Pocket of Peace - May

Ensuring Peace of Mind, Even While You Sleep!

In last month's "Pocket of Peace" column I presented a morning protocol that can ensure a serene start to our day. Our evening routine is equally important. The 30-minutes before sleep is vital to our health and well-being, and sets the tone for our sleep and dreaming patterns. If we desire a greater experience of peace all throughout the day, it is important to end the day with ease, as well. 

A recent survey by the National Sleep Foundation revealed that "almost three out of four women between the ages of 30 and 60 do not get eight or more hours of sleep per night during the workweek. In fact, the average woman gets a little more than six and a half hours of sleep per night during the workweek. Working mothers are particularly prone to sleep disturbances. Almost three out of four American mothers working outside the home (74%) agree that "feeling tired all the time is a problem in their lives." (Source: http://www.aphroditewomenshealth.com).

So what can we do to avoid sleep disturbances, get untroubled sleep, and have a greater daily experience of inner peace? May I suggest a 30-minute evening detox routine.

Dream On with Ease

Researchers have shown that the stimuli we experience right before sleep can be repeated five to seven times per night in our dreams. For restful sleep, we should choose pre-bedtime activities that do not over-stimulate or create tension within us.

For 30 - 60 minutes before bedtime, begin a “winding down” process. Slow your physical pace, bathe or shower. Listen to music or read something inspirational. In short, try to end your day as peaceful as you began it.

Activities to avoid before bed would be watching the news, reading the newspaper, or watching a violent or thematically upsetting movie or television show. These can cause your mind to switch into “active” mode, creating sleep disturbances or restless sleep. Instead, choose activities that enable your mind to shift into “relax” mode.

My personal favorite is taking a bath followed by light reading. On nights when sleep eludes me (due to menopause or busy-mindedness) aromatherapy can be useful, especially the use of lavender: essential oils burned in a diffuser or dabbed on the skin, or an eye mask filled with the dried version. Herbal support can be helpful too: calcium-magnesium supplements, melatonin; evening primrose or skullcap, for example. (Consult your local health food store for more options.)

Perhaps even more important than these choices is beginning the process of "rewiring" ourselves to simply be more placid during the evening hours. As women, our pre-bedtime routine is often spent in busyness, scrambling to get last minute things done after a full "work" day. We are still doing laundry, packing lunches, picking up the house, or paying bills late into the night. We jump into bed, our minds racing with thoughts of unfinished tasks. Sleep doesn’t come easily and we may feel exhausted upon waking. No surprise, as we have not given our mind the opportunity to slow down and “detox,” to let go of the day.

Breaking old habits, changing a deep-seated morning or evening (high energy) routine, takes time. Engaging with ourselves in a brand new way, one that is rooted in peace and kindness to self, can take at least 21 consecutive days, but is one well worth doing. In time, with practice, I'm confident you'll not only feel more peaceful and at ease with your life, but greater overall health will be yours too.

At the end of your evening detox, climb into bed, and use this mini-meditation to drift off to sleep.

Breathing in, I relax my body.
Breathing out, I release busy thoughts.

Breathing in, I welcome in feelings of ease.
Breathing out, I surrender myself to restful sleep.

(Repeat as often as necessary until you feel fully relaxed.)

May you rest easy knowing you are creating a more gentle life for yourself, baby step by baby step. May repose of body, mind, heart, and soul be yours!

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Janice Lynne Lundy is an inspirational speaker, interfaith spiritual director, and the author of Your Truest Self: Embracing the Woman You Are Meant to Be, available in bookstores nationwide and at amazon.com To learn more about Jan, visit her website, http://www.awakenedliving.com, subscribe to her free newsletter, and receive a new 90-page, inspirational e-book, The Awakened Woman's Guide to Life. Jan welcomes your comments and questions: jan@awakenedliving.com.