TOP OF THE MORNING to yez and sure isn’t it another Bluffer’s Guide to Irish.
The Bluffer didn’t make any rúin na hathbhliana - new year’s resolutions this year because it’s hard to travel more when you are in dianghlasáil - lockdown and ní chaillfidh tú meáchan - you won’t lose weight because those brioscaí - biscuits in the larder are impossible to say "no" to when they give you the glad eye.
However, for Christmas, fuair mé bronntanas iontach úsáideach - I got a very useful present – a fitbit.
Now, there are all kinds of aipeanna - apps to encourage us to keep fit.
Earlier on, the Bluffer got Runkeeper which tracked all the siúlóidí - walks he did, told him how far he had gone, how long it took him, how many calories he used up and provided him with a little léarscáil - a map of the route he took.
He found that this information spurred him on to improve his performance the next time.
Spreag sé é - it encouraged him.
There were other such apps - mapmywalk and worldwalking and nowadays you can get running shoes that have sliseanna - chips or braiteoirí - sensors in them in them that record your every step.
“That’s cool, man” or “Big Brother”, the choice is yours.
The Bluffer takes his fitbit to bed with him (stop giggling at the back there!) because it tells him how he sleeps.
Now, el Bluffo has always been a good sleeper.
You can say codlaím go maith - I sleep well or codlaím go héadrom - I’m a light sleeper but if AC/DC were playing live in the Bluffer’s bedroom, he would hardly stir.
On the fitbit, you can set the number of hours you want to sleep per night.
Faighim ocht n-uair a chloig de chodladh gach oíche - I get eight hours sleep every night is what the luckier amongst us can boast, although Mr B’s time in bed varied from 5 hours 20 minutes to 9 hours 45 minutes!
What was more interesting were his sleeping patterns.
One night, he slept for 8hrs 11mins and of that bhí sé múscailte - he was awake for 41 minutes. Whaaaa?
Apparently, sometimes when we are sleeping, músclaíonn muid - we wake up but don’t notice it.
Then there is the well-known mearchorraí súl - rapid eye movement (REM) which is mostly when we are ag brionglóidigh - dreaming and this said to be good for the brain as it helps with mood and memory.
That night, the Bluffer spend 1 hour and 45 minutes getting some REM, dreaming that Casement Park was open and he scored the winning goal for Antrim in the Ulster final.
Most of his time in bed was spent in light sleep, 5hrs 16 mins and this is the period when the body renews itself after a hard day’s sitting at a computer in his jammies and eating shortbread biscuits.
Finally, Señor Bluffer spent 1hr 10 mins in deep sleep.
Apparently, the average healthy adult gets roughly 1 to 2 hours of deep sleep per eight hours so the Bluffer is happy enough with that.
CÚPLA FOCAL
rúin na hathbhliana (roon ne hahvleeana) - new year’s resolutions
dianghlasáil(jeeanglasaal) - lockdown
ní chaillfidh tú meáchan(nee khiylhee too makhaan) - you won’t lose weight
brioscaí(briskee) - biscuits
fuair mé bronntanas iontach úsáideach(foor may bruntaniss eentakh oosiyjakh) - I got a very useful present
aipeanna(apana) - apps
siúlóidí(shooaloyjee) - walks
léarscáil(layrskaal) - a map
spreag sé é(spraag shay ay) - it encouraged him
sliseanna(shlishana) - chips
braiteoirí(briytchoree) - sensors
codlaím go maith(culee-im gaw myh) - I sleep well
codlaím go héadrom(culee-im gaw haydrom) - I’m a light sleeper
faighim ocht n-uair a chloig de chodladh gach oíche(fyim okht noor a khlig de khuloo gakh eeha) - I get eight hours sleep every night
bhí sé múscailte (vee shay muskaltcha) - he was awake
músclaíonn muid(muscleean midge) - we wake up
mearchorraí súl (markhoree sool) - rapid eye movement
ag brionglóidigh - dreaming
