self care tips for when you aren't sleeping enoguh, mh
It's summer in the northern hemisphere. I live around 45°, so days up here can be a little long. I keep hearing from friends things like "I've hardly slept at all this weekend", and while yes, you really should sleep, I also wanted to put together a couple suggestions in case you find yourself buzzing from all the light and warmth.
1. Don't continue doing things just because 'you don't feel tired'. Use a gauge for what a 'full day' might have been a few months ago, and make sure to do nice, but boring things, like watching a show or playing a relaxing video game. Regular inclusion of boring things can help you get back into a better-regulated cycle.
Social things can be kind of bad for mellowing out because people will sometimes come in and start shit randomly, which can make it almost impossible to settle back down again in that group. This also extends to browsing social media. Settle for watching a mellow youtube documentary, or browsing an artist's portfolio instead, if you're looking for cute animals and/or pretty art.
self care tips for when you aren't sleeping enoguh, mh
2. Remember that you don't magically have energy stolen from the ether-- you might have drive or will, but you still need to eat and rest your eyes. If you don't, your eyes and stomach will hurt, and your body will get weaker. Make sure you continue to eat, drink water, and get some exercise, even if your schedule is unusual.
self care tips for when you aren't sleeping enoguh, mh
4. If you can't sleep, spend at least 4 hours in bed with your eyes closed every night. I like to listen to an audiobook track, but make sure it's under thirty minutes or so. The goal is to be too tired to want to play the next one, not to have something you hear if you wake up in the middle of the night.
self care tips for when you aren't sleeping enough, mh
5. Make the use of some of your extra go-gettedness to try to spend a little more time taking care of yourself or experimenting with new things. Maybe cook something new from scratch, gather ingredients to make a project, or outline a new idea. It's a good time for growth and planning, but try to avoid deadlines.
Remember: just because you might be able to do something in a day today doesn't mean you'll be able to be as efficient in a few days. Not getting adequate rest can have substantial longer term impacts, so as soon as you feel like you can settle down again, please please please try to let yourself.
self care tips for when you aren't sleeping enough, mh
To wrap up, I often think of this time as my 'bonus executive function' time and try to set up systems to fall back on for days/weeks I'm really low on spoons. Even though you have energy, if you're not resting much, your brain likely isn't nearly as good at learning, so it's very important for me to write things down for later use.
I try to focus on preparing/planning/executive function things, and take very good notes, since I'm rarely able to remember small details a few months later. Once I settle down again and mellow, I'll quietly poke away at the projects.
self care tips for when you aren't sleeping enough, mh
Ok. Be kind to yourself and your friends, help each other explore, and try not to stress each other out or push them to drive themselves too hard.
If you've got any other tips you'd like to share, happy to hear 'em! :)
self care tips for when you aren't sleeping enough, mh
@starless saving this for next vernal equinox :p - at 45N also
self care tips for when you aren't sleeping enough, mh
@t54r4n1 I hope it helps! I find I get this around convention season (in other times) a lot, too.
self care tips for when you aren't sleeping enoguh, mh
3. The energy you have can leave whenever. Even though it might feel like it's OK to skip chores because you'll still have energy to do them later, try to keep up with them. Eventually, you'll settle back down, and it's nice if you already have a clean kitchen when that happens.