Zzzz.

I've never been sure why 'Zzzz' has signified sleep. I don't make a 'zzz' sound when I sleep, nor do I dream of Z's or count them to lull me to sleep. And I've never 'caught a few Z's' during my afternoon nap. But sleep is the subject of this post, so a few Z's seemed appropriate enough... that, and I'm feeling a little uncreative in the title department.

Sometime in high school I was advised by my chiropractor to start sleeping on my back in order to alleviate some back pain after a cheerleading injury. Since then, that's the only way I can sleep. Or I should say that's the only way I could sleep. Once upon a time, I slept stone-still on my back, usually with my hand crossed in my lap: very corpse-like, very creepy. At some point, I started sleeping with my arms over my head, reaching toward the headboard, which was noted by my mother on a beach trip a few years ago. I mean, no, I couldn't feel my arms when I woke up in the morning, but it's whatever gets you through the night, I guess.

This kind of sleep is perfect for the obsessive compulsive. When I woke up in the morning, the sheets and comforter were still in place, the pillows barely moved and mostly unused. I slid out from under the covers and replaced everything, making my bed look untouched in a matter of seconds.

These days, I'm a maniac. I don't know what flipped the switch, but something crazy happens to me after I doze off. I start off in the normal routine: watch TV on my side until I'm drowsy, then flip to the back for the real thing. Instead of waking up to a pristine bed, though, I'm now waking up to the comforter hanging off one side of the bed, pillows in the floor, and the sheet tangled around my legs or, worse, my head.

I don't know what's going on, but I don't like it. I really preferred sleeping like the dead... ya know, waking up feeling like Sleeping Beauty or Snow White laying pristinely on my bed. Alas, now I wake up and untangle myself-- a little panicky, sure-- and roll out of bed, luckily onto the pillows that I have kicked off the bed mid-slumber. It's not so cute, and neither is my new messy bed head look.

So dumb. For real.