sleep debt

Sleep deprivation is an inevitable part of having a baby/small kids, and surely that's been true. For ladies/mums especially, our sleep deprivation starts in pregnancy when our sleeping is a discomfort due to our growing belly and the frequent visits to the loo that disrupts our sleep. 

Sleep deprivation is one area of parenting that I personally have experienced enough. I am sure all of you new parents do too. Having two kids under three is challenging and up until now, I am so well aware of my sleep debt. However, I think that after awhile, we forget how much sleep we're missing and daytime yawns become our new normal, no?

That wonderful, nightly activity that involves closing your eyes and remaining horizontal for eight hours (or more) until sunrise? I can't even remember the last time I had that kind of sleep. Probably not for the next few years, too. 

However, we are lucky that our kids are good sleepers once they grow. We were zombies for the first three months of our babies' lives as they were struggling to adapt their sleep patterns. For now, they sleep well with a couple of rises at night for their feeding. But even these are expected because we have already tuned into their sleeping patterns. It's just that they are early risers, too. So, snuggling in bed during weekends or during our holiday getaways remain a wishful thinking. 

There are times when they have interrupted sleep, waking up every half-an-hour, especially when they're down with any sickness. That time is usually the hardest because that also means less (read : no) sleep for us parents. It's a hurculean task, to be awake at night, and yet we still do it. 

I always, always promise myself that I will definitely catch up on my sleep when the kids are asleep, but almost everytime, too, I break that promise (much to my husband's dismay). True, I don't get enough of sleep and don't even get me started on how tired I have been, but it is that treasured ME time. To be able to read a novel in the awakening silence of the day, to be able to watch the telly while lying on the sofa with the remote in one hand, to be able to enjoy a sip of coffee and breathe in the aroma, or to be able to just take a long hot shower are all the things that need catching up too. And it feels so good to actually do that without disturbance. 

Yes, sleep deprivation sucks, but after our second baby I think we have managed our sleep debt quite well. Our experience with our first kid had taught us pretty well at handling sleep at the same time juggling responsibilities. I could say that our sleep is also 'efficient' in the sense that when it is time to sleep, we really sleep, no tossing or turning or doing other unnecessary things. We're also getting better at taking power naps (my husband is a champ!). Somehow, our past experience makes us prioritize sleep more, and at times when I am just so tired I crash hard at every opportunity hehe But that is on days when I just couldn't be bothered with housework or anything else and decides to cut myself some slack.

I guess as long as we still have our kids with us, keep counting our sleep debt :)