My wife, Sherry, is asleep the moment her head hits the pillow, and she hops out of bed full of vitality early the next morning. It’s irritating for me to witness. When I’m in a combative mood, I do subtle moves to break her of this habit. I have a bedroom reading lamp with a swivel shade. It takes just a slight adjustment to place a thin slice of light on her left eye. There’s also one bedroom floorboard that squeaks. It’s exactly where I like to tap my foot late into the evening.
Nothing works. She sleeps, while I prowl the night getting little patches of sleep.
I recognize that sleep is important as we age. Most experts say seven to nine hours per day is best. If Sherry and I average our total sleep consumption, I’m doing okay.