The Real Solution to Stress and Lack of Sleep

Sleeping well? Or, is the stress in your life waking you up, continuing to plague those wee hours of the morning? Imagine life 100 years ago. Yes, there were difficult times and life was not as easy as it is today with the conveniences of indoor plumbing and super-kitchens. But, life was not as hectic or rushed for most people.  Quite simply, there just weren’t as many things to think about.

Today we can watch the late news and the 24-hour news channels, or a late-night tear ‘em up movie. Some of us get connected to family and friends with late-night phone calls and can’t get to sleep because our minds are processing the conversations again. It’s hard to assess the real risk these news or life events we focus on 24/7 pose in our lives. But the side effects from lack of sleep are well-documented.

So, what is the real solution?

You could take drugs to entice your brain to shut down. You could get up and make the sleepless time useful, like cleaning out that garage you’ve had on your list forever. Or you could get a handle on your thinking. You could choose to focus on a thought that relaxes you, makes you smile, or brings good feelings to every cell in your body.

If you don’t believe you have the power to choose which thoughts you pay attention to, think again. It’s time to figure it out and there’s no better time than now. Stress is a feeling that comes from the thoughts we are thinking. Healthy, happy thoughts create healthy, happy feelings.  And the opposite is equally true.

If you want to stop stress now and sleep well, the fastest way is to handle your thoughts in a new way. Choose to focus on thoughts that relax, give hope, or further your goals and desires. It is simple, once you learn that you are in charge of which thoughts you pay attention to.

For additional information, check out our approach to stress relief and sign up for our “Stop Stress Now” 7-session mini-course, in the blue box on this page.  Give yourself a break, and learn how to relieve your late-night stress.