Midnight Musings: Embracing Mindfulness in the Quiet Hours
Jet lag can really throw off your sleep schedule. Last week, in the midst of a busy work and school week, I found myself wide awake at 3 am.
Hi Friends! I hope your week was great!
I’m back from London, and getting back into the swing of things. Jet lag can really throw off your sleep schedule. Last week, in the midst of a busy work and school week, I found myself wide awake at 3 am. The culprit? None other than Chowder, our beloved black and white pitbull. We're dog people, through and through, with three fur-babies who rule our home. Clairese, the white/brown one; Brink, the light brown elder; and, of course, Chowder. They all have their quirks and personalities, making bedtime anything but boring.
Our bedroom has become a sanctuary for our furry family members. With a spacious couch that doubles as a bed for Clairese and Chowder, and a cozy Tempurpedic-style mattress for Brink, our nights are filled with rustling, shifting, and the occasional bark. Despite their size—each weighing in at over 85 pounds—they somehow manage to sneak into bed with us, seeking warmth and comfort.
On this particular night, I woke up to the familiar sight of a pitbull silhouette at the foot of our bed. It’s Clairese. As she stealthily made her way under the covers, I couldn't help but smile at her antics. Wide awake now, I found myself pondering how to make the most of this unexpected wakefulness. Instead of succumbing to anxiety about the tasks ahead, I decided to practice mindfulness.
I’m up, thinking about everything I need to do and get a surge of anxiety which forces me to sit up. Has this ever happened to you? You wake up in the middle of the night and feel so exhausted but can’t manage to go back to bed?
I remember when I was little, I hated sleeping by myself. I did share a bedroom with my sister, Abuelita, and my aunt. But still, I slept in my own bunk bed, and I was terrified. I grew up watching some of the iconic horror movies, as you can imagine, except for the nudity; my parents didn’t let us watch that. But the graphic parts were fair game. The result, of course, was sleepless nights and the occasional bout of hysterical crying. I think about that sometimes when I wake up. When the jolt of anxiety shakes me awake, but instead of a monster coming to get me, it’s my daily to-do list that hunts me down to no avail.