COVID-19 has left me out of work and collecting unemployment (something I never thought I would EVER do), like many others. I have no little ones to care for (aside from a senior cat) and no husband that needs me. I have friends and family that are still working (some even more than normal), while homeschooling, while taking care of a family, yada yada yada… I just wanted to acknowledge that I realize my experience is similar to some and much different than many others.
With that said, I’m making the most of this forced slow down and enjoying it (aside from the sickness, death, and lack of income, of course). I have gratitude for the time it has allowed me to deeply balance and recalibrate. No point in adding fear and stress to the global worry and panic, they say… Might as well make the most of it, right!?!
I’ve been making the most of this time by indulging in a free nightly ritual. My number one indulgence this quarantine is mastering the most perfect sleep schedule. That’s it. Sleep regularly and sleep well. I’ve been preaching consistent and thorough sleep for years, but with work schedules, life stresses, and social obligations, it hasn’t always been attainable.
Now, without work shifts that go until 8pm, and 6am Yoga classes to teach, there is really no excuse not to get my perfect eight hours at the same time each night. It’s important to my mental and physical health to rise and fall with the sun, so all I have to do is make sure I eat my dinner by 6pm every night. With dinner done by then, I can enjoy three hours of any other activity before I naturally start to get tired by 9pm. These wind down activities typically include a sunset walk, light reading, or an Epsom salt bath. It’s the most exciting and luxurious thing for me to have time to do this and actually honor when I’m tired and go to bed, without worrying about “real life” stuff that I normally would be rushing to get done in the small amount of time after work.
So that’s it. I sleep at the same time every night from about 9:30pm-5:30am and it’s an absolute luxury that I will enjoy and indulge in while I have this opportunity. This consistent sleep has allowed more energy that I hope to keep integrated moving forward after quarantine. Perhaps I won’t have time for a walk or bath when I get home after 8pm, but maybe the light reading and/or a foot massage with grounding essential oils. I really think the key will be setting up the wind down activity in advance, so I can just lovingly jump into it right when I get home exhausted after work.
Until then, I will continue to be super grateful I have this time to really hone-in and experience what this perfect sleep schedule does for me.
What are your indulgences or rituals that are keeping you sane through this time?
A side note: My Wisconsin peeps will probably assume there is an alcoholic beverage hidden in the above wind down routine. There usually isn’t, as tempting as it sometimes is… The nights when there is a drink involved, my consistent sleep is disrupted by deep thirst waking me at 2am, which takes away the luxuriousness of it all. In this case not indulging feels most indulgent:)