Restful Insomnia

It’s easy to get into the “it’s not fair” of life. Or the “why did this happen to me?”

My latest biblio-therapy book–Everything Happens for a Reason, by psychotherapist Mira Kirshenbaum–changes that view. 

I’ve thought for a long time about that what we learn from what happens is the connection to our deeper selves, the larger universe, or God. Mira Kirshenbaum researched hundreds of people (herself included) who found gifts, lessons, or opportunities after bad times. She discovered they learned 10 main lessons, such as letting go of fear and radical acceptance.

It’s a comforting book, easy to read, and helps change the way I see my life choices and events.

Enjoy your nights,
Sondra

Night is a creative time… and you don’t even have to be productive to get the results. Nightly rest plants seeds of creativity in your mind/body that bloom, day and night. (Keep it dark when you jot down your nocturnal blossoms.)

Here’s one of my nightly inspirations:

It’s more difficult to have a childhood disease–physical or emotional–as an adult.

I’m sure you’ve heard how hard it is to have the Chicken Pox as an adult. That’s why they’re hoping the vaccine will prevent adults from getting it (I’m skeptical ). It’s also more difficult to make emotional or developmental changes.

If as a child you didn’t learn clear boundaries, never took responsibility for yourself, ruled the roost with tantrums… you can learn how now. It just takes longer. And it’s more challenging than if you did it at age five. To stay on track as you change your habits it takes a good therapist, support group, friend or family member. You can re-grow up. A great book for this is Growing Up Again by Jean Illsley Clarke.

I’m grateful for my community of friends and family that supports growth and change. And a l-l-l-l-o-o-o-o-n-n-n-n-g-g-g-g time with a great therapist.

Enjoy your inspirations and your nights,
Sondra

Some nights it’s easy to fall into rest. Then some nights, rest goes to an all-night bar while you’re home alone, abandoned.

Some days, you have more inspiration than you can handle. Other days, your mind searches for brilliance but all you see is the same old same old.

That’s because your mind isn’t the source of inspiration–nor of sleep or rest. Inspiration comes from us being present to being human, allowing the larger force of nature to connect with our nature.

Find your inspiration and natural self through focusing on the sensations in your body:

• How are you breathing today? Short, long, sighs, growls?
• What’s touching your skin?
• How are you sitting in the chair? Is one side of your bottom heavier than the other?
• Where’s your head in space?
• What’s the sensation in your gut—your second brain?
• Do you have any images, feelings, or sounds associated with your body? Perhaps heat, color, or movement.

You may not get inspired or exhausted just by noticing your body—yet. However you will get a break from all your constant thoughts. Then a little later, inspiration or deep rest will knock on your door—and you will hear it.

Do you ever come up with the GREATEST ideas in the middle of the night? All of a sudden your mind is filled with a plot twist, new antagonist, wordsmithing. You’re inspired but exhausted. How do you satisfy both your body and mind? Here are a few tricks from Restful Insomnia:

• Keep the lights low: Use a book light, a glow pen, a lamp dimmer or carefully draped scarf to keep the room dim. Darkness keeps your melatonin hormone pumping so you can more easily return to rest and sleep.
• Keep the lights OFF and use mnemonics (I love how that word is spelled–it means techniques to activate your memory): If your plot twist involves a blizzard and a car crash on Route 322, you can create a picture. See the car twisted under the Route 322 sign with your hero still breathing–then enlarge it to fill your bathroom. Believe it or not, the image will likely emerge as you brush your teeth.
• Write bullet points: Lay a trail of word-bread crumbs so you can write the full story in the morning. If you need, write the key piece of your wordsmithing and a guide to write the rest.

Night is a time for inner creativity and the day for outward productivity. So get your sleep and rest so you can get it out on paper.

Have a good night,
Sondra

Creative Insomnia was a great name. Easy to pronounce, catchy, intriguing. My book agent and public relations person loved it. The name was an oxymoron, a contrast…. and to many people, it was confusing.

I got tired of explaining it.

Now we’re down to earth, down to the real problem to solve. How do you renew when you can’t sleep? With Restful Insomnia.

Keep an eye out for www.restfulinsomnia.com up on board, with new writings, new hints, and new products to help you renew–and sleep more–at night.

Have a great night,
Sondra

How was your night?

Mine turned out okay, even though I was awakened soon after I fell asleep by my husband. If I’m awakened before I’m in a deeper sleep–the no-no time is 5-40 minutes after I start snoozing–I’m UP, alert and cranky.

Last night I talked myself out of crankiness. Soothed myself with my mind It’s okay, you’re tired, you can go back to sleep. And I did.

This is my first post to this blog. It’s about befriending the night so you can:

I was an intermittent insomniac (one or two nights a month) until I hit a year of chronic insomnia (4 or 5 nights a week). I started that year of insomnia with anxiety, grief, and depression. I ended that year accepting my insomnia, knowing how to renew when I couldn’t sleep.

I developed a program to teach others how to renew in the night–Creative (and Restful) Insomnia. Now I teach and write on insomnia, wellness, and more.

Let me know how your nights are!

Sondra