Boy some days I would do just about anything for five more minutes of sleep. I remember my mother having to lock us out of her bedroom, her husband included, just to sleep. Personally, I have to wear earplugs and an eyemask to sleep next to my own husband, as he saws logs intermittently so I totally feel her pain. I used to think that it was partly due to being a mom. I guess that’s because children sleep like the dead and are (usually) nearly impossible to wake. As parents, many of us sleep on the edge of sleep so we can hear for those nighttime feedings, and later on the nightmares. Goddess forbid you should be a worrier, because THEN you can’t go to sleep until you’re done inventing 1,000 crazy scenarios or worrying about forgetting something. My phone gets quite a workout when I’m “sleeping” because I’m constantly texting myself notes so I can get them out of my head. And maybe, just maybe, catch a few hours of sleep.

As any good child of a hippie knows, when you can’t sleep, have a few puffs from your trusty pipe and it can help. Melatonin and Valerian Root, both found over the counter, can be really awesome, especially when taken together. But sometimes, natural stuff just isn’t going to cut it. Like last night.

I’ve been sleeping on a bed (not mine) while we are moving and my beautiful, expensive, comfortable bed is languishing in a storage unit. I was desperate for a good night sleep. A night without waking up because the dog next door was howling (yeah that was the last few nights). A night without waking up because my back was killing me (I have chronic pain issues). A night where I could go to sleep when I wanted to go to sleep and wake up refreshed the next day. So, I took one of my precious xanaxes (Is that the plural of xanax?). In any case, we tend to go to bed late because my husband works later, often not returning home until midnight. Then we watch a little television, spend some time together, and just enjoy each others company for a while. I went to bed about 3:30 am, intending to wake around noon. I was off and so it wouldn’t have really mattered when I got up.

As I rolled over in the morning, looked at the clock, which flashed at me 3:46 pm, I was a little shocked to say the least. Then I realized that, while sleeping 12 hours was not my intention, no one died, no one starved to death (luckily my kids are old enough for even the youngest to have a modicum of caring for himself), and man did I feel good!!

I gotta say, there is something to be said for modern medicine. It probably isn’t best to always be your first choice, but having it there in a pinch sure makes it being there worth it!

 

Blessed be.