I recently went on a marathon shopping spree with the girls. It had been forever and a year since I broke free from my children to simply enjoy myself without time constraints or concerns for the welfare of others. It was a carefree time that reminded me of my youth, shopping till I dropped.
In fact we shopped for approximately sixteen hours straight, and I didn’t get home until after 2am. While I was tired upon my arrival to the house, I was also energized with the good feelings born of such an adventurous outing.
This morning when I awoke, being unable to really sleep in late, I was reminded of something. I was reminded that I am no longer the age I once was when long shopping ventures were the norm. My body reminded me that I am not in my twenties anymore, but rather I am in my late thirties.
Here’s five ways I realized pretty quickly that I am no longer twenty-five.
1. No all-nighters allowed. I can recall many times in my mid-twenties where I partied until dawn. I could stay up all night with the ladies without a problem. The next day, after shower and coffee, I was ready to go again.
This morning I realized that I felt that familiar, yet forgotten feeling of a hangover. The thing was, though, I didn’t drink a drop. In fact if I had I probably wouldn’t be writing this. Because I would be dead.
I no longer have the ability to hang out into the wee hours of the night. Like Cinderella’s entourage I am completely useless after midnight. My saggy, soft body needs to be resting on the couch after 9pm. Sad, but true.
2. I can’t marathon anything. I knew enough to know I couldn’t run a marathon, but I didn’t realize that marathons period were beyond my scope of practice.
Today I felt like I had indeed participated in a triathlon. I was utterly exhausted, and though my pace through the shops was in line with my age, I suppose the length of time spent purchasing was not. My body is not used to doing anything for sixteen hours straight, and it’s good that I reminded myself of such. Sheesh.
3. I don’t bounce back from sickness. I’ve had the sniffles for a few days, but I saw no reason why that should keep me from going shopping. Right? I mean it’s just a cold.
I realize now, if I didn’t before, that a cold at twenty-five is far different from a cold at thirty-seven. In my twenties I could take some DayQuil and I was good to go. Not so much now.
I need vitamin C, and B vitamins, and water, and chicken noodle soup, and lots of rest. Lots of rest.
Even then, it just takes time. So much more time to recover than it used to take. Throw in a twelve hour shift at work, or say a sixteen hour shopping spree, and I wake up feeling like I have Malaria. Help. Me.
4. No sleeping it off. Before kids I typically planned these type of excursions when I knew I could sleep in the following day. I didn’t really need to sleep in much as my youthful body recovered quickly, but I had the opportunity if needed to sleep in until noon.
Now I require more recovery time, like say three days. But I am unable to sleep beyond 9am. Kids don’t care if you’re exhausted, and have no consideration for if you have consumed adequate amounts of coffee prior to their multiple requests.
Nothing lets you know you’re old like performing childcare duties when you feel like an extra from the set of The Walking Dead.
5. I can’t just eat whatever. Or whenever for that matter. On my marathon shopping spree we chose to eat one meal in a twenty four hour period. We decided this meal would be Tex Mex. Sigh.
I don’t know about other ladies, but for myself as I’ve aged acid has become more plentiful and bowels more irritable. Nausea seems more common place, and I find myself needing to eat simply to “settle” my stomach.
I found myself taking my typical acid reducer in combination with a secondary one. I chomped Tums like candy, broke out the Zofran, and even tried taking some Midol. It seems like such a wonder drug at other times. Desperate times, desperate measures, and what-not.
After Sudafed and generous quantities of caffeine I found myself feeling somewhat normal by about 4pm. In that time I managed to do little of nothing other than bathe myself, and even then I was sure using the blow dryer would be the end of me. I felt like a complete loser for persisting in my fatigue, but I seemed unable to snap out of it. It was then I realized, as I sat soaking in a hot bath, that I am older now. I’m not twenty-five, and my body certainly won’t react like I am.
But when I was parading up and down the racks of discounted clothing, and riding the escalator through the twinkling lights of the mall I felt great! Will I do it again? I’m sure I will. As long as I feel twenty in my mind I’ll keep going. But for future reference I probably will rethink the pork Carnitas.
ruthiespage says
You should try this after 60!!!! know it was fun!
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
It was a blast!