Working the overnight air shift on WQMX has so far been a great experience for me. It has certainly been much different than I have previously been accustomed to, in a multitude of ways. My days are completely upside down in terms of my schedule, but it is actually working out nicely with all things considered. I have had some sleepy nights where I wondered if I would make it to the other side of the night with my eyes still open, but I've found that cranking the studio speakers and chugging an energy drink will keep me going. Constantly feeling tired wasn't going to work for me, so I had to adjust from my initial plan.

I originally thought that I could just catch up on sleep during the weekend, but with all of the fun we participate in with WQMX and my activities with friends and family, I had put my sleep to the wayside. This put me back even further, and come Thursday or so of the next week I felt like I could sleep a full 24 hours. Additionally, I've read research that claims you need consistent sleep and oversleeping on the weekends does not work in the long term.

My solution has been to sleep as much as I possibly can during the week instead. I'm not the type to loaf in bed, and when I'm up there's no going back. Needless to say, it has taken some tweaks and tuning to get right. As it stands, I sleep twice a day on either side of my shift for about 4 to 5 hours. Doing it this way is nice because I can still be up during the daylight hours for a good amount of time, without sacrificing rest. I expect this to be especially key come winter time when our daylight is drastically diminished daily.

There's a few things I'm still figuring out, such as communication ettiquette. For example, is it okay for me to send a text or email at 3 am? I have been scheduling emails to send around 8am, recently. Should I be frustrated with those who know my schedule and still call me at 9am? I usually am! Aside from those considerations, should I eat breakfast or dinner after work? Some 6 A.M. tacos don't sound too bad.... I also live on a relatively busy street where loud cars and motorcycles tend to distrupt my sleep, but I'm not sure there's an answer for that one.

What cannot go unmentioned are my blackout curtains. They have come in clutch and are undeniably a necessity for me now. I like a dark room to sleep in regardless of the time of day, and my curtains make it like a dungeon in my bedroom. I'm quite content with them.

So yeah that's a look into my nocturnal life as a live and local radio personality, and like I said, it's been working out very well. The days go by quicker with them seeming shorter, and it's just crazy to think that I have now been in this role for close to a month. Time truly flies, and with this realization, I have been trying to be more productive in my off-time. I have an extensive to-do list, and every day I try to check off no less than one item. Most have to do with my powersports or cars, and a day in the garage is anything but a day wasted for me. I don't have anything profound or inspirational to leave you off with on this blog, but I would like to remind you to take care of yourself, and make sure you get all the zzz's your body needs!