Beating Middle of the Night Stress

What do you do when you wake up in the middle of the night and cannot go back to sleep? Do you lie there tossing, stretch, panic, and feel your heart thumping? Do you notice your own shallow breathing? Do you try futilely to follow the random speeding thoughts that race through your mind?

Back in 1991 I met an elderly man in the grocery store. He must have been around 87. Approaching my cart, he leaned in and said "young lady would you like to know how to get to be my age?" To which I answered "sure". He then went on to explain that since he had been my age and out on his own, never once did he ever spend a sleepless night in bed. If he should have trouble dosing off, or worse-wake in the middle of the night, he simply & promptly got up out of bed and got busy about living.

At 22 I was not in the habit of having trouble falling asleep. No-in fact my trouble was choosing to go to sleep when there was always so much fun to get into. Now at 35, I fully appreciate the words this man offered to me. In my case, rarely is a sleepless night caused randomly. However, nights like that have occurred to me as well.

Here are some suggestions of things to do -should sleep evade you.

  • Have a cup of herbal tea and read a relaxing book to start your day? or before trying sleep again.

  • Have a cup of coffee and read some motivational literature to jump start your morning.

  • Put on music, or a spoken word tape / CD if necessary to shut off the chatter in your mind.

  • Take care of any physical symptoms that are bothering you-headache, upset stomach, heart burn.

  • Take action on any issue on your mind-

    • you can write out an action plan for the next few months, weeks, days, hours ahead (break it down into manageable chunks) this will help you to feel like you have control by having a plan and thereby not giving up on yourself and the issue.

    • you can organize any materials that might pertain to that area of life.

    • read information on the topic-becoming informed sometimes has a calming affect.

    • put in any direct effort to move the situation along possible. Bite the bullet so to speak-take the action you have been delaying.

  • Do something else productive around the house. Find something you can do without bothering others that will free up your day time later. If you get stuff out of the way at night-you can spend the daytime addressing any issue that has your sleep disturbed.

  • Set some more goals for you life.

  • Visualize where you want to be in 4 months, in 1 year, in 3 years, in 5 years, in 8 years, in 10 years, up through old age.

  • Write these down and read them repeatedly. Focus on where you are headed, rather than on the current tough spot.

  • Dream of vacations you will take. Then plan how you can get that accomplished. Set a goal or a course of action.

  • Write letters (real letters hand written) to your children, parents, or closest friends. Try to focus on the good in your life and your goals ahead. The more you focus on the good the better you will feel.

  • Find something or someone to be involved with other than yourself-who can you be thinking good thoughts for? Who is in need of positive thoughts and/ or prayer? Spend some time thinking about those who touch your life daily, and the lives of all those you care for-the list could be endless. Spend positive time wishing all those extended people happiness, health, and blessings.

  • Take review of your life- have you forgotten any celebrations lately? Have you left unnoticed and concerns that affect your loved ones? Write a couple notes and take the proper steps to connect with them regarding those issues now.

  • Plan out 17 surprises for your mate, children, parents, or best friends. The 17 surprises can be plotted on a calendar waiting to be launched at a time later.

  • Re-read your goals you set. Re-read them as things you have, or are in the midst of. (do this several times)

  • Take a bath to relax and try sleep again.

  • Take a shower to wake up.

  • Exercise.

  • Work on a hobby, read a book, watch a happy video.

  • Meditate.

    After doing all of these things, one of 2 things will happen. Either 1) you will be so tired you are able to fall back asleep. OR 2) the sun will be due to rise ? rain or shine, and your day will be ready to move forward.

    We spend a lot of time wasted? but there is much to do. The next time you have trouble sleeping try the above suggestions. And feel free to email the things that have worked for you-I am always happy to add to my list.

    Until next time-- All the best,

    Kate

    About The Author

    Kate Hufstetler is a well established personal and relationship coach who has helped many individuals like yourself to beat "the blues" and gain control over their lives. Her clients come from both the United States and overseas. She offers coaching services via email and phone consultations at flexible timing and financing to meet your every need. Through personal, business, spiritual mentorship, she could help you too! Please visit for available packages within your range: http://www.comedreamwithme.com/start_today.html

    http://www.comedreamwithme.com/start_today.html

    recurring maid service Bannockburn ...
    In The News:

    Uber teen accounts now feature live video streaming from the driver's camera, but encrypted recordings stay on Uber's servers for up to 14 days.
    Router firewalls and software firewalls serve different roles in protecting your home Wi-Fi from unwanted traffic and suspicious connections.
    A Chrome extension with 70,000 users and a 4.7-star rating began injecting fake update warnings after a threat actor acquired and weaponized it.
    Amazon's Alexa+ rolls out free to Fire TV devices across the U.S., but hands-free microphones and stored voice data raise key privacy questions.
    Meta's new teen accounts settlement sets a default two-hour daily limit on Instagram and Facebook, plus night mode and school mode restrictions.
    The CareCloud data breach exposed Social Security numbers, banking information and medical records belonging to more than 3.75 million people.
    Waymo reveals its custom 5-nanometer chip and dual computing systems designed to take over instantly if the robotaxi's primary computer fails.
    Identity theft now includes account takeover, phone hijacking and payment card exposure. Here's what to look for in identity theft protection services.
    Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
    The FBI and Justice Department seized domains tied to QScan and QTRouter, tools allegedly used by China-linked hackers to breach NASA and other agencies.
    Uber Eats drone delivery launches later this year through a Zipline partnership, starting in Dallas and Houston with a goal of one million daily flights.
    Medicare Open Enrollment scams start with data broker targeting months before October. Learn why August is the time to remove your personal info.
    The World Humanoid Robot Games' crashes show how far the technology still needs to go to be useful, "Survivor" reality TV star and robotics scientist Christian Hubicki says.
    X-Humanoid's TianGong Ultra ran 100 meters in 9.32 seconds at Beijing's World Humanoid Robot Games, beating last year's winner by more than half.
    A tap-to-pay charity scam is turning small $15 or $20 donations into charges of nearly $5,000, with victims losing thousands before they notice.
    Kurt Knutsson shares seven emergency preparedness lessons from surviving Hurricane Katrina inside a New Orleans hotel as conditions turned desperate.
    A contractor stored credentials in a Google Doc set to "Anyone with the link," and Google Search autocomplete eventually surfaced the password string.
    New Orleans 911 uses Carbyne AI to triage repeat auto crash calls, but strict limits keep human call-takers in control of all other emergencies.
    A single card skimmer can generate $1 million in stolen funds, and Secret Service video shows criminals installing them in under two seconds.
    ChatGPT, Meta AI and Google now use memory, connected apps and past chats to personalize ads and responses in ways most users overlook today.
    MagicalAuth by Glide.id uses cryptographic SIM credentials to verify bank logins without sending SMS OTP codes that scammers can intercept or phish.
    A humanoid robot named Lightning Bolt ran 100 meters in 9.39 seconds at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, edging Usain Bolt's record.
    An AI agent using Claude AI canceled another person's gym booking after finding a security flaw in the reservation system's authorization checks.
    Trump signed a memorandum allowing vetted private U.S. companies to conduct cyber operations against foreign criminal organizations under oversight.
    Your Social Security number appeared in a breach, but exposure and identity theft are not the same. Here's how identity restoration actually works.
  • Canadian Physicians on Slippery Slope of Burnout

    In a recent CMA survey of 2251 physicians, over 45%... Read More

    Are You Worried? 4 Steps to Peace of Mind

    A friend has this quotation on his office wall: "I... Read More

    Stress Management: Are You a Worrier or a Warrior?

    Do you attack problems and solve them or do you... Read More

    Stress Busting Strategies

    Learn to have healthy relationships:This subject could fill an entire... Read More

    How to Relieve Stress

    One question that is not asked enough by people under... Read More

    What The Most Dangerous Job In The World Taught Me About Coping With Stress

    I just got through reading some troubling news in the... Read More

    Living on the Edge: Stressed Out and Nowhere to Go

    Is your stress level higher than it should be? Are... Read More

    Stress Symptoms

    Stress relief and managementRecognizing stress symptoms can be a positive... Read More

    Secrets to Aromatherapy II - Psychological Complaints

    Aromatherapy is very therapeutic when it comes to healing emotional... Read More

    Alleviate Stress Without Pills!

    We all have it; we live with it daily: stress.... Read More

    [Emotional Health] Are You Feeling In Control?

    When it is all said and done, do you feel... Read More

    Reduce Stress To Maximize Efficiency

    The right amount of stress can be good for you,... Read More

    Dealing with Workplace Stress

    One of the hardest forms of stress to avoid is... Read More

    Conquering Stress and Depression with Exercise

    One of the best ways to combat stress and depression... Read More

    Stress Reduction Tips for Parents

    The best way to reduce your stress is to really... Read More

    Stress Managment: 5 Things to Clean Out of Your Mental Closet

    ExcusesWe all have them. It amazes me how creative I... Read More

    Stress Management: 4 Steps to Massive Stress Relief by Having Fun

    Over the years I've collected scores of comics and cartoons... Read More

    Stress Managment and Mastery: Learning to Rebound

    Q. I've suffered a few setbacks and disappointments in the... Read More

    Anger Management: Are You Able To Say Both Yes! And No! ?

    I hear from many people that they see ever increasing... Read More

    Beyond the Stress of Success - Access Your Thriving Zone

    Genuine enthusiasm...real feeling of accomplishment...sense of satisfaction and fun. Welcome... Read More

    Why Stress Is Not Necessary

    We are not designed for long term stress.It causes us... Read More

    Chastise Your Bread ? Kneading Dough is Excellent Stress Therapy

    The day wasn't going well already. You know how it... Read More

    Coping with Change: Develop Your Personal Strategy

    Why do we resist change? As the saying goes, the... Read More

    Energy - How to Have More of It

    Something the successful business person needs is - lots of... Read More

    Natural Stress Relief - Without a Doctor!

    Are you looking for stress relief? No drugs, no meditation?... Read More

    detailed home cleaning Wilmette ...