Sleeeeepy Tuesday

Today I was off from work, but actually had to go in for 2 hours for some training.  After I came back home I was, unfortunately, very unproductive.

Highlights from today:

Paperwhites blooming (and they smell great!)

Wonderful grilled cheese with Mama’s homemade sourdough bread.

Reduced fat comfort food: Alexia onion rings with a Hebrew National reduced fat hotdogs + Brent’s chili.

And reading….currently it is Having a Mary Spirit by Joanna Weaver.  Very, very good book!

Also, I found Faith Barista today (a Christian blog).  Check out these two posts:

• The Joy of “What-Is-It?”
• Your Best Days are Ahead of You

WINTER BLUES

So, as I have mentioned in earlier posts (this month) I think I definitely have the winter blues….I have been feeling blah for weeks and it is just not letting up.  The holidays + time off from work distracted me for a little while, but now I’m back to feeling blah and sleepy and unmotivated.  Tonight I was searching for information about this on the internet and I found out that I am doing everything you are not supposed to do. Ha!

For example, you are apparently supposed to keep your regular sleep schedule. However, I am sleeping anywhere from 2-4 (!)extra hours in the afternoon/evening and then going to bed (and getting up) at normal time.

Here are some other tips to beat the winter blues that I am going to incorporate into my routine:

• Exercise – I KNOW I need to do this.  The problem is when.  In the morning (~ 5 a.m.) it is still dark and really cold. By the afternoon I am starting to feel tired + hungry + by 3:30 when I get off I have had the entire day to talk myself out of it.  Plus, if I ride with Brent I have to wait until 4 pm to leave, then that makes it even later getting home.  The solution for now is morning exercise…just bundle up and DO IT. 
• Keep a regular sleep schedule – I am just going to have to fight the urge to sleep during the day.
• Supplements: fish oil + SAM-e – I am going to try both of these to see if they work.
• Diet – I have been giving in to cravings for carbohydrates and sugar (grilled cheese? onion rings?).  Apparently the body craves these things to increase serotonin in the brain.  However, while simple sugars and processed carbs may cause a temporary sugar high, they actually drain energy in the long term.  Many sources recommend complex grains + veggies and fruit for carbohydrate sources.

There are many other suggestions for beating the winter blues, such as light therapy, acupuncture, massage, and antidepressant medications, but I would rather try the natural (and less expensive) treatments first.  I will report back on how it works.  I am especially eager to try the supplements.

Links to information on winter blues:

1. Health.com
2. Cornell University Gannett Health Services
3. Do It Yourself
4. PsychCentral
5. New York Daily News
6. Huffington Post
7. WebMD

That Time Again

It’s that time of the year again….time to start setting goals (I prefer goals vs. resolutions) for the new year. And this year it is not just a new YEAR, but a new DECADE.  Seems like a really, really fresh start.  In 2010, Brent and I will also say goodbye to our 20’s!  Unbelievable!  So I think this is a good time to reflect on where we have been and where life (individually and collectively) is going. 

This year I am going to set a few personal goals, but for the first time, Brent and I are going to set family resolutions.  More than likely, these family resolutions will be about finances, continuing the Financial Peace plan we started last year.  We have made progress this year, but not as much as we could have.

My problem with goals/resolutions is that I set too many and have too many things going at once, get discouraged, impatient, or overwhelmed, and drop them all. I need to focus on ONE primary thing this year, and set a detailed plan for accomplishing it.