Mom Tired

There’s something I’ve been wondering lately. When people ask us how we’re doing, a common response is, “Dead tired.” What the heck does that mean? Bodily suffering ends, once people pass on. What we should really respond with is, “Mom tired.”

Moms are pretty much in a perpetual state of sleep deprivation, while being expected to be consistently patient, creative, and empathetic. How is that not the most superlative state of fatigue?

I am currently so tired that my eyes sting, the words are blurring in front of me, and I kind of just want to cry. Everyone else is sleeping, but of course I’m awake. Moms are the last to go to bed and often the first to wake up. Whether you’re a stay-at-home, working, or hybrid mom, you have probably all considered trading absolutely-anything-in-the-entire-world for a little sleep.

I’ve found that I can generally run on adrenaline and pure willpower for several days before I just hit a wall, and I need a 3 hour nap or a full night’s rest (haha, ya right 😂). I used to prefer cleaning and eating to napping, but since spending time on this blog morning and night, I take sleep whenever I can get it. I’ve even begun counting my sleep in a 24 hour period, as opposed to consecutive hours at night.

I hope for 8 hours of sleep total, which usually includes 5 or 6 hours of sleep at night and a nap during the day, if I’m lucky. The problem is that I am only able to nap when I have help, or when the stars align and all three kids are asleep at the same time (and the mailman doesn’t come, causing the dogs to bark and everyone to wake up). I usually get 2-3 naps a week, of at least one hour or more. So more than half of the time, I’m only running on 5-6 hours of sleep. And as a previous 10hr sleeper (with naps too!), sometimes I’m really suffering. 

Most days I am so tired I wonder how I will make it through tomorrow, especially since I usually need to pack everyone up and go to yoga in the morning. As much as I want to lounge around, the girls will become unruly if I don’t take them out of the house. So I trudge along, packing TWO bags full of diapers, wipes, and food. I’ll drop baby V off at my mom’s, drop the twins off at yoga daycare, and lay on my mat, wishing I could just sleep for the entire class.

Somehow I manage to rally every single day. This is stamina, ladies. Life is a marathon that we often have to take at a sprint, but somehow we persist. So next time someone asks you how you’re doing, let’s promote our fortitude. Our sleepy eyes should be our badge of honor.

That’s right. I’m mom tired. I’m the toughest specimen on earth.

Let’s start a movement ladies, #momtired.