Wednesday, December 22, 2021

Wrapped Up the Fitness Classes for 2021


It's crazy how fast we've come to yet another year end. It was time for the fitness instructors to take a break and recharge. It has been a loooong year for them. The gym will be closed through Christmas and New Year’s Day. I've halted my pilates and gyrotonic classes too. I can use the gym at the estate, or simply work out at home for two weeks.

Truth be told, without these classes in a non-lockdown pandemic situation, I simply have no discipline to structure in 45 minutes for a workout. I've been really tired these few months. For some reason, the dog has taken to waking me in the middle of the night. Sure, the bout of bacterial infection resulted in midnight shitsplosions. But her fear of the thunderstorms and noise phobia (of supercars revving, motorbikes, neighbors banging their doors or whatever) keeps her anxious and awake. 'The night is dark and long, and full of terrors.' That leads to her waking ME. 

The dog doesn't allow me to sleep in the bedroom. Dammit. I have to move out to sleep in the study or in the living room so that she doesn't panic-wake the man. The man has mild insomnia. Once he wakes, he can't get back to sleep. I can. Even then, it's a P.I.T.A because it's prolonged. It's no good for the dog's cortisol levels either. 

Training (the dog) works, only to a certain extent. When she's panicky and anxious, there's no point adding to it though. I'm most certainly not going to put her on anxiety meds. I'm just grateful that she has learnt to manage her anxiety and doesn't go bonkers. She shivers, but has come to appreciate her ThunderShirt, and she will calm down if I'm near. Fine. I'll sleep outside of the bedroom then. I'm soooo tired nowadays. I'm not even grouchy because I have no more energy left to frown. Caffeine can't fuel me endlessly. I need at least 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep nightly. It's not happening. I get that twice a week nowadays if I'm lucky, and they won't be on consecutive nights. Gosh. Is this a season? It has been a loooong one. When does it subside? I NEED UNINTERRUPTED SLEEP FOR AT LEAST THREE NIGHTS PLEASE. 

I literally dragged myself to workouts and went easy on HIIT. The stretches at pilates and gyro are wonderful. Those totally release tension and knots. But I can't push myself at HIIT if I'm zonked or I have a pounding headache from a lack of sleep. I've taken to power napping in the day whenever I can. Otherwise, it won't be just dark eye circles I'll be nursing. I literally can't function or think straight from sleep deprivation. It's amazing how I cleared the recent annual medicals and blood tests. Surely something in there would indicate 'SLEEP DEPRIVED INDIVIDUAL'. Grrrrrrrrrrr.

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