We have absolutely nothing on the agenda for today. It’s already been a really long week, and a slow day would be much appreciated.
I did end up going to bed around 10 pm last night, and that was awesome. My goal is to try and get my sleep cycle back on track. It’s hard to do this when you have three kids on the Autism Spectrum, who seem hell bent on not allowing for a regular sleep wake cycle.
While I’m in a better head space this morning, I’m still helping exhausted.
Perhaps it takes more than one night’s sleep to make an impact?
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I think the napping is a big part of what kills Rob’s sleep schedule. I understand the desire or need to nap after a bad night’s sleep but that will throw you off later in the evening. And I completely agree that it’s time to train the kids that Dad is not the answer to them not being able to sleep. Dad’s bed isn’t the answer, and sleeping on the couch downstairs isn’t the answer. They are old enough to read or listen to music quietly with their headphones if they can’t sleep, and that it can and should be done without disturbing the brother in the other bunk. They are old enough to understand that between the hours of X pm and X am, their options are their bedroom and the bathroom as the only places they can be. I know that I am coming at this from an outsider’s point of view and that it might not be as simple as what I’m putting forth, but it seems that Rob and the younger boys all need to get on a healthy sleep schedule, and while it might not be the easiest thing to implement, the benefits could be so incredibly worth it.
To answer your question, it absolutely takes a lot more than one night of good sleep to “make up” for chronic sleep deprivation. For whatever my opinion is worth, and it may be not much, I would think one of the most beneficial things you could do for yourself and your family would be to make, and commit to, a dedicated and thought out plan to have a regular sleep cycle. If you were routinely and reasonably well rested, you most likely would be able to physically accomplish more, you would eat better, you would feel better, you could think straight (more often 😉 ), have more energy, and it would likely help with your depression, etc. Think of how all of those things would benefit you and your family exponentially.
Since the rewards are so great and would make such a tremendous positive impact on your life, I think it’s worth spending some time truly figuring out how to make it happen. I know that you just said that your goal is to get your sleep cycle back on track, but let’s be real here – you can say it and intend for that to happen, but your life is going to get in the way unless you figure out a real plan to make this happen. Sorry if that sounded a little harsh – not my intent, but I think you see where I’m going.
I think you have to figure out how it can be possible for your kids to have their own sleep issues but you not feeling compelled to stay up with them all night. I know you’ve talked about the configuration of your house, safety issues, etc., but I really think you should figure out a different approach here. Your kids are getting old enough that if they’re having a rough night sleeping that they should be taught that they are permitted to _____ in order to help them get ready to go back to sleep if they can’t sleep, but that they shouldn’t wake up dad unless they’re sick, or other emergency, etc. You have to train them, and yourself, that you are not the answer to their problems sleeping.
I know this becomes a hot button issue for some but if I were you I would try to cut out a lot of the napping. Napping – at least to such a degree – as in to make up for lost sleep – doesn’t help a regular sleep cycle.
If you get all that taken care of, it’s more likely that it will be easier for you to actually sleep when it’s time to – taking care of your own sleep issues.
This isn’t intended as an attack, and I’m in no way judging you, so I hope you don’t feel the need to defend or explain the way you do things. I get it. I know it’s all easier said than done. I just really feel that in your situation, it’s going to take a different approach, a real plan and a lot of work to make it happen. Best of luck.
Jimmy I agree. My sleep cycle is so out of whack, it’s detrimental. To be clear, I don’t nap that often anymore. If it was particularly bad night, than sometimes I do. While that addresses the immediate problem, it also creates one as well. I have to force myself to sleep as early as 10 pm.. I’ll likely need a sleep aide for a few days but hopefully I can get this all reset. You can’t make up for lost sleep..
Good points Jimmy
I think the napping is a big part of what kills Rob’s sleep schedule. I understand the desire or need to nap after a bad night’s sleep but that will throw you off later in the evening. And I completely agree that it’s time to train the kids that Dad is not the answer to them not being able to sleep. Dad’s bed isn’t the answer, and sleeping on the couch downstairs isn’t the answer. They are old enough to read or listen to music quietly with their headphones if they can’t sleep, and that it can and should be done without disturbing the brother in the other bunk. They are old enough to understand that between the hours of X pm and X am, their options are their bedroom and the bathroom as the only places they can be. I know that I am coming at this from an outsider’s point of view and that it might not be as simple as what I’m putting forth, but it seems that Rob and the younger boys all need to get on a healthy sleep schedule, and while it might not be the easiest thing to implement, the benefits could be so incredibly worth it.
To answer your question, it absolutely takes a lot more than one night of good sleep to “make up” for chronic sleep deprivation. For whatever my opinion is worth, and it may be not much, I would think one of the most beneficial things you could do for yourself and your family would be to make, and commit to, a dedicated and thought out plan to have a regular sleep cycle. If you were routinely and reasonably well rested, you most likely would be able to physically accomplish more, you would eat better, you would feel better, you could think straight (more often 😉 ), have more energy, and it would likely help with your depression, etc. Think of how all of those things would benefit you and your family exponentially.
Since the rewards are so great and would make such a tremendous positive impact on your life, I think it’s worth spending some time truly figuring out how to make it happen. I know that you just said that your goal is to get your sleep cycle back on track, but let’s be real here – you can say it and intend for that to happen, but your life is going to get in the way unless you figure out a real plan to make this happen. Sorry if that sounded a little harsh – not my intent, but I think you see where I’m going.
I think you have to figure out how it can be possible for your kids to have their own sleep issues but you not feeling compelled to stay up with them all night. I know you’ve talked about the configuration of your house, safety issues, etc., but I really think you should figure out a different approach here. Your kids are getting old enough that if they’re having a rough night sleeping that they should be taught that they are permitted to _____ in order to help them get ready to go back to sleep if they can’t sleep, but that they shouldn’t wake up dad unless they’re sick, or other emergency, etc. You have to train them, and yourself, that you are not the answer to their problems sleeping.
I know this becomes a hot button issue for some but if I were you I would try to cut out a lot of the napping. Napping – at least to such a degree – as in to make up for lost sleep – doesn’t help a regular sleep cycle.
If you get all that taken care of, it’s more likely that it will be easier for you to actually sleep when it’s time to – taking care of your own sleep issues.
This isn’t intended as an attack, and I’m in no way judging you, so I hope you don’t feel the need to defend or explain the way you do things. I get it. I know it’s all easier said than done. I just really feel that in your situation, it’s going to take a different approach, a real plan and a lot of work to make it happen. Best of luck.
Jimmy I agree. My sleep cycle is so out of whack, it’s detrimental. To be clear, I don’t nap that often anymore. If it was particularly bad night, than sometimes I do. While that addresses the immediate problem, it also creates one as well. I have to force myself to sleep as early as 10 pm.. I’ll likely need a sleep aide for a few days but hopefully I can get this all reset. You can’t make up for lost sleep..
Good points Jimmy