Sleep Deprivation

Honestly, today, it's like I am seeing the world anew. Our avocados at breakfast seemed to be the most beautiful color I'd ever seen. My first sip of coffee was so rich and luxuriously tasty it made me stop, say Mmmmmmm and feel grateful. Mind you, this was a cup of coffee that I had topped off with boiling water because it had been sitting in the French Press for over an hour! Then, after breakfast, watching Theo walk and take little steps with his sweet chubby legs filled me with the most indescribable joy.

I think it's all because I got a good night's sleep.

When Theo was ten days old, J snapped the photo above of me co-sleeping with Coco and Theo. I love this photo so much. It captures all of the sweetness that makes co-sleeping completely worth it and wonderful. But, the night before last, I got to thinking (as I have many times before) that it may be time to give up co-sleeping once and for all. I haven't been getting good sleep lately and now that I'm working late some nights, I honestly can't deal.

But, it just doesn't seem like we'll ever go through with it, so I filed that thought away for later. Then, last night, as I was getting ready for bed, I happened to think of it, so I ran into the hallway and grabbed a sheet to cover the blinds on the door to the balcony off of our bedroom. There's a light in the alley that really bothers me at night. Somehow that horrid light manages to shine right through the tiny holes in the blinds and straight into my eyes at night. It is ridiculous. Until we get a curtain, I figured, why not just hang a sheet up there?

OMG. Total game changer.

Last night, I slept all night long and it's got to be because of the sheet! Theo was in bed with us and Coco climbed in during the night, too, but I only vaguely remember her coming in and asking for a drink of water. I don't remember Theo waking me once before sunrise. Then, this morning, J and Coco got up and got ready for school and work and I didn't even hear them. Theo and I slept until 8 o'clock! Seriously.

Co-sleeping wasn't the problem. Theo hadn't been waking me at all. I think it was that light in the alley! I can't even count the number of times I woke up with that thing beaming into me like a laser beam, and I think it had been waking Theo, too. The light may have even been preventing me from getting into deep sleep. It's a known fact that bright light will mess up your circadian rhythm and sleep cycles. I am leaving that ugly sheet there until we get a curtain!

It is amazing to get restorative rest when you're sleep deprived. The whole world seems different. If you're getting bad sleep lately, really assess your sleep environment and make sure it's nice and dark, cool and quiet. Little changes can make all the difference. Sleep is king!