For nearly a decade now, I’ve battled a relentless state of fatigue. As a physician, I understand the importance of sleep, yet, like many parents, I find myself perpetually short on rest. It’s astonishing how we manage to function under such conditions, isn’t it?
When children are newborns, they are blissfully unaware of our need for adequate sleep. We are subject to their schedules, and our optimism sometimes runs high. “Once they start sleeping through the night, I’ll finally catch up on my rest,” we think, with a glimmer of hope. My youngest is now four, and I’m still waiting for that elusive refreshment.
As evening falls, the fatigue hits hard, often around 6:30 PM. I know I have a lengthy to-do list ahead of me—dinner, tidying up, homework, and the bedtime routine for my little ones. Exhaustion sets in, and by the time I finally tuck them in, the dark circles beneath my eyes seem to have their own zip code. My partner, Mark, offers the simplest of advice: “Just go to bed.” And he does. In a mere three minutes, he’s snuggled under the covers, snoring away.
I feel a pang of envy at his ability to simply switch off and drift into sleep. I tell myself daily that tonight will be different—I’ll finally get a good night’s rest! But somehow, the journey to my bedroom triggers a cascade of distractions.
It often unfolds like this:
- I head upstairs, only to wonder if I locked the front door. So, back downstairs I go.
- Passing the bathroom, I spot a pile of clothes I missed during laundry day and take them to the laundry room.
- I notice my son’s favorite shirt and start a load of laundry, thinking I can just dry it in the morning.
- Then, I see the dog’s water bowl is empty and refill it.
- What’s that smell? Oh, right—the trash. I haul it to the garage and replace the bag.
- While I’m at it, I remember we’re low on trash bags and glance at my grocery list. What else do I need? Oh yes, hair spray!
- The canned food drive at school suddenly crosses my mind. I rummage through the pantry and pack cans into backpacks.
- Then, I remember to sign my son’s homework folder and place the backpacks by the front door.
Wait a minute—did I lock the back door?
On my way to check, I trip over a single shoe. I decide to find its partner to avoid the morning scramble. In my search, I step on something sticky, prompting a trip to get paper towels. While in the laundry room, I realize I need a new roll.
Then it hits me—there are only ten minutes left in the wash cycle. I might as well unload the dishwasher while I wait. I start making sandwiches for the kids’ lunches, and just like that, the washer buzzes.
I finally get to the laundry, only to find a load already in the dryer that needs folding. Ugh. I fold the laundry and think, why not lay out the kids’ clothes for school while I’m at it?
Finally, I’m ready to go to bed—after brushing my teeth, washing my face, and applying wrinkle cream. Oh, the irony!
Most nights, despite my fatigue, I find myself wide awake once my head hits the pillow. I’ll just check my phone quickly, which leads to a rabbit hole of emails, Pinterest, and social media. Meanwhile, Mark is snoring beside me, a sound akin to an industrial vacuum cleaner.
Did we receive an “interruption of services” notice from the cable company? The thought pulls me back to the daily grind, and I contemplate heading back downstairs.
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In summary, the nightly ritual of attempting to go to bed as a parent is riddled with interruptions and distractions. Each evening, I find myself caught in a whirlwind of chores and responsibilities that prevent me from simply turning in for the night.