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

How do you release insomnia tension? Restful Insomnia’s five-step plan shows how each technique addresses natural nighttime renewal:

1. Soothe Your Night Environment: When you create a soothing environment of dusk and darkness, your body lets go. Since electricity and electronics stimulate us night and day, we use Evening Rituals and Night Nest techniques to relax the body and increase the natural production of melatonin.
2. Befriend the Body: Allow your Unconscious Mind to emerge by getting into your body (instead of thinking about it). Restful Insomnia teaches how to release tension with Night Yoga and lessen the impact of physical difficulties.
3. Diminish the Thinking Mind: Our minds can make us ecstatic—or miserable. You can release the hold of your mind at night with Restful Insomnia techniques such as inquiry, cognitive behavior changes, intuition, and body sensations.
4. Release the Hold of Emotions: Emotions are linked to our thoughts in a circular fashion—a belief can trigger an emotional response, and an emotional response can reinstate a belief. Too much feeling and thinking when we’re trying to rest! Reduce the intensity of emotional distress using Energy Medicine, Tapping Techniques, and Wisdom Writing.
5. Tap into the Natural or Spiritual Self: What’s left when you diminish the emotions, thinking mind, and your bodily activity? Sleep of course, and also a connection with the larger perspective on life, the balance of nature  and/or a spiritual dimension. Restful Insomnia helps you find a spiritual center—which helps you diminish the hold of the Conscious Mind.

Enjoy your nights,
Sondra

They’re featuring MJ Ryan’s This Year I Will (MJ produced Random Acts of Kindness), Mira Kirshenbaum’s Everything Happens for a Reason, and 365 Energy Boosters co-authored by me and Susannah Seton. It’s a nice boost to get a book treat in the mail.

Last night, I woke up at 3 a.m. thinking. Not unusual.

I put on my nightshades and rolled over. That usually sends me to rest. This time, I kept thinking: the dirty laundry, applications, money. No matter what I did, my thoughts haunted me.

Many of you read my article on the Gotta-Do mind. (It’s in my f ree e-book for those who sign up for my newsletter). But last night I was being chased by the gotta dos.

After two restless hours, I thought I might as well just get up and DO, even though Iwas exhausted. Then I remembered a deeper level of Restful Insomnia. Not the environment (nightshades), not the mind. I looked at the sensations of my body. Sadness in the chest, lots of exhales.

Aha. The Gotta-Dos were chasing me because I wanted them to. Part of me did. That part wanted to avoid the grief at losing my best friend. That’s why the lists were never-ending.

I needed to be sad.

I did some TAT in bed. I didn’t cry, but felt the energy of loss in my body. It was a comfort just to feel it rather than run away. And yes, the comfort led me quickly to sleep.

You can look underneath your habits to find the real you at night. Once you find it, you can embrace it, and embrace rest and sleep.

Enjoy your nights,
Sondra