Sleep.

Is sleep important to you? It should be and it should be more important to me than it is.

Sleep helps you live longer, is good for your memory, helps your attention span and helps you maintain a healthy weight. So why is it that I just can't seem to find enough time for something that helps ward off depression and lowers stress?

As a child, my parents emphasized the importance of sleep and rest. Because I followed their rules, I was generally a well rested child and teen. As an adult, I often find that a cat nap before the gym a couple evenings a week gets me through a long evening of working out and doing household duties, such as the dreaded laundry and cleaning the house. So why is it that I can't get to bed early enough so that I don't need these twice weekly naps?

I'll tell you why- I don't want to miss a thing. It seems quite childish, but I like the night owl self that I am. My husband works the late shift, and we see very little of one and other. If I stay up later, I can talk to him a little more throughout the night. Staying up also gives me the extra time to mindlessly surf the net, Facebook and Twitter. So is it worth giving up my sleep to do these things? Probably not. My body will thank me come Monday, when I will make my first real attempt to go to bed early tomorrow night. And if what I said is true, that more sleep leads to a healthier person, my Crohn's will thank me too.