3:00 AM
That is the time I wake up every single morning for my first pee break. I am not able to sleep past 3:00 AM before my eyes open up to the glowing red numbers and my bladder is screaming at me to get up. I roll out of bed–because I can no longer sit up to swing my legs off the edge of the bed–and I make my way to the restroom in the dark.
The next pee-wake-up-calls are somewhere around 4:00 AM and 6:00 AM. All depending on how much water I chug after the last bathroom break. I know what you’re going to say, “Stop drinking water before you go to bed!” Easier said than done. I am SO thirsty right before bed that I have to bring a large glass of water to my bedroom that is filled to the rim with ice so that as the night goes on and the ice melts, the water stays cold until I need to chug it again.
By the time my alarm goes off at 6:15 AM, I carry my empty water glass downstairs to the kitchen, go pee yet again and then take a few swigs of grape juice directly out of the jug in the fridge. After I take Cali out, I have to fill up my water glass yet AGAIN with ice water so I have something to drink while I get ready for work.
The only GOOD thing about waking up multiple times in the night is it gives me the chance to change my position in bed. I usually start by sleeping on my back with two pillows. Then I will switch to one pillow under my head and the other between my knees while I lie on my left side. Then somehow that pillow between my knees ends up on the floor and I return to lying on my back.
But no matter how many times I get up to go pee or change my position in bed, I always wake up stiff with the overwhelming feeling like I did not get enough sleep. I try to make up for this by taking naps during the day–although that can be pretty hard when I work at a cubicle in an office made predominantly out of glass. On days that I can steal away a few hours at lunch, I will eat quickly at my desk and then head down to my car in the parking garage, which is dimly lit and pretty quiet. I recline my car’s seat, set my cell phone’s alarm and try to catch 20-30 minutes of Zzz’s.
Naps are wonderful. Whether I get one on my lunch break at work or in the lazy afternoon hours on the weekend, I always wake up feeling so refreshed!
