What do you do with water?
Wash?
Bathe?
Swim?
Drink?
Sleep?
What? Sleep with water? Actually, that should be “sleep without water.”
It's something I know I should do, but I don't do it. I don't sleep because I don't stop drinking water.
To put it a lot more precisely: I wake up at night to use the bathroom, in large part, because I have drunk too much water.
I often tell myself: “Hey, don't drink after 4 p.m. or you'll regret it at night.” It doesn't work. I get “thirsty.”
Here's a plan. I'll just put about an ounce of water in the cup I take to the TV or to the computer this evening. That way, I won't drink too much.
Here's another plan. I'll just lick an ice cube every time I feel thirsty.
But guess what? I have thought of these plans — and many others — over the years. And guess what? Right. I haven't utilized a singe plan.
Does that mean I like getting up to go to the bathroom at night?
Does that mean I like drinking water more than I like sleeping through the night?
The answer is: I am confused. I definitely would like to sleep through the night, or through most of the night. But, I definitely feel the need to drink water when I am thirsty.
What to do? Probably nothing.
If I couldn't change my habits in all these years, I likely cannot make the change alone.
Just like someone with alcohol issues, food issues or gambling issues, I have an issue. I will need professional help to change. Not the AA, OA or GA, but the WDA – the Water Drinkers Anonymous.
Sleep tight. I'm thirsty again.
Mr. Ebsen may be contacted at robertebsen@hotmail.com