September 30, 2023
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Hello all,
Did ya know… Sleep is good for your health and well-being!
Who knew?
Well, besides my wife, who knew?
If you’re managing depression, anxiety, or high blood pressure, you may be exhausted. In hindsight, I certainly was.
Back in April, I made the extreme decision to stay in bed for eight hours each night.
I set a bedtime, wake-up time, and a commitment to…
🔅 Giving Sleep A Chance...
Below is my 6-month Sleeping Beauty update.
Here’s a clue, I HAY-TED It and Still Do…
When I first committed to a sleep schedule, I HATED it, and still do, but it’s working for me.
When I started, I remembered a childhood with forced bedtimes because my parents needed the break.
Many full-body memories resurfaced, reliving the “go to bed now” punishments.
My most volatile memories were the involuntary summer afternoon naps.
Unbeknownst to me, sleep was a punishment that I rebelled against to my detriment.
I had to overcome extreme agitation when anything messed with my new bedtime commitment.
🔅 The Rebellion!
My rebellion was cemented shortly after leaving home while living in the Eastern Timezone of the US.
Nighttime News started at 10 p.m.
Johnny Carson started at 11 p.m.
Monday Night Football started at 9 p.m.
The alarm blasted at 5 a.m., and my dearest friend was the snooze button.
🔅 Chicken or Egg?
A philosophical question asks which came first: the chicken or the egg…
My unanswerable question was, “How do I stop procrastinating?”
Whether in school, work, or life, I was always 10+ minutes late and doing last-minute cramming.
Being well-rested helped me beat my habit of procrastinating and being perpetually late.
With one exception… when perfectionism starts running the show.
🔅 The Aums Have It!
There were a few things I did to facilitate a nine p.m. bedtime…
1) Lowered lights at about 8 p.m.
2) Took magnesium supplements about 90 minutes before bedtime.
3) I Ate my day’s carbs about 3 hours before retiring.
4) Started my meditation ritual (careful not to start meditating).
It took me about four weeks to surrender to having a “bedtime” and train myself to embrace sleep.
I’m still not a big fan of having a bedtime, but it’s working, so I’ve made it my practice.
It was probably around the 6 to 8-week timeframe when I felt confident the edge was off my depression and that I was not feeling like every decision was a significant ordeal.
🔅 A Lifestyle
In hindsight, the sleep was restorative, allowing my body to relax. Still, more considerable benefits were surrendering to a schedule and detaching from feeling like a “baby” for needing sleep. Implementing a self-care practice that wasn’t indulgent revealed a mindset of needing to be a tough, manly man.
I’m now about 6 months in and much less resistant to trying the things my mind found repulsive, stupid, and uncomfortable.
I’m developing a resiliency that helps me keep my actions more aligned with my intentions and goals, but I still need to establish consistent discipline fully (plan my work and work my plan).
But there is light at the end of the tunnel.
🔅 October's Topic
This month, we delve into Non-Religious Spirituality and the transition techniques to help you take your life back.
