The sleep cycle of the family caregiver

We have done extensive studies and have detected a pattern in the sleep cycles of the Family Caregiver.

7 p.m. - decides it is time to sleep.
8 p.m. - family caregiver finished getting the house ready so they can sleep
8:30 p.m. - finished getting theirself ready to sleep
9 p.m. - start back on getting house ready
10 p.m. - fall into bed
10:01 p.m. - get out of bed to double check that they had got this and that done
10:30 p.m. - back to bed, collapse and swear not to get out for 8 hours.
10:38 p.m. - back up after only 8 minutes to check that back door was locked and dog has water.
11:00 p.m. - lingered and made sure nothing else needed to be done. Finally - the bed is all that needs them.
12:30 a.m. - care recipient needs help into the bathroom and back to their chair where they are watching a movie.
1:00 a.m. - done helping care recipient and finished getting movie snacks and double checked door is locked and back to bed.
3:00 a.m. - Care recipient finally ready for bed, caregiver drags exhausted backside out of their own bed to help the care recipient to their bed
3:30 a.m. - all caregiver can think of is sleep, barely makes it to bed
4:00 a.m. - Alarm clock one dies an unnoticed and violent death for doing its job
6:00 a.m. - Alarm clock two beaten repeatedly for having the audacity to have a working 'snooze' button that keeps trying to do it's job.

somewhere late morning to early afternoon: as care recipient sleeps peacefully the caregiver sits blurry eyed sipping coffee and planning to make the choice to go to bed at 5 p.m. this time. This, unfortunately, is a very true story.