strong Medicine

The adventures of a male nurse navigating through life, staying fit, surviving the journey.

Posts Tagged ‘sleep’

Sleepy thought of the day…

Posted by Sean on May 23, 2012

This is quite the conundrum.

Why is it when I NEED to stay awake, alert and focused during a class lecture or when I’m studying (cramming) for an exam during the ’11th’ hour- my eyelids weigh a ton. I can’t keep my eyes open! I start doing that ‘funky chicken’ dance (stole that from USMC boot camp). 

Sidebar: while in boot camp many moons ago we spent much of our time in a sleep deprived state. We would then have to sit in a classroom every so often for a class on some skill. We obviously would find ourselves falling asleep. The funky chicken is when you head starts to bob up and down. You can’t seem to keep your head up and you fight the “I’m awake.. I’m sleeping… I’m awake.. I’m sleeping” posture

THEN… when I’m laying in bed. It’s time to sleep. Time for some shut eye!! But, instead I toss and turn. Stare at the ceiling. I listen to my cats roaming the house. I listen to the weather outside.

Grr.

I have a solution. I’ll tape record or videotape my class lectures. And every time I’m lying in bed with insomnia – I will play the lecture.

I should pass out with no problem ehh?

 

Whattya think?

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Attention nurses – Sleep or die | Conditioning Research

Posted by Sean on March 6, 2012

I thought this was appropriate to share with all my fellow nurses out there, since sleep is a hot commodity for most of us.

Conditioning Research: sleep or die.

Posted in health, random | Tagged: | 2 Comments »

Student-Reached Critical-Mass

Posted by Sean on October 3, 2010

up_lateImage Source : Google

There comes a point when the effort to remain awake AND alert exceeds the ability to consume / understand/ comprehend the material you are studying.

I’m sitting here at my computer desk re-reading and re-typing this weeks notes and I find my brain just simply shutting off? No warning, no prompt. Just…

POOF

One minute I’m reading, typing, comprehending….. saying to myself, “uh-huh. Yep, I remember this”.

The next minute I’m in a zombie-like trance in front of my screen. I’m Carol-Ann staring at the snow on the TV screen??

Then the bobbing starts.

Oh- you KNOW what I’m talking about. Back in my military days we called it ‘doing the funky-chicken’. Your getting sleepy-tired and your head drops, chin to your chest. You realize where your head is or you feel your chin hitting your chest and you do a ‘OH Wait a minute’ moment and jerk your head up. This cycle can continue on for minutes to hours if you let it.

So this is the ‘critical mass’ I’m talking about.

In the effort to be studious and take advantage of my time, I’m not contributing to my learning just by ‘putting in some hours’. My brain has officially shut off and I can’t seem to turn it back on.

I need the quality, not the quantity of studying.

Yep – calling it a night.

Posted in health, humor, random | Tagged: , , | 2 Comments »

My Day Ahead…

Posted by Sean on September 9, 2010

Hopefully I won’t do this.
I have to remind myself I paid THEM money to be in class.
Whew…
Long day ahead today.

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Posted in random | Tagged: | 2 Comments »

The Dangers Of The Night Shift

Posted by Sean on November 7, 2009

Image Source: aplusteacherfitness

the abnormal sleep and fall in vigilance demonstrated among intensive care unit nurses may have implications for patient safety

Abnormal sleep may increase nurse errors – UPI.com

I can relate to this dangerous possibility.

*SIGH*

Posted in health, opinion | Tagged: , , | 4 Comments »

From A Hopeful Sleepy-Head

Posted by Sean on October 16, 2009

cartoon011tn

Well my first nightshift in over a year came and went. I survived. Somehow I did more than just scrape by? I actually tolerated the nightshift with some energy left intact!

For me, the nightshift has always been about not sleeping. Not sleeping – which lead to my zombie-like presence. I would basically not sleep for the shift I worked, then run the marathon and pass out the following night.

The last time I physically had to work the nightshift was with the job that was 70 miles away. That drive home was wickedly horrible. After a 12-hour night shift I would sit in my car for another hour and some change. Then try to figure out how to get in to bed and sleep.

Zombie.

Now I work a 12-hour shift and my drive is, at the most, 20 minutes. That’s a blink of an eye. Before I know it, I’m home.

So I worked 2 12-hour shifts so far. I made it home and I was exhausted after a night of being awake. I passed out. For someone who claims to be a light sleeper -  I slept pretty darn good. I think I got between 6 and 7 hours of sleep!

My second worked shift, I got home and immediately went to sleep and was up after about 5 hours of sleep.

I’m hopeful.

If I can get the needed sleep… I’m golden!

I think the key element here is now when I get home… I’m actually tired. Hell – I’m whipped! So I get all my stuff ready for the next shift, shower, shave, etc. Then I crash.

I’ll keep you posted on how things turn out. I work the nightshift all weekend.

Fingers crossed.

Posted in health | Tagged: , | 2 Comments »

Life Lately

Posted by Sean on September 20, 2009

I’d be doing this:

sleepThen I’d wake up for some of this:

430-coffee-big-steam-cup-pic  Whilst having that I’d then proceed to this:

254sleepy-driver Once I arrived I’d start a lot of this:

d12042c7580bdc4ce78cfbec6e38d818 After a day full of that I’d return to this:

254sleepy-driver

I’d arrive home with enough time to do this:

027-eating-pizza Get ready for the next day and then

cartoon011tn Can I just tell you I am:

dogtired And I’m getting ready to do it again this week

All I can say is:

dohTalk again later.

Buh-bye

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: , , | 4 Comments »

 
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