Dazed and Confused
Hi Phil,
That dazed and confused that you’re experiencing is likely part of the
recovery of receptors that got used to nicotine and now must recovery their
ability to interact with naturally produced neurotransmitters. Bottom
line, that process is probably pretty much out of our hands. However, there
is a great deal we can do to improve the general ‘operating conditions’
within which we function while we’re in recovery, specifically, sleep and
food.
First, food…. too many of us eat supper somewhere in the early
evening, maybe a snack or two of something nutritionally useless sometime
before bed, and then to sleep. Anywhere from 5-8 hrs later, we’re up and
out the door with a coffee (or tea) and something like a bagel. Breakfast
is basically a skipped meal. Midmorning may see a donut or such and more
coffee. Lunch is iffy since we’re buried in work and the phone hasn’t
stopped. We’re now at about 14-16 hrs since we’ve eaten a balanced meal. If
we’ve been following that pattern for any length of time, it’s become the
norm which means that we’re probably routinely undernourished for the
demands we’re making of ourselves. It really shouldn’t be any surprise that
we’re experiencing urges since it was always a cigarette that we used to
try to energize the body and mind in order to keep going. Some of you
have tried a little experiment of eating properly through the day and have
discovered remarkable differences in how you get through the day. Try
eating a breakfast of at least some lean protein (egg or cheese etc), some
carbs (fruit is easy in the morning), and some healthy fat (almonds). Take
fruit for a midmorning snack. EAT LUNCH!! Again, balanced. Salad with a
bit of meat and easy on the dressing is good. Eat a midafternoon snack of
more fruit. Notice how you’re feeling during the day in terms of energy
levels and clarity of mind. You’ll find that the midmorning slump coming up
to lunch is gone and that you’ll actually be hungry for lunch. (You might
use an ABC to deal with that hunger sensation so that you point Warren
toward the proper response of eating rather than ’something else’.) The
afternoon drag won’t be happening either. You’ll likely find yourself far
more alert and effective than is your current experience. Give it a try,
it only takes one day and a bit of planning to take a bag of food with you
to work. It’s very important that you make it as convenient as possible.
You can eat an apple at your desk if all you have to do reach into a bag
and pull it out. If you have to go somewhere to find something to eat, it
won’t happen. If you find this helps you perform better in spite of the
fog of quitting, you’ll have one very useful tool.
Sleep is the second issue. The first month or so of a quit almost
always messes with sleep patterns. For a while it seems we’re sleeping too
much or not at all. Most of us can not perform up to par without enough
sleep, at least not for the long run. Yet how many of us are regularly
headed to bed way too late? Try getting 7- 8 hrs sleep/nite and see if
there is a change in how you’re functioning.
Steve