The importance of sleep....

[MrsT85]

Apologies in advance for this little unsolicited public service reminder, but I saw this article on HuffPo today and it just kicked me right in the gut.  I'm here because my husband accidentally killed himself when he (almost certainly) dozed off behind the wheel and slammed into a tree.  Drowsy driving - something that on the surface sounds so innocuous - robbed me of the person I love more than anything else in the world and the future I so desperately wanted to build with him.  It killed a wonderful person - someone who was so full of promise and about to step into a career of such deep importance (public school teacher) who I'm sure would have helped make the world a better place.  It caused horrendous devastation not only to me, but to his mother, his brother, his grandmother, all of our friends...

 

What really stopped me in my tracks though...and what made me think of all of you, was this opening paragraph:

 

We?ve all done it. Balancing the needs of family, work and friends is all it takes. Stressed out and sleep deprived because of the demands on our time, we get behind the wheel when we shouldn?t. Even worse, sometimes those dearest to us are in the backseat. I?m talking about drowsy driving. Getting behind the wheel when too tired to drive safely is more dangerous than you might realize, yet many of us have done it.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marshall-l-doney/naps-arent-just-for-babie_b_9635292.html

 

I know we have so many solo parents here as part of our community.  So many people who are having to stretch themselves so thin and push themselves so hard.  I am in awe of you all.  But those few sentences - they made me so scared.  I care about you all, and as someone who lost their dearest to drowsy driving I just wanted to bring this up, however annoying as it may be.  I wish every single day that Tim would have taken a 20 minute nap in the car before trying to come home that night.  Or not even try to go to work, knowing how tired his was.  It would very likely saved his life and stopped the bottom from totally dropping out of mine.

 

Again, I'm sorry for sounding so preachy.  I guess this topic - instead of cancer, or heart disease, or anything else - is my weak spot.  The thing that just cuts me right to the core.  And I don't want it to steal any more people away from those that they love. 

 

/end rant

[SoVerySad]

Thank you for the important reminder, MrsT. It doesn't sound preachy, it clearly is coming from a caring place. I actually have been guilty of this a few times lately due to some sleepless nights. I need to do better to avoid this at all costs.

 

Tight hugs to you...

[Mr C]

Thank you for sharing this message and article. It is a good reminder of the dangers of driving exhausted and what is at stake if you do.