I’ve been thinking a lot about sleep lately. Mostly I think about sleep because I keep hearing people talk about how sleep deprived they are. There are people in my life who are struggling with pain, both physical and emotional, that keep them from sleeping.The lack of sleep only perpetuates their pain.
I am not sleep deprived. Each night I close my eyes and usually say, “Thank you for the day.” It doesn’t matter who I thank, I just do. After saying thanks, I might remember a friend who has an issue that I want to be resolved. I would then say, in my mind, “Please watch over this friend, take care of his/her worries. Thank you.” Again, it doesn’t matter to whom I am making this plea. I just say it.
Then I stop thinking.
I just breathe and relax.
I fall asleep.
I might wake in the middle of the night because the toilet calls to me. It sometimes is quite loud and I simply must go visit it. But then I go back to bed. I close my eyes and fall back to sleep.
Sometimes I wake when my sleep deprived partner gets ready to leave for work. Usually I don’t. If I do wake, I remind myself the alarm clock is reliable. I still have a half hour to sleep. Guess what? I go back to sleep.
When the alarm buzzes its inevitable buzz, I get out of bed. I do not need more than five or ten minutes to be fully awake and able to start the day.
I love sleep. I think sleep is the most wonderful time. I never get bored. I have extremely vivid dreams which are quite pleasant at least 85% of the time. When they are not pleasant I usually wake up and tell myself, “Well that was interesting, but not real. No worries.” Then, guess what I do? I go back to sleep.
I’m told I snore. I’m sure I do. I have no reason to doubt it, but it doesn’t wake me, so it doesn’t bother me.
I used to cough all night long. I now take medicine for allergies. I don’t cough anymore. I think snoring is a fair trade.
Does it sound like I am bragging? I promise you I am not. I am just explaining that I sleep well each night and I am grateful for this. I wish I could help my friends who aren’t so fortunate. I wish I could help them understand what I have come to understand.
You see, I did not always sleep well.
I used to have trouble going to sleep in the first place. I would think about all the things that I had done that day and all the things I had to do the next day. I would replay every event and critique my actions or the actions of others. I would wake in the middle of the night and worry endlessly about whether or not I paid a bill or if I would be able to pay a bill. I would wake with incredible fear, dread, filled with unpleasant thoughts that kept me feeling overwhelmed and wide awake.
When I slept, I still had dreams. I have always had vivid dreams and during these stress filled nights my dreams were not pleasant. Something horrible would happen in my dream and I would awaken, absolutely convinced that it was a sign of things to come.
Once I started worrying, there was nothing that could be done. Sleep was my dear departed friend. I felt the loss tremendously.
I started reading books about the Law of Attraction and listening to my inner self and following my vibes, and meditating. I believe it was in an Abraham Hicks CD that I heard the idea that I should just let the thoughts go away.
I learned to tell myself, “It’s OK, everything is in order. All is well.”
I learned to have faith that what I am experiencing is what my soul needs to learn, not a punishment, but a lesson.
I started off simply. I would lay in bed, breathe deeply and concentrate on my breathing. I would tell myself, “All is well” over and over again until I convinced myself it was true. When I would wake up thinking some terrible thought, I would continue to assure myself, “All is well,” while concentrating on just breathing deeply.
It took time.
It was not an overnight solution.
It took a long time.
Everything we do is a learned experience. Nobody ever woke up one morning suddenly an expert painter, dancer, singer, writer, etc.. All of us needed to develop our talents step by sometimes painstaking step.
It is a process. I assure you it is worth it.
Worrying does NOT help. There is nothing that can be accomplished by worrying because it fills your head with dreadful thoughts and leaves no room for solutions.
Worrying is most damaging when it is time for sleep because the human body and mind both desperately need sleep to rejuvenate.
Do not worry, do not think, just be at peace. When you are at peace, the answers to your problems will come to you automatically, especially when you have had ample sleep.
So, be at peace my friends. And when it comes time to lay down your head, say thank you for your day, your life, your blessings.
Tell yourself how grateful you are for the rest you are about to have. Close your eyes and sleep, peaceful, rejuvenating sleep. If you should happen to wake with any thoughts, remind yourself that now is not the time, all is well.
May you find peace. May you sleep. May you dream!
I love gardening and magical beings. My profile is a garden ready to be created,
Maneé Trautz 
You are lucky. I never have a peaceful sleep. I think it’s because my mind never shuts off!
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That is why I hope you follow my suggestion. Tell yourself all is well, practice deep breathing and ignore your thoughts. It takes practice, but please try.
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I absolutely love sleep. I sleep well and have vivid dreams as well. Sleep is so important and healthy for you. I’m glad to hear you’re getting a good night’s rest, too!
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