Hi everyone! If you’re new, it’s Catherine Greer (author of The 10 Minute Fix) writing to you. Happy rainy Sunday if you’re in Sydney — so wintery and chilly!
Last night we went to the Darling Harbour Winter Festival and celebrated our youngest son’s 17th birthday. The teens went skating on a very wet, slushy temporary ice rink, then we had dinner and finished off the evening with a ride on this giant ferris wheel. Fireworks were cancelled due to the rain, but look — there was a snow machine! The Canadian in me chuckles at the Aussie in me…
But here’s the point: then I was up in the night.
What do you do when you can’t sleep?
For me, sleeplessness starts innocently with a review of the day. I was excited that our son had such a great night with us and his beautiful girlfriend, and I had a good time being out on the town. But soon I was up with all the worries of the world sliding into my brain — even though everything is going well. We have all the basics of happiness right now: health, jobs, a home, kids on track, the usual ups and downs but nothing heartbreaking…and still, I couldn’t sleep.
So this is what I do, and maybe these tips will help you, too:
I direct my thoughts from the past into the future. I find when I think about the past, usually I start to feel some regret or a little hopelessness, but when I wonder about the future and all the good that can happen, I feel better.
I stretch in bed. Nothing fancy here, and obviously it’s not so good to wake up a partner, but I often stretch right in bed when I can’t sleep. I’ve tried to find you a good link to some of the stretches that I do, and this is the best I could find. You might want to try some of these.
I remind myself that there’s nothing wrong with being tired tomorrow. Then I let my mind stay awake as long as it needs to, and I gently corral my thoughts into a more positive space.
That’s my go-to for sleeplessness. If you have any brilliant ideas, I’d love to hear them!
Happy Sunday, and I hope you’re going to enjoy this beautiful day.
Love, Catherine x
PS.
More info on the Darling Harbour Winter Festival here.
Have to share this amazing workout / yoga tank top I bought and absolutely love. Great for under workout clothes, too — so much support and really amazing. I got the black but I’m going back for the other colours. If you pair it with high waisted leggings, so good!