Sometimes, it's like I truly believe there are more than 24 hours in a day, and that none of them need to be taken up by sleep. Two nights ago, for example. That's why I'm very proud of myself for going to bed at 1:00 am last night.
Why yes, as a matter of fact. I am a night owl.* How did you know?
It's a slippery slope my friends, and once you've stayed up too late, it can be hard to shake.
Please don't misunderstand me: I am not talking about insomnia. Once I'm in bed, I can and do fall asleep. It may take a little while, depending on how tired I am, but sleepage does occur. My problem is not that I can't sleep - it's that I sometimes have very little interest in doing so.
After all, there are books to read, games to play, closets to organize, and a myriad of other things more enticing than brushing teeth and crawling between the covers. Being the natural procrastinator that I am, this should not be a surprise.
The trick, I think, is to know your limits. Yes, I can stay up until 6 am and only take a 3 hour nap. I will be able to function just fine all day, although I may feel sleepy during my jaunt around the neighborhood for fresh air. But I really can't do that kind of thing very many days in a row before I start to get a cold, and nobody wants that.
So last night, although I could have stayed up later, I made myself go to bed just after 1 o'clock. I will be disciplined and make myself to go to bed even earlier tonight - like before it's actually tomorrow.
Isn't it interesting that people have to actually force themselves to do something that is necessary for sustaining life?**
*My brother Ben is also a night owl. And if you think we're bad, you clearly haven't met our brother Steven.
**Proof that philosophical and theological concepts can pop up anywhere.
There is this old maxim: "The early bird catches the worm." I'm not sure with electricity and computers and live streaming of just about everything, whether that maxim works anymore, but I do lean toward thinking that the body was made for sleep in the night hours. They say people who don't get 8 hrs. sleep every night, have more physical (not to mention mental) problems. So, even though I know you're a night owl, I'm glad to read that you do believe in sleep and can actually talk yourself down from the high tower of activity to climb into bed and rest for most of the night. ; )
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