The best growth can happen when you are resting. Look at the caterpillar who has to be in a state of repose in order to grow her wings…….Livonne

It’s probably ironic that I’m writing a post about the importance of a good sleep pattern, in the early hours of the morning when I should already be in bed. I know I should have a more regular sleep pattern but years of broken sleep and living in fear have meant that I honestly don’t know what a sleep routine is. I keep promising myself that I will change but then I get distracted and next minute it’s 3am and I’m finally dragging myself to bed.

I know I’m not too old to set a new routine but boy it’s difficult when you’ve had bad sleep patterns for most of your 62 years. The worst thing is, as soon as I set that intention, it’s like I sabotage myself and completely refuse to go to bed even though I know I’m exhausted. Self sabotage has been a constant companion all my life and although I get annoyed at him, I’m sort of used to him too.

For a few years, I got myself into a habit of listening to self hypnosis every night and was asleep within minutes but I let that go by the wayside. I will have to force myself back into it again. I know it works. And I know that the older I get, a good sleep is imperative. I don’t bounce back from all nighters like I used to. These days they take their toll.

But who decides the shoulds? I love this time of night as my best thinking happens between midnight and 7am, whether awake or asleep. Perhaps it’s the lack of distraction as the rest of the world, or my part of it, is asleep. No phone calls, visits, shopping, new episodes of Bridgerton, television (if you’re not interested in the home shopping channels), dinner preparation, clothes to hang on the line or any of the other things that I allow to stop my workflow. Or perhaps I’m just inspired by the night. Maybe it’s in my DNA as my dad worked nightshift most of his life. Or here’s a thought….maybe, just maybe, I am actually a descendant of a family of vampires and my white skin is more than an indication of my Irish blood. Whatever it is, this is definitely my time of night.

I can be asleep on the couch at 8pm and then I drag myself off the couch at 10 to go to bed and whammo.. I’m wide awake and my mind is going crazy with ideas and thoughts. But, at least it’s not wasted time, laying in bed, wishing for sleep to happen. When I do finally rest my head at night, I sleep pretty much instantly. So, is my body clock wrong? Or is society just so regimented in it’s routine that it tells those of us with different sleep patterns that we are wrong?

I will probably still be debating this with myself when I’m 95, if I live that long. And of course the two way discussions with myself will all happen late at night. I have been having this arguement for years, so why stop now. I will keep deliberating and never make a decision. But for now, I think it’s probably time to get some rest. I will schedule this post to go live at 9am (Australian time) and hopefully I will be still asleep when it does. I guess, in the grand scheme of things, it’s really all quite workable isn’t it?

Happy sleeping in….Livvy xxx