The Simple Joys of Sleep

Who doesn't love to sleep? What better feeling is there at the end of a long, stressful day than collapsing into your bed and drifting off to the Land of Nod?

I know after a long day of doing battle with MS fatigue, my bed can be the most welcome place on Earth. Slipping under the covers can be the greatest feeling. And I love how after a while, I hear my little cat come walking into the room, and she jumps up and settles in next to my leg.

Whether you're down for the night or just a quick catnap, getting some shuteye is a must, and sleep is a natural mood lifter.

Think of how great you feel after a really good night's sleep. Especially if it's accompanied by a wonderful dream. You wake up feeling totally refreshed and ready to take on the day.

Dreaming of course is the best part of sleep. It's amazing how our mind can take us on these incredible journeys while we're lying safe in our bed. We can be anything in our dreams, do anything, go anywhere. Sometimes it's like watching a really cool movie.

Even more awesome is how our subconscious thoughts can manifest themselves through our dreams, using vivid images like wild explosions or having us being chased down dark alleys, to represent what is happening in our waking lives.

I love dreams and dream interpretation. It's fun looking up dream meanings to find out what your dreams are trying to tell you, and it can be very insightful.

I remember my mom had a book called 10,000 Dreams Interpreted or What's in a Dream, and I think that's the best dream book I've ever used. It's on my wish list right now since I have no idea what happened to her copy.

Another great thing about sleep - sleeping in. That feeling of relief that comes from knowing there will be no alarm going off to jolt you awake - nothing can beat that. You can stay in bed and dream all morning. It's especially great sleeping in when it's cold or raining outside. And speaking of rain - there is also the calming feeling of lying in bed listening to the rain on the roof and letting it lull you to sleep.

Though we may occasionally have to contend with insomnia, or get startled awake by a nightmare, or have to deal with snoring, sleep gives us so much more than rest. No one can get by without the obvious benefits of sleep. If we don't get enough sleep, we're sluggish and cranky all day.

So, seeing as I've had a long day and it's nearly midnight (yawn), I'm off to bed.