To Sleep or Not to Sleep

That is the question. We all make choices throughout the day, whether conscious or unconscious, that affect not only how much sleep we get, but the quality of sleep as well. Both of which are vital aspects of sleep. If rest is so important, why do so many of us struggle to prioritize it?

Wake up, early. Before the sun has even decided to rise. Quick bite to eat and then out the door. Another 10-hour workday. Next, off to the gym. Prioritize health. The only glimpse of light is shining through the windows at work. Back home. Another sunup to sundown day. So tired, but no time to rest. Time to take out the dogs, make dinner, pack my lunch for tomorrow. Hopefully this will grant me a few more minutes under the covers in the morning. Have dinner, fall asleep on the couch while watching (unsuccessfully) our favorite show and scrolling through social media to see what I missed today. Finally, wake up after my short living room nap to move to the bedroom. While trying to float back to sleep my mind is working. Already thinking about tomorrow, and what I didn’t accomplish today. Another interrupted slumber that my body so desperately needs. Hopefully the weekend will let me reset my sleep. There's just no time Monday thru Friday. No extra time allocated to sleep.

Ahh, wake up Saturday morning. It's still early, but not as early. The sun is still resting, but it will be up soon. Too bad the day has already been scheduled out. Dogs, breakfast, cleaning. I know there’s something I’m forgetting. If only I could remember. Why can’t I remember? Oh well, no rest for the weary- that’s the saying, isn’t it? So, let's keep moving. Next up, family time. Help with things the family struggles to do with just two people. An extra set of hands is always helpful. Back home before I know it, tomorrow is Monday. My days of rest are over already. The cycle continues. Day after day, week after week.

Did I get enough sleep? Did I even do one thing for my own self- development? Was my heart made full or my head just full of things to do? Why is it so difficult for me to just…rest? With rest comes peace. With rest comes fresh thoughts, rejuvenation for the new day. I know this. I know this, yet still have this tug of war relationship with it.

This year I am deciding to make a change. Not just a change in actions- 21 days and my new habit will be born. No. A change in perception. Sleep, or lack thereof, is not to be taken lightly. The same way I prioritize exercise, or family, I need to add rest to that list. Instead of staying up thinking about all the possibilities that can happen the next day, worry about it when the time comes. Actively switch my thoughts from the go go go mentality to “it will still be there when I wake up” way of thinking.

I can already think of positive ways saying yes to sleep will improve my overall productivity and mental health. I’ll actually have energy for the gym, rather than making it the chore that it has been feeling like lately. I’ll be able to do more activities for my own joy and self- development. Things I’ve missed out on by getting caught in the mundane, daily tasks I’ve been stuck doing recently. With rest comes tending to my houseplants and flowers, spending time playing the instruments I’ve practiced for so many years. With rest comes less irritability. More importantly, less worry for tomorrow, or the next day, or the next day. More rest means getting back to “the old me”. The simpler times when I was able to do the things I enjoyed with a strong sense of carelessness.

So, here’s to a new beginning. A new way of thinking. New priorities and successes. And it all starts by choosing to sleep. That is the answer.