Forsooth! A blog entry...

Gonna get right into this one...

You know how sometimes you can turn off your alarm clock without actually regaining consciousness? It's almost like your body knows it needs more sleep, recognizes the threat to its survival in the form of the incessant, horrible beeping, and then goes into override. Your brain knows things like "I need to make it to work on time" or "I want to have a productive morning". But all the body knows is "Uh uh...more sleep." My alarm clock is across the room, and disengaging it requires getting up and out of bed and finding that particular switch(not the easily mashable snooze, mind you) on the side of the clock that completely turns it off. Forever. Doing this while not interrupting my slumber is rather impressive, despite the fact that it leaves me with that horrible gut feeling the moment I wake up and realize I am WAY too well rested for this to be appropriate. Shit, time to call somebody and apologize/feel guilty for wasting a beautiful day asleep like a chump.

The point is, the body can do some interesting things without waking you up.

But that's not what I came to talk about.

I recently obtained dental insurance and got fitted for a nightguard(I grind my teeth at night). It wasn't entirely cheap, but it's something I probably should have been wearing since the FIRST time a dentist told me I needed one(10 years ago?). Anyways, to no surprise I was warned that it would take awhile to get used to.

Well last night I took it out for its inaugural sleep. Yes...rather uncomfortable at first. Drool production seems to quadruple any time I am wearing it, but I eventually get settled and fall asleep, mostly with the help of my 12 hour shift exhaustion. I woke up partway through my intended duration of sleep to realize a few things.

Not only was I no longer wearing my nightguard, BUT it was back in its case, which was now closed. I had no recollection of taking it out at any point...much less of carefully placing it back in its case and shutting it. I could undestand if the nightguard was simply out of my mouth and lying in a puddle of drool on the bed wherever it had fallen or been spit out. Seeing as how I was still a little groggy and fully intended to fall immediately back to sleep, I overlooked this peculiarity and placed the nightguard back in my mouth. Lights out, once again.

My alarm clock went off. It did wake me and as I got up to turn it off...guess what? No nightguard.

Where? Yep...back in its case.

How?

Well...apparently my body knows just a few things and doesn't need to consult my brain when questions over such things arise. Things like: "No, we are not fully rested...MOAR SLEEP!" and apparently "This thing is jeopardizing our airway and DOES NOT BELONG IN OUR FACE! Begone with you...but Mr. Brain up there paid good money for it...better put it back in the case."  

As least my body is considerate.