Mindfulness Monday
Getting good sleep!
One of the most basic forms of self-care and wellness is getting good sleep. It is crucial to our wellbeing. And, in the midst of loss, sleep is often highly disrupted.
Sometimes we have trouble falling asleep due to racing thoughts and worries. Other times, we have trouble staying asleep due to nightmares, intrusive thoughts, or just general discomfort.
When our sleep is impacted, it makes it practically impossible to get through our day – on top of the pain we are already experiencing. Sometimes, out of desperation for sleep, we engage in activities that might help in the moment, but in the long term, impact our sleep even further. An extra glass of wine, scrolling on social media, or working late into the night.
After one of my miscarriages, I had incredibly anxious thoughts that kept me up at night. In an attempt to drown them out, I turned on a sitcom I had watched many times before. While in the moment, it was helpful in lulling me back to sleep, when a loud scene came on, or the theme song, it would jolt me awake. The anxious thoughts would start once again, and I’d be back to where I was at the beginning of the night.
In our mindfulness practice today, let’s consider our sleep. If your sleeping is not impacted, you can use this same exercise for another area of your life that needs some support: diet, exercise, hygiene, or anything else that impacts your daily wellness.
Start by getting in a comfortable position. You can close your eyes, or focus on a spot in front of you. Notice your breathing and begin to count your breaths. Inhale, one. Exhale, two. Inhale, three. Exhale, four. Continue in this manner until you feel grounded and settled.
Consider the following questions:
How is the quality of your sleep at this time?
Are there things about your sleep that you wish to change?
Is there anything you can accept about your sleep at this time? There may be some things that no matter what we do right now may not be able to change. Is there something you can accept at this moment?
What is one thing you can do tonight to support your sleep? Is it a meditation before you go to bed? A cup of chamomile tea? Putting your phone away 30 minutes earlier?
Notice how you feel as you consider options regarding improving your sleep. Trust your intuition – you know what you need in this moment.
You can stay here for as long as you want. When you are ready, open your eyes.
This week, I will be focusing on sleep strategies after a pregnancy loss. Make sure to join me with other subscribers!