We are continuing the Friday Check in Series. I might make this a permanent series since checking in with self and others is so important. There are a million one ways to check in with others. You can check in with yourself another of ways. Today’s check in going to be about sleep.
Sleep
Sleep is something we all know that we need and yet with the way life is set up it doesn’t mean that we all get it. Sleep is about resting and not simply falling asleep. Sometimes or at least with me when I am stressed I lay up overthinking. There’s not much that can be fixed in your sleep but if we are honest we do things like staying up and worrying. Sleep is a necessary part of being healthy. I find and it’s been proven getting on a sleep schedule helps with losing weight and brain cell energy.
So what stops our sleep?
If you have a new baby I can understand why you are up and sleep deprived. The whole notion of sleeping when a baby sleeps is great but there a ton of other things to be done like showering, eating, etc. when you have a new baby. However it is important to take as many naps as you possibly can. You see the meme where the mom was holding her baby in her arms but she was pushing the portable bed as if the baby was still in it? That is how moms who are sleep really live. Its super irritating to know you want to sleep or desire to sleep and sleep just won’t come.
Stress
Stress like I said earlier will keep you all the way up and not like the song. Sleep or should I say lack of sleep is real when life is steadily kicking your behind. Sometimes at night when my kids go to sleep and I am done at an event if I haven’t fallen over sleep I find myself doing ALL the things I didn’t get done. Dishes need to be washed and put away, blogs have to be edited or videos made, or even sometimes just television to finally watch. When I am stressed I sit with my journal writing and rewriting answers to my problems hoping I missed something I can go back and have that aha moment. It usually doesn’t come and before I know it its 1am or later.
What I did this week was allowed myself and gave myself permission to sleep. I woke up Wednesday on pure excitement after sleeping in. For me sleeping in is until 645am. I normally get up at 5am. It’s my normal wake up time. I am by 8 or 9am accomplished more than most in a full day. I’ve been known to get ready, clean a kitchen, start laundry, get the kids ready and make breakfast before I even go out the door to “start” my day. It’s a great feeling to feel accomplished but sometimes we need to allow our body to rest and get right.
Go to bed
People think that sleep is just what you do but sometimes sleep is a form of self-care. I had 3 full media events from Monday-Wednesday. Next week is tight AND I am traveling for blogging too. I needed that one day as a day to reset. I was amazed how well I felt. It’s not that I slept in for hours on end. I went to bed in my bed instead of staying on my couch because I have been known to wake up with my planner, journal, or even my blog content calendar in my arms and my cat at my feed. Rest is essential.
Sometimes sleeping in or taking a nap is more important than working to get it ALL done. I am not a machine and neither are you. Today’s self-care and check in moment is sponsored by the message-go to BED! It will be there when you circle around.
Card Giving
What’s our self-care check in moment of the week to reach out to others? This week I am encouraging you to send cards and letters to your friends and family. It’s one thing to send cards for birthdays and anniversaries but I am the Queen of cards just to brighten my friend’s day. I have packs of cards. Some are Toitime cards and others are just I was thinking of you cards. I keep packs and choose one to send. I love sending them out to my friends and getting calls or texts messages that it made them feel that much better. Remember you never know what someone is going through.
