Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Jet lag and Melatonin

I don't get it. I am wide awake in London at 4am, UK time, and 11pm East coast time. I took a Melatonin on the plane last night and slept for a couple of hours on the plane, napped for two hours, got up to sight see, ate dinner at 9pm and off to bed at 11pm, all UK times. I probably should have taken another Melatonin last night as well. Is there a residual effect from Melatonin? So it is still working on my body?

My body SHOULD be wanting to sleep, right? But my mind is racing. I followed updates from Fenway, and cruised Facebook, and tried to get my twitter feeds updated. Sox won, so I just tried to fall asleep. It probably is unwise to go for a walk at 4am in an unfamiliar neighborhood in London although the street is lined with coffee shops so give me 2 hours more of this and you know where I will be, right?

One of my thought tangents during these wee UK hours, has been about jet lag and the times when I have been really tired and jet lagged. Traveling to Chiangmai to visit Bee last year was the worst for sure. Luckily she put her arms around us and guided us through those unfamiliar streets. London in 1979 to visit Dau with Mom and the three "little" boys was pretty bad. Norway in college, London after college with Nancy and Pam, etc.

My red eyes back from the West coast while at Intuit were not debilitating. I always said to people who questioned my sanity on this last one, "I would rather be tired for one night at home, than sit in a hotel room for one additional night, wishing I were on the red eye".

I am not anxious about this, since I sort of understand the language although it is British English. I know where we are headed today, and have my Oyster card to get around on the tube and buses. I am just curious about why me, why 4:15 am? And I am really curious about whether Melatonin works or not?

BTW my ever so supportive husband just said to me in his sleepy daze "You are supposed to be trying to get on the new schedule!". This coming from someone who took the French language brochure at St. Paul's Cathedral yesterday in his jet lagged state. The attendant handing us the tour listening device asked him which language and when Murg said, English, the guide said "You have the French brochure!". I guess they are used to jet lagged tourists. We go back there this morning to finish our tour.

(Murg=Rod)-topic of another post

now for a few more hours of sleep. . .
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:London, uk

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