Can't sleep? Just breathe
Thursday, February 25, 2010
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Cathy Cassani AdamsRecent posts
Practice makes perfect when dealing with kids' emotions - 5/6/2013
The best ways to praise your child for a job well done - 4/15/2013
Be yourself with or without the kids around - 2/26/2013
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I woke up at 2:30 last night. Most of the time I fall back asleep pretty quickly - exhaustion can do that to you. But last night my brain decided it was a good time to worry. My thoughts were all over the place. From the little things (is the front door locked?) to the big things (is our country really safe?).
Night time worry takes on a life of its own. It's grandiose, fear inducing, and stressful.
Eckhart Tolle, author of the Power of Now, wrote, "Worry pretends to be necessary but serves no useful purpose." In daylight I believe this, but at night I am harder to convince.
Night time worry is like a bad fever dream. You spin your wheels with the belief that you are actually accomplishing something.
It reminds me of the Seinfeld episode when Jerry puts pen and paper next to his bed to jot down joke ideas in the middle of the night. When he wakes up in the morning none of it makes sense and it drives him crazy - my point exactly.
Thankfully my wise voice made an appearance and reminded me that I was wasting valuable sleep time. So I focused my attention on the one thing that simultaneously calms the body and mind - breathing. Breath work (pranayama) is one of the many wonderful things that yoga has taught me.
We naturally and spontaneously breathe all the time, but the breath is usually quick and shallow - not very calming to the body. Our breath is connected to our thoughts. When stressed or in pain we often hold our breath or simply forget to breathe, but when we are calm we tend to breathe deeper and slower.
So I work in the reverse - I breathe deep and slow to bring on the calm. It gives my "monkey brain" something to focus on and it allows for a deep state of relaxation.
Breath is also my favorite parenting tool. When my kids are frustrated or fearful I remind them to close their eyes and take a deep breath. When we sit down for dinner we take a deep breath before we eat. When the girls are whining or fighting for my attention I close my eyes and breathe so I don't speak or act impulsively.
Sounds simple, but sometimes simple is all you need. Breathing naturally relaxes the body and brings you back to your right mind.
And last night breathing helped me go back to sleep. Well, first I checked the front door, but then breathing helped me go back to sleep…..
Cathy Adams is a certified parenting coach, yoga instructor and mother to three girls.
See more of Cathy's stories here.
Contact Cathy at cathycadams@sbcglobal.com
worryBy shayne on Tuesday, November 13, 2012 I once heard this saying, "Worrying is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but doesn't get you anywhere." When I wake up with anxiety, I'm in the "freeze" state of the "flight, fight or freeze" survival defenses. What really helps me, in addition to breathing, is affirmative thinking. I tell myself that I am safe. i accept my state of mind being tired and scared, and my body being frozen. Once I accept that this is where I am and give myself permission to be there, I get calmer. I can get into a tornado of fear if I am resisting the feeling or judging myself for being where I am. I agree with you that breathing helps slow down the process, where ever I may be. Thank you for the reminder to breathe when frustrated, scared or tired. |
BreathBy Owen on Tuesday, November 13, 2012 Eckart is my favorite author. i recommend to his writings to anybody who reads your blog. Thanks for the reminder. |
waking up
By Linda PetersenSmith on Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Having spent the last 5 of 7 days waking and not returning to sleep, I get up. Otherwise the thoughts of 'to do', remaking the world to my liking, or 'shoulds' only get louder. Finished a book that's been around too long, cut out several quilt tops, took a soaking bath, did emails, and enjoyed taking long quiet deep breaths. namaste.