Last night I went to sleep, but later woke up and couldn’t stop thinking. I was planning out all the details for a meeting I’m hosting today, which was not very helpful.
So I did what I often do: when my brain is stuck in the “on” position, I got up and wrote in my journal.
Getting something out of my head and onto paper usually helps. If there is something to be worked out, I can at least make notes – I never worry about the quality of my writing at this hour. It may or may not be useful the next day, but that’s not the point.
It is the actual writing that seems soothing. It is a way of talking to myself; “Kathy, you can let it go now! It will be fine. See how tired you feel, how heavy your eyes feel.”
Usually that really helps, but last night I was still wakeful, so I used another technique: deep breathing.
I figure that if I am not getting the benefit of a good night’s sleep, at least I can be well oxygenated. Breath work has benefits all of its own.
At this point I stop worrying about getting to sleep – so that is probably what helps me get to sleep. Just worrying about not sleeping is usually enough to keep us awake. When I feel like I’m doing something useful I can shift my attention away from not sleeping.
I breath in to a count of 4 (or 3, or 5), and out to a count of four. Over and over; breath in, breath out. It is very calming, and even though I’ve stopped trying to get to sleep (or maybe because of it), I soon drop off to sleep.
These are a couple of my favorite techniques to help me when I can’t sleep. Fellow insomniacs: please share what works for you!
Find more nutrition information, my Mindful Eating CD, and my monthly newsletter on my website: http://healthyhabitscoach.com. Eat well!
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