The circle of life. Take for instance naps.
When your children are infants they take a nap more than they are up. As they age they slowly decrease the time they are asleep and increase the time they are awake until such time they no longer need a nap. I remember my oldest got down to one nap a day by the time she was a year old. I thought my brief time alone during the day would last longer but alas she was a curious child who thought naps meant she couldn't be making some mess somewhere. In fact I used to rejoice when she was even quiet for a few minutes until I learned that meant she was into something she wasn't supposed to be.
Then along came son who decided as an infant to toddler to adult that he just needed to eat every 2 hours around the clock. So until I taught him where the Cheerios were and how to get his own breakfast during the night, I was doomed to be perpetually tired. I would
Up until today I have not been able to work the entire day. But I thought that today was the day I could be up all day. It also happened to coincide with my first day back to work at the main office coupled with the end of the month stuff. But by mid afternoon, I could no longer keep my eyes open. I was trying to do payroll and just couldn't remember what numbers I was supposed to add - although I don't think the girls would mind if it was in their favor. I finally got up and stole a patient room and curled up and snoozed. I had the girls promise to wake me if I snored. I had a good catnap.
But come on now - even though I am the legal speed limit now, I am still young. I don't even qualify for a senior citizen discount most places. Yet, I need my midday nap now.
Life has come full circle. Next it will be diapers - wait that has already happened. Okay, so next will be soft pureed food - wait that has happened too when I was going through the tooth and dentist from hell.
I can only imagine what is next.
BUT there is hope for me:
A study by Boston's Harvard School of Public Health showed that older adults who took a half-hour midday nap at least three times a week had an amazing 37% lower risk of death from heart attacks and disease than those who did not nap. The researchers suggest that the key factor in the effect of napping on heart disease risk could be stress reduction. Napping has also been shown to improve mood, increase energy and endurance, boost memory, focus, and comprehension, and enhance libido.
So looks like I am keeping my naptime.
