The other night I closed my eyes to fall asleep at about 11:30
p.m. and the next moment I awoke to the sound of my alarm buzzing
at 6:50 a.m. There seemingly had been no night, just a quick flash
from late night to morning.
The other night I closed my eyes to fall asleep at about 11:30 p.m. and the next moment I awoke to the sound of my alarm buzzing at 6:50 a.m. There seemingly had been no night, just a quick flash from late night to morning.
I felt cheated, ripped off, tired.
These nights don’t happen too often, but when they do, I feel like my life is on fast-forward.
My warp-speed night likely was caused by my busy schedule that day, which included work, a youth basketball game, and a Little League meeting. A racing mind is not conducive to sleep – nor is hunger, which I took care of right before bed with a bowl of cereal.
In our busy lives, collapsing into bed at the end of a long day is one of life’s great pleasures. Most of us have a routine that prepares us to catch some Z’s.
Mine involves climbing into bed and competing with my wife for the extra pillow. She prefers to have it at her side, while I prefer it beneath my head, so I’m propped up enough to see the television. The first one to get the pillow usually allows the other person to keep it.
On a cold night, the next step is to try to get the feet warm. Sometimes, our partner’s cold feet can feel like an icy dagger if they brush against our feet, accidentally or otherwise. If we’re in a good mood, we may even allow the cold-footed person to place their feet against our warm legs. If we’re not, the cold toes are used as a torture device.
Winter is the best time of year to sleep, since it’s usually easier to get warm than it is to keep cool. The trouble is, many couples have different ideas of what “warm” is.
I can’t sleep unless I have multiple layers of blankets and a comforter piled on me. If I am really warm, I sleep well. If there is less weight – like in a hotel – then I toss and turn.
My wife, on the other hand, prefers fewer blankets, which makes it difficult because blankets aren’t cut in half (which is a good marketing idea). Inevitably, there is a blanket battle or a tug-of-war. She’s too warm or I’m too cold. Or sometimes, I’m too warm and she’s too cold. In time, compromise is reached when the right temperature, blanket arrangement, and pillow location is figured out.
Occasionally, we’ll stake out our territory on the mattress. I’ll point out that she’s on my half of the bed, and therefore doesn’t have a right to control the blankets.
Other times, she’ll show that I have crossed the border and must retreat or forfeit my rights to extra blankets.
Then, it’s on to other battles – like the television.
Many people have a tough time falling to sleep with any noise in the room. I, on the other hand, have gotten into the habit of watching “Seinfeld” and falling asleep to the sounds of Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer talking about nothing. I set the TV to automatically shut off and within a few minutes, I’m gone.
Most nights, my wife doesn’t mind that the TV is on – as long as I promise not to have my freezing feet touch hers.
Sometimes there’s nothing harder to do than fall asleep and on cold mornings, there’s nothing more difficult than piling out of a warm bed.
One suggestion for tonight: If you’re having trouble falling asleep, read this column one more time before you turn out the light.
