Post Daylight Saving Jet Lag

My bedroom has a bare half moon window facing southeast that gets the morning light. At night, I can sometimes watch the moon and stars pass through the sky. This means that I've been waking before the alarm because I'm sensitive to the light flooding the bedroom. That is, until this morning when my alarm jars me awake from a vivid dream and I wonder what's happening in the middle of the night. Oh yeah, Daylight Saving has started. Ugh.

Tuesday: I'm awake before the alarm. Sunday: that sharp spike is the alarm.

Because my body wasn't able to naturally wake from the dream state properly, I feel hung-over. I stagger through my house and put on a pot of coffee. Some people liken this feeling to a sort of jet lag. It's not the lack of sleep that's messing me up (I'm getting the same 6.5 hours I usually get), it's the disruption to the sleep cycle, aka, being woken up mid-dream. A glance at my sleep app confirms my beliefs. No matter how much caffeine I imbibe, I'll feel stupid, foggy-brained and sluggish all day. Oh, joy.

It isn't just me who's affected though. Apparently, according to online news sources, the Monday following our Spring Ahead is the worst day for heart attacks and strokes. Click here for the link to the CNN article. Eventually, the sun will rise earlier and I'll be awoken by morning light instead of the alarm again. But I think it's going to take longer than the few days The National Sleep Foundation claims it will take to adjust your sleep cycle. It's actually not until May 27 that sunrise occurs at 6:30 AM again. I know because the internet is a wonderful thing where you can look up anything! Click here for the sunrise and sunset times for each day on the US east coast.

The one really good thing about having a set workout routine is that you don't have to think about it, especially when thinking is painful. My left hip is twingeing in the front flexor muscle -- I probably slept in a weird position last night. It doesn't impede my HIIT cardio but I have to be cautious when I'm walking about because a slight misalignment leads to a quick stab of pain. I like the fact I can still do HIIT cardio in spite of how awful I feel. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing.

My one set of hammer grip pull-ups feels good. I manage to get into the classroom with enough time to do my core workout. I should go home now, but instead, I finish the rest of my workout, which is a Push Day routine. The Little Latin Dance King is bouncing around to his tunes, which is fine. What's annoying is that he never reracks his weights. Sometimes he goes back to the MaxRack, or the Overhead Press station, or the Squat machine, and sometimes he's off doing something else. And no one knows whether he's done or not. Luckily, the gym isn't all that crowded today, and I'm on the Smith. When I'm done, I strip the bar and take all my gear. None of that "Oh I'm using that next" bull that some people feel entitled to say.

I feel spacey like I have chemo-brain (not that I actually know what that feels like). I do notice that I'm again "reverse breathing" on my heavy sets. That is, instead of inhaling as I let the bar down, I'm exhaling. And even though everyone says to exhale when exerting force, i.e., pushing the bar up, I wind up inhaling. It has something to do with my own body's reaction to compression. I can't inhale, can't breathe deeply as I draw my arms down close to my body. My chest can't expand. I take a quick breath before I press up again. I'd have to focus really hard to change this, and today is not the day to do it. I don't have this issue when I go for reps because the bar is substantially lighter. I added 5 lbs today. I probably could've done another high rep set.

I see WannaBe doing squats in the squat rack. She asks Big Tank to spot her and the only reason I know this is because her voice is so loud and grating I have to turn the volume up on my tunes. Then she tosses a Staff hoodie on top of her sweatpants and tank and runs off to assist a new "client." This woman is small and frail so I wonder how gentle WannaBe will be with her. A short time later, WannaBe is back in the free weight area without her Staff hoodie. Trainers are usually on or off, not walking the line between working and working out.

DB supersets are routine enough although the Reverse Inclined Flyes seem easier. Uh oh. Is it time to increase the weight to 25s for those now? I worry about my elbows and Rip Skulls, but when I'm able to successfully complete all 3 sets, I add V-bar Tricep Press Downs back to the mix. I'm not tall enough to see myself in the far mirror wall. There's too much equipment in the way. Taller folks don't have that problem. Mostly, I stare at my arms while I try to bend at the elbow and keep my core tight and back straight. Looking at my notes, I see that I've managed to do a few more reps than last time. Yaaay me!

My water bottle holds 33 oz and I drank all but an ounce. My stomach growls at me while I'm showering. It's a good thing I keep a protein RTD in the car. Although I'd prefer a higher protein value, 16 gms is passable. I can get 20 from a Quest bar, but chewing takes too long, and then I'd have to wash it down with something to drink! The new Ensure Max contains 30 gms but even though I like the Mocha flavor (with additional caffeine!), the artificial sweetener leaves my stomach with an odd disagreeable feeling.

I also have a headache. It feels like a hangover even though I'm plenty hydrated and I didn't drink anything alcoholic last night. I'm sure it's related to Daylight Saving Time and sleep deprivation.

Monday Post Daylight Saving
Norwegian 4x4
5 min w/u (4 min on / 3 min off) x 4
5, 9, 12, 16, 19, 23, 26, 30, 33
Calories 278
Miles 2.60
AHR 136 / max HR195 (lowest HR 105, 97, 87)

Cage Stretch
HGPU 23

Push Ups 50
Crunches 30/40
Scissors 50
Bicycles 50
Side Planks 2 x 60s
Bird Dogs 2 x 60s

Smith Inclined Press
(30 degree inclined bench)
Bar (30) x 15
50 x 12
70 x 12
90 x 12, 12 12
65 x 25

DB Laterals s/s Rev Incl Flyes
20 lbs x 12/15 reps
22.5 x 12/15 x 3 sets

Rip Skulls
(Happy with 8+)
40 lbs x 12, 12, 12

V-bar Triceps Press Down
20lbs x 12
30 x 12
40 x 10
45 x 7
40 x 9
30 x 12

Mat Stretch