My wife started a new job the other day. It was a job that requires 12 hour shifts. I’ve never understood 12 hour shifts as a standard but for some reason it’s ok in the medical field. This seems wrong because wouldn’t you want your medical staff to be at their very best throughout their shifts? I bet there are studies that show errors increase the further into a shift so why this practice doesn’t change I don’t know. Well…I do know but that’s for another post. (And if there aren’t studies then I think I know the reason too – for another posts)
So, before my wife got home I cleaned up our bedroom and set up our massage table. She LOVES massages. I bought this massage table for her for our first Christmas. She wondered why at the time but has said hundreds of times since that it was the best gift ever.
I knew she would be tired and sore so I set the table up to surprise her when she walked in. She was tired and worn out but she saw the table and immediately her energy changed.
Cool
She wanted to get some food and a shower first – of course – and I had to go pick up our daughter from school. She was attending their spring production. I figured my trip time to pick up our daughter would be about the same time my wife would need for her shower and food.
I was wrong.
My daughter and I totally underestimated the time of the 2nd act. I ended up waiting about 45 minutes. When I get home and walk upstairs I see my wife, under the covers, fast asleep.
It was a long day for her and I absolutely understood. I would’ve been asleep too. Shoot, I fall asleep when I get home from work after 8 hours! Here’s the thing – I bet the sleep was more beneficial than the massage would ever pretend to be. Yes, we both wanted the massage to happen (bow-chicka-bow-wow…no, not that. She really deserved just a massage so get your mind out of the gutter) but her body wanted sleep more.
Her body needed sleep more
And she listened – whether she made the conscious choice or not – and went to sleep
And that’s the lesson. We should sleep when we get tired. For some reason we wear our ability to go without sleep like a badge of honor and we don’t realize what it is doing to our health. Or, we feel guilty if we fall asleep or want to take a nap. Naps are great! I love naps! Everyone should love naps!
Never feel guilty for needing sleep.
If you want to look at something concerning your sleep then look at the reason why you are tired. Perhaps you are not putting your nightly sleep at a high enough priority on your daily “to do” list.
So…eat when you’re hungry
Poop when you need to
And sleep when you’re tired – even if you wanted a massage
bow-chicka-snooze-snooze
MattMunnell.com 