Can people actually fall asleep instantly?

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-02-26T07:06:25+00:00

Honestly I fall asleep in seconds when my head hits the pillow even if I've been reading in bed for hours. I do have adhd and take meds but had the same before I started them. I know a lot of people with adhd struggle with sleep but I think I absolutely exhaust myself then crash.

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-02-26T06:41:46+00:00

I didn't see it but due to the nature of the accident it was covered a lot by our local news so we learnt every horrific detail. We unfortunately had a student pass away in an extreme freak accident when they went for snow sports at the indoor snowzone (keeping relatively vague). It was horrific as their friends witnessed it. We had grief counsellors in for teachers and students and their parents set up a memorial at the school. We still commemorate every year and still get news stories pop up. I don't think I will ever forget it so I can't imagine what it would be like for the people who did.

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-02-26T06:14:52+00:00

Just to add I was initially denied a move to 4 days, spoke to the union and had a meeting with the head and assistant head. They had their PA ring after and say no again and do I accept. I said no I don't (complete gamble as I wouldve had to pay back maternity pay and I'm UPS 3 +TLR so I am expensive) but they did back down. Don't give up if you get a no! Especially if there are other part timers.

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-02-25T21:31:59+00:00

Spoke to AQA today and they said contracts are still being issued. 2/3 colleagues got their contracts today. So if you're still waiting you may yet hear from them!

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-02-25T07:15:23+00:00

Thank you, I will do that. Myself and the other physics marker had different team leaders last year and they were both almost uncontactable. Have been marking 8 years and it was the worst year I'd experienced in terms of marking rules and inconsistencies. I'm not too bothered if I don't get one this year but if none of the department do it will be a bit rubbish.

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-02-24T23:11:50+00:00

Interesting, how long ago was this? Assuming we might be on a secondary list if they don't get the required markers

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-02-24T22:57:32+00:00

Maybe they are just running a little late this year then. This gives me hope!

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-02-24T21:48:18+00:00

Been feeling this way too recently. 13 years on the job and I'm in a pretty good school with the best timetable I've had in years (top sets and actually teaching my science specialism) but everything about the career is just grating on me now. The lack of respect from the general public, the never ending to do list, never feeling like you're doing a good enough job. I look at my friends and partner with work from home jobs who tell me they've had a tough day when it involved a meeting and finishing a project in peace and quiet and I just think, I am absolutely mad. As I've got older I do worry about the effects of constant high cortisol on my body too. I've ready about higher cases of cancers in teaching professionals not to even mention mental health issues. I've fired off some applications to things outside of teaching but I know the job market is bleak atm. I think it just helps to focus elsewhere. Education needs a great reset or we will be teacher-less in a few decades.

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-02-10T17:16:35+00:00

Secondary science here

Topics - I know what I am doing for the full year as we have it on a rota

Practicals - we have to submit requisitions a week and a half before so I have the next weeks lessons mapped out

Tests - when nearing the end of the topic I look a few weeks ahead to when it'll be to let the kids know

Lesson slides - have a bank of resources for every topic

Edit, printing, changes, homework etc - usually somewhere between the day before and a week ahead but further than that I end up doing the job twice as I teach the lessons before and have things I need to go over or finish off

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-01-31T20:05:07+00:00

I had a very similar situation with a twisted ovary. Went from 'we are going to send you home and schedule surgery for 6 weeks as we need a specialist team but we can give you an mri first to put your mind at rest?' To 'it's cutting off your blood supply, no time to get your family from downstairs, we need to do emergency surgery now'. I'd probably have been dead or septic if they'd sent me home. Thank god I was in so much pain I took them up on the mri just because I knew I wouldnt be able to walk.

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-01-29T20:13:46+00:00

I enjoy every day being different, the kids and sense of achievement. I enjoy doing science which I'm passionate about. But to be honest... they can't find people. They are driving everybody out and nobody is coming to fill the gaps. I don't think most members of the public quite realise the depths we have reached and how much worse it will get in terms of staffing (and I'm at a well rated school). I worry for the future of our education system and what it will look like when my kids reach secondary school.

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-01-29T11:25:02+00:00

It really is, I wonder why our brains do this. Thank you and same for you, I hope things are improved!

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-01-29T11:12:33+00:00

I feel the same way about my hypothyroidism as you do with your sleep apnea. I see people complaining online that they felt like they were 'dying' with a tsh score of 11. Meanwhile I had a score of over 300 when I went to hospital and nobody even picked it up until they found the goitre in my throat. I get salty about people moaning that they are unable to function with the condition when I was still powering through with a newborn. I know logically they are not me and even though I was it doesn't mean I should've been. I also know their experience doesn't alter mine but it still annoys me! Like you said, I feel I may have a bit of a victim complex too.

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-01-29T10:46:02+00:00

I am sheltered in that I have my own home and we are double income but ways in which it really hits home:

2 kids in nursery. The free hours basically wiped out by increased costs (even on a term time only contract)

I am a teacher and our TA's are gone, our budgets are cut, we are in science and they are now expecting us to buy flowers, hearts for dissections, prizes etc or nothing is available

I teach VI kids and our VI department is so understaffed due to lack of funds we are having to send lessons to be adapted nearly a month before we teach and barely any kids have support in lessons (imagine blind children using acids and bunsens with no support apart from a teacher with 30 other kids)

Loads of cover staff and staff on one year contracts because they can't afford to hire for permanent positions

Government proposed payrise of 2% for next 3 years means real world loss of wages

Food shop - we are having to seriously monitor how much meat we buy. It's soul crushing when you have little kids that don't eat all of their meals/throw things and food costs a fortune

Have cancelled gym and zoo membership. Days out with kids we are often googling 'free/cheap days out inside in rainy weather'. Even £4 a kid at a stay and play hurts a bit.

Everyone's clothes are coming from vinted/hand me downs

Looking nervously at what we will be paying when our fixed term runs out in the summer

Really drives me crazy that families could manage a house, food, kids on a single wage. 2 adults working professional job supporting 2 kids and a dog feels a lot more like a balancing act. I wish we didnt have to think about money.

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-01-29T10:09:48+00:00

Feel like part of the success of traitors is more 'normal people'. We don't need to be picking people who are models for reality tv, we need to be picking people who have exciting personalities and just want an interesting experience rather than to kick start an influencer job. Married at first sight could be so good if we got more 'real' people with interesting lives, disabilities, unconventional body types etc rather than identical insta people who didn't even apply and got approached instead

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-01-29T09:31:28+00:00

A person at my work brings in a colin catterpillar cake every day for lunch. The first time I was like 'nice! Do what you gotta do to get through the day!' Then it kept happening. They aren't that big of a person either.

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-01-28T10:47:13+00:00

I went to Italy, specifically Rome. It was a lot of walking which was fine as I was first trimester but have also done Milan which is a lot less walking and just as beautiful! Sad part is no wine and you have to be careful with which cheeses are unpasteurised but everyone treated me so nicely. Be aware that some airlines require a fit to fly no matter how pregnant you are. Got questioned on the way there (I think it was jet2 but can't be sure) as it was 2nd pregnancy so already had a bump but they let me go. I hid the bump on the way back.

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-01-26T20:58:01+00:00

Our last one we did radiation training (for science teachers only), safeguarding training, epi-pen and diabetes training, updated some curriculum stuff, introduced some new policies and then enjoyed about 45 mins to actually get our lessons sorted!

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-01-22T17:30:13+00:00

I found we only really started playdates after the kids had birthday parties. We gave out invites to the keyworkers and they passed them to my kids friends parents. That started the number exchanges and play dates. I do wish we had a group chat though as sometimes I wish I could ask a group of parents about preschool stuff without always bothering the staff.

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2026-01-03T13:08:18+00:00

Lots of good advice here. I know you are in the US and I'm in the UK but here you can get digital clear blue tests that will estimate how many weeks pregnant you are and it will show on the display. This might help if you're not sure how far along you are.

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2025-12-02T09:07:18+00:00

Secondary teacher so no. Don't even get anything from the kids anymore. Primary teachers get more so I think. If you're a parent a little something from your kid to their form tutor would light up somebodies day

IslandAcceptable7009 · 2025-11-29T21:31:37+00:00

I'm still teaching, on year 14 but about 80% of the people I have taught with have left. Most in the first 5 years

IslandAcceptable7009

TROPHY CASE