Should I sleep or relax?

It seems silly to even be writing about this but I feel compelled to.  Lately I have been feeling kind of run down from the go-go-go of daily life and can’t wait for the end of the day.  The kids get to bed and I get to relax. Some nights I will read a book, other nights catch up on a show, and yes, some nights I will mindlessly scroll through social media on my phone.  Whatever it is I choose to do with my free time to wind down at night, I really enjoy it. The house is quiet, it’s dark outside, and I feel a sense of freedom.

Some nights I am just wiped from the day so I will literally fall asleep on the couch downstairs and my husband cannot wake me and has to help me upstairs.  I am out! On those nights I sleep the deepest of sleeps. But I wake up in the morning annoyed from the start because I went to sleep instead of using my time to relax!  

I know I know, the human body needs sleep.  It’s the only way we will survive. Our bodies rest and replenish from all we make them do during the day.  But, I can’t help being disappointed that while I was sleeping I missed out on having a dessert or snack, chatting with my husband, or catching up on a fun show.  

I always feel so much better when I get more sleep.  That’s for sure. But I get really excited about having some relax time too.  And to me, relaxation and sleep are not the same thing. Sleep is necessary and essential for our lives.  Relaxation is a luxury and I feel like it’s something I have “earned” at the end of a hard day.

I have accepted that some nights I will have to succumb to my body’s needs and just go to sleep.  But other nights if I get my second wind, I plan to do all the things that make me feel pampered and taken care of.