Hello and Welcome to YogaInspires. Thanks for visiting, I hope you are well and I wish you a positive and uplifting day.
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First of all, before we begin, let me rewind to the beginning of this year. I don’t know about you, but I started this year, excited yet physically tired and emotionally drained. In today’s post I would like to share with you a new habit I am developing which makes a massive difference to my sense of well being and energy levels.
Recap
Like most of you, I have a family, and juggle the many demands on my time. Trying to find time to care for myself, took second place to everything else going on in my life. My divorce came through the end of last year and my ex finally moved out. Much as I appreciate the space, freedom and ease from those two events, the last few years of trying to hold the ship together, being there for my girls, putting a brave face on for my parents and trying to sustain motivation and energy for my business took its toll.
Over Christmas I felt the fullness of what I was holding in-coming out.
However, this year, I am determined to put self-care fully on my agenda. I know the difference high energy levels make to my life and with my 50th birthday approaching at the end of this year, I am determined to greet 50, smiling and in fine form.
Lack Of Sleep Was Killing Me
I am blessed by good friends and I remember off-loading to my dear friend Marcia at the beginning of the year about how drained and tired I was and how little sleep I got. I moaned that if only I could be in bed by 11.00pm at the latest I would feel better, have more energy to wake up early, do my daily practice and feel more in control of work and on top of the housework – instead of burning the midnight oil and being on my laptop-writing/blogging, twittering or reading/responding to emails till past 1.00pm.
Marcia just looked at me and said:
“Do It. All you have to do is “switch-off your laptop, say goodnight to your girls and go to bed”.
It sounds so simple yet the mode I was in, meant I couldn’t “just do it”. I was on some kind of mad merry-go-round (my default mode of coping with stress is to get extra busy and I have to consciously make myself slow down) and the thought of letting go –of what I am not sure-seem too much a hurdle. Yet the more I thought about it, the more I appreciated the simplicity of Marcia’s advice.
Like you, I read a lot of spiritual and personal development books and know the inner and outer game we play with ourselves. I know the value of sleep, I know how to get a good night’s sleep yet I wasn’t doing it. Looking back, I was relying on my yogic training and skills to carry me through each day, yet without making time to rest, and replenish my system I was effectively living on borrowed air and denying myself the right to naturally rest and feel revived each day.
What Did I Do?
To get myself back in routine on:
Friday 6th February 2012 I set myself the goal of being in bed by 11.00pm.
I initially aimed to do this for 21 days – as an experiment.
We are now coming to the end of February and I am pleased to report for the last 50 days, give or take a few late nights, I am generally in bed by 11pm. YES!!!!
It may sound real simple and obvious to you, yet for me, aiming to be in bed by 11.00pm and actually working out a routine to do that has been an interesting experience. I am a creature of habit, and there are certain habits I have adopted over the years-some good and some not-so productive, which meant I struggled with Marcia’s simple advice. So, for me, just aiming to be upstairs and in bed by 11.00pm has had a major impact on my daily routine and how I now aspire to work and live my life.
My ultimate goal is to be in bed between 10.00-10.30pm.
Do You Have Trouble Getting A Good Night’s Sleep?
Once I am asleep I always sleep well yet I know, from chatting with friends and my yoga students, a lot of you have trouble falling asleep and getting a good night’s sleep.
If you are disciplined and always in bed by 11.00pm or earlier, then I take my hat off to you. Please share your secrets in the comment box below!
However, if you have trouble getting a good night’s sleep, switching off, or know someone who is a poor sleeper, the next few posts are just for you. I will share with you some simple yogic strategies and natural sleeping tips you can use to help you sleep well and wake up refreshed and revived. I hope you enjoy these posts. If you are not on my email list, I’d love you to subscribe and receive all future postings straight away.
In the meantime, have a restful day and sleep well tonight!
Image, with thanks, by madeleine via flickrr.com
Thanks Kerry, yes sleeeeeep is sooooo good. How's your night-time routine going? Are you still sticking with your knit and audio book routine? That sounds a nice way to relax and unwind. Thanks for sharing your bedtime routine.
erm….I'm reading this at 02:53. Bed is most definitely needed.'Me' tends to come back of the line with having so much to do but it is critical to take care of yourself and have a break from it all otherwise it's overwhelm and burnout taking over and killing productivity.
Bless you Lainne-carla, thanks for visiting..you have your hands full and like most business mums, the lines blurr and it is too easy to yourself last. I am not perfect, a long way too go, yet I know the more Me-time I take, the stronger and more energy I have to cope with the demands of family and work. Take care of yourself and let's aim for 11.00pm for the rest of this week.
Finally I get to read your post and it is a great reminder to me. I also have been under a huge amount of stress over the last months and know that sleep is something that works for me. Just trying to let go of the other 'wants' is tough. I now manage to knit and listen to audio books via you-tube in bed. It allows me some me time and gets me in bed early! Thank you for such a valuable lesson – sleeeeeep is so good!
Loved the post Ntathu!
With the amount you have been going through, I do marvel at the way you are still managing to hold yourself together and move on!
While yoga does help, and so does meditation, but yes, a full nights sleep is known to do wonders to your system. This is one part that I am also learning to deal with, and in my case the time zone I am in doesn't really match with the ones my twitter of facebook friends are in. And just to keep in touch with all of them I am awake till 12-1 at night as well!! I know the health risks involved, and as I love my morning walks, that is also something which suffers as I am not really fresh and up to it if I sleep that late.
But yes, like you, I have started taking small measures and instead of closing off the Internet at 12-1, I now do so around 11.30. I am aiming to make it at 10.30 with time, so that by the time I really sleep its 11, as I need to be up around 6 to see the girls off to their schools. And I loved the way you took the challenge to sleep off by 11 and achieved it also- great going- hats off to determination.
I did realize that though friends, posts, reading, emailing, social networking and all that stuff is really important, but then there is actually no limit to it, and its never ending, till you learn to put an end to things.
Thanks for the wonderful reminder 🙂
BTW- You DON'T look nearing 50 from any angle 🙂 Yoga keeps you fit!
Checking in and seeing how your switching -off internet around 1030-1130 is going? Share and let us know. Thanks Harleena for passing by.
I love my sleep and most nights I'm heading upstairs about 10-10:30pm. I do think it's a really good habit to get in to and once you're used to sleeping early-ish, your body gets used to it as well. Glad you're taking self care, Ntathu. best, Sally
Well done you Sally. I am still aiming for the 10-10.30pm timeline. Thanks for the inspiration. Stay blessed
Isn't it funny how we avoid the obvious when it comes to our own well being. Marcia pointed you in the right direction and you did what she suggested. How fantastic is that, taking back control after what sounds like a very difficult time. Sweet dreams Ntathu.
Thanks Jan. I like that expression, taking back control..yes, self care is about shifting and taking control over how you/I spend my time. Thanks for your thoughts. Hugs
YES!!! Let's go for it. OK..Thanks for sharing Janet and I wish you a restful night. Take care.
Ntathu, I'm impressed that you have juggled all the demands upon you to sustain the early-to-bed habit. Having had a very restless night last night, I can appreciate exactly what you mean and I have to admit I don't have a definite bedtime, rather drifting to bed erratically which can't do anything for the metabolism. I'm looking forward to reading your series of posts on sleep-related matters. Sleep well and I promise to be in bed by 11pm tonight! Janet
Lovely post! Thanks for reminding us to switch off (often so hard to do that) and thanks for sharing your own challenge of getting into bed earlier! I salute you for setting a goal and then achieving it with all the juggling you do with the demands of your very busy life. It is all about committing oneself to the action and then taking the action – isn't it.
I'm now minded to do the same myself… get into bed earlier. They say the best hours for sleep are those between 10 and midnight. This is when the body does its healing I understand.
Thank you – I'm off to bed shortly!
Sleep well too.
Thank you soo much Bianca, yes switching off…especially with smart phones makes it even harder for us/me to "just switch off". Yes…10-12 is best time for body to heal…sweet dreams