Starting Smart Habits Saturday

When I was growing up, and, in fact, well in to my 30's, I was a champion sleeper. I always felt so bad for people with insomnia or other sleep issues since I could sleep anytime, anyplace, anywhere. And I often did, though I was also a night owl. College was great for me; I'd study from 10pm to 2am and have classes start at 10 or 11 in the morning, and my circadian rhythms were never happier.

Since the boys were little and nursing all night, however, this hasn't been as true. Especially since the little one had a rock-solid 1am habit, I learned that it was better for me to just wait up for it than to actually get some sleep and try to drag myself out of it.

Now, though, the little one is long past the 1am feeds, but I am often acting as if he is still at them. I got in the habit (a-ha!) of using that time from 11pm to 1am to be at the computer or catch up with my favorite TV shows (tivoed (though I should say "digitally recorded" or just showing).

It is time to break that habit. So, my friends, my Smart Habit this week is weaning myself from my night owl ways, at least for now. (Plenty of time later when I'm retired.) My goal: to only watch tv in the bedroom past 11pm. (Yes, I know you aren't supposed to have a tv in the bedroom. One habit at a time.) If I'm in bed watching, I'm more likely to fall asleep and stay that way (our tv has a sleep mode where it turns itself off). And with any luck, that will help get me off the computer by then too. We'll see how that goes by next week.