Sleep to me is like Love. We need it to function properly. To appreciate life’s beauty. To be present.
There are many factors that prevent us from getting a good night sleep, let’s discuss two major culprits:
Stress and Anxiety- Sleep Killers
Eckhart Tolle, a great spiritual teacher, says that anxiety and stress are caused by the lack of presence. When you are anxious, stressed or worried, it is because you are stuck in the past or trying to change the outcomes of the future, But truly, we can’t do that. The past is gone, the future is YET to come and all we have is the present. I love what the bible says on this topic:
“I tell you not to worry about your life. Don’t worry about having something to eat, drink, or wear. Isn’t life more than food or clothing? Look at the birds in the sky! They don’t plant or harvest. They don’t even store grain in barns. Yet your Father in heaven takes care of them. Aren’t you worth more than birds? Don’t worry about tomorrow. It will take care of itself. You have enough to worry about today.” (Matthew 6:25-34)
So if you want to distress, ask yourself: ” What is wrong with THIS MOMENT right now?” Not this hour or these past 5 mins but this second right now? That question right there will bring you into the present. And if you ‘let tomorrow worry about itself’, you will be alright.
Going back to the topic of sleep:
My advice is, try to calm your mind before going to bed. Last night I was stressed so I grabbed my headphones, tuned into Songza.com and listened to calming music. The effects were amazing, 15 mins later, my problems seemed surmountable.
Other people recommend meditation. Sitting in silence for about 10-20mins and focusing on your breath. This is hard to do at first. I have learnt that if you stop trying to get rid of your thoughts and just let them come and go, you will be at peace.
Share with me what you do to get a good night sleep. Maybe someone will come up with something i have never heard of….
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