Lupus and Sleep: Primed for Everything else

Sleep. 

Probably the most important factor of the five that impact my health and wellness. 

If I had to rank them, I'd go with: 

Sleep

Medicine

Lifestyle

Nutrition

Exercise 

But the ranking here is negligible. It's the way they work together that makes the difference. 

Like sleep. Once I started getting more rest during the day and at night, I felt like my body was primed to let the medicine work its magic. With a rested body and mind, I could make better food choices. I felt like exercising. I could face the lifestyle choices I had to make with a level head, and not let guilt or FOMO get the best of me. I was recharged to live well with lupus - at least until the next nap. 

Some days, I wish the secret to my wellness was something more dramatic. Or more complicated. Or at least not dependent on my own discipline. 

Because it's hard to rest more than other people do. 

It's embarrassing to step away from the daily grind, simply to nap...like a baby. 

It can be challenging, time-consuming, disruptive, inconvenient, and costly, It can be offensive to people who don't understand. It can heartbreaking for those who do - because their sacrifice makes my nap possible. 

But it's been lifesaving, too. 

That's probably why it's ranked #1.