I don’t know if it was the full moon earlier this week, but not even counting sheep helped me sleep!
Most nights I fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow. But this week, although I went to sleep easily, I found myself being quite restless through the night and waking up at around at 3am, wide awake and unable to fall back to sleep. Maybe it’s the fact I’ve got a lot on my mind, or it’s the full moon effect, but damn, it was so frustrating!
I’m normally a pretty good sleeper. I love my sleep and to be at my best I need a minimum seven hours sleep, which if I go to bed at the right time, I have no problems getting. So having a week of disrupted sleep has really affected my mojo!
I know a few nights of restless sleep is nothing for those that suffer chronic insomnia, and I am not comparing what I have experienced to what you do. I started this blog to write about what I am feeling, and I’m feeling tired.
Insomnia is a glamorous term for thoughts you forgot to have in the day
I read this quote today and it got me thinking. Like most people, my mind is on 110% during the day. Although I don’t have children, I have a demanding job that I am passionate about and take seriously. So maybe at the moment my mind is getting some rest at night and then waking me up to think about all those other things I didn’t have time to think about during the day.
I have started to practice mindfulness again after a bit of a break. I’m completing practices in the morning, mid to late afternoon, and trying to practice before bed as well. It requires discipline though, but when I practice I see the difference it makes. Which at the moment is all the motivation I need.
So in addition to mindfulness, here is some advice I’m taking onboard. I thought I would share with you also in case you need some help getting a good nights sleep and kicking insomnia in the butt!
- Be mindful and complete practices that work for you
- Have a regular sleep pattern
- Wind down before bed and minimise ‘screen’ time an hour before bedtime
- Spend the right amount of time in bed, know how much sleep you need and try not to oversleep
- Have the right sleep environment – a comfortable bed, dark room, and the right temperature control
- Do your best to minimise alcohol, drugs or nicotine before bed time
- Don’t have a clock in your sight, it will help with managing your anxiety levels
And when all else fails… count sheep 🐑 🐑 🐑