A Former Night Owl

I’ve trained myself to be a morning person. But I am naturally a night owl. I was born to a night owl and raised to be a night-loving person. My mom loves to watch t.v. until the wee hours of the morning.

When I was a child, a favorite memory is laying on the sofa with my mom, nestled behind her legs, head on her butt watching “Love American Style” on Friday nights and “Soap” on Saturdays.  I’ve read until the birds began singing more than once a few times in my life.  I’ve worked hard to make myself get up in the morning–to be a morning lark. It is pretty simple. You just have to go to bed earlier. That sounds easy. But really, it is HARD. But here are three steps that I use to get myself to bed at a reasonable time…

1–Morning Goalpost–I decide what time I want to get up in the morning. This is my anchor point. It is the goal I am working towards. 

2–Bedtime Math–Then I calculate my bedtime. That is NOT the time I go to bed. It is the time I want to sleep. When I used to start with the idea of what time I wanted to get up, the time I went to bed was just random…it happened when it happened. It was what it was. When I was tired, I hit the hay. Now, if I want to get 7-8 hours of sleep, I do the math to identify the EXACT time I need to be asleep. (My Fitbit fitness tracker really helped me identify how much sleep my body needed to be fully rested.)

3–Bedtime Routine–So then I add one more hour and THAT is the time I begin my going to bed stuff. I have to make sure the kitchen is cleaned up, the doors are locked, lights are off, teeth are brushed, and makeup is off. I want to lay in bed, snuggle in, and read for a little while.

It only sometimes works as smoothly as it sounds. But I also have some tips for when I’m lying there and, for whatever reason, sleep isn’t running me over. Now, let’s be real – not every night is a smooth sail into dreamland. Sometimes, the sheep just won’t cooperate, and sleep feels like it’s playing hide-and-seek. But fear not! I’ve got a few tricks up my pajama sleeve for those stubborn nights:

• Meditation: I practice some soothing mindfulness exercises to quiet the racing thoughts and coax my brain into relaxation mode. Usually, this involves some kind of counting. Sometimes I count my breaths backward from 100. Sometimes I count up to 10 over and over again…and then there is “box breathing” that quickly calms my nervous system down.
• Aromatherapy: A dash of lavender oil on my pillow or a calming tea can work wonders in preparing me for dreamland. I also think that it is so much fun just buying pillow sprays!
• Stretches: A few gentle stretches help release the tension from the day and prepare my body for sleep. I do nothing fancy, just twists, arm stretches, and neck rolls. 

So there you have it – my journey from night owl to morning lark, complete with my bedtime rituals fit for someone who loves sleep.

Click here to check out other Sidetracked opinions

Click here to listen to the Sidetracked Stories podcast

Want to create your own legacy? Join the Sidetracked Sisters and start now!

Ever thought about working with a Life Coach? Are you creative or a writer who is frustrated with your inability to do the work you so desperately feel called to do? Check out Lisa Hoffman Coaching.

#sidetrackedsisters #sidetrackedlisa #sidetrackedlegacies #legacywriting  #legacystories #writeyourownlegacy #LisaHoffmanCoaching