FORT WAINWRIGHT, ALASKA, (August 26, 2011) -- I stayed up until 5 a.m. yesterday. I know, that's completely crazy.
Do you do that during deployments, too? I wish I were not such an expert on not sleeping lately. Sleep is important and taking care of myself is essential if I am to not just survive but to thrive in these remaining deployment months. But sometimes the siren call of nighttime hours lures me in, weakening my resolve and tempting me to stay up late and abandon my plans of getting up early and working out, spending time in prayer and Bible study or doing something else that will start my day off right. In the past I have often given in, slept in, played catch-up all day and then vowed to never do it again.
Thinking about my complete lack of discipline and self-control in this area lately helped me draw a parallel to another very real problem that many GI Janes face -- deployment fatigue.
For me this is not just the physical exhaustion I feel from not getting enough sleep, but also the mental and emotional weariness that can set in after days, weeks and months of staying hyper-vigilant and on edge about all things related to my Soldier's deployment and the fact that he is in harm's way.
Deployment fatigue, just like regular fatigue, can affect everyone - both new spouses and those going through their first deployments, as well as more seasoned GI Janes. It can also sneak up on us.
If I ever start feeling a little overwhelmed or just weary from the day-to-dayness of deployment life, I know it's time for a change of pace. Sometimes my friends even see that I need a break before I do. So, I switch gears and look forward to a fun, Netflix and takeout dinner night with a close friend or I plan some other relaxing activity and feel refreshed almost immediately. We're all different, but knowing how to recharge your batteries is essential to thriving through the deployment.
Sometimes, though, we might need more than a movie night with a friend. Asking for help is the solution if deployment fatigue starts to feel more like the norm than the exception. From the Chaplain Family Life Center to Military OneSource, military family life consultants and more, there are many resources for any of us who need extra support. We all do need extra support from time to time.
And then there's the issue of getting enough sleep. Unfortunately, this has been a long-term struggle for me but maybe this deployment will be the time to change all that.
It can begin tonight. It's almost 11 p.m. If I go to bed now I can get up early tomorrow and go for a run, walk the dogs and take some constructive steps toward having a good day. One good decision after the next is the way to go. So, I'm off to start this new trend. Everything can wait until tomorrow. Getting some sleep is exactly what I need to do with my time tonight. Now that's a relaxing idea I can get behind.
Editor's Note: The Alaska Post features the GI Jane column every other week. GI Jane is a composite character of many different military spouse contributors and offers a wide variety of viewpoints and perspectives. We would like to hear from readers. Submit column ideas and feedback via email to pao.fwa@us.army.mil.
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