So many factors to consider:
- are the kids tucked in ...
- did I brush my teeth ...
- have I remembered to pray ...
- do I have the right pillow ...
- will I be cold while I sleep ...
- should I put on a pair of socks ...
And then it comes; one of my favorite life moments ... the feeling of my head finally sinking into my pillow. I love this feeling. It feels like "I'm done for another day ... I'm finally getting some ME time ... I can let go of the things that are giving me furrow wrinkles in my forehead for a few hours and run away ... far, far away."
Have you ever listened to your body as it falls asleep? Any night shift nurse can tell what an art the act of sleeping is. Your body starts to relax ... your thoughts slow down ... your breathing becomes rhythmic and soothing ... your limbs become heavy ... and then finally, you're gone ... out into the black.
Do you dream while you sleep? Steve seems to be in constant turmoil as he saves the world night after night in his dreams. He usually gets shot at at least once before he wakes up in the morning, thankfully living to tell the tale. Do you have a recurrent dream? I have two. The first is a tornado dream in which I look out my childhood bedroom window and watch a gigantically frightening twister race up over the dry farms toward the house collecting dust and debris as it comes. I blame The Wizard of Oz for this one. The other is a little less specific but usually includes a common theme - marrying the wrong man. Sometimes I'll dream I'm at the temple with an old boyfriend ... knowing that we shouldn't be getting married but not being sure how to break the news to everyone. I usually think, "Something about this just isn't right. Aren't I already married?" No matter how the dream unfolds, it is always a relief to wake up and realize I'm sleeping next to the right man in my 'real' life.
As a night shift nurse, I'll take sleep whenever I can get it. I've been known to choose sleep over food. I'll frequently go 25 or 26 hours without sleep. I think the longest I've ever gone without sleep was 40-ish hours. I woke up at 6:00 am Saturday morning and didn't make it back into my bed until 10:00 pm Sunday night. Thankfully this is a rarity and I don't recommend it. Granted, the body can endure amazing things when it has to ... but it starts to divert it's remaining power to the main deck for "life support" leaving all other areas of the ship without power. Areas like "rational thought" and the "patience zone" are gone and for some reason it becomes that much easier to cry over the silliest little things. A tired body is an emotional body. I've been told that lack of sleep takes years off your life ... which I can live with as long as it's the last ten years of my life. =D
Happy Zzzz to you all.
5 comments:
Wow. Reading this made me want to curl up with a blanket and sleep. :)
Nicely written Jean. I do not know how you do it. I am a wreck if I am one hour shy of my normal nights sleep. I get sick and it's all downhill from there. I can't imagine having your constantly changing bedtime. You are amazing.
I am a dreamer too and they are vivid, weird and sometimes scary. Just last night I dreamed that I was singing in the ward choir in a ward made up of Linder and my current ward. Before we started singing in SACRAMENT meeting we did a loud Amanda Buttars descending yell warm-up while waving our arms down to match our totally-inappropriate-for-the-chapel noises. Then we sang a song and got to an interlude part of the song and broke for a short shopping session between the pulpit and first row. It was mostly purses, sunglasses and church bags that appeared right as it was time to SHOP DURING CHURCH. Then we returned to the choir seats and finished our hymn. Hello, what is going on in my brain? The worst part is that is a totally normal dream for me which I think basically means I am crazy. :)
Sorry that was so long but I thought you would appreciate it.
You go girl!!! After you are awake for more than 24 hrs, it is like being drunk- slow reaction time, etc. So no driving after a 40 hr. day.
My word... I should not have read that while sitting here so sleepy! Now I'm excited for tonight!!! :0)
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