OnlySunshine Posted October 22, 2011 Posted October 22, 2011 [quote name='nunsense' timestamp='1319248064' post='2324927'] Well, I've never been a 'morning person' and I love staying up late, but it is a little easier for me to get up early if I can get to bed early (and sleep well which isn't always possible) and then to know I am heading for choir to pray the Office with others - all that little stuff helps. But I would still like to start my day aroudn 10am! [/quote] Same here! I am such a night owl!
Nunsense Posted October 22, 2011 Posted October 22, 2011 [quote name='brandelynmarie' timestamp='1319248643' post='2324935'] Oh! I hear you guys! I work nights & even after being off for 3 weeks, I did not lose the knack of being up all night. I have been told that it can take 6 months to a year before one feels that one can sleep well at night & get up early. (I'm hoping it happens a little faster with the monastery schedule!) The nuns do get up for an hour of prayer at night (several nights a week, I think!) & that may actually be easier for me than not! [/quote] Wow - this is new from when I was there (2009) - they never got up during the night then - unless it was a special vigil for something like Easter or Christmas. It used to be that once we were in bed - no one even left their cells unless they absoutely had to - we used chamber pots in the cells and emptied them in the morning - unless a toilet run was absolutely necessary and was done using a flashlight - no lights on. I'm glad I didn't have to get up in the middle of the night!
brandelynmarie Posted October 22, 2011 Posted October 22, 2011 I meant the Dominican sisters I am discerning with, I don't think Carmelites have the adoring rosary...
LadyOfSorrows Posted October 22, 2011 Posted October 22, 2011 A carmelite live-in! I wish my Carmel had a live-in, Prayers for you!
Nunsense Posted October 22, 2011 Posted October 22, 2011 [quote name='brandelynmarie' timestamp='1319250486' post='2324952'] I meant the Dominican sisters I am discerning with, I don't think Carmelites have the adoring rosary... [/quote] No, my mistake. I think I was thinking of AS's upcoming re-entry into KE and was sure we didn't do it there, but now I see what you mean -- oops -- my bad!
OnlySunshine Posted October 22, 2011 Posted October 22, 2011 [quote name='LadyOfSorrows' timestamp='1319250843' post='2324957'] A carmelite live-in! I wish my Carmel had a live-in, Prayers for you! [/quote] Please say "hello" to Mother Miriam for me. I talked to her from Sept. 2009 to March 2010.
Strictlyinkblot Posted October 22, 2011 Author Posted October 22, 2011 [quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1319252444' post='2324977'] Please say "hello" to Mother Miriam for me. I talked to her from Sept. 2009 to March 2010. [/quote] Will do. Brandelynnmarie and Nunsense I hear you. I'm usually a night owl any way and having been on nights for seven months getting up at 05:30 is going to be interesting. I found when I did my live in about four years ago, and even when I just follow the monastic prayer schedule on retreats I get very tired. I just hope I don't snore too loudly during silent prayer time. That could be embarrassing.
OnlySunshine Posted October 22, 2011 Posted October 22, 2011 [quote name='Strictlyinkblot' timestamp='1319268518' post='2325058'] Will do. Brandelynnmarie and Nunsense I hear you. I'm usually a night owl any way and having been on nights for seven months getting up at 05:30 is going to be interesting. I found when I did my live in about four years ago, and even when I just follow the monastic prayer schedule on retreats I get very tired. I just hope I don't snore too loudly during silent prayer time. That could be embarrassing. [/quote] Sorry! I was talking to [b]LadyOfSorrows[/b] who is discerning with the monastery I was in contact for 6 months.
Strictlyinkblot Posted October 22, 2011 Author Posted October 22, 2011 [quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1319270897' post='2325066'] Sorry! I was talking to [b]LadyOfSorrows[/b] who is discerning with the monastery I was in contact for 6 months. [/quote] No probs, I did wonder
Antigonos Posted October 22, 2011 Posted October 22, 2011 [quote name='brandelynmarie' timestamp='1319248643' post='2324935'] Oh! I hear you guys! I work nights & even after being off for 3 weeks, I did not lose the knack of being up all night. I have been told that it can take 6 months to a year before one feels that one can sleep well at night & get up early. (I'm hoping it happens a little faster with the monastery schedule!) The nuns do get up for an hour of prayer at night (several nights a week, I think!) & that may actually be easier for me than not! [/quote] No, it is liable to make you even more tired, as you may find it impossible to get back to sleep. During almost all my nursing career, beginning in 1967, I worked permanent night shift, and even today, 8 years after I began a day job, I find that if I am awake after 11 p.m. my body shifts to "night hours" and it is very difficult to get to sleep until 3 or 4 a.m.
brandelynmarie Posted October 22, 2011 Posted October 22, 2011 (edited) Uh oh! I wonder why that is so.... Edited October 22, 2011 by brandelynmarie
Nunsense Posted October 23, 2011 Posted October 23, 2011 I can wake up in the middle of the night and go back to sleep easily. The hard part for me is getting up early in the morning - I don't know why but that is the time I sleep best!
Antigonos Posted October 23, 2011 Posted October 23, 2011 [quote name='brandelynmarie' timestamp='1319308111' post='2325231'] Uh oh! I wonder why that is so... . [/quote] It's all about your circadian rhythms becoming switched, so that you are awake at night, and drowsy/sleepy in daytime.
Nunsense Posted October 23, 2011 Posted October 23, 2011 [quote name='Antigonos' timestamp='1319363762' post='2325556'] It's all about your circadian rhythms becoming switched, so that you are awake at night, and drowsy/sleepy in daytime. [/quote] I heard that taking melatonin tablets can help - but of course, check with a doctor first.
OnlySunshine Posted October 23, 2011 Posted October 23, 2011 (edited) [quote name='nunsense' timestamp='1319364132' post='2325560'] I heard that taking melatonin tablets can help - but of course, check with a doctor first. [/quote] I would caution others, too. My ARNP advised me to take Melatonin 1mg for my Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome (DSPS), but both times I took it, it caused my blood pressure to drop really low and made feel like I was drugged the next day. All indications were that it was not supposed to do this as my ARNP said it was "natural" so did not cause next-day grogginess. I will never take that stuff again. Edited October 23, 2011 by MaterMisericordiae
faithcecelia Posted October 23, 2011 Posted October 23, 2011 Strictly, you may well be broken in gently, so dont worry on the sleep. One word of advice - if you are asked if you would like an early night, the answer is yes regardless of how you feel. Its a bit of a test to see how you might be with obedience.
Nunsense Posted October 23, 2011 Posted October 23, 2011 [quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1319364749' post='2325565'] I would caution others, too. My ARNP advised me to take Melatonin 1mg for my Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome (DSPS), but both times I took it, it caused my blood pressure to drop really low and made feel like I was drugged the next day. All indications were that it was not supposed to do this as my ARNP said it was "natural" so did not cause next-day grogginess. I will never take that stuff again. [/quote] This brings up a good point - that we are all different in our physical make-up and tolerance for substances. In Perth, the Novice Mistress was a real proponent of natural rememdies as opposed to medical ones, so she insisted that I try taking a herbal remedy for menopause symptoms instead of letting me go to the doctor. I had such a bad reaction to them that by the time I got to the doctor, my BP was over 200! The doctor was appalled that anyone would prescribe something for someone without medical consultation and observation of symptoms. After that, I think the NM kept her herbal cures to herself! I am not saying that these things won't work for someone - only that we are all different and as MM points out, melatonin had a bad reaction on her. I have never personally tried it, so it is good to have a warning about it - I would certainly make sure that I had proper medical attention before trying anything new now.
Nunsense Posted October 23, 2011 Posted October 23, 2011 [quote name='faithcecelia' timestamp='1319365223' post='2325568'] Strictly, you may well be broken in gently, so dont worry on the sleep. One word of advice - if you are asked if you would like an early night, the answer is yes regardless of how you feel. Its a bit of a test to see how you might be with obedience. [/quote] Oh yes faith! Take those early nights as often as you can! It is a real charity to be offered them, even though the night offices are beautiful, be humble enough to accept the gift that is being offered. The life of a nun is a seven day a week thing - 24 hours a day living and working with the same people (especially in a cloister) so little things like this are definitely to be appreciated!
OnlySunshine Posted October 23, 2011 Posted October 23, 2011 [quote name='nunsense' timestamp='1319365365' post='2325569'] This brings up a good point - that we are all different in our physical make-up and tolerance for substances. In Perth, the Novice Mistress was a real proponent of natural rememdies as opposed to medical ones, so she insisted that I try taking a herbal remedy for menopause symptoms instead of letting me go to the doctor. I had such a bad reaction to them that by the time I got to the doctor, my BP was over 200! The doctor was appalled that anyone would prescribe something for someone without medical consultation and observation of symptoms. After that, I think the NM kept her herbal cures to herself! I am not saying that these things won't work for someone - only that we are all different and as MM points out, melatonin had a bad reaction on her. I have never personally tried it, so it is good to have a warning about it - I would certainly make sure that I had proper medical attention before trying anything new now. [/quote] I've since learned that just because it is "natural," it doesn't mean it doesn't have any side effects. That's scary about your BP going over 200! It's a wonder that you didn't have a stroke!
Nunsense Posted October 23, 2011 Posted October 23, 2011 [quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1319367178' post='2325580'] I've since learned that just because it is "natural," it doesn't mean it doesn't have any side effects. That's scary about your BP going over 200! It's a wonder that you didn't have a stroke! [/quote] That's what concerned the doc too. And it reminds us that Novice Mistresses don't know everything! I was put on hypertensive meds and for a week, the Infirmarian had to take my BP once a day and then I had to go back to the doc for another test. I'm okay now, but it was a very stressful time for awhile. The NM just had this aversion to doctors so she tried to get all her postulants and Novices to go to her homeopath instead of the doctor. Finally the Prioress said that they could choose whichever they wanted and I chose the doctor. I have nothing against alternative medicine, but since it was a three month live-in and I used to be a nurse, I felt better after that knowing I was being monitored by a medical professional.
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