Week 11: Are you spent?

[Warning: Absolutely shit boring-as-a-2-ply-toilet-tissue post ahead! Read at your own peril! Don't say I didn't warn you!]

According to an article in Grazia, I am spent. Apparently it is a newly-coined condition sweeping the great US of A and it essentially means feeling overwhelmed, exhausted and running on empty. Sound familiar? Read on.

Someone who is deemed as ‘spent’ experiences at least three of the following symptoms:

• Rarely feeling fully refreshed in the morning even after getting eight hours’ sleep.
  

(Check. For some reason, even though I’ve been sleeping before 12 and waking up way after the sun has risen, lately my eyebags have been making a comeback and I’ve been yawning like a kleptomaniac throughout the day).

• Regularly feeling unusually tired for no apparent reason.

(This one’s checked too, because, let’s face it – I am a lazy person HAHAHA maybe this can explain why I’m so lazy!)

• Require caffeine or sugary carbs (white bread, bagels etc) to wake you up.

(Not I. I never really liked bread nor coffee – Re: My unfortunate coffee incident last year.)

• When enjoyable things (sex HAHA who?!, a night out with friends etc) often feel like a chore.

(Check again. I’ve been known to turn down evening outings because I just can’t be bothered – but I always thought that it was because I’m a lazy fucker. But maybe there’s a greater explanation for this hmmm.)

• Often feel overwhelmed by your to-do list.

• Often worry about the security of your job.

• Occasionally suffer from bloating, wind or constipation.

(HAHAHA! Constipation, no, because I eat my vegetables and fruits! But bloating, yes boo hoo).

• Struggling to lose weight.

(WTF? Ok, I’m not sure how this is relevant but if it’s in the checklist then it must be. And I checked this too because, let’s face it, I am fighting a losing battle here).

• Your mind continues to race with worry even though you’re flat-out exhausted.

(Yup. Happens to me sometimes.)

• Trouble focusing on something or remembering things.

(Yes. After all, I’ve now been nicknamed Goldfish – for very good reasons).

Ok. Did you get all that? How many did you qualify for? Do you think you are spent? If yes, no fear! Here are some ways to counter your spent-ness.

1. Go on a technology detox i.e. turn off everything electrical like computers, laptops, TVs and even handphones after 10 pm.

I know, some pretty crazy stuff, eh? I’ve started the habit of turning off my laptop now (I used to leave it on so that iTunes could run and lull me to sleep) however, I still can’t bring myself to turn off the phone but I compromise by putting it at the other end of the room from my bed HAHA! Apparently exposure to electromagnetic fields too close to bedtime stops our sleep hormones from being secreted as we drift off to sleep hence we never reach deep restorative sleep and as a result, wake up exhausted every day.

Cool, huh?!

That’s about it. The other ways to counter spent-ness were normal generic remedies like eating well, not eating processed foods, exercising regularly blablabla. But how cool is the technology detox?!

It’s quite true though. Ever since my laptop has been turned off at night, I’ve been sleeping longer with fewer interruptions to my sleep. I mean, I don’t wake up as often at night anymore, compared to the once-every-two-three-hours before. It’s very annoying la and I guess that’s why I always felt so tired even though I’ve slept in. Oh, also, lights from radio alarm clocks are bad too.

Anyway, I hope this was informative. I just figured since we're now a very technologically-driven society and I personally know many of my peers who are suffering from insomnia and tiredness so I thought this might help.