Wednesday's Word

Today’s word is SleepDeprivation. Ok, it is really sleep deprivation which is two words but for the purpose of my title I have combined it. I can do that. I am a writer. Take that, Wikipedia.

Sleep deprivation is a funny thing. It affects more than you realize. You can go for days on 4-5 hours a night, as long as you hook yourself up with an unlimited supply of caffeine, or maybe those little magic 5-hour shots they sell at the local drugstore. Energy bullets, I like to call them. However, eventually you will see the effects of that lost sleep showing up in the strangest ways. For example:

1) Crying inconsolably at commercial for the ASPCA with Sarah McLachlan.

2) Feeling intense rage at husband for tracking dirt in from backyard. Daydream of possible invention to permanently wax feet so dirt doesn’t stick.

3) Misplacing things and accusing everyone of taking them. Apologizing later when you find them but still secretly suspect they were put back out of fear.

4) Go over checklist before walking out front door so you don’t forget shoes…or pants.

5) You have named the bags under your eyes…and you talk to them each morning.

You may have lapses of memory and if so they could be caused by this strange phenomenon known as Microsleeps. Your brain shuts off and you fall into a sleep state that can last 10-60 seconds. You aren’t even aware of it, which explains a lot…most of my twenties as a matter of fact.
So don’t worry! You are not actually a raving lunatic (no matter what your husband says). Take a nap because you obviously have a case of SleepDeprivation.

And that, my friends, is the Word.