For my wife and me, nowhere is this more evident than at bedtime. I've gotten hooked on those Breathe Right nasal strips. (Actually, the generic brand from Target is better.) I don't snore--they just make my nose feel more open and me more relaxed overnight.
The last thing my wife does every night as she climbs into bed is lotion her feet. She says she can't sleep otherwise.
Silence is also deafening for both of us. If we don't have a fan, or some kind of constant white noise source, we go absolutely nuts. No fan, no sleep.
I have to start the night on my left side--no exceptions. If I don't, I feel unbalanced the entire night. (I also have to--throughout the course of the night--sleep on each side equally. This is done through groggy approximation: if I feel like I've been on one side too long, I must flip.)
We both have to have water nearby. She sips. I gulp.
I read somewhere that if we drive the exact same route to and from work every day, our brains actually age faster. But the minute we introduce the slightest variation into that route, it stimulates brain function, literally keeping us younger. (And I was so proud to have found the perfect back way to work...)
Do these habits, eccentricities, neuroses affect us similarly? Should we be actively trying to banish all of this micro-order from our lives? Are we addicted to routine?
Or does strict adherence to routine in these minor areas of our lives allow us greater spontaneity in the big things?
