Weird two days

What a weird two days I've just put in.

But first, let me tell you about the sleep study I had done on Thursday night.

I arrived at the the lab shortly after 8:30pm, as instructed, and they were waiting for me.  I had to complete a five-page questionnaire (all about my sleep habits) and then I was taken to my room where I was left alone to get "ready for bed."

Once I let them know that I was ready, Sarah, my technician, came in to hook me up.

Electrodes were placed all over my head, on my cheek, my chin, my neck, beside my eye, on my back, one on each leg, and on my left index finger.  Belts were placed around my chest and my abdomen, to which contacts are attached.  All these wires allow them to monitor brain waves, eye movement, snoring, teeth grinding, sleep position, leg movement, oxygen level, you name it!  Finally, a monitoring device was placed at my nose to measure my breathing activity.

Once I was wired up, I had to get into bed and lie on my back while Sarah went to the control centre and talked to me through the intercom.  She had me do a variety of movements while she got base readings to ensure that all the contacts were properly in place.

Then I was on my own to read until I advised her that I was ready to go to sleep.

At about 4:30am, I needed to go to the washroom, having wakened at least once before and ignored the call.  I signalled Sarah who was in my room in an instant.  She disconnected me from "control central" and sent me on my way.  As she was reconnecting the module, I told her that I was probably up for the day now (I would have been, had I been at home).  She told me that if I wasn't leaving the lab, I had to stay wired up.  Since I wasn't about to call MLC at that hour of the morning, it was back to bed for me.

I woke again just before 6:00am, and Sarah arrived in my room to tell me it was time to get up and out of there.  It took much less time to disconnect me from all that wiring than it had taken to hook it up the night before.

There was a one-page questionnaire to answer on my way out and MLC was at the door as I left the building.

We went back to her place to get MBB so we could all three go out for breakfast before taking him to daycare/school.  Then MLC went home and I made the return trip to my home.

I won't find out the results of the sleep study for several weeks.  They will phone me if there is an urgent need for me to see the Doctor (ie if apnea was found and I need to do something about it); otherwise, a "no finding" report will be sent to the requesting doctor (and I will only find that out when I see my doctor, if he reports to me that he has such a report).  You can be sure I'll be inquiring into the status of my visit.

Anyway, I spent the rest of Friday pretty much doing nothing.

I had originally thought that I felt surprisingly rested following that night at the sleep lab.  But even while I was sitting at the restaurant at breakfast, I was aware that I felt quite sleepy.

Later that morning at home, I napped for well over an hour.  Guess I wasn't quite as rested as I thought.

Then of course, because I napped, I was groggy and dopey for the rest of the day (which is why I really don't like to nap).

Yesterday morning, I read my newspaper in bed 'til about 8:30am, then I got up and made John his weekly big breakfast.

After which I had an overpowering need for a nap.

And nap I did.  For damned near two hours!

After which, I was groggy and dopey for the rest of the day.

Throughout the afternoon, I tried to read but kept drifting off.

I tried to watch television, but kept drifting off.

Didn't even have an appetite for supper.

All I wanted to do was sleep.

So at 7:00pm last night, I called it quits and went to bed.

I tried to read, but my arms literally couldn't hold the book up (John actually offered to hold it for me, he's such a sweetheart -- and a comedian!).

And although I woke with my usual frequency to change positions, I didn't get "up" until 7:00am this morning.

That's 12 hours folks.

So do I feel rested?

Not particularly, but I don't feel especially sleepy right now either, although it's only been 45 minutes!