Sleep Experiment

Yesterday, everything was insurmountable (in my mind). The house-prep, the weekend coming up (Pinewood Derby), all the tasks on my to-do list at work, the errands, choir practice, spiritual drought, my diet/exercise failings, my dirty car (kids and their papers!).... all of it. I couldn't focus on any one of those things because together they were ALL weighing me down. I could feel gratitude for my life in general, but no way to move forward and get anything done. I sat here at my computer at work and just wished I could get out of my own head. Sometimes I do wish it would SHUT UP in there. I couldn't start any projects; I couldn't send the emails that needed sending.

I stumbled on this article about sleep. I have read it before -- maybe for work? But this time it hit me: ALL of my problems might be solved if I just made myself get 7 hours of sleep every night. Nearly every one of the signs/symptoms listed there describes me (and the effects). Can't diet successfully? Sleep debt causes weight gain/prevents weight loss. Too tired at night to do anything (like pack up boxes)? You need more sleep. Grouchy and impatient with kids? More sleep. Stressed out? Can't focus at work? SLEEEEEEP. I also happened to see this post yesterday from one of my favorite advisers. Just another way of saying the same things. (hello, God, thanks for the signs)

So, I'm doing a sleep experiment. For a week, I am committing to getting 7 or 7.5 hours every night. (The article says 7.5 is ideal because it's a multiple of 90 minutes, which is a full sleep cycle. But 7 would also be an improvement for me, so I'm allowing that flexibility.) I just want to observe the first week very objectively.

It will mean giving up some of my time in the evenings, I guess. Sit on the couch time. I may never get to finish watching all my shows. I'm trying to decide if that's a bad thing (I already know the answer). But I'm hopeful I'll have more focus for work, more energy to walk or do yoga, more patience, more mental strength not to eat all the cookies, etc. ;)

Last night I got 7.5 hours (minus a few (Alex) wake-ups during a thunderstorm) and I do feel better today, mentally, than I did yesterday. Not that it's a result, yet, but it's a start. I told MB, I'm convinced it's going to fix EVERYTHING. Miraculously.


p.s. I should add that thanks be to God, Kate's not getting up in the night nearly as much as she used to. I do believe that for the first 4 years of her life and into the 5th, she was the main cause of my sleep deprivation. But now it's mainly me. Just not willing to look away from the Idiot Box and go to bed. That's going to have to change.(I also think the kids (and probably Shawn) could benefit from better sleep, but I'm not going to decree anything for them at this point.)