Yes, spring is in the air. The flowers are blooming, birds are chirping and I'm finally getting my sleep back on! It's been a few weeks since the dreaded spring f-word hit our family like an earthquake. I do apologize for the use of my "f-bomb," but honestly, that is the only way to describe the feeling of "springing forward" for my family. Yes, we eventually enjoy the evenings to BBQ and play outside longer, but the week or honestly the weeks of daylight savings definitely take a toll on all of us. Like many of you, my family has a rhythm, and spring forward rocks us to our core! I mean, I am just now returning to my old sleeping habits with a toddler who is finally sleeping through the night. And, then there is my oldest, who seems to fall asleep anywhere in the house but her bed. Or my middle child, who still wants to sleep with me in any bed. As you can imagine, the sleeping arrangements in our house tend to look like Goldie Locks and the Three Bears. This mama is just happy to get sleep, in any bed, at any time!
I am grateful that a professor decided to declare national nap day the day after daylight savings. It is reassuring to know that I'm not the only one who respects the fact that losing an hour of sleep deserves a national holiday. The truth is our entire society is tired and we need our sleep! Remember the sleep you once got as a teenager when waking up on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. was early? Yeah, it's that kind of sleep that I'm talking about! And if you can't get your full eight hours, then a power nap helps. Naps are accepted and celebrated in other cultures and scientifically proven to be good for our health and overall well-being. So, why do we only embrace "nap time" during Kindergarten? I've often thought that it would be so cool to have a business where you just "check in" for 20 minutes to take a nap; however, I fear that it would lead to some "risky business." That said, wouldn't we all be so much more productive and nicer to each other if we got enough sleep? It is reassuring to know that there are businesses embracing this idea. The Huffington Post has actual "nap rooms" for their employees to use. And, companies like Google and Proctor & Gamble have purchased "EnergyPods" for employees to take power naps. How cool is that? Maybe it is an idea that will start to catch on more in the U.S.. One can only hope.
Despite my somewhat negative rant earlier, I do enjoy this time of year. My family has spring fever and we are counting down the days to spring break (especially since it's in April this year!). And soon we will be celebrating my baby boy's 2nd birthday, track meets and the end of the school year. Yes, spring is a lovely time of year. It's just much more enjoyable after a good night's sleep!