This is a recurring curse for me.....maybe you too? My mind just won't switch off sometimes making a restful nights sleep an illusive dream itself.
I can't understate the importance of sleep to our wellbeing. Sleep deprivation is a killer - on energy levels, mood, academic performance and libido! Actually all our relationships suffer if we're tired!
Of course there are lots of remedies for this problem, sleeping tablets, herbal remedies, warm milk, soft music, sex......you name it I've tried them all except prescription sleeping pills, which I couldn't take once I'd read the warnings sheet which is typical of me! My problem's anxiety and overly active imagination, so give me a list of grusome possibilities and I'm guaranteed no rest!
We can
literally feel like a different person after a good nights rest. It's
the easiest thing in the world to take for granted till you experince
insomnia. There is a role therapy can play in helping to relax us and
contain our overactive thinking.
Here's what I do...
simple as it sounds it works for me, at least it lets me fall asleep. I have a weird habit of waking at 4.36am which I haven't worked out as yet but this is less distressing to manage than not being able to nod off at all.
It may take some practice and it involves being able to box stuff up which is a dissociative skill, bit like meditation...something I'm well practiced in but you can do it too, just takes practice. As with most things, it's about taking control of your thinking and letting go.
Basically what I consciously do is buy my mind some down time....I'm pausing my conscious processing by telling myself nothing is going to change over night. Chances are whatever's going on with anything in my life nowadays is not going to become worse overnight, therefore I may aswell get some rest and deal with it in the morning.
For me the anxiety at night is the legacy of my life experiences. At times throughout my life it hasn't been safe to sleep at night and my mind remembers this and keeps a watchful guard on duty, regardless of necessity now. If I'm sleeping alone, I seem to be unable to let down my guard.
All it takes is for my mind to register anxiety, from whatever source, and it kicks into flight or flight mode, especially at night......ramping up the cortisol, stress hormones, and racing my thinking to account for all possible eventualities to keep me safe. It's no wonder I can't sleep with all that going on!
What I know I need to do is calm myself down. I know that I can control my stress response by breathing slowly and deeply and consciously....it sounds simplistic, and it's not easy....but it really does work and gets easier with practice.
I use positive self talk to remind myself that I'm safe, (assuming I am safe and not in the midst of some phyiscally threatening event) and whatever it is that is worrying me I can leave till the morning.
I switch it off, box it up and place it in the cupboard in my mind.....just for the night.
I know I can only manage this for a short time, it's a power nap for my mind...and that's ok, it's good enough to get me through most of the night and generally my anxiety feels less in the morning light anyway, and I remind myself of this when it's feeling it's worst.
I keep breathing...letting go of the thoughts that fly into my mind as they come...reminding myself this is my time out...I am safe to rest for a while.
Deep breathing for relaxation isn't as easy as it may sound. It can take a bit of getting used to.Take a minute to look at this simple vid, it shows you exactly how to belly breath. Once you feel confident at this it'll become a natural part of your self care routine and you can do it anytime, anyplace to manage stress
Once you're confident with the technique you might like to try this next vid, breathing exercise.
Next video is to teach you a deep body relaxation routine, like I do at night if I'm stressed.
Begining either at my head or my feet, it doesn't matter which for me. I almost
always begin at my feet at night, relaxing each muscle, each body part
consciously. I set about relaxing my entire body, one muscle group at a
time.I progress from my toes to my feet, my ankles to my calves and my knees and I feel the tension melt and the weight of my body sinking gently, deeper into the matress. I progress up my body, relaxing each area deliberately, breathing deeply as I go.....by the time I make it to my middle I have fallen asleep.
I repeat this exercise at 4. 30 am....it's harder in the early hours with the light coming through the blind. At this time I settle for resting....I let my mind swim through my thoughts in a semi lucid state. I open myself to receiving inspiration and imagery from outside of myself. I have learned to enjoy this time, to embrace this visual conversation, this creative communion with my self and the collection consciousness. That vast sea of energy that flows around and within and all livng things. This is how I imagine it anyway. This lasts until about 5.30am and the birds have quietened their dawn chorus and I'm able to sleep again.
I think in metaphors and images anyway, but during these 'sessions' my mind flows so freely it's exilerating and I feel a natural, native fluency with archetypal smbolism.
I truly believe this is our primary language, our first language, the language of the soul. I belive it is this understanding that unites all living things....we all share this ancient knowledge if only we can learn to tap into it.
Hope you find these suggestions helpful.
I'd love to know if anyone else has experinces like mine?
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