When you can't sleep... #103

Maybe it’s the four black americanos, the last one well after noon. The strange hotel bed. The delicious Moules et Frites. Or the half litre of Belgian beer. One thing’s for sure, I can’t bloody sleep.

Should I box-breathe. Meditate. Count sheep. Read – a novel not a text book obvs. Make a cup of tea?

I certainly should not be scrolling on Substack, reading the BBC News or writing this blog.

But I am wide awake.

Most unlike me.

I’m a good sleeper.

A solid 7-8 hourer. The odd loo trip aside.

So what’s up?

Why?

I’m not worried about anything.

Maybe I’m a little excited about being in Brussels for 48 hours to see my friend Steph’s art exhibited at the Affordable Art Fair. The multitude of chocolate shops within a stone’s throw of my bed. The imminent launch of my coaching website. The AI tool I’ve been playing with. The start of the winter Olympics or going to Arsenal Women v Manchester City at the Emirates on Sunday.

I don’t know.

Maybe I just went to bed too early. The one-hour time difference putting me off my stride. The heat of the room. The intermittent noise from the street as tipsy drinkers make their way home along the cobbled streets below. I’ll switch that rattling heater off maybe.

Whoop, my omnipresent fitness and health tracker, is going to have a right fit with me in the morning. Sleep and recovery scores will be panned, I just know. The best thing is, I really don’t care.

And still I can’t sleep.

Now my mind is drifting towards the many political dramas playing out at home and abroad, things outside my control, just leave them Ruth. So I do.

Is this room haunted? Now I’m just being ridiculous!

All things I shouldn’t be thinking about at 0259 in the morning.

Definitely not like me.

And now my skin’s itching.

What-a-to-do.

Perspective

But at least I’m doing something useful…doing the SFD¹ of this week’s 1000Weeks.

My sleep disruption a small price to pay for the pleasure and freedom of jumping on the Eurostar at 1104 in time for lunch in Belgium, with a friend, our agenda art, sight seeing and chocolate! How lucky is that?

I’m putting it down to the caffeine. Lesson learned. Decaf only post midday. Until the next time I forget, intentionally or otherwise. Maybe the answer is not to fight the insomnia, instead turn it into something useful?

You

As ever, I’m interested in you. Are you a sleeper or a waker? What causes you to not sleep? And What do you do to get yourself back off?

Pour yourself a milky Ovaltine and drop me a line, I’d love to hear from you.

And remember, you’re never going to be any younger than you are today; why fight the awakeness when you can lean into it and do something useful instead!

Until next week my friends, sleep tight,

Ruth x

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1. SFD - Shitty First Draft, thanks Brené Brown