Even Santa needs a rest

Did you ever hear the theory of the sleep train? According to some experts we are not able to go to sleep any time, we have to wait for the right train to the land of Nod. Like in the real world, we get ready for the journey, we wait at the platform, we board and then, on the sleep train, we fall asleep. If we fail to catch it the next train leaves in two hours. The thing is, if we do not board the right train we will be late. If we keep boarding the wrong train we will get desperately late, and never be able to catch up.

Our problem, according this study, is when we are ready at the platform, but as soon as  the right train is approaching we turn around and run in the other direction so that the train won’t catch up on us. Silly. I used to do that, especially at Christmas time.

longing for a soft pillow

When getting the kids ready for bed I was so tired I could hardly stand on my feet. Instead of catching that train I would do chores to keep awake. As soon as the train was pulling out of the platform I would feel awake and start on a Christmas project. Making gifts, baking or organizing. In a couple of hours the next train would pull up, and I would fold laundry or stack the dishwasher until it left. Then I would be going at the sewing machine for some more hours, until finally waiting for the next train while tossing and turning in my bed.

I never felt like I was a top of all I had to do. Luckily I saw this program on sleep disorders and recognized how i was depriving myself of the one thing I needed most. From then on I tried a different tactic. I gave myself set hours. If paid workers could leave their work in the evening, so could I. When the children were in bed, I would curl up on the coach with knitting or a book. Then, as soon as I felt tired at all, I would just go to bed. No need to say that Christmas has arrived every year since then, so all my late nights were totally not necessary.

It took me thirty years to grow up and not wait for somebody else to call it a day. As for the knitting, that will be tomorrow’s post!

Believe me, I know better than most how frantic and exhausting it is possible to make the season of peace and goodwill. The main story on Indexyourlife in December will be my way to a Christmas free of tangles.

In December my brother and I write an advent calendar blog together in norwegian.You may visit at  JULEFRYD or Christmas Joy. This year we will be writing or sharing thoughts and joys of gifts, giving and sharing. We will post there every day, and I will share some of that blog here on indexyourlife too.

All pictures at Indexyourlife are mine, if not otherwise stated.