I Think I May Be on to Something Here

Thank you to Jo and Rachel for a very informative discussion on rest. I have been pacing ever since I discovered the technique; however, I have never actually taken scheduled, lying down with your eyes closed rests. After reading their posts and overcoming my fears (what if I fall asleep and can't get back up? what if I'm incapacitated and not around for my kids? what if it messes up my circadian rhythm and I can't get any sleep at night?), I decided to give it a try. So, I have scheduled two 30 minute rest periods into my day. I go upstairs, turn on some classical music, put on my spa sleep mask, set the timer, and REST.

So far, the results have been amazing! My fears were, not surprisingly, unfounded. Most of the time, my mind is still racing (although I try to keep away from worrying), so I don't actually fall asleep. 30 minutes is the perfect amount of time. It cuts off the energy drain and gives me a little bit of a boost. I'll know better this week, but I think it helps me rebound from difficult days a little better. I'm still getting to sleep ok at night. My kids have thus far survived without me for 30 minutes at a time.

I have been trying to develop a wellness program to help me inch my way back to recovery. I think this may actually be a big piece of the puzzle. I'm feeling very hopeful that I have one more tool in my toolbox to manage this disease.