Dreams . . . fantasies, awakenings of hidden memories, desires. . . occur only once REM is achieved. This usually happens 90 minutes after you fall asleep. That’s an hour and a half!
Question is “What happens in that time of pre-REM? or What do I do before falling asleep?” Is there a key or magic dust, which allows me to fall asleep calmly, enhancing the possibility of an oncoming dream and restful sleep? Wish I could provide THE answer but of course, I can’t. What I can do is think about what I actually do perhaps finding the trigger to falling asleep without counting sheep (or in my case, cats!). Um-m-m-m?
Let’s see…
- Do I have a glass of warm milk? NO! (I don’t even like milk, let alone warm.)
- Do I have a nice warm bath? NO! (Not sure I could get out of the tub. LOL)
- Do I watch television? NO! (I hate TV these days. Same-o, same-o. Mostly bad news and as for movies, I know what is going to happen before it happens. Get some NEW material, producers!)
What do I do?
- I thank my body for carrying me through the day.
- I listen to meditative music 10 to 15 mins. Thank you, Alexa.
- I read 10 pages in a book of empowerment and inspiration.
- I close my eyes in prayerful gratitude for all the daily blessings.
Of course, the flip side is I am a writer. Usually after having fallen asleep at the computer, I decide to shut it down and head to bed. Once nighty-night preparations are in order, I wiggle my body under the covers and complete my 4-step ritual. Foxie, my calico cat, pounces into bed landing either on my chest or abdomen. (Glad I recently had her claws clipped!) Foxie kneads and kneads and kneads, then gives herself a bath and finally snuggles against my side. I give her a usual love pat and she purr-r-r-r-rs softly while settling down for the night.
I turn out the light, sighing softly to myself how grateful I am for my nice warm bed and I am ready to go to sleep. . . or so I think!
My brain won’t stop! I barely close my eyes when “words of wisdom” begin fleeting in and out of my mind like a swarm of bees flitting from flower to flower seeking pollen. I grab the ever-ready pad and pencil (or my cellphone) readily available on the night table sometimes turning back on the light, other times not. In earnest haste, I jot down as many thoughts as I possibly can but inevitably miss many in the process of writing them down or getting them into my notes on my cellphone. At least some are saved! But, now I am wide awake!
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
What is your secret to a good night’s sleep?
How do you turn off the mental noise at the end of the day?
Nighty-night! Sweet dreams. . . z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z. . .
Notice Foxie is asleep on my laptop! Busy day for her, too! Meow!
catnipoflife 