Hello, I am struggling every week with my own self government in going to bed early enough. I work around the house doing what honestly has to get done, such as tucking my child in bed, dishes, showering, making sure I have my clothes laid out, etc. Then when I sit down on my bed, I am ready to have some time to myself or with my spouse even though I’m tired. That seems to be a recipe for me ignoring my cues of needing sleep and before I know it, I am an hour or more past the time that I should be getting to sleep. This causes me a ripple effect of anxiety for the next day or so because I always feel like I messed up… and I am tired the next day. Or sometimes I can push through that next day, but as you know, my sleep debt is building. (I know that people can’t make it up on the weekends. Not fully.) I am very aware that I need consistent good nights of rest. It’s not knowledge of what is right for me that I am struggling with.
I have been thinking that the secret sauce for me with self government would be if I could just conquer the need for sleep and get myself to try falling asleep earlier. It really helps my mood whenever I get enough rest. But I’ve been trying for years to get through this stubbornness in myself. I think I get extra selfish at the end of the day, wanting time to do things for myself. And yet, I KNOW that going to sleep earlier would be best for me. Do you have any tips?