Savoring Sleep

One of hope’s most dependable colleagues is sleep. Sleep is the bringer of dreams, the mender of bodies, and the soother of spirits. Without the balm of gentle sleep, even tiny crises seem monumental and almost impossible to handle. Why, then, is it next to impossible to succumb to sleep when we are upset and need it most? Some people are simply non-sleepers, but most insomnia probably has a lot to do with the Rabid Thought Monkeys continuously yelling and leaping around on the branches of our brains. I bet you know the ones—those highly caffeinated voices that worry and blame and plan and scheme. The ones who tell you how horrible things are now and how much more horrible they are likely to become. The ones who berate and shame you. Some of us hear Worry Monkeys, others Regret Monkeys, Fear Monkeys, or the occasional friendly Excitement Monkey. It doesn’t matter; all of them reject sleep.

Fortunately, there are some wonderful, natural tranquilizers that can quiet the mind-monkeys and allow us to savor the comfort and consolation of sleep.

Excerpted from How to Stay Upbeat in a Beat Down World by Sue Patton Thoele. Available on Amazon.