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Sunday, May 15, 2011

#73 - Sleep; Get It!!

Sometimes we are so worn down, yet we continue to go about our business in full swing. We don't listen to our bodies. The exhaustion is pushed back and we pull every trick in the book to make ourselves more alert.

Everyone can do this, for a while. Then, you begin to really feel run down. You might even get sick and won't be able to shake the overall sense of just feeling yucky.


My youngest daughter and her friend, getting ready to go out dancing!

My grown daughters, in their 20's, have been known to think that they know everything!! They have times of going out with friends, they have too much fun, stay out too late and end up coming back home with only three hours to spare before they must be at work. A couple of days like this, they end of walking around as if they are the walking dead. Unbelievably, they will come up to me about how "sick" they feel, but they just can't figure it out. How can they feel so rotten? Well, staying out all night with your friends and then scrambling to get ready for work while you can barely hold your eyes open might be a difficult task for your body. Hmmm. Just maybe, it's a thought.

As for me, my routine is critical to my health. Since my diagnosis with Addison's disease, I've found that I cannot go long without solid sleep. But, my problem starts with severe insomnia, partly due to Addison's disease and partly due to my body being butchered so many times that it is simply out of whack. It often hurts pretty bad and this can interfere with me being able to get ample sleep. Even taking sleep medications cannot always help.

But, once I do get a good night's rest or if I do grab a two hour hard-core nap, I feel so refreshed and better able to cope with the pain. The bad part of being in pain and being exhausted is that each of those two will create a vicious cycle of downhill health. You must step in and force yourself to get a few hours extra sleep so that you can come back feeling better able to deal with the hard parts of life. Cellular repair happens while we are deep asleep and your mind gets a break while your body rests. Getting some sleep when you don't feel right is something that you must do right away; it's not up for debate.

Now, if you are feeling unwell. Go find a quiet place and take a nap. Or, you can go to bed and if possible, sleep in for as long as you can tomorrow.

My point is...sleep is hugely valuable to our daily health. Don't underestimate it. Don't play around with it. Your mental processes depend on an alert, well rested brain. Let your body delight in the gift of deep slumber and maybe you'll wake up in a bit less pain. Fight for your right to get the extra rest when needed. I'm not giving an endorsement to be lazy, I'm talking about truly listening to your body and getting a day of rest when it is needed. For some of you who are battling chronic illness, your ability to get some good sleep and nap time is exactly what keeps you going. As for me, I'm figuring out that the naps are priceless.

My youngest daughter being woke up by her best-friend.
Tonight, I hope to sleep soundly, but if I don't, I can promise that I will be doing my best to take a healing nap so that I can tackle all that life throws my way...wide awake and strong!

These two little beasts won't give us rest. The Smaller dog is
Howdy when he was a puppy and yes he was a hand-full!
Good thing, he's as awesome as can be these days.!

4 comments:

  1. P.S. I am going to set up a youtube account for my videos because this stinks to have the video not run!!

    Lana C.

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  2. Sleep is my salvation. I sleep 12 or more hours every night, and still need a nap sometime during the day. A few days ago I sleep on and off all day...never left my room...and I was able to sleep that night. Addison's zaps my body of energy and the only was to survive for me is deep sleep.
    Mo
    p.s. Happy Birthday mt Friend!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mo, I know what you mean about the sleep. This past week has been the same for me. I have a hard time taking naps, but I've been finding great alleviation by making myself take them. It has helped. Usually, I write about an issue that I am struggling with myself. I figure, if I'm struggling with it, there might be others out there doing the same thing. Sleep has been a big struggle. But, I've always been an insomniac.

    Thanks for the birthday message. I appreciate it. This one was especially important to me. And I guess I was at your blog as you were at mine. I had been reading your comments and left one of my own. I found that to be funny when I got back "home" and saw your comment on my blog.
    Whew!

    ReplyDelete
  4. It seems like there are some things only sleep can cure for me. I didn't have any reason for feeling weak and gross on Monday, but I did, and I kept falling asleep at my desk. My blood pressure was a little low. It's normally 125/60... Monday it was 99 over 77. Not a huge concern, but to be safe I stayed home half a day on Tuesday and slept in. Let me tell you, I felt sooo much better yesterday afternoon! it hasn't been hot here, and I had a relaxing weekend, so I'm not sure what got my body out of whack- but after sleeping in I was good to go! :)

    ReplyDelete

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