A Disturbance in the Force

As an advocate for nasal breathing and quality sleep, I really believe in the tools I talk about to prioritize my sleep. I practice mouth taping, breath work, meditation, yoga, etc. and rely on awareness of myself energetically as I go through the day so that when I go to bed, I am ready to sleep. I like to sleep: long, deep, healing, nurturing sleep. It is my secret power.

Given that, I am finding myself resistant to acknowledging that I am having a difficult time sleeping. The number of nights when I can’t fall or stay asleep has been increasing. The amount of time that I find myself tossing and turning, lying awake and feeling frustrated is increasing. There is a disturbance in my sleep force and I don’t like it. For each night that I don’t get sufficient sleep, I struggle through the next day. For me, that shows up as feeling fatigued, irritable and lacking focus.

I have been evaluating what is going on with me. I have a sleep checklist and have been reviewing and adjusting my behaviour in an attempt to resolve my sleep disturbance. I have decreased the temperature of my room by a couple of degrees in order to feel more comfortable. That has helped.

I have noted that I have more difficulty falling asleep if I engage in strenuous physical activity close to bed time. My body seems to be needing more time to reset. For the time being, I have been doing strenuous workouts before 12pm. That seems to be helping.

I have made adjustments to my meals and meal times. The bulk of my food intake is in the morning and mid-day. Usually, I am not hungry after 2pm. If I am, I make a light snack that will consist of mostly protein and a little fat. Carbohydrates and sugars after 2pm cause me to lay awake. My body is sensitive and I have to account for those sensitivities. My body seems to need several hours of awake time to adequately digest in order to sleep deeply.

In looking over my sleep checklist, it annoys me to confess that I have been neglecting my nighttime winddown routine which consists of doing some relaxing stretches, breath work and a short meditation. Instead, I have been turning on a device and watching something (at least with blue blocker glasses on). This could be causing my mind to be overstimulated and unable to rest.

When it comes time to make that choice to unwind, relax myself and prepare for bed, I find myself unwilling. It is the end of the day; I am tired and I just want a break from reality. So, it has been easier to seek escape rather than find the energy to take responsibility to tend to my needs. On this matter, I am stuck and don’t know how to unstick myself, yet. I do know that each evening, I will continue to ask myself if I can find the energy to spend a little time with me, to relax my mind and body in order to prepare for sleep.

I continue to look for tools that support my desire to prioritize my sleep. In truth, writing this has been a big help. I have admitted that I am not sleeping well. I have changed a few things to improve my sleep. I have acknowledged an area that I am struggling to change. Each day requires awareness of my needs, a willingness to meet those needs and the actions to care for my needs. Each day is different and I get to the end with varying results. Such is life.

 That is my Breath. That is my Power.
May you find the power of your breath.