by Richard
If there’s one thing I really, really miss about having a baby dude, it’s the ability to take naps and not feel guilty about it. See, when I was staying home to be the full-time dad for our youngest little dude, Speed Racer, I developed a system. At first I tried to use his nap times as a time for me to get things done. But I noticed that I was getting crankier and crankier as the weeks dragged on. I then found the key to lasting happiness as a stay-at-home dude. Whenever Speed Racer took a nap, I took a nap.
It didn’t always work, but, when it did, I was the happiest dude on the planet.
So what does this dredging up of memories almost 10 years old have to do with Christmas stress buster tip number four? Simple, really. If you want to avoid Christmas stress, you need to get as much sleep as possible. I’m completely serious about this.
Lack of sleep can make you tired and cranky and more prone to mistakes, both in the professional arena and the personal arena. It can also cause an increased production of cortisol, one of the body’s main stress hormones. When those levels rise, it doesn’t make doctors all smiley and happy.
Now, I’m not advocating a complete abrogation of your responsibilities so you can skeeve off to the supply closet and catch some winks. Nor am I saying to park your little dudes in front of the television while you close your eyes for a show or two (although, if pressed, I’d have to admit that I have done something similar once or twice.). However, if you do get the opportunity to get a nap, I think you ought to take it. You will feel better after a short half-hour nap.
No, what I’m talking about is getting more sleep at night. On the whole, adults in this country are getting less and less sleep than ever before. Most folks need the standard eight hours of sleep a night, but many of us only give ourselves six to seven. And, when it’s stress time, we often get less sleep than that. We put off sleep to finish wrapping the presents. We put off sleep to clean the house or wash the clothes.
Dude, get a grip. Wiping up all the dust on the dining room table isn’t worth losing sleep over (no pun intended). Get done what you can. Parcel out what you can. Delegate if possible. You all need your sleep.
Plus, when you’re asleep, you can dream of a world where you have enough time to get everything done. Then you can wake up and laugh and laugh.
Tags: A Dude's Guide to Life, Abrogation, Adults, baby, Christmas, Christmas Stress, clothes, Cortisol, dad, Dining Room, doctor, Doctors, dude, Eight Hours, Happiness, Having A Baby, Hormones, Hours Of Sleep, house, Lack Of Sleep, Laugh, little dude, little dudes, Man, Memories, Nap Time, Naps, old, Personal Arena, Professional Arena, richard, sleep, Sleep At Night, Smile, Smiley, Speed Racer, Stay At Home, Staying Home, Stress, Stress Buster, Stress Hormones, Supply Closet, Television, Time Dad, Tip Number, Winks, young