Mostly, most of us would do anything for a good night's sleep. There are also days (rather nights) when your mind does everything but sleeping. Whether thoughts prevent sleep or lack of sleep makes mind stray for thoughts - a vicious circle perhaps 🙆.
Thoughts that buzz inside at times like these are pretty spaced-out. What to cook day after tomorrow, why was I so stupid when young, how do we handle a pandemic, will technology enable us live in space, why are we so absorbed in our own egos when death is imminent; from something with microscopic significance to stuff disproportionately colossal to my teeny tiny mind - my sleepless nights have seen them all.
These kind of nights get longer when we miss something/someone. Green thoughts like my "stupid" college days or the heavier feeling of missing someone who is no more, yearning etc entail sleeplessness. Feeling the irrecoverable dent left by a deceased person and to come in terms with the loss is very painful, to say the least. Contact saved in the mobile, photos of happier times, events that evoked laughter and warmth once, evoke totally opposite emotions now. Gosh, life is mysterious.
Coming back to sleeplessness - it may be caused due to caffeine consumption in the evenings, overeating, stress etc. I bumped into some methods over the internet to better our sleeping cycle. Documenting it, just in case anyone needs it.
No caffeine post 6 pm.Keep the room cool.Drop gadgets one hour before you plan to sleep.Have dinner minimum 2 hours before.
The above-mentioned points are helpful, but if you still have trouble, try doing the following.
Observe your inhalation and exhalation. During the following cycles, tell the italicized phrases in your mind.
INHALATION : I am not this bodyEXHALATION : I am not this mind
This method was recommended by Mr. Jaggi Vasudev in one of his videos (could not get the link now). Not that I endorse him, but this method sure worked for me.
So, good night!
