The power of sleep

I know that sleeping too much can be a problem for some but I am convinced that there is real healing power in being able to drift off to sleep naturally.

I think the real power of our unconscious rests that we get is that they act like a reset button in our lives.

Yes. I am even talking of those little power naps as they used to call them (sort of like a "cat" nap I suppose) that we can take in the middle of a harried day.

My long time psychiatrist is a very wise man (and very well educated to boot). He has always emphasized the need for having good sleep habits but was also honest enough with me to realize when I was getting too uptight about it and say to me "look, none of us are perfect. Do your best with trying to get on a good sleep schedule and don't beat yourself up (or let others beat you up) for "deviating from the norm" every once in a while." (I am paraphrasing him. His actual words were more compact and too the point.)

I am of the opinion that these little "deviations from the norm" or anomalies that we experience now and then are actually healthy for reasons that are beyond the scope of this blog post.

Okay now. What about if you simply can't fall asleep? That is when you need to speak to your doctor and have an honest conversation with him regarding how this is affecting you.

With my particular form of mental illness (Bipolar Disorder), lack of sleep is an early warning sign of mania. That's not a reason to panic of course. Just act responsibly and take the necessary steps to keep yourself and others safe until this phase of the illness passes.

PLEASE UNDERSTAND THE FOLLOWING: I am not a trained professional talking here and my words here shouldn't be taken as such. There is absolutely NO substitute for good, professionally trained medical help for any type of serious mental illness.

Be not afraid though. Get help if you really think you need it. Act responsibly and err on the side of caution. You deserve peace of mind...

and a good night's sleep!