My Ever-Evolving Sleep Schedule

It's been a slow posting week for me - I just feel like I've been doing a lot of different things! (Baby-sitting, military spouse group event, lunch with some friends, volunteering, time with hubby, and oh yeah, attempting to keep the apartment somewhat clean...) Anyway, I was reflecting on last night and how it is a good example of how I view proper sleeping times so differently now, partly as an influence from my husband and partly because of my schedule.

In college (where I still was 6 months ago!) on school nights, on average I would go to bed between 11:30 and 12:30, and wake up around 7:30. Not "early" on either end for a normal person, but definitely compared to many of my peers (my senior year roomie excepted, who always got up to go to the gym... love you Kristen!). On weekends those hours often shifted later, as there was plenty of socializing to be done and no pressing need to be up much earlier than 9 or 10. I got along with this schedule pretty darn well, if I do say so myself!

Fast forward to now... I resisted the change at first, often staying up later than hubby because I simply wasn't tired when he went to bed at 9 or so. Then, fitness classes entered the picture... and volunteering... and now baby-sitting. I've also found that prior to my usual half hour commute, I like to sit around in the morning and take my sweet time to drink coffee, eat cereal, and resist getting ready til the last possible moment. (That is exactly what I'm doing right now in fact.) These facts combine to have me awake usually no later than 6:30 most weekdays (which is still usually after hubby leaves the apartment). With everything I'm doing, I'm now tired much earlier, and yesterday was no exception. I kind of felt out of it all day, and I was tired even though I'd slept a lot more than my husband, who got up at 2:30 to work on some homework. So, after dinner, we both decided it was time to head toward bed. What time was it? 7:30 pm.... He actually had more to do, so I read in bed while he finished things up and I think we were asleep around 9. The best part? I still notice the change but feel no shame. I delight in being able to get in bed so early, because I know that I won't always be able to do that even when I want to, because I know what's in my future (namely, law school and eventually kids).

And you know what? I got up at 5:45 this morning and so far I feel great! I'm excited to get some volunteering in, take off in the early afternoon and come home to get our apartment back in order and ready for the weekend.

I hope this wasn't too much rambling - it's just amusing to me to observe the change in my sleep habits over a short period of time, but it does make sense with all the different factors and scheduling involved! Sleep makes such a huge difference (particularly since I get a little extra crabby when tired - just ask my hubby.) I think I'm doing us both a favor by making a big priority. :-)