DAY 43- SLEEP AND HAPPINESS

Day 43

Have you ever suffered from insomnia? I have. When I had just given birth to my first daughter, I suffered from severe insomnia for about six months. I remember every night being in my bed, tossing and turning, trying to slow my breathing down, counting sheep, cows, horses, whatever animal popped in my head, looking desperately for a way to fall into the appeasing unconsciousness of restful sleep. Before going to bed, I would drink camomile tea, warm milk, eat a banana, try to relax, try to meditate, avoid television; I would apply the million tricks I had discovered in books and on internet during my way-too-long waken hours.

As a matter of fact, from the moment I had kids, my sleep pattern was transformed. I no longer have the careless sleep I used to have as a teenager. Now, no matter my bedtime, I arouse no later than 7:30am. I always wake up at least once during the night and my sleep is much lighter than in the past.

The problem with insomnia is that when you start suffering from it, it is so hard to get out of the vicious circle. The less you sleep, the more tired you are and the more tired you are, the harder it is fall asleep. And, if you combine that with the worry and stress about not being able to meet your obligations on the next day, you have the perfect recipe for insomnia!

Research has shown that sleep plays a role in our physical and mental well-being. By keeping this in mind and using our knowledge to maximize our chances to succeed in getting a restful night, we could help ourselves access a more vibrant, energetic and happy, waken life!

Now, every night before going to bed, I meditate. I always drink a warm cup of camomile tea. I don’t watch anything on television that could potentially disturb my peace of mind. I read or write. I try to focus on activities that are conducive to a relaxing state.

I still wake up sometimes, but I must admit that in the last month I’ve been enjoying a much more restful sleep. I guess, by putting all the chances on your side and sticking to a pretty strict sleep routine, better nights and, as a result, better days could very well be only an arm-length away.