Sleeping throughout the holidays...

For the last few days, I've been feverish. About 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Nothing serious.

I'm just not feeling my best. Maybe it's cabin fever since I've been stuck here with all my papers to grade and my final marks to compute. (Every mark represents a student. If they don't pass my course, they may not be able to graduate when they expect. So it's not just numbers, I'm playing with people lives and it's stressful, trust me.)

I've been here for four days straight. Other than a 7 a.m. dentist appointment Wednesday morning, which wasn't exactly a "ringy" dingy time, I haven't felt well enough to run over to my community centre gym to work out. Not once. And I not only feel guilty about that, I feel sluggish. On top of feeling stressed out.

So, in Part Three of our series on How to handle holiday stress – a short post because I'm not feeling up to scratch and still marking papers – I want to remind you to take care of yourself during the holidays.

It's easy to get run down and to forgo sleep. Don't. You'll enjoy your merrymaking more when you're well rested, so click here for some helpful tips. Understand sleep and why it's so crucial to your overall mental health and well-being. When you're well rested, you make wiser decisions and you tend to be in a healthier mood. So, make an effort to sleep and recharge. Here are some more tips for a Good Night's Sleep.

Stress doesn't help and there are stresses we haven't yet touched on, like the stress of family gatherings during the holidays and how all those "old records" always seem to play when you're back in the family fold, with sisters and brothers, in-laws, and all their progeny. Big gatherings. It's so easy to fall into old patterns of behaviour. Sibling rivalries sometimes flair.

We'll tackle that one next week.

Now, I'm going back to my marking. I'm putting the holidays on hold until all this work is behind me. My deadline is looming.

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Just a quick reminder... please send in your memories, comments and concerns. 

Share with us. 

Perhaps this Christmas is going to be especially difficult because you've lost someone you love during the last year. Share your thoughts here. 

Perhaps you have some special tips for lessening your feelings of harassment during the final days before Christmas. 

Perhaps the let-down following Christmas is particularly challenging for you.

Share those feelings. Chances are, if you feel them, lots of us feel them.

Here is the place to let it all hang out.

I'm not taking any time off. I'll be here. So talk to me – to us. To the whole community. 

We're listening. We can help each other. That's why Coming Out Crazy exists. To be here for you.

Take care.

And sleep tight!

Comments

[Karena]

And yes, take that sick day even if you are waffling over whether they need you at work or not. They can do without you for one day!

[Carolyn]

My comment on what is really going on with the holidays. Have you ever not been able to breathe for whatever reason (running, stress, underwater) and then come up for air and panic. You're breathing but you're scared and it hurts. This is what Christmas is. It's your first breath after a busy fall. We seem to go go go until Christmas hits. We're more busy, and then in a moment we breathe. We are scared to breathe and reflect upon what's going on in our lives. Hell, we'll have to tell acquaintances and family we only know at holidays what's going on in our lives. It's stressful. This is the first Christmas I'm experiencing without being manic or depressed. It doesn't feel like my first breath because I've taken 3 days weekends and breathers along the way. I'm nervous about the parties etc, but I know I can handle it. Maybe if we aren't so go go go until Christmas it is a more enjoyable experience.

[Kate]

Sandy, I hope you are feeling better and you got the marking done.

I have had the best (and busiest) year ever. It's been wonderful and I haven't had a moment to think. I've been a fulltime college student and have been learning, growing, making new friends and discovering new talents I didn't know I had (like public speaking).
I graduated on friday and today I have a job interview... (wish me luck!) and am sending more resumés out tomorrow.

Once the interview is over I shall be relaxing- and doing the holidays with friends and family and chilling out.

I am learning not to play life so safe that it completely stagnates and that taking chances and spreading your wings, even if there is no paycheque or security involved, is so much better than slowly dying inside.

Life is good. I don't know what's around the next corner and that's kinda exciting :-)

I wish you a Happy Chanukah, Christmas, New Years etc!

[Sandy Naiman]

Dear Karena, Carolyn and Kate,

First, Kate: A belated congratulations on your graduation, your learning, loving, growing and discovering.

And good luck as you embark on your new life. (I haven't yet finished all my schoolwork, so I haven't been keeping up with my comments and all your comments.)

Mea culpa. Mea culpa. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me.

The good news is that the end is in sight.

I hope your job interview on Monday went swimmingly and you're now happily employed.

If not, consider it great experience. A dress rehearsal. Now, you can move on to the next. Either way, enjoy yourself, recharge, refresh and relax over the holidays regardless because everyone else is and worrying won't help you. Positive energy and rest will.

The most exciting news you share is your risk-taking! You cannot grow without chancing new experiences and even falling and scraping your knee once in a while. You never lose when you make mistakes, if you learn from them. It's a win-win!

You sound terrific. I'm thrilled for you!

Bravo!

Carolyn, you are psychic. Today's post is all about the stresses of party going. I am not a lover of parties and always very nervous.

So stay tuned.

Now, I return to my Winter 2010 Addendum writing.

Hugs and Happy Pre-Holidays!

Thanks for writing and supporting our community, all of you, Karena, Carolyn and Kate!

You're all great! You drive us and your inspire us! Especially me.

xox
sln