What to do when you can't sleep
Sleep is fascinating! Studies show it is when your body and brain do a great deal of healing, growing, and learning. It's when your whole person recharges. This time of year, sleep can be in limited supply between extra events on your calendar, extra emotions in your body, and extra to-do's floating around in your head.
What do you do when you can't sleep? One thing not to do is to lose sleep over not sleeping! That thought cycle of "ugh I'm going to be so tired tomorrow" gets you further away from resting well.
By getting to the root cause of why you can't sleep, you can save time and energy getting back to sleep. When your brain won't turn off it is because your body is holding all the thoughts and emotions from the day. That tension is telling your brain it's not time to rest, there are still problems to solve.
For instance, last night my brain had its annual holiday freak-out moment at 2 am. It's always in the middle of the night in mid-December when my brain decides to tell me that I have procrastinated long enough! I have a lot to do! Not the most convenient time for my brain to come to this realization.
I could have tossed and turned for the rest of the night. I could have sent myself into a self-critical thought loop berating myself over procrastination, but instead, I dug into my Be Well Now toolbox. This toolbox is filled with ways to calm my body through a wide range of movement options and anchor my attention in the present with curiosity, openness, and kindness as I move.
Whether that mindful movement is just placing my hand on my heart or a big stretch, slow intentional breathing, or squeezing and releasing all my muscles a few times, this toolbox allows me to rest well by treating the root cause of sleeplessness. The key is doing this mindfully so you can listen to your body and fill your toolbox with what works for you.
When you let your body be the guide and your mind observe, you have a built-in guide to resting well.
Mindfulness gets your brain back in the present moment, and movement can clear the ready-to-move stress tension. The trick is knowing what it means to be mindful, and how to move in a way that clears rather than adds to stress.
If you dont have ways to move to shift your cells from stress to well right now, schedule a free call with me! Together we will chat about what might work for you to rest well so you can be well now.
Stay tuned for more tips on Celebrating December Well tomorrow.
Share this with someone you know who wants to celebrate December in the Well State.
Why wait until January to be well?
Are you stuck in the trying-to-be-healthy state? Learn the internal skills to Be Well Now and end the struggle to eat healthily, exercise regularly, and manage stress.
Exercising Well is so much more than an exercise program. It's a pathway to rewiring mindsets that keep you stuck.
You learn what to do and how to be self-motivated even if you are limited by pain, medical issues, stress or lack of time.
