**More sleep=more energy for swing pushing**
In Church yesterday, someone brought up the whole notion of 'early to bed, early to rise makes the body healthy and wise'. And several us talked afterwards about how we really do feel like we're more on our game when we try to live by this. If only I weren't so bad at it. When Rockstar approaches me around 9:45 and says, 'should we close up shop down here?', I generally look at him like he's crazy. 9:45! Who goes to bed at 9:45?! There is much to be done (blogging, working, reading, to-do-listing, etc.,) and at least an hour or two yet to use!
With a newborn, you have no choice about sleep deprivation. But now that Lil' Drummer generally(finally!!) sleeps well, I have myself to blame when I wake up feeling like I'm made of lead. Oh the eternal struggle:to give up some of those evening hours that are some of my only uninterrupted time to get things done/talk to my husband, or to rest up for the day ahead.
Some nights I sit there working on charts and watch the minutes on the clock tick by. On one hand, I want to finish the charts and feel better the next day with the kiddos because I won't have work hanging over my head. But when I stay up to finish the charts? I always suffer the consequences.
Saturday night, for example, Rockstar and I stayed up after midnight watching a movie that didn't end up being worth it. The kids woke up around 7:30, which isn't even early at this point in my life. But still, a nighttime teething interruption, combined with a late bedtime, and I was left feeling like movement out of my bed was akin to climbing Everest. I knew Rockstar was probably feeling the same, but I was too overcome with gratitude to feel selfish when he rolled downstairs with the kids and let me get a few more minutes of shut-eye.
**Too tired to worry about dinner? Pizza at the park!**
So then last night, I decided to get my act together. I stopped writing this blog post when the husband suggested we try to get to bed early and said, "okay." He looked so shocked. Poor man. He's lost a lot of sleep on my 'just push through the fatigue!' pep talks. I blame this tendency of mine to the forced 'push-through-it-ness' of medical training.
So we both fell asleep by 10:15 and nobody woke up all night long.
Amazing stuff.
I woke up before my alarm (!!!) at 6:15. I whispered, 'What time is it?' But I already knew the answer.
Because I know what 8 hours of sleep feels like to my body. It feels like a nagging itch that has finally been scratched. It feels like your cup of water filled back to the brim. It feels so, so good.
And I thought, 'There you are old friend. We should do this again soon.'
Because not only did I have more energy to face the day, I had:
more courage to handle a busy work schedule.
more optimism that I would enjoy it.
more joy in the little things along the way.
Am I making sleep sound like a cure-all?
Well darn it, today I'm thinking it just might be.
Now let's see if I can stick with it (and if the kids cooperate with my plan)...
**What about you...are you good at early-to-bed or more of a nightowl?**
**Blue nailpolish. Her choice, not mine.**
That's awesome. I'm more of a night owl and also pay the consequences the next day, even so because I have to be up early for work :)
ReplyDeleteIt wouldn't be scripture if it wasn't true! It's got to be the devil whispering all those nagging thoughts into my brain like, "I'll DIE if I go to bed early. I NEED to read one more article or look at one more blog post. DON"T, what ever you do, look at the clock!" That last temptation is really funny. Magical thinking takes over, no matter how old you are and how much you really know better, and you think, "if I just don't look at the clock, time can't be passing. I just need to check on Kate and William's wedding plans. It's not late yet. I just need to Google one more thing." Maybe it's genetic. Lucky C. doesn't have our genes. Our brains are hard-wired not to remember at night how the body feels in the morning. But keep trying. You're on to something.
ReplyDeleteThis a goal I am currently struggling with. On Saturday I went to bed at 10:30 and it was amazing, I didn't even get annoyed being woken up at 5:30 to help a two year old go to the bathroom and get back in bed. I know I'd be a more patient person/mom in the mornings with this extra sleep. I feel strongly about doing it...I just need to do it! Thanks for the encouragement!
ReplyDeleteBut not sleeping is a great college tradition...
ReplyDeleteWell, I'm finally getting to reading your blog this week and it's 12:12 AM. Does that tell you anything? Usually Jason and I try to get to bed by 11:30, but sometimes the day just slips away or I just need to unwind, or Jason keeps playing Wii while I blog and then the whole night is lost.
ReplyDeleteThis week has been a REALLY bad week for sleep, but hopefully it will get better. Trying to adjust to the addition of three takes a lot of planning and preparation!
Before I go to bed though, I think I'm going to read your dehydration post. :)
I don't seem to be able to get more than 5-6 hours of sleep no matter when I go to bed. I'm looking for the blog post that will help me to sleep for 8 hours a night.
ReplyDelete