I'm stalking myself

I asked for - and received - a fitbit for Christmas. I thought it would make me move more throughout my day. And maybe it does. But what it has really done has made me obsessed with my sleep.

Every morning, I sync over my data and look at my sleep efficiency. I stare at the magenta areas: What is waking me up? (the cat? the end of an REM cycle?) And why don't I remember being awake for 11 minutes at 3:27 am?

I am stalking myself.

In my weaker moments, I have considered putting one on my son to see what his sleep patterns are like. He is such a heavy sleeper - way more like his bear father than his bee momma. Is he getting enough sleep?

But, until I break down and do that, I will celebrate the one area of sleep that I know I am getting right for both of us: The bedtime routine.

For my son, we do the same things every night: Bath, pajamas, brush teeth, read books, tuck in, lights out (It goes much smoother than it used to). And that routine, according to the latest National Sleep Foundation Sleep in America Poll, is good for my son. The study finds that children sleep better overall when they follow a bedtime routine.

And I can appreciate the predictability and comfort a bedtime routine gives. To this day, I have my own bedtime routine, which I follow whether I am at home or traveling. There is something familiar in the steps - in not having to actively think about what I am doing next that prepares my body for sleep.

Of course, now as I snuggle into bed and try to fall asleep, I am wondering what sleep data my fitbit will collect on me during the night. And I am sure that is keeping me up.

What's the bedtime routine like for your children? Share with me in the comments.