Tranquility Workshops Blog

There are times when all of us lie in bed awake, thinking about the trials of the day, regrets of the past, and the anticipated outcomes of tomorrow.

Yesterday I had a conversation with a man, whose job involves driving long distances every day.  As he lives here in the northeast, he is often faced with commuting during the numerous snowstorms that the season has to offer.  He related to me that when he goes to bed on nights preceeding a storm, that he has difficulty falling asleep.  He lies there awake, anticipating the ill-conditions that he'll be driving in, the problems he may face, the delays that might occur, etc.   As he lays in the comfort and safety of his bed, his thoughts are causing his body to feel the effects of "fight or flight".  Instead of getting the rest he needs to tackle the commute the next day, his body is reacting to the production of the stress hormones flooding his system.....causing him to remain alert and awake (ready for action).  Our bodies don't know the difference between real or imagined situations.  Thoughts are that powerful......they cause biochemical changes, which can affect our health, mood and well-being.

I recommended for him to give mindfulness a try.  The definition that Tranquility Workshops likes to use is:  "when you mind and body are in the same place".  I suggested to him that when he's in bed, to attempt to anchor his attention in the present moment, by focusing on the the following:  the comfort of the mattress, pillows, sheets and blanket, his position, his breath, the temperature of the room, the sounds, the darkness of the environment, the safety of that moment, the fact that there is nothing to do at that moment but rest.  I told him that if intrusive thoughts pop in about the next day's commute, that he should "push them away", and refocus on the present moment.   With reduction of the stress hormones in his system, his body and mind will have a better chance of getting the rest he needs.

Worrying about possible future outcomes does not help you fight the battle.