*Yawn*

Is it just me, or are there not enough hours in the day? I feel like there is no time to accomplish my to-do list AND get a good night's sleep, and I am always trading off one or the other. I think it is time to take drastic measures and go to bed at a reasonable hour and wake up earlier. I can hear those of you familiar with my night-owl behaviors and love of sleeping in laughing out loud as I type, and trust me, I too think it is a crazy idea, but it just might be crazy enough to work... famous last words.

Firstly, I think a snazzy alarm clock might make waking up more fun. The red clock above is made by Twemco and can be found here. I am also very intrigued by this contraption: The Soleil Sun Alarm Clock, which mimics the sunrise to gently wake you without sound.
Ahhh I am feeling more rested already...

This whole waking up with the sun concept brings me to my second energizing plan, purchasing Spent, by Frank Lipman MD. His theories on energy and exhaustion have been getting a lot of buzz lately, and it is worth a look at his website. Normally I wouldn't buy into the hype, but when I read a recent interview his reasoning really struck a chord with me.

"When I started seeing so many patients who were exhausted, with no energy and low immune systems, I obviously started thinking about why this was happening. And I realized that the only time I never saw patients who had these symptoms was when I was working 28 years ago in Kwandebele, a rural area in South Africa. I was seeing diseases symptomatic of poverty and malnutrition, but not the same types of problems I see today in New York City or when I worked in urban areas in South Africa, where patients are more likely to come in complaining of fatigue, insomnia, depression or various aches and pains. There was no electricity, indoor heating or refrigeration in Kwandebele. They went to bed when it got dark, they arose with the sun, they ate whatever foods were available in season. They lived in accordance with the cycles and rhythms of nature."

I can say based on my short time in Africa that I have never in my life felt as rested as I did when staying in Tanzania. I truly feel my energetic state had more to do with how I was sleeping (in bed by 7:30 or 8, up at 6) and what I was eating (fresh bananas, avocados, pineapple, etc ) and less to do with the fact that I was on vacation. I have been trying to recapture that circadian rhythm for a year now, but it is tougher to do in a nation where most children aren't even in bed by 7, and the snow on the ground impedes the growth of anything fresh. I will keep you posted on my journey, and hopefully my increased energy will bring about many new blog posts! Now if you will forgive me, it is past my bedtime...