Jackie's Japan Journal: Insomnia And Stress Eating

Monday, August 12, 2024

Insomnia And Stress Eating

Mt insomnia is back with a vengeance. I fall asleep alright most nights but wake up a couple of hours later and can't drop off again. I'm awake from 1am to about 4am but have to get up at 5am to get Hannah's breakfast. I know she can do it herself but these are the last few months she will be living here so I want to do things for her.

Between lack of sleep and the heat, I'm becoming very irritable. I find myself snapping at the smallest thing, I shouted at the broom the other day! It had fallen at an angle against a chair and I tripped over it. Poor thing got cursed out!!

Then my eating is starting to get out of control. I don't diet but I am very mindful of what I eat. I try to avoid sugar and carbs but not doing keto. For most of my meals, I have a lot of vegetables and salad. My snacks are fruit or nuts.

I haven't put weight on but I haven't lost any. The couple of kilos I lost when I was sick with Covid have come back. I seem to go up and down the same two kilos.

I'm stressed. Just the physical aspect of the move is daunting. David and Christopher went to the other house today, I've given up for now. They managed to clear out two rooms, which is good. But there is so much to do and so little time. I've managed to box up more books, I think I need to be more ruthless with these books and throw or give away more! I've emptied out two big drawers in the kitchen, basically baking stuff. Again a lot more to do.

Another thing that is stressing me is what to do about our English school. I thought about opening near where we are going to live. For a few months that will be alright but Mikey is planning to move out next summer. Will he want to commute to pick me up and take me to the next town to teach? Will we get students? I want to come back here to teach the students we have, but I want to put them together on just a few days. How many will quit?

Then, of course, we had an earthquake, and the news and social media are on about the possibility of a mega earthquake. I know the possibility is small but is still a worry.

I've tried everything to deal with my insomnia, except sleeping pills, which I don't want. I keep busy during the day in the hope of falling and staying asleep. I write a diary, to get the worries out of my head. I do deep breathing and little stretches but nothing is working. I might buy some allergy tablets as they make me sleepy.

As for the eating I need to learn to say no. Yesterday I had an ice cream in the evening. I felt sick after, I realized that my body isn't used to such a large amount of sugar being dumped in at once!!!

I want to be healthy, and I want to have the energy to face what is coming but sometimes I feel defeated! I'm hoping that part of this is the heat. That as it cools down I'll feel a bit better. This morning it was under 25C for the first time in weeks. I did feel a bit better and managed to do some housework without the sweat dripping off me!

Last night Hannah was going through her photos and found this one from last year, August 11Th.