Where Does Sleep Go At 3am?
My dear friend Sleep has been acting out this week.
It seems that between 3am and 5am she has decided to take a walk, leaving me tossing and turning, worrying about her whereabouts.
With Sleep absent, my chatty To-Do List takes it as permission to bound in and keep me company. She recites everything I haven't done and everything that still needs doing in the next day, week, month… lifetime.
The only tonic that calms her enthusiasm is my breath.
Inviting Breath to the party always helps. She's the calm, reliable one who knows how to dial down a wired To-Do List and entice Sleep back to bed.
It's all about the exhale. The longer the exhale, the calmer the mind and body become.
Here are two recipes for this helpful tonic:
Inhale for four counts. Pause for five. Exhale for six.
Inhale. Pause. Inhale again. Then one long, slow exhale.
Rinse and repeat, and eventually your To-Do List will loosen her grip on your attention, and Breath will settle and soothe you.
So the next time your dear friend Sleep decides to take a stroll, maybe you could reacquaint yourself with Breath, that nourishing, caring pal who always knows how to make you feel better.
And before long, Sleep will tiptoe back home.
Thank you for being here. Sending love and kindness,
Laura x
