sleepy week

The whole week has been a characterized by a jet-lag-like sleepiness. However, I am convinced that the six hour time difference from NY to AMS is not the source of my tiredness, rather I think the cause is the whole week of the messed up sleep pattern I practised in New York. Everything comes with a cost, and the cost of making the most of my time in New York, both in terms of dancing, socialising and site-seeing was the consistent lack of sleep. Now I am back in Nijmegen, and more or less back in my old routine...

Jet lag?

No, not really. Dozing off during lectures is not unusual, even if you are in your own timezone and have had all the sleep you need. :)
I have this bad habit of waking early in the morning (as I have described before), and now I know that it is light-dependent. Here I wake up as I do at home, when it gets light outside, which is currently around 6:30 local time. Then I get tired when it gets dark, unless something keeps me active (e.g. dancing), but after a 14 hour day of scientific talks, I rather go directly to bed than try to stay awake.

Illustration courtesy: The Economist - Beat the jet lag

Sleep patterns

I do not sleep enough. My problem is that I wake up with the daylight in the morning, no matter how late I went to bed. And since I often go out dancing in the evening and till late at night, I often do not get enough sleep. When possible, I take a nap in the afternoon before going out dancing but it is just not the same as sleeping in.
Today I slept for two hours in the afternoon, but I was tired when I arrived at the party in the evening. I gradually woke up, and now I am wide awake, three hours before I would normally wake up. It is a dilemma of salsa rhythms versus sleep rhythm. Setting the clock tonight at least make it look like I get up later...

No Superwoman

I am no superwoman. My only special power is to wake up today at exactly the same time as yesterday, irrespective of when I went to bed or what I did yesterday. Some special power, eh?

Illustration courtesy: Superman Artists