Sleep like a baby
Picture this, back before smart phones, I went out with my friends to a bar. That evening I wasn’t exactly in the mood to go out drinking, so I volunteered to be the designated driver. We met up with some friends, who also had some friends join the party. That was where I met my future husband. We had a great conversation and intellectually connected. Then, I looked at my watch to see it was almost midnight. I said something along the lines of “I have to go; I need to get home and sleep”. I had nothing to lose and definitely wasn’t trying to impress him with this Cinderella departure. I did leave him my number, so the story continues to 20 plus years later, 4 kids, a cat, and a dog. I love my sleep. I love how I feel when I get enough sleep. And thankfully, he feels the same way! Who knew my commitment to sleep would be attractive? (My friends got a cab ride home.)
Sleep is important on so many levels, but honestly, I couldn’t be the best mother and wife without a good night sleep. How did I get through the nights with four infants in a span of 8 years? Well, I focused on making sure they became good sleepers. It’s very much the same for babies as it is with adults. Day time routines. Sunshine. Bed is for sleeping. Darkness. Fan or white noise. Nighttime routine. Not overstimulating before sleep. Room temperature.
Just thinking about my bed makes me want to crawl in and go to sleep. That’s the kind of happy connection to have with bedtime. It shouldn’t be a punishment or waste of time. It’s an opportunity to click “control-alt-delete” on our body and it’s various systems.
I view sleep like my ultimate beauty secret. For those times when I’m not sleeping well, I tell myself “This too shall pass” just like those nights with my babies.
Health tip:
Racing thoughts before bed? Or waking up with thoughts? Make sure to schedule time during the day to think about whatever it is that’s keeping you from sleeping. When you find your mind drifting to those thoughts before bed, say “STOP, I’ll deal with that tomorrow”. Then picture a meadow, mountains, beach, or whatever scenery that brings you calm. Trust that you can tackle things better when you’re well rested.