Greg's Journal: Sleep Is Recovery

Greg's Journal | Entry No. 1

I've spent most of my adult life helping people through some of the most vulnerable moments they'll ever experience.

As a Marine, I learned that sometimes you have to keep moving even when you're exhausted. As an ICU nurse, I learned what happens when the human body is pushed to its limits. As a nurse anesthetist, I've watched thousands of people close their eyes, trust me completely, and wake up to a new beginning.

After all those years, one lesson has stayed with me.

Sleep isn't wasted time. Sleep is recovery.

It's easy to think of sleep as something that gets in the way of productivity. We stay up a little later to answer one more email, finish one more project, or watch one more episode. We tell ourselves we'll catch up tomorrow.

I've done it myself.

When I was studying for my anesthesia boards, I convinced myself I could outwork exhaustion. I drank enough Diet Mountain Dew to keep a small convenience store in business and stayed awake for nearly three days studying.

By the third day, I was staring at my computer screen, and the words were beginning to move. My eyes burned. I wasn't learning anymore. I had reached the point where more effort wasn't making me better. It was making me worse.

Eventually, I gave in and slept.

That experience taught me something I've carried with me ever since. There comes a point where determination can no longer replace recovery.

Every Day Begins the Night Before

People are often surprised when I tell them that one of the most important parts of tomorrow starts tonight.

Every morning, I walk into an operating room where someone is trusting me with their care. Before they fall asleep, I look them directly in the eyes and tell them:

"We're going to take excellent care of you."

I don't say those words out of habit. I say them because I mean them.

Patients deserve someone who is fully present. Someone who has prepared, someone who is focused, and someone whose mind is clear. That doesn't happen by accident. It begins long before I walk into the hospital. It begins with taking care of myself, too.

Recovery Isn't Just for Athletes

When people hear the word "recovery," they often think about professional athletes sitting in ice baths or someone healing after surgery.

But recovery is something all of us need.

Parents need recovery. Teachers need recovery. Business owners need recovery. Farmers need recovery. Healthcare workers need recovery. Anyone who carries responsibility needs time to recharge.

I've learned that recovery isn't a reward you earn after working hard. It's what allows you to keep doing meaningful work tomorrow.

The Body Wants to Heal

One of the things healthcare has taught me is just how remarkable the human body really is.

I've cared for patients who weren't expected to survive. I've watched people recover from illnesses and injuries that seemed impossible to overcome. I've seen people surprise entire medical teams.

The body wants to heal. Sometimes it needs help. Sometimes it needs time. Almost always, it needs rest.

Recovery doesn't happen because we force it. Recovery happens because we create the right environment for it. Good nutrition. Movement. Time. And yes, sleep.

What the Marines Taught Me

The Marine Corps taught me that you can function when you're tired. Sometimes you have to. Mission accomplishment always comes first.

There are seasons in life when you simply do what needs to be done. But here's what I also learned. Just because you can function without enough sleep doesn't mean that's how you're meant to live.

There is a difference between surviving and thriving. I've experienced both. Given the choice, I'll choose thriving every time.

My Evening Looks Different Now

These days, success doesn't look like staying awake for three days studying. Success looks much quieter.

After dinner, our family often plays cards together. Our youngest usually finds his way into our bed sometime during the night. I still catch myself checking the news or one last email before heading upstairs, but I'm trying to do less of that.

Instead, I look forward to the quiet hours. Those moments when the day finally slows down. When the conversations are over. When the house becomes still. When tomorrow can wait.

I've learned that some of life's richest moments happen during those quiet hours.

Why I Care About Evening Routines

Over the years, I've watched people develop routines that prepare their minds and bodies for rest. Some read. Some pray. Some take a warm shower. Some simply sit quietly for a few minutes.

Those small habits matter. Not because any single one is magical, but because they gently signal that the work of the day is finished.

For me, that's become one of the reasons I created Silent Night. Not because I believe there's one product that solves everyone's sleep challenges. There isn't. But I do believe that peaceful routines matter.

The scent of lavender, chamomile, and vetiver has become part of my own evening routine. It's a simple reminder that the day is over, and it's time to let go of tomorrow's worries until morning.

For me, that's what "For the Quiet Hours" has always meant.

A Different Definition of Success

When I was younger, I thought success meant working harder than everyone else.

Today, I define success differently.

Success means being present for my family. It means waking up with enough energy to care for my patients. It means having dinner with my wife and children. It means walking through our lavender fields in the evening and appreciating the work we've done together. It means ending the day with gratitude instead of exhaustion.

One Thought Before You Go to Bed Tonight

If I could leave you with one thought, it would be this.

Sleep isn't something you have to fit into your schedule. It's one of the ways you prepare for everything that matters tomorrow.

The world will still be there in the morning. The emails can wait. The dishes will still be in the sink.

Give yourself permission to recover. Tomorrow deserves the best version of you.

For the Quiet Hours,
Greg Wiggins, CRNA
Co-Founder, Bloomfield Schoolhouse Lavender