The Quest for Rest

By Elizabeth Yeter

I have a superpower. I didn’t know it was something special until a few years ago when a friend of mine pulled out a bottle of Ambien during the dessert course of a progressive dinner and gulped down a pill with a swig of water and a bite of cheesecake. “What’s that,” I asked, rather intrusively. “You don’t know what Ambien is?" she replied in a bless-her-heart kinda way. “Oh honey! It’s gonna change your life!”

For those of you who, like me, have no idea what Ambien is, it’s a sleep aid. A lively discussion ensued about the benefits of melatonin, essential oils, over-the-counter medicines, and prescription pills. I learned that pretty much everyone at the gathering was taking something to catch a few more winks each night. Everyone, that is, except me. Hence, my superpower: sleep.

I grew up in San Francisco in a small apartment on a corner where the cable car and city bus both passed well into the night. And did I mention I was also one and a half blocks from the fire station. Needless to say, I do not need a quiet room that’s pitch black at bedtime. My mom brags that as a baby, she could put me down anywhere at any time of the day and I would entertain myself and then eventually fall asleep. This is a great characteristic for any child to have, but even more desirable when your father is an ultramarathoner and you spend days in a tent by the side of a track while he runs.

I call it a superpower because there’s absolutely nothing I have done to acquire it. I can take a two hour nap in the middle of the day and still fall asleep at 10 PM and doze until my alarm clock rings. Not fair. I know. But until that progressive dinner, I had no idea that everyone wasn’t living like me.

I don’t have any great sleep tips in this post. I just wanted to encourage you in your quest for rest. Don’t be afraid to talk to other people. At that dinner party, ladies seemed a little reluctant at first to admit their sleep issues. But as more people started to bring their tips to the table, it ended up being a fun and productive conversation. I learned about where on my body to slather lavender and the varied dosages of melatonin that people take.

Remember that everyone is struggling with something, and the best thing we can do for each other is be a listening ear. Don’t be ashamed to share your battles. You’d be surprised to find how many are in the same boat and can help you through it.