Sleep, Intentions and 2016
31/12/2015

 Oh Wow, it’s a record … I slept for almost ten hours last night!  I feel fabulous!  I have been struggling to get more than 6 hours sleep for over six months now and it is quite debilitating Research indicates that less than 7 hours sleep a night can have us behave as if we are over the alcohol limit! Symptoms of constant exhaustion are an inability to focus, poor memory, moodiness and wrinkles! 

It seems so simple: get more sleep.  And it hasn’t been so simple. I’ve been driving myself hard, embracing projects and opportunities I’m enjoying and that have set my mind in a spin.

 I’ve always been too down to earth to buy into the whole “my body is my temple” thing but as I approach the end of my 50^th year I’m beginning to wonder.

All the things we want to do, to achieve, to give, to share, to nurture, depend upon our well-being.

“Intentions” seem to be far more effective than the empty promises of New Year Resolutions. My Intention for 2015 was to be healthy and fit.  On the whole I have been – still rowing like a mad thing, on a challenging race training programme of daily work-outs.  Apart from a lingering virus in December I’ve been pretty robust, except for the lack of sleep.  So I’ve been working to put it right:

• Be in bed for 10-12 hours for four days, whether I sleep or not (the Christmas break has been the first opportunity for this!)
• Go to bed at regular times
• Get outside for 30 minutes first thing in the morning
• Drink a large glass of water on waking
• Squeeze the skin between thumb and forefinger in circles and then reverse (something to do with acupuncture points.  Hey! When you’re desperate you’ll try anything!)
• Smelling the herb Rosemary

And something seems to have worked!

So, this year, I have no intention of slowing down.  However, my Intention for 2016 is to be Happy & Calm. As with most things in our lives this will involve organisation, time management, planning ahead and juggling family, clients and opportunities.  However, it will be from a perspective of Happy & Calm. Just imagining this takes me out of the perspective of overwhelm and To Do lists. Making a commitment to my Calm, and deepening my research and exploration of ideas around that, actually has me bubbling with excitement … ooops, calm excitement of course … bubbling inside, just for me!

What were your Intentions for 2015?  Did you stick to them?  What Intention will you put in place for 2016?

Wishing you all the very best for 2016.