Three days ago, i was flying over the Pacific Ocean. Now i’m wide awake at 2 a.m. as if i’m hovering near sunrise over the Atlantic. Apparently, my circadian rhythms are coming home via the west with the sunrise, even though my body headed home by flying east. No wonder i feel slightly separated from my body, as if it’s a foreigner.

On the first flight from Bangkok to Tokyo, i fell solidly asleep and woke up as the sun rose over India. The next nap on the plane from Tokyo to DC, i woke as the sun rose over Iran. When i finally made it to bed, i woke up an hour later, as the sun rose over Turkey. Then, doze and wake as the sun rose over England, and there i stayed for 3 days.

We call it jet lag, but by midday i’m dragging so heavily, i can fall asleep standing up. The other evening, i fell asleep for 1 second while driving on the interstate to my 7:30 p.m. trapeze class. The weariness weakened my strength, my grip on the trapeze bar, and my grip on wakefulness. I was ready to stretch out on the mat under the trapeze and take a nap.

I’m actually okay with waking in the week hours. i can live perfectly well on 5 hours of sleep, so i’m surprised by the weariness that drags my eyes closed at 10 a.m., 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 7 p.m., and 8 p.m. No amount of napping compensates.

My days and nights are upside down. Oh well, i’ll just make hay while the sun isn’t shining, and write this blog at 2 a.m.