Monday 26 March 2012

I'm Completely Failing

... at this going to bed early business.  Twice in the last three and a half weeks, dreadful!! I really thought I would have made it tonight because I didn't go to bed til 2am last night and then had to get up at 6.30 to go and help my Dad out by running a scarf stall with my sister at one event for his Cambodia School Project while he was off at another event helping out with a sausage sizzle.  But unfortunately I accidentally fell asleep at 6.30pm, only to be woken up at 8 by a phone call and now I'm wide awake.  So annoying! 

I have been doing mindfulness meditations before bed to calm my mind and that is (generally) helping me to get to sleep a little bit quicker but if I get into bed before I am tired I just lie there with a churning brain and fidgety body no matter what I try. 

I've decided that my first 'reward' from my $5 IBLO (In Bed Lights Out) earnings is going to be a spa pedicure.  I do love me a pedicure and pretty feet always make me feel a bit nice, but it is a bit decadent so has been cut out of the budget of late.  That means I need another 6 nights of going to bed on time to get there. 

Any tips? Maybe I need to revisit the sleeping pills for a few days?


5 comments:

San @ Made in Hem said...

Why don't you turn this entire challenge around by getting up early?
When you get up at 7 every morning you will fall asleep easier/earlier in the evening!
Hope you can get your pedicure soon!!! :)

Beautiful Day said...

I'm still struggling with it too. There is just so much to fit into the day. I'm going to keep trying, but I'm hoping I will have more success when I get to the holidays. I'm thinking I will have more time then to fit stuff in, and won't need to stay up late organising things for work. Two weeks to go!

I don't know if sleeping pills are the answer. Keep going with the meditations I reckon. xx

CurlyPops said...

I have terrible trouble getting to sleep so I take a couple of panadol before bed every night.
It seems to stop the mind wandering, and apparently it lowers your temperature a little making it easier to sleep.
I've also checked with my docs to make sure it's safe on an ongoing basis.

I also limit caffeine from coffee or tea after 4PM and I never drink coke anymore.

Sally said...

Yep. Getting up early sure does help. Sounds like it is your mind that is keeping you awake. Guided meditation sounds like a must... But maybe if you still can't turn your mind off you could listen to the radio, the classic FM or Newsradio are my favs when I'm in bed. One can calm me and the other one distracts me from my own thoughts which helps me turn off.
Ritual might be helpful too. Make going to bed an event with lots of steps that are followed in the same order... We do this with our babes and call them cues to sleep. The body and mind have time to ready and settle in preparation for sleep.

... Getting up early will really help though... As will a good afternoon walk. It's not so hot now so you could manage that.

What ever happens don't be too hard on yourself.

2paw said...

Being a non-sleeper, I feel your weird sleeping pattern pain!! Falling asleep in the afternoon is Going To Bed Early's enemy!!