The Wake-Up Call: Why Insomnia Might Really Be About Something Bigger
“I don’t have time for sleep, I’m too busy. But I realized that don’t have enough energy for my grandchildren — and that really hurts”.
This was the dilemma that led Nadine to seek me out.
Nadine realized that she had been trading life enjoyment for “getting things done” for a long, long time.
Her marriage had failed, in part because she was always choosing her “to-do” list over her closest relationships
Her friends had stopped inviting her places because her answer was always, “I’d love to but …”
She couldn’t remember the last time she had actually done something for herself.
And what did she have to show for all of this dedication to work? More work.
And now, truth be told, her energy was flagging — even the energy she had for her business.
She:
Woke up at 4 am to get to her office, facing the day bleary-eyed and exhausted before she had even started
Needed three cups of coffee in the morning to fire up her brain
Was noticing her mind slowing down, turning on and off like a faulty something-or-another on the dashboard of her car
Her relentless drive and pattern of sleep deprivation had turned into insomnia.
On the rare night when she could give herself permission for adequate sleep, (when she was too exhausted for any semblance of productivity) …. she couldn’t sleep!
She was unable to wind down. Her brain wouldn’t stop thinking, spinning around like a toy gyroscope. She was unable to dive into that refreshing pool sitting tantalizingly right in front of her — blissful sleep.
She had reached a decision point.
Life is too short — and getting shorter.
However, she had no idea what to do about it and was just bravely soldiering on.
That was, until she met me. We encountered each other at a business networking event. When she heard what I do, her face lit up like a porch light at dusk.
Together, we resolved her insomnia.
This was the key to fixing the overdone workaholic pattern that had been driving her life. Nadine learned to:
Create and maintain boundaries between work and downtime
Gain control over her “racing mind”
Prioritize sleep and rest to enjoy her life and remain productive
Insomnia is simply a stuck pattern of behaviour and thinking. Getting out of it requires relearning sleep, and embracing rest and self-care.
For Nadine, insomnia was a wake-up call.
She had needed that wake-up call to address an approach to life that hadn’t been serving her.
She realized that she had been robbing herself of enjoyment - the joy from what she cared about most in life.
After overcoming insomnia, Nadine reported, “I am now the woman people want to be around. I’m being invited to events again. I’m now the vibrant storyteller I used to be.”
“And best of all, my grandchildren are always asking when I’m coming over next because I am so much fun to be around”.