Let's Talk About...Sleep

Ok. Let's talk about sleep schedules. Are you an early to bed, early to rise person? Or are you a night owl and can't get up before 10 a.m.? Or, maybe you are like me - a go to bed late and get up early person? Why would I do that?

It's simple. You guessed it, my sleeping schedule doesn't always mesh with my husband's. He's a lights-out-at-10 p.m. kinda guy. I'm a just-getting-my-second-wind-at-10 p.m. kinda gal.

He's a get-up-at-dawn person (daylight savings or not). I am a get-up-when-I-must person.

I get it, people have different Circadian rhythms. I get emails from friends sent at 2 a.m. before they go to bed. Those are inevitably followed closely by another friend's emails sent at 5 a.m. after they get up. (Come to think of it, those emails might be coming from the same friend. I will have to check).

So how do we make our sleep schedules work?

Well...not without some ground rules.

The biggest issues: Light and Noise.

Let's start with light. My husband can sleep with a small light on (partially due to good training on my part). So light isn't a big problem for him at night. But why is light such an important part of him getting ready in the morning? Seriously. You know where your shoes and socks are. You can dress in the closet. You don't need extra light for that. The presence of light screams, "Good morning, Sunshine!" Humph.

Then there is the noise issue. I am virtually a mouse at night. I can brush my teeth, wash my face (the bathroom has no door to the bedroom - what were those builders thinking?), open my pajama drawer and struggle out of my skinny jeans with barely a sound. I don't use my electric toothbrush at night. I use a regular one because it's quieter. I get in the covers like a ninja. Lights out.

Morning comes. His electric toothbrush sounds like a lawn mower. The shower sounds like the washing machine moved into our room. Phone beeps sound like foghorns. And why is putting on clothes so noisy in the morning? How can that be?

So, I get up when I must. And I go to bed when I want.