SLEEP, GLORIOUS SLEEP
Sleep – glorious, heavenly sleep. It’s the stuff dreams are made of, and it makes being awake work really well. Apart from breathing, it’s probably the most important bodily function to ensure survival. And when it comes to diet and exercise, they can be rendered practically impotent if not supported by effective sleep. We can exercise hard, eat like a god, and meditate to Nirvana and back, but it’s only when we’re asleep that the body and mind really starts to heal, recuperate and re-build. So why on earth do we go about sabotaging it so recklessly? From the deep REM inhibiting properties of alcohol to the constant, imperceptible buzz and glow of electronic gadgets and gizmos, we immerse ourselves in a world of anti-sleep. We end up craving it when we least want to and putting it off when we most need it, leading to a life of reduced awareness and inhibited perceptions.
So, what can we do to nurture this precious, life extending commodity? The first is to address the booze. I have seen more than my fair share of sunrises and for all the wrong reasons – from the all-night party to the sleep-wrecking demon of acid reflux, with alcohol playing centre stage in all scenarios. It can be a vicious circle too. While the drinking habit may be great at initiating sleep, it will, sure as hell, interrupt and sabotage, creating a cycle of nightly drinking and sleep deprivation, resulting in impaired daily performance, anxiety and stress.
The fact is, sleep and habit are inexorably linked. But even these days – being alcohol free with daily exercise, and mediation, good sleep has been one of the biggest challenges on my well-being journey. As someone who will wake up at the sound of a feather falling coupled with a mind that has the tendency to be as active at 3am as in any daytime hour, I’ve had to do some serious work in this area.
If you do wake up in the night, which I do at some point every night, try and resist the instinctive reaction to start thinking about stuff. I realise that this is far easier said than done, but my meditation practice of the day has really helped here too. Just the simple process of focusing on, and counting the breaths, can help stop the mind from spinning out of control. Also, don’t under-estimate the power of daytime list making. It takes away any need to scramble your head about what needs to be done – invariably penetrating your subconscious before surfacing like a hunting shark in the early hours when resistance is at its lowest. Right now, I have so many different projects and plans going on, I actually allocate tasks between specific times of day: an hour for this, half an hour for that; my exercise and meditation periods are planned in too – even coffee break times. It just takes away the need to think about anything other than the task in hand. And believe me, that’s more liberating than you can possibly imagine.
When it comes to actually going to bed, remember: the bedroom is a sacred space – reserved for just two key sleep promoting activities: the act of love and reading – neither one of which is really enhanced through alcohol – our primary inhibitor. So, put away the phone, the tablet and the computer; get the telly the hell out of the bedroom, and if you’re not indulging in the most desirable of those two activities, get involved in the other and read a book. You know – one of those things that bends, stains and damages without breaking. Sweet dreams
