I put a sock on my clock. Crazy, right? But the last motel room I stayed in had a clock beside the bed that lit up the whole room. A sock was just right. When I needed to know the time, I just reach over and lifted the toe. No doubt the maid thought we were mad, but this is how important sleep is to me. I’ve worked pretty hard to make our bedroom the best it can be. It’s painted a soft pastel and has a bed, two side tables with lamps, a dresser, two joyful pictures on the wall AND the perfect pillow. No TV, no computer, no clock radio. Now, just find me a clock that doesn’t shine through eyelids.
Getting a better night’s sleep is more important than you think; experts say fatigue is epidemic… with most of us going through our days chronically sleep deprived. We get so used to feeling less alert that we don’t notice how exhausted we are any more. (fatigue stat, site) I’ve tested this theory by recording my mood every morning for two weeks, and it pretty much depended on the amount of sleep the night before. Simply put, I see the world differently. I’m in a better mood, calmer, and more positive about everything. And solutions sometimes pop into my head. I love that.Since we spend 1/3 of our lives in bed, you’d think we’d be good at it by now. After all, we’ve been practicing since the day we were born. But life happens and sleep gets shoved to the side. (Remember those sleepless times when you had an infant and you looked like a zombie?)
The most important room in the house is the place where body rejuvenate both physically and mentally — the bedroom. I often wake up in the middle of the night — brain all fired up with ideas and such— but those nights usually follow a day filled with more tension. Concerns and anxieties keep brains going.
I remember the first time I heard this phrase, “Put the mask on your own face first.” It’s what flight attendants say to parents as they demonstrate emergency measures, but it flies in the face of instinct. It also makes sense. How else could I take care of my child?
This kind of thinking makes sense in general. How can I be there for others if I don’t feel well or have my own s–t together? World news is full of disappointment and heartbreak, but most of that is out of my control. All I can really do is make my own little bubble as comfortable and healthy as possible. Stress is very personal because we all react to life’s circumstances differently. Whether it’s related to finances, family, work, relationships, parenting, health or simply a dripping faucet, if you can get a good night’s sleep you can probably deal better.
As aways, I recommend a hot bath to relax mind and body before sliding into bed.