Morning Has Broken

Do you have a favorite number? I do. It's 222. I don't consider 222 my lucky number; I'm not sure how numbers and luck are connected, but I do love stumbling across three twos in a row. 

This morning when I opened my eyes, the large red numbers on the digital clock let me know it was 2:22. I smiled; morning has broken. Remember that Cat Stevens' song? 

For awhile, I was beginning to believe my mornings were broken. 

Historically, insomnia has been a part of my life. When I went to the doctor a couple months ago, he informed me that the antidepressant my doctor in Utah prescribed several years ago is one that typically interferes with sleep. Greaaat... I was happy to learn that there were other options available that would help me mentally, and might even allow me to sleep a little longer.

Since that visit with my doctor here in Illinois, we've been tweaking medications and dosages, and do you know what I've learned? I'd rather wake up early and happy, than sleep harder or a little longer, and feel crummy. There are so many side effects with prescriptions.

For a couple of months now, on top of running a fever, and battling a sinus infection, I was taking medications that were supposed to help me sleep. The only nights I slept 7-8 hours were when my temperature was running high. So what was happening was I would wake up around 2:30, unable to go back to sleep, but feeling exhausted. I was more emotional, and not feeling like myself at all. 

So this week, I stopped taking the heavy hitter meds for sleep and anxiety, and my doctor prescribed a medication to help with anxiety that sometimes has a side benefit of improving sleep. I've been waking up between two and two-thirty, but you know what? I'm okay with that. I feel like me again. 

If I'm going to live my life authentically, I think I'll just embrace what is, and rather than label myself as an insomniac, I'll just refer to myself as an early riser. I'm a morning person; I always have been. My mornings aren't broken; they just start a little earlier than some folks'. 

Good morning, friends! No matter what time you start your day, I hope it's a good one for you!

For your listening pleasure, here are two of my favorite songs dedicated to my favorite time of day. 

Cat Stevens' "Morning Has Broken:"

Another song I just love is Dan Fogelberg's "To the Morning."