I live in a poorly insulated home in New Jersey with a natural gas heating system. I also live on student loans, so I’ve been reluctant to turn on the heat because natural gas prices suck. So I don’t mean I’m hesitant to turn it up past 60, rather I’m opposed to turning it on at all. The dial currently rests all the way to the left, where it’s met below by the thermostat’s dial, frozen in place around 55, a vestige of past residents more willing to trade up for comfort.
But this is a post about sleep, not about frugality in the face of hypothermia. So sleep. Perhaps it’s a symptom of SAD (I only link to the pages, I don’t necessarily read them), but as we move further from warm weather, my inclination to go to sleep lessens, leaving me to wake up later and later each day, thereby reinforcing the negative shift in my circadian rhythm. Eventually it turns into a case of can’t fall asleep and can’t wake up.
I can feel it coming on. My very own Jekyl, hiding behind countless unheard bands, songs I haven’t written yet, comics I haven’t read, cool mint Cliff Bars I haven’t eaten, and a myriad of totally unnecessary tasks that always, at the time, seem more important than calling it a day. Here’s where the lack of heat comes in.
It’d be a solid guess to assume that to avoid the bitter cold that has taken up residency in my house, I’d hide under the two down comforters, one fleece blanket, and one knit blanket on my bed to stay warm. Wrong. I’ve just taken to putting on two sweaters, thermal underwear, fleece lined pants, and a couple pairs of socks, with gloves and a hat to cover what’s left. Nothing, not even a chill to my bone marrow, can stop my decline into near insomnia.
I’m hoping this infinitesimally small corner of webspace will help tire me out, so until I find a way to fall asleep at a proper time, I’m going to tell it to my blog, consistency willing.
