As a little girl, I remember always being the first one to fall asleep at slumber parties. I was the one with toothpaste on my face or a crooked mustache drawn above my lip. Sometimes there was the hand in the warm bowl of water trick – thankfully, that one never worked. None of it ever bothered me much. I always thought the joke was on them – I was the one who got the most sleep.
As I grew older, I continued to value my sleep and make it a priority. I never had any issues falling asleep, and a long, good night’s sleep almost always came easily.
Then I had kids. My husband and I had four kids in six years. If you have kids, you know where I’m going with this. Those were the dark nights – not literally.
I thought I might never sleep again.
I’m still wondering what all those years of unrest did to my mind and body. It can’t be good.
And to top it off, as we age, it becomes more difficult to get that appropriate 7-8 hours sleep each night. Age, hormones, stress, the food we eat, they all play a role in our sleep as we age. Now that I’m in my forties, it’s more difficult than ever to fall asleep and stay asleep. This is something I NEVER thought would happen to me. Sleep was one of those things I did well.
And, add to all of that - I’m married to a Night Owl. So I’m pretty much out of luck.The sleep thing has been a topic of conversation in our home for months now. We are convinced we need more sleep.
And as we have explored how to manage this in our marriage and life, we have learned a great deal about the importance of sleep.
Sleep is crucial for a healthy mind and body. In addition to all the physical benefits, it supports brain functions, including how nerve cells or neurons communicate with each other. This contributes to memory loss and depression. I’m not cool with this.
This week, my husband and I both decided to make some changes in order to create better sleep habits.
I am letting go of those little chores and tasks that I made more important than sleep (dirty dishes, putting away toys, random cleaning). None of that is life changing, and it can all wait until tomorrow.
My husband has done the same with some of his work stuff. It can wait. Sleep now; work later.
No more late night snacks.
I switched out my pillows. Going to see if this helps.
We have moved our phones to another room. This one is my favorite! Get that thing out of here.
There is nothing revolutionary here, just a few small changes. Maybe some of you can relate. If you’ve been thinking it might benefit you to get more sleep, I’m with you! You’re not alone, and it IS possible! Let me know if you are and we can hold each other accountable! You’re not alone.
I read this a long time ago, and it stuck with me. Maybe it can help you in your own journey for more rest.
Your day begins the night before.
I’m hoping for good days ahead – for all of you!