Sleepless in September? Try these Z-catching tips!

With September comes a change of season, shorter days and longer nights. More time for snoozing… right? Maybe not! If you’re like me and have trouble sleeping, it just means more of… “I can’t sleep!” 

I wake in the middle of the night a lot. Me, wide awake. Again! Why? Who knows? Maybe my dog woke me up. Or my husband’s snoring did. Or my own tireless thoughts. I don’t have answers, but I have some ideas on how to pass the time, calm the mind, and hopefully go back to sleep. Let’s wander a moment through some of my favorite tips…

S: settle down—waking out of a deep sleep, my mind is usually doing a marathon. Thinking about everything and anything. Instead of trying to stop the mental “race”, I just let my thoughts flow. I observe them in a sort of half-conscious mind dump. I find myself relaxing, and settling down. And often, falling back asleep!

L: loosen up—if you wake feeling stressed about something, try this technique: focus on one set of muscles and imagine them feeling heavy and weighted down, starting at the feet and moving up through the legs, stomach, chest, hands, arms, etc. By the time you get to the top of your head, you may just feel ready to doze off! Try it. I guarantee it will make your body and mind feel loosey goosey. 

E: examine—sometimes I respond to a sleepless night by observing my surroundings. What do I see in the darkness? Interesting colors! Not just black, but cool red and purple hues, mustardy yellows and dark blue-greens, too. What sounds do I hear? A soothing breeze blowing through trees; or spooky, strange creaks when the house settles. What you see and hear can be interesting and kind of fun. And, it can take your restless mind off worrisome thoughts so you can go back to sleep. 

E: escape—when I wake up from a sweet dream, I am so bummed because I love dreaming. It’s such a great escape! Ah, to be able to find that same dream again. Forget it. Instead I’ll read memoirs about interesting people. It’s a nice way for me to dream while I’m awake! Inspired by someone else’s world, I start to feel sleepy. Memoirs not your thing? Try reading a boring book. That should put you to sleep!

P: prepare—since I know I wake a lot, I’m ready… to write! Yes, writing, just like I’m doing it now (at 3:30am). It’s easy! Just jot down thoughts without thinking too much. I get ideas out of my head, versus lying there thinking about story ideas for my blog, or feeling anxious about what I need to get done. Writing clears my mind and relaxes me. So next time your mind is wandering at midnight, try writing! And… Yawn… hey, it’s already working! 

Be sleep deprived no more with these helpful Z-catching hints. We all need our SLEEP, in September and anytime of the year. Sweet dreams my friends!