Sleep Like You Mean It

It's the most basic form of recuperation, healing, and self-care yet almost no one I know engages in it as much as they need to. What am I talking about? SLEEP. Even I, who knows just how important sleep is for every bodily function and for mental and spiritual recharging, have not been getting the sleep I need recently.

After returning from the first class weekend at IIN, I was so energized and inspired to create a business I really believe in. But I also returned home feeling totally overwhelmed. How am I supposed to work 40+ hours per week; cook full, healthy meals; exercise at least three days out of the week; clean my apartment; run errands; be a present roommate, friend, daughter, sister, and girlfriend; AND devote time to creating a thriving business; AND get nine hours of sleep a night?! Apparently I need to strap on the sexy boots and cape and morph into Super Woman. Who knew?!

So the last couple of weeks have been rough for me, I'll admit. I've been anxious and can't seem to shake it. So my sleep has been severely lacking. I know it seems obvious but when you aren't getting the hours of sleep, or the quality, your body needs, EVERYTHING falls asunder. When I'm overtired, I don't want to do anything. I'm not a great friend/roommate/girlfriend. I only want to down cups of coffee and eat potato chips and not cook for myself. I don't want to get up at 5 a.m. to go to the gym (though, to be fair, even on my most-rested of mornings, 5 a.m. comes too soon). You get the point.

So what's a girl to do? I want to be there for everyone in my life and really focus on business but there are only 24 hours in a day and only so much my brain and body can take. My advice is:

PRIORITIZE SLEEP.

More than anything else, get enough hours and good quality sleep. This will mean different things for different people. I know that nine hours is ideal for me. Any more and I'm groggy and headache-y. Any less and I'm lethargic and cranky. Do what works for you. And don't discount the quality of sleep part. Even if you're lying in bed for 8, 9, 10 hours, but you're getting up to the use bathroom once or twice, or tossing or turning, etc. you'll still wake up feeling exhausted.

What has worked for me in the past has been to force myself to shut off my computer, to stop checking email, to not take or make phone calls, etc. an hour before bed. I journal, I read, I stretch, I meditate, I drink tea, I dim the lights, etc. Again, it's whatever works for you. If you're a TV junkie at night, try shutting it off a little earlier. Anything to get your brain to recognize that it's time to start shifting into relaxation/sleep mode.

I think once you start sleeping better, everything else will fall into place. You'll want to take care of yourself and then you'll have the mental clarity to work on creating your business or to be a present friend or to create delicious and creative meals for yourself. Trust me. I don't think anything else is as important as sleeping well.

You don't have to be Super Woman (or Man) to accomplish everything you want or need to in a day, you just need to prioritize your health and wellness. Say no to people if you need to. Set your self-care activities into your daily planner. Do what ever it takes to live optimally.

But I still might look into getting the sexy boots. Hey, you never know when those could come in handy...