Taffy knows what I mean!
Why, oh why, does anyone resist their bed? How on earth can they resist the lure of such comfort at the end of the day? It’s so puzzling when someone tells me they don’t want to waste the time. WHAT? Don’t they know how important it is? All I have to do is remember that sleep is truly my life support system. And that my immune system depends on it.
But I don’t have to be convinced. There’s nothing quite like slipping between soft sheets and a quilt at the end of a winter day. (The kind of sheets that’ve been washed a hundred times.) In my world, this always follows a hot bath in a room where only a nightlight glows. Dim lighting calms a brain down from a day full of activity, and spending 10 minutes under the warmest of waters helps relax essential body parts.
What happens after that is up for grabs, of course. I’ve had my share of sleepless nights, but none of them — no matter the cause — detracts or discourages me from trying again. I know a good night’s sleep is rare for many people because so many things can interrupt: worry, snoring, kiddos, nightmares, grief, health, crises, or sometimes PTSD. It’s why white noise machines, ear plugs, melatonin or marijuana sit on bedside tables everywhere. In between these distractions, good sleep is worth striving for.
I struggle through the day on 1/2 a tank when deprived of my precious sleep, so I treasure the nights when my brain can empty itself before I climb in. All manner of obstacles can prevent a restful night, but still that bed calls. As a wordsmith, catchy phrases and the “perfect” word often nag until I write them down. Pad and pen beside bed is essential. Writing in the dark is essential. Interpretation the next morning is another story.
Picture it now, that awesome moment when the light goes off and it’s black, really black. Nightlights are handy for toe stubbers, but I resist. My favorite part of the day always ends with a nightly “ahhhhhh”.