The purpose of taking rest is to re-energise ourselves, revitalize our strength and freshen us up for a new start. Sleep is a form of rest that is supposed to bring peace and refreshing repair to our mind and body. However, it seems to not perform this vital task for me.
There was a time in my life when I used to get up from my bed as soon as I woke up. I would feel charged to start my daily activities energetically with enthusiasm, but for years the things have changed. Getting up in the morning has become a difficult task.
Instead of feeling being filled with energy I feel I am drained of it. I feel more lethargic and tired after waking up at the beginning of the day as compared to when I go to sleep at the end of the day.
My sleep is not comfortable. It is not the case that I keep on sleeping for long hours without disturbance. I do wake up several times amidst the sleep. Wakening up is not a problem. In fact, at times I wake up with a feeling of no more need to sleep. Nevertheless, getting up appears to be a feat. It is like I have to collect the packets of depleted energy to drag me out of the bed.
I not only feel deprived of strength but also of motivation to get me up. At the end of the day, I often sleep with a planned to-do list for the next day. However, when I wake up the following day, and feel depleted of the strength I hear a voice inside me say, “to the hell with all the plans. ”
The lethargic mornings are common during pregnancy and depression. It makes sense. The hormonal imbalances are likely to cause the problem. However, when I started facing the problem more frequently I was neither pregnant nor depressed.
I would remain awake on the bed for nearly an hour or more but wouldn’t feel like moving let alone leave the bed. Being a mother and a household manager, there were responsibilities that would demand me to get up. Inability to get up quickly made me experience frustration.
Because of the morning blues I faced accompanied with the alarm I developed aversive conditioning with the sound of my clock’s alarm. I used to set alarms at small intervals to not miss the necessary tasks on time. Every time the alarm rang, it got conditioned with the malaise I felt. Consequently the sound alarm even at any other time of the day would trigger the nausea and lethargy.
About an year ago, I was diagnosed with hypothyroid. It was then I understood the reason for the lethargic feelings I had been experiencing.
I started taking the medicine for the illness. Although it improved several anomalies in my health status and reduced generalized weakness, yet morning blues haven’t completely disappeared. Though in lesser intensity, I still feel lack of motivation and strength after waking up in the morning. Getting up still demands greater strength than it used to be during my earlier life.
I have always been a morning person, loving to start my activities at dawn. My productivity level is at its optimum up till noon. It is pretty dissatisfying for me to not be able to start my day earlier.
The work that I am able to accomplish during the few hours of the morning cannot be completed the whole day; and when I am unable to tick all the tasks in the to-do list I feel unfulfilled.
I don’t remember if I ever imagined of a perfect day. However, I have experienced several times that a day that begins earlier with refreshing mind and body proves to be a fulfilling day for me as I am more productive and accomplished. It brings me satisfaction.
I am not sure how I can improve my mornings and fill them with energy. Perhaps the readers may have some advice......
This post is my participation for Hive Learners featured contest week 121, edition 1.
Image created by me using Bing AI.