I had long believed and expressed that sleep was highly over-rated whenever someone would ask how I managed to maintain what I called a ‘crazy-busy’ schedule that included a full time job, several over-lapping consulting jobs, raising a child as a single parent after being widowed at 40, doing ‘normal people’ household stuff and having a rewarding social life. By the time I would meet the sandman, the hands on the clock were often completely vertical. My eyes would pop open sometimes before the sun peeked out from under its cloud cover and I would hit the ground running. As I recall those days, I think about the heart palpitations that I mistook for excitement and the lightheadedness and fatigue that I related to menopause. What they really were, were precursors of the impending heart attack that occurred on June 12, 2014.

Since then, I have begun to actually relish sleepy time. Naps have become frequent activities. Fleece jammies have become the ‘new sexy’ attire here and bundles of blankets and quilts have been my go-to décor in my room and on the sofa. There have been times when I have simply lain on the couch with lots of pillows, simply staring up at the ceiling fan as it spun languorously.  “Who is this woman and what have you done with Edie?” was the voice echoing through my head.

Some benefits of sleep:

Clearer thinking

Improved heart health, since it can prevent inflammatory response

Weight loss related to greater hormone balance

Looking lovelier

Enhanced creativity

Better eye-hand coordination

Safety behind the wheel and operating heavy equipment

More patience with people in our lives

Warding off illness

Increased vitality

Longer life

How much is enough?  Most experts indicate that between seven and eight hours a night are optimum, however, it depends on lifestyle and age. What I have discovered for myself, is that I do best in that range, with supplemental naps as needed. On days during which I really pump it out at cardiac rehab and have other activities on my to-do list, naps are a necessity. Room darkening/thermal curtains, soothing music and burrows under the blankets now that winter has arrived, all contribute to my sweet dreams.

 

When You Dream~  Barenaked Ladies

With life just begun, my sleeping new son
has eyes that roll back in his head
They flutter and dart, he slows down his heart
and pictures a world past his bed
It’s hard to believe
As I watch you breathe
Your mind drifts and weaves

When you dream,
what do you dream about?
When you dream,
what do you dream about?
Do you dream about
music or mathematics
or planets too far for the eye?
Do you dream about
Jesus or quantum mechanics
or angels who sing lullabies?

His fontanelle pulses with lives that he’s lived
With memories he’ll learn to ignore
And when it is closed, he already knows
he’s forgotten all he knew before
But when sleep sets in
history begins
But the future will win

When you dream,
what do you dream about?
When you dream,
what do you dream about?
Are they colour or black and white,
Yiddish or English
or languages not yet conceived?
Are they silent or boisterous?
Do you hear noises just
loud enough to be perceived?
Do you hear Del Shannon’s “Runaway” playing
on transistor radio waves?
With so little experience,
your mind not yet cognizant
Are you wise beyond your few days?
When you dream,
what do you dream about?
When you dream,
what do you dream about?