Sleep, glorious sleep. We all need it, want it and many lack it.
Sleep helps regulate our bodies which regulates our mood and many other bodily functions. Let me share with you how one morning’s interrupted sleep dictated my entire day.
It started out to be a GREAT day…of sleeping in, baby arriving later than normal and then…all of a sudden…hubby opens the window WITHOUT shutting off the alarm. I come flying out of bed, knock my glasses off the nightstand, run to the panel, can't see squat, try to enter the password, enter the wrong password, now it's asking for something else that I can't see and hubby is yelling, shut it off…really? Where's my coffee?
This may sound like a funny story; sadly, it’s all too true. But, it made me realize how vital our sleep and rest is. For one reason or another for the past week, my sleep has been interrupted in one way or another. It feels like I can’t catch up. I’m wondering if this happens to anyone else.
Have you ever slept so much that you wonder how you can possibly fall asleep when it’s bedtime? This particular week my eyelids felt as if they were lined with lead. Sitting in the office working I caught myself drifting off, head nodding until I jerked awake only to repeat the cycle three or four times. Standing, stretching and walking to get a drink of water didn’t seem to help. I had taken my customized supplements, eaten a properly balanced breakfast, what on earth could the culprit be?
Then it dawned on me…I’m NOT a spring chicken and yet I act like it, think like it and try to work like I did when I was in my thirties. It came down to a heart to heart talk with myself, giving myself some grace and latitude. I run a fulltime auto transport business from home, co-daycare with hubby for our 9-month old granddaughter and am building my side gig helping others learn the truth about food, their bodies and systems and how it all works together. Rarely will you find me lounging on the sofa watching Me-TV eating bonbons. The answer jumped at me…I need to balance out my time, work and rest.
I finally realized I need to make time to truly relax, well before bedtime, to unwind and just be in the moment. I need to implement a nighttime routine to enable my mind and body to prepare to rest. That day I took three naps, two while feeding the baby (NOT good) and went to bed a full hour and a half early. The morning after my rude awakening by that blasting alarm I felt like a new person. My new nighttime routine has continued since and the results have been amazing.
Do you have a nighttime routine? I’m not sure why I didn’t start one earlier for myself, the grandkids have one when they stay over…uh, hello? So, share your routine you never know whose sleep you may help improve. Don’t have one? Reply to this email and I’ll share what is working for me.
Great article!
Thank you so much, Peggy. Appreciate you taking the time to drop by, sit a spell and read what we share.