I must confess that for many years when I had trouble sleeping I would watch the clock. I would calculate how many hours of sleep I would get if I fell asleep right then. Then I would bemoan how tired I was going to be and set myself up for the self-pity of the next day.
It was only with age that I realized how unhelpful this pattern was. It didn't matter how much sleep I had gotten. I would still need to perform the duties of the day. I can do it totally exhausted. We all have. Doing it totally exhausted while also feeling sorry for myself is a lot worse than just getting the job done. Now I try not to see the clock if I know I will not be getting enough sleep. I avoid looking at it. It's better that I not know. The day ahead is the day ahead and I will live it the best I can regardless of how I feel. No need to fuel the pity-party.
Ironically, since I stopped looking at the clock, I fall asleep and get back to sleep much more easily. I think it is because I have accepted that it's all right if I face the day really tired. Nothing will happen. And so lack of sleep no longer causes the anxiety that can actually keep me awake. Acceptance and surrender....those recurring themes in my life.
6 comments:
Excellent point!
A good reminder for me, because I've been struggling with pregnancy insomnia lately.
Very good point indeed!
I've been battling insomnia for some months now. It doesn't matter how late I go to bed, whether I drink hot milky drinks, watch what I'm eating, read or don't read, watch tv or not,I just can't fall asleep (well i do eventually of course, but I have been known to stay awake the whole night through). Of course, the more that I'm trying to fall asleep, the more I'm thinking about how few hours I'll have to sleep. I hate it.
I'm really not good at accepting it.I don't know if I ever will be, but your point is aboslutely spot on, it does no good to clock watch and in fact makes us only more anxious to go to sleep!
I have problems sleeping when I know I have to get up earlier than usual the next day. Just thinking about that alarm waking me up the next day is irksome.
I have been trying to do exactly what you suggest and tell myself just to accept it and surrender, which sometimes works for me and sometimes doesn't.
Sometimes chronic pain interferes, which makes things worse. The pain increases with the stress and it becomes a vicious cycle. So, I just try to do the best job I can.
When I am able to exercise I do, (which is almost everyday) and usually sleep better, but when the pain comes, I just try my best to relax and offer it up. This cycle is typical for those with FMS.
I like your idea of acceptance and surrender. Controlling our thoughts and exercising discipline over our will are so important to our overall physical, emotional, and even spiritual health.
Thanks for sharing, Rosemary!
UKOK, I think it's very hard to accept and I still struggle sometimes. It's especially hard if you're living in a period of life that's very tiring.
Jean, adding pain to the equation has got to be very tough. I think more exercise would be a big help for me too.
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