It’s 1:30 in the morning and I can’t sleep. Not only do I want to sleep, but I really need to. We’ve been at the beach for the last four days and tomorrow we’re going home. My insomnia could be a touch of resistance about re-entering the real world. Life is so much simpler at the beach. I’m much more willing to let go and just be. Something about the crashing of waves makes it hard for me to focus on anything other than the beauty and magnitude of the ocean.
I often have trouble sleeping the night before I travel, but it is usually in anticipation of catching a flight. I worry that I’ll oversleep. But there’s nothing to miss tomorrow other than a 10:00 check-out time. Though I am concerned about rousing three teenage girls out of bed before eight.
My anxiety could be about the long trip back home. Nothing to look forward to except laundry and stacks of mail. As I lie here, a million and half things come to mind for me to obsess over.
So in an attempt battle my insomnia, I decided to write five things not to do when you can’t sleep.
1. Don’t go over your list of personal regrets. It’s really easy to drudge up all those things you wished you had done differently. But worrying over the past fuels the anxiety that’s keeping you awake. It’s much easier to accept your mistakes when you’re not sleep deprived. So let it go.
2. Don’t ruminate over the fact that you can’t sleep. You can’t rush sleep or guilt it into coming. The more you think about not sleeping the more evasive it becomes.
3. Don’t obsess over your to-do list. It doesn’t accomplish anything other than keeping you awake. Grab a sheet of paper and write down the important things. Then let it go.
4. Don’t just lay there looking at the ceiling. It gives your mind time to think about things that are keeping you awake. Read a book. It will give you something else to focus on.
5. Don’t fixate on all the little noises you hear. They are there every night, but you’re usually sleep.
Instead try to think about things you love to do or make a mental list of what makes you happy. Plan you’re perfect day. Or get up and write a blog.
I think I may be able to sleep now, especially since writing this blog was one of the things on my to do list for tomorrow.
