N...Naps Are a Lifesaver

If it wasn’t for afternoon naps on my most difficult days, I would be a fibromyalgia zombie. As a writer, I tend to be a night owl because I can think best during the late hours of the day. Additionally, I have a lot less distractions during the night. I cyber school my children though, so sometimes I get too wrapped up in my writing and before I know it, morning is only a couple short hours away. The show must go on, so I go to sleep for that short time and pray that I can get a nap later on in the day.

On top of this, my pain sometimes makes it too difficult for me to sleep. The aches and pains of fibromyalgia can keep me up for hours. If I can fall asleep, my body usually wakes me up multiple times during the night. After nights like these, naps are truly a lifesaver. Without them, I realistically would not be able to function properly.

Most afternoons I am usually dragging and fighting exhaustion by about 3:00 pm. But when I spend much of my night awake I literally feel as though I’m going to pass out. I get all lightheaded and dizzy. The room starts spinning all around me. Unless I go to lie down and get some rest, I can no longer do anything.

I really hate when my body gets like this. It makes me feel so weak. On the other hand, I am very thankful that I have found a solution for when this happens. I am thankful that something as simple as a nap can replenish some of the energy that was lost during my day.

Sometimes we must give in to our weaknesses and admit that we need a break. Admitting that we can’t go on for now doesn’t make us weaker. In fact, it makes us stronger. It shows that we’re willing to do what it takes to deal with our weaknesses, so later we can get the most out of our lives. It demonstrates that even though we must back down for a moment, we’re only a regrouping to return and fight wholeheartedly again.