Get Enough Sleep: Days 16 to 22

Of all the challenges I have undertaken on this blog, I have to say this one has been my favourite so far. That's not to say it's been easy. There is a reason it takes thirty days to change a habit. It's because habits are tough to break.

The very day I posted last week about getting myself to bed at 9pm, I stayed on the couch chatting to a friend online until 10. And the next day, I was a frickin' zombie. Not just tired, but tired-looking. People kept asking me if I was ok. I was not ok. I was TIRED.

That night, I went up to bed at 8 o'clock. I think I dozed off at 8:30, and then I was awakened briefly by the hubby coming up to bed. After that, I slept through until 5:00am, when I woke up feeling rested, feeling good that I could lie there quietly for another hour until my alarm would go off at 5:30am for me to get up.

Since then, it's been bedtime at 9, except for Friday night when we went out for a get together for work, when we only got home at 9, and my eyes were already drooping by then. This weekend, I decided I would just get up whenever I was finished sleeping, and that meant I've pretty much stayed on schedule. I'm hoping that means I won't be doing my zombie impression tomorrow.

Another thing I've tried to do is to make sure that anything that is nagging at my brain, either something I need to remember, or something that is bothering me that threatens to descend into my worry-cycle, those things need to get out. And how do I get those things out? With deep mediation? With long bathtub soaks? With more yoga?

While all of those things help, the best thing I've found that works is: saying it out loud. Not just once, but five times, slowly, deliberately, making sure my ears hear it and my brain comprehends it.

I forgot to email those suppliers, but it can be done tomorrow.

I forgot... to email... those suppliers, BUT it can be done... tomorrow.

Iforgottoemailthosesuppliers,butitcanbedonetomorrow.

And so on. Until it's out. Until I can rest.

So far, so rested.