I have been thinking lately that I need to cut down my nightly wine consumption. The reason is, I am looking for time to focus on my writing. Years ago I used to be one of those people that went to the gym at 5am and was home before the kids even woke up. I don’t know when I stopped being able to get up so early in the morning but I hardly ever get up before 6:30 am anymore.
I started thinking maybe the wine is making me tired and if I cut it out, I could wake up earlier and write. I have been told wine is full of sugar and when you fall asleep from wine it is not a real REM sleep. Based on this theory I decided to give it a try Sunday night.
Everything was going good until I started to get really agitated with Tiara. I decided at 8pm maybe I should have one glass of red wine, just to calm me a bit. I normally drink only Chardonnay and I love the taste and have no problem consuming almost a bottle over a 4 hour period. I can’t believe I am admitting this to you. Yes, I know that is a lot but everyone in my family is an alcoholic and 1 bottle of wine is not considered a large amount over 4 hours for us. We need to buy a case of wine for any family party we host.
I slowly sipped the red wine and was trying to watch a movie with Lou at 9pm after everyone was asleep, but I just wasn’t myself. Normally I lay in the corner of the couch with my feet stretched up the wall next to the couch. Sounds weird, but I like to stretch my legs while I relax. I am not someone who naturally knows how to relax.
Last night I wasn’t laying down on the couch but perched on the edge of the couch with both feet planted firmly on the ground. Lou kept trying to rub my back but that was annoying me too. I was wound tight and not very fun or relaxed. The movie ended before 11pm and I went off to bed after taking a Melatonin, hoping it would do the trick and turn my brain off for the night.
Normally I would be asleep before 10, but last night I still wasn’t tired. I got into bed and started reading magazines. I still wasn’t tired enough. At 11:20 I told myself to just try and fall asleep. An hour later I was still awake.
At 1:30 am Trinity came into my room and I sat up, “What’s wrong?”
” I can’t sleep!”
me: “Me either, I will come get in bed with you.” Once we finally got comfortable in her bed I found my body relaxing and drifting off to sleep. Thank goodness!
Lou came in at 7:15 am to wake us up. How could it be time to get up already? This darn time change is brutal!
I felt like a zombie, not someone who gave up her regular wine consumption for the night. Trinity complained she was sick so I let her sleep more since she had been sick on Sunday and looked a mess. Once we decided she was too sick to go to school, I jumped in bed with Tiara and fell back asleep. Lou had the whole house to himself as he got ready for work and as a result was almost late without me ordering him around to hurry up.
We finally woke up at 8:30am and I have accomplished much less than I normally would have by this time today. Hmmm, now I have decide if I should continue with only one glass of red wine tonight. I think I am going to try it again and see what happens. Maybe I’ll double up on my Melatonin?
When Tiara goes to the hospital I go weeks without my wine and I normally have a hard time sleeping but eventually it gets easier, despite all the bells, alarms and constant barrage of nurses. I told my Mom my plan and she laughed her head off. Her along with everyone else in my family thinks I should drink my nightly wine. I guess my mood and anxieties aren’t super pleasant to deal with when I’m not drinking wine?
I faintly have a recollection of myself in law school. Work all day, school at night, studying whenever I could fit it in along with caring for Tabitha. I remember no one in my family liked me much, apparently I was rather rigid, not fun and way too uptight. Hmmmm.
Have a great day
xoxo tiffani
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