Sleep

From time to time, someone tells me they can't sleep... or worse, that they wake up tired or just can't get out of bed... with no ambition to start the day. They can't seem to find a reason to get excited about another day, so just want to lay there longer and toss and turn. What is the answer, they ask? How is it that I, a relatively old man, often have so much going on or am so excited that I crawl out of bed at three or four in the morning to get a jump on the day? And how do I sleep through the night without a care and seem to have fully charged batteries in the morning?

Maybe I've had restless nights along the way, maybe some bad dreams, and awoken feeling ugly, wanting to just be left alone. But I can't remember the last time that happened. There are some things a person can do before they go to bed that should lead to a more refreshing repast with lots of energy to go in the morning.

When we sleep, we unconsciously incubate a whole range of things – ranging from the extreme negative to the extreme positive. We do this to some extent even when we are awake, but it is not very efficient when we are interrupted by life during the waking hours. The important thing to understand is that what you process at night may have both psychological and physiological consequences. For health reasons, it is important to properly manage what goes on in your unconscious mind.

Before going to bed at night, no matter the time, there are certain things each of us needs to take care of. First, make sure the last time you eat, especially heavy proteins, is three to four hours before going to bed. Then drink some water right before you go to bed.

One simple trick that can make a world of difference in how you sleep is taking a shower right before sliding between the sheets – not a hot shower, but a luke warm shower that makes you more alert. A good shower is more than cleaning the body; did you ever notice that it seems to wash away anxiety and worries? If you consider that over 70 percent of our bodies are water, when we run water over over our bodies, whether in a shower or swimming or running in the rain, a certain purification occurs.

Light an oil lamp or candle after turning out the light. Keep electronic devices away from where you sleep – especially alarm clocks showing you the time when you stir - but also remove anything that gives off electromagnetic frequencies after they are turned off, like TV's or computers. These serve only to disturb sleep. Play some meditative music or just sit quietly and turn off your thoughts. If you have trouble turning off your thoughts, think about this: Think about how this body you are now resting is really not you. There is so much more to you. Call it what you want. It is that quiet voice within you that is certainly not your body.

Breathe in and out easily as you first lay back and snuggle with your pillow and covers. Just breathe. Think: It is good to breathe. All is well. Think about the mystery of how you keep breathing when sleeping, without thinking about it. It is all good. It is all as it should be.

Do I do all this every night? Not really. After years of easily reaching a point of relaxation and closure with the day, I just cut to the chase and acknowledge that all is good in the universe I find myself in, and that it is all as it should be. I give the keys to the Universe to take care of the rest. That's all. It works.