I once read an article about the differences in sleep patterns of men and women and it changed my life since having kids. Well, only for an hour each morning that my husband isn't traveling for for work, but I digress.
"Changed my life" is a bold statement! I feel that to use so strong a phrase, one must really mean something. And......I mean something!
Women are just a bit (I say this smirking...) more aware than men. Just suck it up and accept it guys. No disrespect. Y'all are fun for a good laugh at the bar, moving heavy stuff and necessary for procreation, but awareness ain't your strong suit. I'm a guys-kinda-gal and I've always preferred hanging out with you dudes, but when it comes to this topic, I'm going to follow my gender even if I'd rather be having a laugh with you all at that bar. Again, I digress..
My female (now also, MOTHER) brain is like a 24-hour camera/recording system outside of some cool-ass shop that everyone and their mother wants to steal shit from. Let that sink in for a second. I'm not really "able" to turn my brain off when it comes to many things, but since becoming a mother, it has only heightened my security system's sensors and now my brain works so hard it can malfunction (losing my shit) without proper resting time.
After reading that article, and admitting to myself, I am already a pretty bad/light sleeper, so add that to the existing "discovery" via said article, I decided that for 1 hour every morning that it's possible (traveling husbands, sick kids, outside activities excluded) I get to be alone to do nothing but what I want to do in order to recharge without a malfunction in the system. And not only whatever I want, more importantly. ALONE! Except for when he organizes tea and/or breakfast brought to me in bed. He's quite a guy! I do love him!
I occasionally let my husband sleep in when I see he really needs it, but for the rest of the time, he is Mr. Morning! I can sleep another hour, I can read in bed, work on the computer in bed, watch a tv show illegally downloaded from the internet in bed, workout in peace (no longer losing count of each rep due to unnecessary questions from kids) or just straight up instagram my morning rise.
I don't have to worry for 1 moment of that hour if they are alive, safe, fed or dressed which is truly important, because the other 23 hours of the day is overflowing with it.