The Importance Of Sleep
I went to set my alarm last night, but hesitated for a moment. I had big plans for today. It’s a work day for me which meant that in order to get everything I wanted to accomplish done, the alarm would need to be set for five a.m.
Yesterday I was a complete ball of stress. My son was in another state, completing the last step needed in order to enlist into the Army. It’s hard sitting back, knowing how anxious he was about it and not being able to be there to keep encouraging him.
So, instead I did whatever I could to keep my mind off things.
One of the things I wanted to do today was to get up early and take a walk on the beach.
I thought about that as I sat there, staring down at my alarm. I love my beach time. Plus, it is integral to my side endeavor. But I was physically, emotionally, and mentally spent.
It was time to make the decision.
I chose sleep.
I could have gotten up early, gotten some of the things done, but by the time I went to work, I would already be exhausted.
Exhaustion can lead to mistakes. Big mistakes, small mistakes, all sorts of mistakes. On top of that, I get cranky when I’m tired. Who wants to go to a store, and deal with a cranky employee? Not me!
When I get off work, I will still have a couple of hours. If I had gotten up early, those couple of hours would be spent in bed anyways.
So I chose me. I chose to take care of myself and my well-being.
I am not any good when I’m running on fumes. That wouldn’t help anyone.
Sleep is important.
I watch my dog as he lays at my feet, dead asleep. Yet, I know if I were to take him outside, he’d have boundless energy to play with his frisbee and play fetch. How? Because he recharges himself by sleeping.
That’s what I needed, and that’s what I did. Now, I have less time to get things done, I definitely won’t get my time at the beach today, but sleep was more important.
Take care of yourself. Don’t burn out by not getting enough sleep. Don’t make the people around you suffer because you are cranky and sleep deprived.
