So, I've mentioned before that one of the side effects I've had from my underlying health issues, and from the medications to treat them; is periodic bouts of moderate to very severe insomnia.
Well, this past week I've had the worst bout with insomnia that I've had since I was a teenager.
note: When I was 15, I once spent five full days ...127 hours actually... awake; without the aid of medication. I was halucinating by the end of it. A few years later, in a training exercise when I was 19; I spent 4.5 days awake and very physically active; and again, by the end of that I was experiencing sleep deprivation induced psychosis.
It's now Friday morning, at just before 0100. The last time I woke up from actual sleep of any duration was last Sunday around 1100.
It's been almost 110 hours since I actually slept.
In that time, I have managed to have three, very shallow, short periods of dozing; of about 60-90 minutes each. None of that was true sleep; I never went below the level of a shallow doze. I've also had a few fatigue induced microsleeps, and zone outs.... as you would expect...
...and which is actually worse than not sleeping at all, even if it's a short period of actual sleep; because shallow naps aren't actually restorative. You a back fully awake even more fatigued and groggy than before you started.
The last of those was Wednesday, around 8-9am.
The real kicker though?
During that time, I've had SEVEN phone interviews (one tuesday, one wednesday, and five thursday) which, thankfully, I think I nailed), with two different prospective employers.
Thank god I know how to function on no sleep... but still, never a good situation.
The good news is that I am about to fall asleep, and this one is going to be for real. I'm writing this the last dregs of useful consciousness and energy, and about 30 seconds after I put my laptop down I'll be passing out...
Just enough time to get a good night sleep, before I have to get up and get ready for another phone interview at 10am.
