An Open Letter To Sleep.

Dear Sleep,

Although we haven't ever been the best of friends - in fact we haven't been very close since I was old enough to refuse to be put to bed - I hope we can work this out between us. I'm sure I slept properly as a baby and even when I was little. Its just since then that we've struggled.

Because I do love you, sleep. I love having a long lazy lie in, when you know you have absolutely no reason to drag yourself out of bed before lunchtime. I love falling into bed - the rare nights when this happens - exhausted, drifting off as soon as my head hits the pillow, worn out from a busy day or a run. Its just all the other times that we don't get on - I'm too busy for you, too distracted, stressed or having too much fun to bother with you.

I don't know who's fault it is for our disagreements either. I spend too much time ignoring you and pay too much attention to other things - my laptop for one. My phone is another, Facebook, Twitter - all to blame for our relationship being slowly destroyed. And we definitely haven't spent as much time together since I started my A-levels. However, you haven't ever been that nice to me. I can lie in bed for hours on end and my eyelids won't so much as feel heavy, let alone close. You can keep me awake until 1 or 2 am when you know I have to get up early the next day.

But I'm sorry, sleep. Can you forgive me? If I promise to make the effort to spend more time with you and make you a priority in my life, not an afterthought, will we be able to get along again? Because I honestly need you: I function much better when we are friends, my eyes feel clearer, my brain is less foggy and I don't feel like I'm going to die when someone asks me a question about the French Revolution. I eat much healthier when I'm not deprived of you and I don't find myself craving chocolate to stop me being snappy or Red Bull and coffee simply to keep me awake all day. I'm a lot nicer to be around as well, after a good night's sleep I won't be moody, stroppy or grumpy to anyone - except if they're reeeaaalllyy annoying.

I think we should stop fighting each other now and try to get along. And for once, I am actually feeling sleepy before 1 am. So I'm going to make the most of this and put my PJs on now, turn off my laptop and curl up in my bed. Before getting up tomorrow morning at 5.30 am. I might cry.

Wish me luck.
x