This may seem counterintuitive but most of us work too hard and end up juggling too many responsibilities every single day. We say it cannot be helped and after all, Americans are famous for a strong work ethic. So be it. Yet tiredness, fatigue and general malaise tend to be omnipresent, as is the proliferation of sleeping pills to help us fall asleep and stay asleep due to the overstimulating lives we live. What to do?
Of course we could do less but that’s no fun, considering all the glorious possibilities that life provides us to experience. My suggestion is to take a nap in the late afternoon. A nap!? Isn’t this only for old people? Not if you’re smart and in touch with your body. This has worked for me for many years. It only takes 10-15 minutes (I call it my layout) but I go deep into some other state of consciousness, allowing my body to sink into the floor and completely relax. My mind literally unwinds. This resets my biorhythms and in some mysterious way also resets my subconscious, allowing it to go into superdrive mode and in a very short time, reorganize and integrate all the information and activities and concerns I have been dealing with all day. Our deep subconscious knows how to do this–we just have to provide it the opportunity. Once I reawaken, I am completely recharged and am able to capably proceed with the rest of my day, all the way through until midnight when it is time for sleep. For me, it is cleaner and more consistent than a shot of caffeine with no jangly after affects. I have made this part of my daily routine and it saves my life everyday. Of course, it runs counter to the compulsively driven lifestyles we tend to find ourselves in but taking a short nap is among the most important self-care strategies I use, daily. I recommend you give it a try. Time for a change?
Posted by Howard Brockman, LCSW
September 1, 2012
Howard Brockman
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