I have never been one to sleep long hours. Even as a child I would wake up at 3 am and play with my dolls in the hallway much to the chagrin of my single mother. She was trying to raise 4 children on her own in the 60’s. She never had enough sleep and so always seemed to be on edge. And of course the last thing she needed was an over active child. So with that said I always felt anxious that I never got enough sleep.
I just finished a webinar about how to get the sleep I am suppose to need especially in dealing with stress. There are numerous studies about how lack of sleep can wreak havoc on your well being and your health especially as you get older. I have read many articles about this subject and they all seem to say the same thing. They suggest not looking at anything electronic at least an hour before sleep which includes my Ipad which seems to speak to me as soon as I slip into bed. I listen to meditation from different programs that are all on the internet which helps to lull me to sleep. So much for that suggestion.
I did find a practice called Nidra Yoga —known as yogic sleep—which is a meditation and conscious relaxation practice that is intended to induce total physical, mental, and emotional relaxation. It is time right before you slip into sleep. It can be done anytime but it seems to help me quiet my monkey mind better than anything else I have tried.
I will say that I drink too much coffee and like red wine. Guess that’s not exactly the best way to prepare for sleep and don’t want to use the pandemic, life or a torn meniscus in my knee as an excuse. I mean what is life for but to have a few luxuries (and I think coffee and good red wine are luxuries because you are always made to feel guilty for enjoying them). The oldest woman on record just passed (she was 116) and said she ate bacon, red meat and drank coffee. So I think a little bit of red wine is not going to shorten my life. I am most certainly not liquor ridden every night so I guess I’m safe.
But back to sleep. I will say that not having to get up at the crack of dawn to go to work or end my week at 6am on Saturday morning after starting at 5AM the Monday before helps me feel more refreshed. Don’t think anyone can feel more refreshed after a schedule like that for 6 months. Except if they drink lots of coffee. hmmm… and so it goes.
Can’t wait to watch the opening of Saturday Night Live on my Ipad in bed with a glass of wine this Saturday. Oh wait got to work the next day. Damn! No wait…Coffee!