Simple Pleasures: The Sunday Afternoon Nap

Regular nighttime sleep has been elusive on and off for years. I've been going for acupuncture at Ling Tai acupuncture for about a year now, I am taking herbs at night, doing yoga before I go to bed and for the most part I am sleeping well at night. I have a feeling it will be even better this weekend when our new mattress arrives. Now, if I could just stop Gman from snoring...Not sleeping at night there was not even a chance of a day time nap, the sleep just wouldn't come. Enter triathlon training.

Since I started training I have been sleeping more soundly at night. Part of it is getting up early in the morning, Thursday mornings at 4:45 AM to be exactly and a few minutes after 5 on Wednesdays. But there is no time during the week to catch up on sleep. Its up early, work all day and then run to activities in the evenings.

On Sunday morning, one of the days I used to sleep in its a bit after 6 when I have to be up and out for a 2 hour workout. By the time we get home from church on Sunday I am spent. I really don't think I appreciated rest until I started seriously training. I am working my body hard and in return it needs some serious downtime. The past several Sundays Gman has entertained the kids for a bit and I have soaked my sore muscles in the tub and then settled down for my Sunday afternoon snooze. I always wake up feeling better (after that moment of guilt over all the things I didn't accomplish while I was sleeping). For the most part I've given up the guilt and am trying to embrace the idea that not only do I need exercise, I need rest to help rebuild the body as well. There is something decadent about sleeping in the middle of the afternoon. Its like a forbidden treat, sweeter than the nighttime slumber we all get.