Monday, August 3, 2015

Just Go to Sleep, Stupid!

If you've been reading this blog, you probably know that I feel a little unqualified to be writing about the importance of getting a decent night's rest.

And when I say "a little unqualified," I mean like Norman Bates authoring self-help books for people who have trouble setting appropriate boundaries with their mothers.

In fact, I'm probably the worst person ever to be writing this. You know the way a vampire recoils and shields his eyes against the sunrise, right before he bursts into flames? That's pretty much me, but with going to bed.

The story of my life can be summed up here and here, or with the following flow chart.

Just Go to Sleep, Stupid! -- However much you hate going to sleep at a decent hour, I doubt you hate it as much as I do. But it's time to embark on a quest to get to bed on time, once and for all! (Or at least for a week.) Who's with me?? Join me on Facebook. There are lots of us out there! {posted  @ Unremarkable Files}


I'm like a yo-yo dieter, except with sleep.

Part of the problem is that there's not exactly a direct correlation between how I feel and how much sleep I get. If I don't sleep much one night, I won't necessarily feel like garbage the next morning.

But when sleep deprivation becomes a night-after-night occurrence, I can't escape the effects.

I lose all semblance of patience. I can't deal with noise (not a good situation for a mom to 5 kids under 11.) My brain can't access my vocabulary and I end up saying, "After you eat your cereal, remember to clean up your, your... thing." (The word you're looking for is bowl, lady. It's a bowl.)

Even though chronic exhaustion turns me into an idiot savant without the 'savant' part, do I respond by going to bed earlier the next night so I can catch up on my sleep?

No, I do not.

I stay up even later, usually under the guise of doing something productive. But really, the things I'm doing from 10 P.M. to midnight when I'm tired could usually get done in about 20-30 minutes during the day when I'm more awake and alert.

Sometimes, though, I'm not even doing anything: I'm just staying up because I'm too tired to brush my teeth and put on some pajamas. I'm not even making this stuff up. This is what it's like to be me.

So I'm going to do something that I can do because I have a blog, and I'm going to create some accountability for myself. This week is National Simplify Your Life Week, and I'm going to bed at 10 every night to celebrate. 

Who's with me??

Every night at 9:30 EST I'll be hosting a bedtime check-in on the Unremarkable Files Facebook page. Join me, or send this post to a friend who needs accountability as badly as I do! Share your bedtime goals, write a quick "I'm going to bed now!" post (whenever that may be for you,) or tell me about your favorite tips and tricks to get yourself to sleep at night.

I look forward to reading them just before I turn out the lights.

Just Go to Sleep, Stupid! -- However much you hate going to sleep at a decent hour, I doubt you hate it as much as I do. But it's time to embark on a quest to get to bed on time, once and for all! (Or at least for a week.) Who's with me?? Join me on Facebook. There are lots of us out there! {posted  @ Unremarkable Files}

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30 comments:

Jenny said...

I totally have the "I'm too tired to go to bed" problem. It's normal...I think.

Sharon said...

Remember you get to be healthy, wealthy, and wise when u you go to bed early. Wow!

Jenny Evans said...

So Phillip tells me. A cartoon I used to watch as a kid in the 90s had a sketch that said, "Early to rise and early to bed will make a man healthy and socially dead." It's stuck with me ever since!

Queen Mom Jen said...

I think I have narcolepsy after like 8 p.m. I fall asleep wherever I am standing, sitting. Good luck with this challenge!

PurpleSlob said...

Oops! already failed day 1! It's 12:53 a.m. Luckily, I have no kids anymore, and no appointments tomorrow!

Somerset Craft Workshops said...

Great flow chart... I TOTALLY relate to that! I'm terrible! #thetruthabout

Maddy@writingbubble said...

This is me! Totally! I think it's because I'm naturally a night owl but since having kids if I stick to my natural bedtime I don't get enough sleep... so I go to bed early to counteract the exhaustion then hey presto I'm not tired enough to go to bed early! #thetruthabout

Unknown said...

That is a brilliant idea! Except for the fact that you're in a different time zone to me. Damn. I relate to this immensely though Jenny - I am also my own worst enemy and yes, I too sometimes forget the word for 'bowl'. I am currently planning a blog post or possibly series of blog posts about the ten things I have decided I (and probably most people really) could use more of in their lives and sleep is definitely one them! Thanks for linking up X #thetruthabout

Unknown said...

(I've just calculated that if I join in with your bedtime check in I will be going to bed about 2am Greenwich Mean Time). So definitely maybe not :-)

Jenny Evans said...

Yes, I'd say that would be counter-productive! But you can always check in the next morning and say "I got to bed on time!" lol

Jenny Evans said...

Well, now there's no pressure! I actually wrote a blog post about that just after the New Year - I usually resolve to go to bed early and then break the heck out of that resolution on the first night so it's not a big deal if I mess up later. Oh dear, that makes no sense.

Anonymous said...

In a bid to get better at the sleep thing I had to set a bedtime. It doesn't necessarily mean I go to sleep but it does help cultivate the habit. Good luck!

Unknown said...

Guilty. I was up until midnight last night watching Blue Bloods. There goes my "no more than an hour of TV everyday"... oops.

Kendall said...

Oh, I feel like this sometimes. It even can be so bad that I'll get ready for bed, get in bed, and then remember some 'important' thing(s) I wanted/needed to do and off I go (except I'm actually in bed doing them) lol :)

Jenny Evans said...

That happens to me all the time. My bed is a magical place where I remember everything I was supposed to do today, and I can either go do them for an hour or lie there for two thinking about them.

Marina @ Parental Journey said...

This is great! I think so many of us have the same life cycle as you :) I blame Pinterest!

Christine Smith said...

TOTALLY been here. It's such a struggle with the size of your family (I have the same + one more). You may find your sleep evens out a little more as you get older, mine did,

Unknown said...

Ha! Love the chart/vicious circle!

I'm pretty good with going to bed early. I'm in bed at 10:30 and up at 5:30/5:45. It's the perfect amount of sleep for me. I sometimes listen to a guided sleep meditation if I'm feeling anxious - that usually knocks me out in minutes!

Thanks for sharing (and for linking up to the #SHINEbloghop).

Wishing you a lovely day.
xoxo

mumturnedmom said...

How's it going so far? I was doing quite well and then my mother came to visit... now I have to do all my daily tasks after she goes to bed :)

Letting Fear Go said...

I got some good laughs out of your chart! I can be the same way. In July I started going to bed at 9:00 (I need my sleep). But I have a terrible time letting my mind mull over things and I end up lying awake for another hour. Sometimes I have to tell my brain to just sleep! I hope that you are able to get the sleep that you need.

Jenny Evans said...

I wish I had someone other to blame than myself!

Jenny Evans said...

Thanks for giving me some hope today. It's a constant struggle. It's so hard to start getting ready for bed 30 minutes after the last child goes down - you mean that's it? That's all the me time I get??

Jenny Evans said...

Okay so far. The 9:30 PM checkins on FB have been really good for me. I may not always go to bed on time, but at least now I feel guilty about it. :)

Jenny Evans said...

I've read about the 9 to 5 sleep schedule and how it's the best thing in the world. I don't know if I will ever reach that level of Nirvana, but I'm glad to hear that you have! Maybe it's also achievable for the rest of us...

Let's Talk Mommy said...

I am guilty of this too. I get on pinterest or social media and I get lost and then email pop up that I haven't gone through and then I start working and it's 1am every time before I get to bed then I promise the next night I will be a good girl but never go to bed early. It's showing in my face and being overwhelmed and tired more lately. It can suck you in and hard to get out of it for sure. Great flow chart... haha Thank you so much for linking up to Share With Me. #sharewithme

Jenny Evans said...

Pinterest is the worst! I go there to look at a specific recipe I know I have pinned, and all of a sudden it's dinnertime and I'm looking at DIY Easter decorations. How does that happen?

Absolutely Prabulous said...

No no nooooooo I can't do it. Honestly, this is my life. Number 4. Ucch. If I'm writing a post, I don't get to bed til about 3am! The knock on effect is hideous. But seriously woman, 9.30?! I can't deal. But I totally digging your effort. Amazeballs.

#thetruthabout

Jenny Evans said...

I did it (sort of) for a week. But I found out that 9:30 every night started happening later and later, despite my best efforts. ;)

Clara said...

Thanks for sharing

Farber@WhiteNoiseMachines said...

My baby girl is 4 wks old.I have to admit she sleeps on my chest. that's the only way I can get a few hours of sleep a night. Whatever works for u, then do it..