How to Rest in Really Challenging Places

Some of my clients hate spending the night in an unfamiliar motel room. Others blissfully relax, letting go of daily life and stress.

But what about spending the night in really challenging places—like a red-eye flight or hospital chair? Not too relaxing…and it’s worse if you’re trying to sleep.

This became clear to me in February, when I spent nights on flights and in hospitals. Happily, there was a good ending, though in the midst of it all, it was a high-stress time.

Red-eye anxiety

The first distress was anticipating the night on a cross-country red-eye flight. How could I deal with a crowded seat, a sore neck, and stumbling to the bathroom?

Later I was anxious about spending the night in the hospital to support my mom, I’d be squeezed on a narrow recliner, face to face with her hospital bed, dealing with persistent interruption of nurses and aides. Even supplied with all my restful gear—sound machine, neck pillow, eye mask—I was a stress-mess, thrown back into that familiar fear of insomniacs: I had to sleep, or the next day it would be horrible…and I would be horrible.

I don’t think I slept on the red-eye, though I might have dipped into it here and there. A passing flight attendant jarred me alert, and announcements about seat belts brought me back to reality.

In the hospital, my mom was in pain and aides turned on every single light to take her blood pressure—though I did doze a bit towards morning.

But I didn’t let these interruptions trigger the path of no-sleep-angst or stress. I just returned to resting, feeling my face let go into the pillow or chair.

Time passed smoothly

By resting, time passed smoothly. Why? Because I didn’t watch it tick by.

And the next day…. First, I got no complaints from my siblings—I consider this the best measure of my sanity level when I’m around my family. And second, I managed the real stress of doctors, diagnosis, and concerns without adding rest-deprived drama.

There are lots of techniques in Restful Insomnia that can help you reduce the drama of your nights and days—for every night and nights spent in challenging places.

Wishing you restful nights, Sondra