Firstly, I am happy to report that I finished reading "Deep Work" by Cal Newport this morning.
I've been taking my time with this book. Mainly because I wanted to process the thoughts written in the book. Also, it sometimes felt overstretched, so I'd lose focus.
I DO NOT mind putting a book away mid-way if it doesn't interest me. There are so many books to read and so less time. It's not worth wasting time trying to finish a book that does not add value. But I didn't get rid of this one and I am happy to finish it.
I may write a book review on "Deep Work" by Cal Newport, or I may not!
Secondly, I am happy to report that I no longer struggle with sleepless nights. This is a massive achievement for me.
I have struggled with sleeplessness for a long, long time. I've always been jealous of people who'd get a good night's sleep.
Here's what my Facebook Status said back in 2015.
Well, NOT ANYMORE!
Over the years, I tried many ways to achieve my sleep quota. On a scale ranging from absurd to complete bonkers. I tried changing the mattress', resorted to alcohol before bedtime, taking supplements that proclaim to give you better sleep and drank chamomile tea, to name a few. There are more that I need to censor.
But, in the past few months, I managed to bring a few changes to my night routine. Adding these habits to my night routine has made all the difference.
1) Setting up a sleep cycle.
Every night by 10 pm, I am in bed. This is non-negotiable. Unless, of course, there is some unavoidable situation where my presence is required. There are always exceptions.
During the weekdays, I make conscious efforts to ensure that I am in bed by 10 pm, ready to call it a night. In fact, by 9.30 pm, my body and mind start shutting down, and I think I also turn into a zombie ready to attack!
2) Reading a Book.
Did you really think I would give you a magic spell to get a comfortable sleep?
This is a no-brainer. It may be a little because you actually have to use your brain to read and focus on something worth your time. But, honestly, it helps me sleep and adds so much value to my life. This is something I look forward to now.
3) Meditation
I always struggled with meditation. I could never really focus. I just can't stay still. I always have to move my leg, touch my nose, or scratch that itch. I still do. But that's the best thing; I have learned that meditation does not mean turning into a statue. It is something that happens on its own once you start going deeper.
But meditating at night is something that has changed my life. I tried meditating in the morning. But I am in such a hurry to get done with it, as I have things to do and places to be at. Since I started, meditating at night, I actually started enjoying it as I am not in a hurry to get things done. Some of the changes that I've experienced.
My deep sleep time has increased.
I experience vivid dreams.
I sometimes wake up about once and rarely twice a night and quickly go back to sleep.
I've been tracking my sleep on my smartwatch, and my deep sleep has improved drastically. On an average of 8 hours of sleep every night, I tend to go into deep sleep mode for 2 - 2.5 hours.
Here's a glimpse of the data from January to September.
This data is not completely accurate, as I haven't been tracking my sleep every night. But still gives a gist.
I am not sharing something that you haven't heard before. Of course, there is no shortage of advice and lectures on how to be more successful or how to live a happier life.
One thing that will be common in all, will be getting a sound sleep. There are nights when my thoughts won't stop running and ruining my night, but I am making progress every day.
I am going back to my roots and unlearning and relearning some of the old-school teachings. I truly believe, that the simple habits that our ancestors left us with will bring me joy on a day-to-day basis, which will lead to my success.
Read: "Time is precious."
Read: A Fish in the Net I think returning to our roots and adopting and adapting our lifestyle to the pre-technology age will allow us to be more creative and live a fulfilling life. Let me know your thoughts on this post.
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