Waking up at 6:45 while being retired is bad enough. However, when I set my phone alarm, I usually just set that. I can turn it off right beside my bed. Steve got in the habit of setting the Bose CD/stereo to Van Morrison singing us awake when we were working, basically because at least it is something more pleasant to wake up to than alarm clock sounds or a rooster. For his birthday, I gave him a 2nd generation Echo (Alexa). Of course it has all of the bells and whistles, however, I was thinking that he may like to have another Alexa in our home not only for music but for all of the other special things that she is capable of handling.
Really, we have only used the Bose ever since we purchased it at the outlet in Alabama. Except for appointments, we now only have to get up early on the days that our home is cleaned. Today being one of those Mondays. As much as I think getting up at this uncivilized time, I love that fact even more that we have a clean house. Both of us like things put away, smelling good and all done at one time.
For a gift, I gave Steve the 2nd generation Alexa because we both adore having good quality sounding music playing in our home all of the time. Plus we could ask Alexa what was the weather for the day, or just say, "Good Morning, Alexa." She would come back with something that happened in history on this day or that it was National Hug a Friend Day. Lots of fun little tidbits. He got this Alexa set up in our bedroom and proceeded to set the alarm, then out of habit, he set the Bose and I set my phone alarm.
Being in a deep state of sleep at 6:45, I was awakened in a very rude sort of way. I was pushing the button on my phone alarm to get that spa type of music off, while at the same time, telling Alexa to turn off the alarm that she was playing, which she seemed to have developed a hearing problem and just continued to play. I had to walk over to the Bose and turn that off manually because the battery in the remote has not been replaced. Finally, after trying to be nice to Alexa to no avail, I had to say, "Alexa, shut up." That worked!
Silence! Almost! I say almost because I then heard waves and the surf sound that had stayed on all night to help us sleep. When my voice command took care of that, the dog (beast) next door started his barking. I truly was feeling that I was no longer in control.
It was at this stage that I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I needed a BIG cup of coffee. Probably more than one. This is just to prove to myself how important sleep has become to me. It is a must that I get the same number of hours of sleep each night. This usually requires a nap for me, when it is possible. I know how much better I feel when I get what my body needs. Once I retired, I could focus on this part of my health.
Really though, I believe that I needed to focus on it even more when I was in the work force. On days that I went to work on not enough sleep, I knew that I was not a productive worker. It also allowed my immune system to go haywire and would most definitely be the time that I would catch something going around work.
Hind sight won't let me go back to doing what I should have been doing. That has passed. If you still have time, then I most definitely encourage you to think long and hard about your sleeping patterns and exactly what you need for your own health. Everyone has different needs.
"There is no hope for a civilization which starts each day to the sound of an alarm clock."
- -Unknown Author
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