Do you get up while it's still dark?

[sunsetssplendor]

Rising while it's still dark she provides food for the family. Proverbs 31.


I've been so tired lately. I can count on one hand I've fixed the kids breakfast before they went off to school. (they eat at school).

I do cook a full blown breakfast on weekends though. I also work part-time and attend school part-time. I really want to improve in this area. Last year I did much better. My energy is sapped though and I think I need vitamins.

[Ninna]

I normally get up around 4 am and have done that since I was in my 20's (a long, long time ago). I started doing that so my house would be clean, laundry done, and I could look professional for work....and still have time for a good leisurely cup of coffee. Even though I no longer work outside the home, I still get an early start on the day.

I make pancakes or waffles about once a week - a huge batch and freeze the leftovers. My grandson loves pancakes and waffles in the morning. My teenagers eat at school, when they eat. My hubby wants breakfast occasionally and I make it then. On Sunday mornings, I cook bacon, sausage, hash browns, eggs, biscuits and gravy.

Vitamins are a good thing. You have a full plate every day and need them.

[Dani H]

I'm allergic to early mornings. I wish I wasn't, but I am and have been all my life.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I've done my share of getting up in the wee hours and driving kids around to this daycare and that and starting work at 7 a.m. and working full time and going to school full time as a single mom and even managing to graduate somehow. I'm not afraid of work, I enjoy being industrious and taking care of my home and my family, and I don't believe in whiling away every day sitting on my duff. But I'd much rather sleep in and tack on my productivity at the end of the day when others are ready to collapse. Which is why my work schedule now is 12 to 8 p.m. and that suits me just fine. But I also believe in my 8 hours of sleep because I'd rather not deal with mental illness or physical illness that can be caused by too little sleep. I think it's completely possible to take care of business and make sure everyone's needs are met without running ourselves ragged. And so, I think God has made us all with a different internal clock, and whatever that clock is, make sure it ticks for God's glory.

[militarywife]

Great scripture. I too lately have been bitten by the lazy bug.
This thread kind of kicked me in the butt though.

[Bethany67]

I'm an early riser - always have been. As long as I get to sleep at a reasonable time I'm okay, but I frequently find myself functioning on 5 hours or less; then I have to play catch-up on sleep. I tend to sort laundry and prepare dinner in the crockpot (or at least take things out to defrost) before heading off to work. DH doesn't do breakfast so that's one thing I don't have to worry about.

[Rocking horse]

When my kids were little and when I worked, sure I got up early....but I've been "retired" for about 16 years now....and there's no way anyone can get me out of bed before 9am....though I did some dog shows for a couple of years and weekends that meant 5am waking, but that was a long time ago now too.
I usually have breakfast between 9.30 and 10am and often have an afternoon sleep for a couple of hours and then go to bed around 11pm....it's a lovely routine, my house is always tidy...there's just hubby and me now....life is one big holiday, and I love it.

Rocky

[Ezer Kenegdo]

I get up with my husband, around 6-6:30 or so, to get his lunch and things ready for work. Lately I've been staying up because I've had a ton of homeschool and bill organizing to do and I need total quiet to do that. But we go to bed very late, most days after midnight, and sometimes I go back to bed after dh leaves to catch up on sleep.

So depending on whether we are in daylight savings time or not, sometimes it's dark and others it's already getting light.

[paidforinfull]

I am a teacher and have to be at school at 7 a.m. (we have a half an hour of prayer before the students arrive), so I usually get up at 5:15 and catch my bus at 6:30. During school vacations though .... hehe! No routine at all - get up and sleep as and when I want to. We are empty-nesters, and basically take it easy. We've just had 'breakfast' - at 10:30 in the morning .

We usually don't have breakfast when school is in session though, since neither me nor my DH can eat so early in the morning, so we have breakfast and lunch at our respective schools. Life is good!!

God bless.

[sapphire904]

I've always been a morning person, but I require at least 7 hours of sleep to be perky in the morning and not get sick/run down. I get up at 4:45am and have to be at work at 6:30am.

I do suggest taking a multi-vitamin with your breaksfast, one that contains iron (women need that a lot) and all the B vitamins. I've taken a multi since I was a little girl.

[carissadawn]

When my kids were little and when I worked, sure I got up early....but I've been "retired" for about 16 years now....and there's no way anyone can get me out of bed before 9am....though I did some dog shows for a couple of years and weekends that meant 5am waking, but that was a long time ago now too.
I usually have breakfast between 9.30 and 10am and often have an afternoon sleep for a couple of hours and then go to bed around 11pm....it's a lovely routine, my house is always tidy...there's just hubby and me now....life is one big holiday, and I love it.

Rocky

Hi, Rocky, i'm going to be the new gal that is renting a room at your bed and breakfast. Just for a bit to have a vacation. Be there soon, i'm leaving right now.

With Love,
Carissa

[carissadawn]

I used to get up between 4:30 and 5:30 when I was in my 20s. I'd make a big breakfast before all of the little ones got up. We would go to bed really early, too, around 7:30 in the evening we'd all be falling asleep.

I have some health problems now, including severe anemia. When my iron is low, I can tell because getting up early is SO hard, and I have to have between 8 and 10 hours of sleep to feel rested. I am trying really hard to tackle it with diet/nutrition but I think i'm going to start taking a children's chewable vitamin to help out. I also try to drink a Carnation Instant Breakfast shake once per day for about 25% of my DV of iron, and I eat one piece of good dark chocolate every night before bed for 10 to 15%...it seems like I have to eat SO much to get my iron through my diet. (The supplements have made me really sick.) I hve gained about 20 pounds since I started-but i'm not constantly freezing anymore and I have more energy now.

I definitely need to get in better shape, because most days i'm up at 7:00 or 7:30. I hardly ever get to see the sunrise anymore. There is something about getting up in a dark house and getting stuff done before my kids get up that really makes me feel good inside. I miss it.

[daughter]

At the moment I have no option but to get up in darkness. British winter being what it is.

I must admit, I'm cyclical on this. Sometimes I'm an early riser, and busy all day. Then other days I crash and stagger round like a zomby. It's the time of year, methinks. Try vitamin D supplements - that is what you're most likely to be lacking in winter.

[Dani H]

I understand about the low iron and the tiredness that comes with it. I have to take iron supplements a few days every month to replete myself. Also B12 helps to deal with anemia. And water. Dehydration and tiredness go hand in hand. I'd also highly recommend a good women's multivitamin. Any cheapo store brand is better than nothing. Liquid vitamins are even better though because your body can assimilate more of them instead of them traveling through and going unused. Centrum makes a liquid multi and you can get it at Wal-Mart. In a day and age where stress and pollution takes so much out of us, I think it's important that we put what we need back in, and depending on where we get our food from, that's not always possible even with fruits and veggies because of soil depletion.

[Mo!]

I love Proverbs 31 - The Wife of Noble Character.

I am usually up by 5am, 6am at the latest. I get my middle child off to HS and start homeschooling my youngest because I have to start work no later than 8am. (I telework) and usually work 9-12 hrs, then finish homeschooling.

I don't have a husband to praise me at the city gates, but my kiddos say I make them tired just watching me. ha! I think keeping an aggressive schedule for more than 21 years because of necessity has actually made me look/feel much younger than I am.

[sunsetssplendor]

Thanks everyone. I used to have iron problems and I think that may be it. I will get a good vitamin, might even try a liquid one and see how that works.

I agree, there is something about getting up in the dark before everyone else is awake and getting your house in order AND spending time with the Lord.

Thanks again for the replies.