Tag Archives: sleep

Turning over a new leaf

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I know that getting more sleep —earlier to bed, earlier to rise — will change my life. So I am attempting to do that. Last night, I was in bed before 10, don’t know if I got to sleep before 11:30, too much to catch up on with Erik. But I did get up at 6:15 and drove Brandon and Nicholas to seminary, and then went to the Dish for my favorite walk. I am exhausted now, before 8, but maybe that will get me to sleep by 10? I will report tomorrow.

Last night, our good friend, Jeslyn, came over to start memorizing The Living Christ, the apostles’ testimony of Jesus Christ, with Nicole. It is a final value project to complete her personal progress. I spent most of my walk this morning memorizing the first two paragraphs of that inspired work. It is good preparation for Easter, and a chance to remember the gift of the atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I am going to type out those first two paragraphs, and see if I have really learned it. Nicole and Jeslyn inspired me to want to learn it after being their memorization checker last night. It should take 10 hours of work and be a strengthening, meaningful use of time and brain energy.

“As we commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ two millennia ago, we offer our testimony of the reality of His matchless life and the infinite virtue of His great atoning sacrifice. None other has had so profound an influence upon all who have lived and will yet live upon the earth.

He was the Great Jehovah of the Old Testament, the Messiah of the New. Under the direction of His father, He was the creator of the earth. ‘All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made which was made.’ (John 1:3) Though sinless, he was baptized to fulfill all righteousness. He “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38), yet was despised for it. His gospel was a message of peace and goodwill. He entreated all to follow His example. He walked the roads of Palestine, healing the sick, causing the blind to see, and raising the dead. He taught the truths of eternity, the reality of our premortal existence, the purpose of our life on earth, and the potential for the sons and daughters of God in the life to come.”

I had to correct a couple of minor capitalizations and quotes. I had to rearrange the first phrase of John 1:3. But otherwise, I have learned those two paragraphs! It is a good mental exercise to memorize this. And it helps me focus my thoughts on my Savior, to whom I am indebted eternally.

Rest

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It was a few days in a row in the last week that I had 5 to 6 hours of sleep a night, not quite enough for me. So when I got sick yesterday the main thing I did was sleep. I probably had14 hours of sleep, plus 6 more hours of resting. It helps me realize that sleep matters. And sometimes our body shuts down in order for us to catch up on that sleep. But I probably also ate something that didn’t sit right, or got a virus that caused the extreme nausea and fatigue.

I struggle to figure out how to get to bed at an early hour. Even when I am tired, sometimes I bounce back to life around 10 at night. It is rare when I get to bed before 11. The nights when I do, I have more energy for early-morning exercise, I feel rested and energetic during the day, and generally feel better. I want to figure out how to be an early to bed person. That means getting to bed between 10:30 and 11, and then rising between 6 and 6:30 to exercise and read scriptures. I often rise early to exercise, but fatigue can build up when I haven’t gotten to bed early enough. How to get enough rest, consistently? A question I want to answer sooner rather than later.