Sleep, Glorious Sleep...

I'm pretty sure I've been fighting something off for the past several weeks. Nothing serious or contagious, apparently, since no one else in my family (or the bonus kids that I care for during the day) has come down with anything. The only real indicator that there is anything wrong comes when I overdo it for a couple of days in a row. And by "overdo it" I mean staying up late to get stuff done and then trying to survive on 6 or less hours of sleep for two nights in a row. My body just can't handle it, apparently. Maybe I'm getting old or I have allergies or who knows what, but the reality is that I know that I'm going to pay for it if I don't get enough sleep. I've just never had to pay for it with a fatigue and a low-grade fever before this May.

Caring for (and nourishing!) our bodies means a lot more than just appearing physically healthy and active. When did sleep deprivation become the norm? How many people do you know that can't survive without their coffee in the morning? I'm not a coffee drinker, but I know it's really easy for me to get into a soda habit so I can get my caffeine kick in the morning. Since I've given up soda, I have to survive without my caffeine crutch, and that took some adjusting, let me tell you.

Forcing yourself to go to sleep might be a little easier if you understand what it does for us. According to this article on the web:

Sleep isn’t exactly a time when your body and brain shut off. While you rest, your brain stays busy, overseeing a wide variety of biological maintenance that keeps your body running in top condition, preparing you for the day ahead. Without enough hours of restorative sleep, you won’t be able to work, learn, create, and communicate at a level even close to your true potential. Regularly skimp on “service” and you’re headed for a major mental and physical breakdown.

I struggled with post-partum depression after my last child was born. I am fairly certain that it was - in part - due to my lack of uninterrupted sleep. It makes me crazy. My kids joke that when I'm tired I turn into "Momzilla". It's probably not too far from the truth. That's not the person I want to be. And honestly, there's not too much that I do after 10 p.m. that can't be done during the day if I use my time a little more wisely (i.e. stay off of Facebook and Candy Crush Saga).

As I move into the summer with a less structured schedule, I will need take extra precautions to make sure I don't get into a late-night habit. If it's important to me, I will do it.

What's your sleep worth to you?